I'm Going Off The Rails On The Swayze Train!

Thanks to my friend Matt Bailey for that quote. I feel it's only fitting that a blog named after the bar in Road House, give a special tribute to Mr. Patrick Swayze, Dancer, Actor, Fighter, Humanitarian the day after his death.

The first time I saw Patrick was in the movie The Outisders. This movie is consistently rated highly in my top movies of all time rankings, and is probably second only to Clash of the Titans in repeated viewings. I've seen Clash of the Titans an estimated 2.4 billion times. The Outsiders I'd estimate at a cool 992 Million, in a distant second, but still Second Place!

Now I know most people will say...Dirty Dancing when they talk about Patrick Swayze...but personally, it really comes down to TWO movies. Road House...of course, and Red Dawn.

While Road House is possibly the most enjoyable, quotable, action packed, confusing, sexy, confusing movie you'll ever see, Red Dawn is actually my favorite of all the Swayze films. He wasn't the "star" per se, as it was one of the best ensemble casts of it's era: Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Charlie Sheen, Jennifer Grey, Lea Thomson, Harry Dean Stanton, Lane Smith and Powers Booth. What mid 80's Star Power! Red Dawn actually has also given me much guidance in my life. For instance, I always have an escape route to the mountains planned. While I don't believe in guns, I try to figure out the best place to procure a bow and arrows, a parka, beans and other essential items so I can live off the land and fight a guerilla style war. I'm not sure of where I'll get a vehicle, I'm sure I can steal one, somehow...or my exact route, because I'm sure they will have the highways blocked, but I know where I'm going...if the invasion ever happens. Hopefully I'll be able to pick up some stragglers on the way, as I have no idea how to hunt, or to really do anything I'd need to do.

Anyway, its been a couple of days since his death, but I feel, it needed a mention in this blog in particular.

Patrick, I'll always be Crazy for Swayze.