I used to think maybe the actor was gay or a least came off as a little fruity, but it makes sense that the character is
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projectcyclops — 11 years ago(April 12, 2014 10:38 AM)
I suspect some of the points we're arguing on might have hit a roadblock simply due to difference in opinion, but I'll give a shot on another reply
I don't think the kiss thing can be ignored, and it's kind of the deal-breaker for me. It's my view that Miguel was, at that moment, feebly trying to rekindle something of what they had during their first early few weeks/months of being together. It's possible that, if they were in a platonic 'charade' relationship, he might have casually kissed Sarah on the lips sometimes as a friendly gesture, but it doesn't seem likely that he'd do that
at that moment.
To me it's more indicative of someone who knows their romantic relationship is basically over, and is making one last effort to rekindle things. Miguel knows that he and Sarah won't ever save their love, so he's kissing her in that "please take me back! I'm so sorry!" kind of way.
I also don't think Romero is the kind of writer who suggests
anything
by omission (I say that with the greatest respect). In fact many of Romero's strongest themes have come about by accident; think of the casting of Duane Jones in 'Night', which Romero hadn't intended as a comment on racial prejudice, but became one of the most significant elements of NOTLD. Even in 'Day' Romero hadn't thought about animal cruelty and vivisection when writing the script, but many people have picked up on this as being an important theme of the film.
Romero also tends to shy away from gay characters. When he does use them, he tends to employ the jackhammer approach - such as the two lesbians seen kissing before being brutally killed in 'Land' or the frankly bizarre decision in 'Survival' to introduce the lesbian Tomboy by having her masturbating in front of a group of soldiers. To think Romero would be subtle enough to consider a very nuanced relationship between a gay man and straight woman, employed to protect them from outsiders, is perhaps giving the man too much credit. I love Romero to pieces (heh), but he's not that kind of writer.
I do agree that around six months is a good guess for how long they've been down there, but that only serves to strengthen my argument for why they would bother cultivating such a charade in such a relatively short space of time. During their first couple of weeks down there, they would
not
have known how long it would last. I think they probably did fall for one another early on and start 'dating' in a real way, assuming the zombie problem would eventually be solved and they could keep seeing each other when everything was back to normal. That they would meet and then immediately decide to form a fake relationship when they had no idea whether it would be weeks, months or years, just seems way too far fetched.
I actually agree with you that it would be a great idea, and I think it's a cool theory. But there's just no strong evidence to suggest that it's true. To me, Miguel doesn't seem gay at all, just a 'normal' (ie, not super tough) guy who's become anxious through stress.
Lastly, I think if Miguel can be seen to be gay, so can Fisher, Rickles, Steel, Rhodes and Frankenstein (all displaying slightly homoerotic tendencies during individual moments of the film) and you can't reasonably argue that Romero intended us to speculate on the sexuality of all (or even any!) of his characters. With Romero, what you see is almost always what you get.
PS: You're very welcome for the replies. It's always fun to chat about the little things in the 'Dead' films, and it just shows how damn well they still hold up after all these years.
He left a note. He left a simple little note that said "I've gone out the window." -
leightoncollins — 11 years ago(July 16, 2014 12:25 AM)
Don't think rickles is gay. He's still wearing his wedding ring for starters, which I've always liked as it shows he's still in touch with the pre zombie life.
Rickles and steel are bromance combat buddies but gay lovers . Don't think so. -
swolleneyebags — 11 years ago(April 29, 2014 05:15 PM)
I always felt the complete opposite about Miguel, in the sense that he was a family man and, unlike the soldiers, possibly had a young family on the outside. I'm sure you see a wedding ring on his finger at one point?! Perhaps it was the idea that he was never going to see his family again, or the prospect that his kids and wife had been killed, just tore him apart. Add to this the guilt factor - he was having a relationship with someone that was not his wife and this made things even more confusing and heartbreaking for him. He was a religious man with morals who wanted to end his life to break the misery and be with his family. What I have difficulty with is why he chose to take the lives of the others with him? Especially the life of Sarah - who genuinely cared for him?! Perhaps he watched from a distance what Rhodes had done to the others before realising he would be next and deciding to finally kill himself?
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Balthazar Bee — 11 years ago(May 16, 2014 11:24 AM)
I used to think maybe the actor was gay or a least came off as a little fruity, but it makes sense that the character is gay.
No offense to the fellow playing Miguel, or to gay folk in general, but Miguel's performance has long been a source of humour in our household. His behaviour is almost uniformly "screaming queen". Every line is delivered in such an over-the-top, campy fashion that it's difficult to take his character seriously.
I love the movie, and I wouldn't want to see the role recast, but come on:
"Everyone'scollapsingthiswholeunit'scollapsingeverybodyexceptyou." He just snarls it at her in such a catty fashion.
"You are afraid. You're full of sht, Sarah, you know that? I'm through with you." Again, catty and dismissive, while he's lying in
her
bed and she's on the floor! Then she yells at him and he dramatically grabs his stuff and storms off.
He slaps her, then bursts into tears while she's stone-faced. Then: "You bitch!"
I have to think this was intended to be some kind of brilliant role-reversal, with the strong woman and the weak man but GAR and the actor playing Miguel might've taken it a wee bit too far. -
suicidea — 11 years ago(May 19, 2014 04:39 AM)
Keep in mind that the character hasn't slept for days, and is already stressed out to the limit. He's also very aware of the seriousess of the situation, he's not like the morons who keep making jokes.
Too much stress + sleep deprivation + zombies waiting to eat you up. I wonder how you would react? (I don't mean you personally, I mean anyone)
Actually, for most of the young people today, that's not necessary. Just take their smart phones for a couple of hours, and see how they come off with catty outbursts and wanting to kill everyone in the world.
Never be complete. -
Minus_The_Beer — 10 years ago(October 11, 2015 01:14 PM)
I have to think this was intended to be some kind of brilliant role-reversal, with the strong woman and the weak man but GAR and the actor playing Miguel might've taken it a wee bit too far.
My thoughts exactly. Perhaps the actor didn't quite know how to play it correctly and it just came across as "gay"?
Anyone here mentions Hotel California dies before the first line clears his lips. -
Rolling-action — 11 years ago(June 01, 2014 06:50 AM)
Romero never jackhammered the gay relationship in KNIGHT RIDERS
I have watched Day a bunch of times and never thought Miguel was gay; just emotionally shot. In the opening scene he just bolts while Sarah watches the city zombies. -
dinerfood-901-211557 — 11 years ago(July 22, 2014 02:36 PM)
Not gay, he's Hispanic and Catholic in an obviously white cracker Florida military subculture. Romero did this on purpose. Diverse individuals learn to live together surviving, that thing. To his unraveling mind, Sarah has come to represent science gone mad, which she figures out later.
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austingranger — 11 years ago(August 17, 2014 02:27 PM)
Hogwash.
Romero isn't Joel and Ethan Coen.
Miguel may be effiminate when compared with the other deranged monkeys in his unit, but Cyclops makes good points about Rickles and Steele.
That being said, perhaps there was a benefit for Sarah using Miguel to get some muscle on her side and would give herself to Miguel to keep him sated. When she began to pity him so much that she couldn't even look on him except as an object of pity, then Miguel would have seen this and so fell into even deeper despair. Such is the way of a lot of relationships.
To be fair, you make a good point about mutual benefitting, but usually bearded relationships are to propel someone along in a liveable world. This is a nightmare one where people are hanging by a thread. -
LeeVing88 — 11 years ago(October 15, 2014 02:07 AM)
Hogwash.
Harsh
To be fair, you make a good point about mutual benefitting, butThis is a nightmare [world] where people are hanging by a thread.
I would think that only strengthens my view. They're stuck in a cave full of testosterone, and more than a couple psychos, and they're just trying to hang on. -
Disardor — 11 years ago(October 22, 2014 08:01 PM)
Interesting theory. I've certainly always gotten a bit of an effeminate vibe from Miguel but just chalked it up to either the actor being gay or being slightly effeminate, but it's entirely possible that you're correct.
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eternalhennessy — 11 years ago(February 14, 2015 08:25 AM)
I had never seen this part of the canon despite loving the first film. So I decided to give it a whirl despite the disappointment of fans for it. Upon first seeing the actor I thought, oh my, he's gay. Every moment he speaks or does his mannerisms it just reinforces my belief. It actually compelled me more to look it up here.
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Lovelyjugs — 10 years ago(September 12, 2015 01:05 PM)
Never thought anyone was Gay or straight or whatever. I thought Sarah and Miguel were in a relationship before all hell broke loose but now the relationship was pretty much broken beyond repair. I think Steel, Rhodes and Rickles were loosing it at this point and "any hole would be a goal" for them regardless of sexuality.