Comb Your Hair in a Pompadour, Like the Rest of the Romeos Wore: A Double-Shot of Patrick Swayze

Red Dawn

1984

Starring Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson, Charlie Sheen, and Jennifer Grey

Directed by John Milius

Jed Eckert (Swayze) is the stud football player for a small Midwestern high school.  He’s good looking, athletic, and popular, but his prom plans are ruined when Soviet and Nicaraguan troops invade America.  Jed leads a ragtag (and good-looking, but not AS good-looking as him) group of teens into the woods, where they live as freedom fighters known as the Wolverines – after their high school football team, not the footwear or the comic book character.  This film captured a unique 80s combination of Cold War fears and popular (albeit non-Brat Pack) teen stars.

Road House

1989

Starring Patrick Swayze, Ben Gazzara, Kelly Lynch, and Sam Elliott

Directed by Rowdy Herrington

After one-too-many outbursts of redneck violence, a bar owner hires Dalton (Swayze) to act as his “Cooler.”  The “Cooler” is the head bouncer.  Really.  Dalton, a student of über-Cooler and bouncing legend … no, no, really … Wade Garrett (Elliott), brings a unique combination of Eastern philosophy, glistening pecs, Thai Chi, and hair gel.  This unique combination gets him noticed by sexy doctor Elizabeth Clay (Lynch), as well as bad guy Brad Wesley (Gazzara), a rival bar owner and the big mean fish in the nice small town pond.  Rich with quotes, this is a guilty pleasure of many (and by many, I mean me).