If one were to make a list of the greatest action stars of the 1980's, names like Stallone, Van Damme, Norris and Schwarzenegger would top the list. Among them would most likely be that of Steven Seagal who, along with Jean Claude Van Damme and Chuck Norris, formed a part of the Holy Trinity of 1980's Martial Arts. Most of these stars are usually labeled as poor actors that are famous more for their martial arts prowess and abilities to break bones and do the splits than their acting chops. But what many people don't realize is that in Out For Justice, Steven Seagal went outside of his normal safe zone by playing the most emotionally complicated character of his career in Gino Felino, for the simple fact that Gino Fellino is a closeted homosexual.I understand that in just about any action movie, there are certain homosexual undertones. This is pretty much par for the course in movies largely assembled around overmuscled action stars getting oiled up and grappling with each other in every other scene. But Gino's homosexuality isn't only seen in his actions during fights. It can also be seen in the way that he acts around the other characters in Out For Justice.
The scene below is the perfect example of my hypothesis:
0:04 - Gino Felino enters the bar. Notice that the entire bar is filled with men. Felino has made it a point to unbutton his shirt lower than most males would, sending out a subliminal message to all the bar's patrons that he may be in a flirtatious mood and welcome any sexual attention that comes his way.
0:14 - When faced with a few of the bar's patrons, Felino immediately picks up the cue ball off of the nearest pool table. He does it so smoothly that you don't notice when he actually does it. It's as if he has years of experience smoothly grabbing balls during casual conversation.
0:24 - Felino (who has a name that sounds suspiciously like 'fellatio') begins to assert his dominance as Alpha Male of the group. This is known within the homosexual community as a "pitcher' or "bear" or "topper".
0:31 - Barely 30 seconds into the scene and Felino already makes reference to "sucking dick".
0:45 - Felino again asserts his Alpha Male status by randomly shoving a patron in the bar. It is well documented that closeted homosexuals may act out against openly gay people for making them face what it is that they hate most; their own sexuality.
0:56 - Notice that Felino is able to take the cue ball out of his pocket and bounce it off a concrete floor, an act that seems impossible given the laws of physics. Only someone that can manipulate the space/time continuum would be able to pull off such a feat. In ancient times, natives of the Greek island Karaakas used to believe that homosexuals had similar powers. Incorporating this into the scene shows that Steven Seagal did his homework for the role.
1:10 - Just over 1 minute into the scene, Felino mentions how a local mobster likes to "pervert kids and stuff'". Clearly, Felino has an interest in these types of activities. Felino is concerned that drugs were being sold out of this particular establishment, a common practice for gay bars.
1:26 - When Felino asks "Anyone seen Richie?" he gets a response of "Fuck you" that seemingly comes from nowhere and everywhere at once. This is because the director of this movie uses a Greek chorus to answer this question, another callback to ancient Greek theatre, where many quasi-homosexual acts were depicted onstage, all performed by men who are reputed to be heterosexual. Felino follows up this question by asking of anyone knows why Richie "did" Bobby Lupo. This may be in reference to Richie killing Bobby, but "did" could also be in reference to sexual intercourse between the two men.
1:35 - Felino shoves one of the bar's patrons into a phone booth and shuts the door, a metaphor for Felino's opinion that all homosexuals should stay "in the phone booth (closet)" like he does.
1:48 - Felino asks Sammy what he's doing in the bar, citing that he's "Vito's friend". Sammy replies that he's got a lot of friends. Felino says "You jump around a lot, is that it?" which is a possible hint that Sammy is a homosexual with many different partners. Felino dismisses Sammy's lady friend, implying that he's not buying that they are together. A heterosexual that hangs out with a homosexual to give off the impression that they are a straight couple is what is commonly known as a "beard". Clearly, Felino thinks Sammy's female companion is a beard.
2:02 - Felino calls Tattoo a "finocch" which is Italian slang for "fruitcake". Another example of Felino deflecting attention away from his own blatant homosexuality.
2:20 - More asserting male dominance.
2:28 - Felino pulls out a hot dog from seemingly nowhere (more homosexual magic?) and asks who the hot dog belongs to in a mocking tone, possibly to imply that while he seems like he's joking, he's actually sending out signals that he would be willing to engage in a round of "hide the wiener", a common homosexual game.
2:51 - After an exchange that seems very much like suggestive dirty talk, Felino knocks out the bartender not with his hand, but with his forearm. This is most likely so he could keep from injuring his hand, which would render him useless in the bathhouses later that evening.
3:00 - Felino blames his aggressive behavior on his "mood swings" and "hormones". He then orders all of the "finocch's" in the bar to "get up on the table". I can only imagine that Felino was planning on engaging in activities that I cannot get into without providing too many details.
3:26 - Sammy states that "The only balls he (Felino) has is that badge and that gun". Hearing this, Felino immediately whips out said "balls" and points it in Sammy's face. He then unloads said "balls" right in front of Sammy's face. He then offers up the other part of his "balls" (his badge) as a trophy for any man that will take it from him.
4:11 - Felino hits a patron in the mouth with the ball he was carrying in his pocket, again with the skill that could only come with years of experience with taking balls out of his pocket and hitting men in the mouth with them.
4:32 - The bar patron "Sticks" engages Felino in combat. Sticks brings 2 phallic objects into the battle, whipping them around Felino's facial area with the skill of a man who has been doing that kind of thing for a living. Felino, as Alpha Male, grabs a single longer phallic object to repel Sticks. In the homosexual community, this is known as "crossing swords".
5:05 - Another male challenges Felino's position in the Gay Bar's power hierarchy as Alpha. He jumps onto a higher surface, a common practice for males asserting their dominance. Felino's immediate reaction to this is to strike the man in the genitals with his bare hand, then hit him with another phallic object from behind. Again, this makes Felino a "pitcher".
5:14 - Felino is coming off the most blatantly homosexual actions since he stepped into the bar. To compensate for this, he again shoves a patron back "into the closet (phone booth)".
5:21 - Sammy tells Felino "You can't touch me." Felino, wanting to prove that he can touch any other male he wants, strikes him in the face.
6:08 - Felino says that he's going to keep frequenting this homosexual establishment until he finds Richie, who he knows is a man that "did" another man in the recent past.
NOTE: In a complete coincidence, it was just confirmed today that Steven Seagal will now be getting his own reality show.
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