Seeing the 'teen idols actors actor ', Logan reading 'Catcher in the Rye' in the upcoming 'My One and Only' made me think , Logan would probably make a great Holden Caulfield and that thankfully 'Catcher in the Rye' has never been made into a film and after watching 'The Watchman' , It made me think some books really should never make the screen . I then watched The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, which like 'The Watchman' I never totally got the whole storyline but I really loved the book all the same .
One of the criticisms of 'The Watchmen' was that it almost episodically follows the graphic novel , and yes Watchman world is beautifully realised , but I never felt once that the story moved forwards rather it seemed stuck in black treacle . Still Watchman at least featured all its main players . But in the Mystery of Pittsburgh my favorite character the lovely Arthur Lecomte had vanished and emerged tacked onto the character of Cleveland , which frankly I found bizarre to say the least .
So in the film , Cleveland and Art are now engaged in a bromance which visually had its rewards as you got to gaze on the fabulous buns of Jon Foster , who I rather liked as Art even though I kept thinking the role would be perfect for Logan Lerman in a year or two .( maybe with Austin Bulter as Arthur Lecomte) Brief visual bonuses aside , I longed to see the character of Arthur up and onscreen where he belonged . I recalled reading some terrific scenes in the book about Art and Arthur's relationship .The characters first meet at a party where Arthur reaches out to touch a slightly drunk Arts face , Art reacts by pulling away . Arthur's responds by ''Okay just testing ''
Meeting Arthur though , causes Art to reflect back to a time at high school where he was seemingly tortured by the sight of genitalia on display in the locker room ( Personally I never found this a problem , take what you can get I always say ) Arthur it seems came out of this 'torture' his heterosexuality fully intact or did he ?. Later in the book ,visiting Arthur who is house sitting , the two relax in the pool in speedos , on gazing at Arthur's tanned body , Art becomes more and more aroused finally he his forced to turn over on his lounger to hid his erection from Arthur .I remember reading this as teenager and found this passage particularly erotic .
Sadly all of this is gone and in the film as Cleveland sends out the signals to Art when the two of them are stranded in a broken down car , as the rain falls Cleveland gazes flirtatiously at Art , but thankfully Sienna Miller turns up to break up the scene . Would you make 'Brideshead Revisited' with out the flamboyant dandy Anthony Blanche ? Its not that 'Mysteries of Pittsburgh' is a bad film its just that it could have have been so much better with slightly better casting and of course the addition of the wonderful Arthur .
And now lets enjoy the visual bonuses that the epic Mysteries of Pittsburgh afforded us in the form of Jon Foster and his beautiful buns
The rain falls as the bromance begins...
''Cleveland why are you looking at me like that ? Is this in the Book ? ''
''What Book ?, just kiss me you fool ''
''Okay but your not Arthur or are you ?''
''Your my bitch now Art! scream my name !''
''Oh jeez , he certainly isn't Arthur ''
''Okay so I slept with this dude because he's like a combination of both the characters of Cleveland and Arthur ?
Still I know my buns are gonna be to die for ...''
''Check out my buns in this early morning light !''
''Whose there ?, rising star and canyon runner Austin B ? I mean Arthur ?''
''Art you did the 'bro on bro' thing with Cleveland? ,
but in my version of the script that Carter gave me , it says you go 'bro on bro' with me !''
''Oh man I'm totally confused , I could have slept with Arthur/Austin in the Dreamboats version but except I wouldn't because I'd be played by the 'teen idols actors actor' Logan Lerman , a year or two down the line .''
'' Either way I'm screwed , ! This so totally sucks ! ''
