Twoup!

[erastes]

Am watching "The Sundowners" - one of my favourite films.

Why isn't anyone (megleigh, jamie2107.. I must have other Aussies on my list) writing hot drover/sheepshearer gay historical fiction? 

Soap on a rope, I may just have to do it myself!

Comments

[spikeyboots.livejournal.com]

*is Aussie*

I reckon you should! It is definitely not something I've ever come across! ;)

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I worry that I'd end up doing something as Hollywood as the Sundowners, as much as I love the film!

*G* but it's been added to the list of "projects"

It's so homoerotic, I'm amazed no-one's done it.

[jamie2109.livejournal.com]

I think I've seen the Sundowners - not entirely sure.

You should write it. Most of those old stories about the shearers are pretty homoerotic. The shearing season was always really intense from what I can gather. They worked hard, all shacked up in shearers quarters which were very rudimentary, had communal showers or washed in a communal sink once a week. They must have stunk. But when they partied, they partied hard, too. And generally they were that isolated on the stations that they partied with each other all season, as they all seemed to travel in packs to the next shed.

heh, I'll look forward to seeing what you write. *g*

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum, Peter Ustinov. Just brilliant.

:)

Yes, it's the isolation and the proximity that makes it sexy, and the sweat and the damned backbreaking hard work - work that, apart from electric clippers and harnesses to save the back, has hardly changed, either.

Hmmmm. *tempted to dump eerie tale of Dartmoor*

[jamie2109.livejournal.com]

There's a later movie than that...I think it was called "Sunday too Far Away" with a younger Jack Thompson. Two shearers got into a competition over washing/scrubbing trousers in the sink while dressed in just a towel...they got to scrubbing so hard the towels dropped and the audience got to watch two jiggling bums for a bit.

Anyway that was pretty good on the details of living life as a sheep shearer. Fairly graphic in places from what I remember and apparently accurate as to what it was like then, too.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

It certainly looks like one for .... research purposes! Thank you!

[jamie2109.livejournal.com]

Yes, research purposes was what I meant *nods*

[crawling-angel.livejournal.com]

Hot Sheepshearers O.O I knew there was a reason I wanted the boys in Brokeback more involved in their work.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

*laughs* wrong time of the year to shear, I think!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

and they'd be too tired to shag, which would have been most disappointing!

[megleigh.livejournal.com]

I do have a gay shearers tale in mind to do as soon as my stupid muse gets off her lazy blot and gives me something to start with. I've been researching for it.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Hurrah! And who better!?

[megleigh.livejournal.com]

heh I grew up around shearers and shearing sheds because one of my uncles was the station manager on a sheep property in Victoria. I didn't think too much of it as a kid, but I guess it was kind of funny, seeing the shearers having to curb their language and behavior because there was a 'little lady' around.

My aunt was the shearers' cook and they all lived with a deep reverence for her. She was not at all intimidated by them, and many a lad went without a meal for complaining about her food. They learned pretty quick not to whinge.

[penelopefriday.livejournal.com]

So many possibilities, so little time...

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I can't disagree there!

[zipcity.livejournal.com]

*is Aussie* *but doesn't write* I think you should, it's a lovely idea. I haven't seen The Sundowners, I think I might have to though!

(P.S. I didn't comment on your posts about him because I am rubbish at commenting, but I am VERY GLAD that Lucius is okay.)

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Thank you! And it's lovely to meet a delurker. He's curled up on his chair, the little monster.