Brokeback Mountain

[Guest Dan]

I really liked it a lot as well, but because Larry McMurty co-adapted it, it reminded me a lot of Peter Bogdanovich's movie of his The Last Picture Show. The same languid pacing and Ennis seemed to be a cousin to Ben Johnson's Sam the Lion. As some of you may recall, Johnson won the Oscar for that.

 

There were a few times during the movie that I had tears in my eyes, including a scene or two involving Ennis' wife Alma. When it was over, I found myself really sobbing like a bitch.

 

While watching it, the only line of dialogue that I remembered from the story that didn't make it to the movie was when Lureen told Ennis that Jack's parents had didn't even come down for the funeral.

 

SPOILER: It was obvious that Jack's parents knew about Ennis and Jack's relationship. The father obviously never accepted it, but his his mother did. They say that mothers always know and you could see that Mrs Twist appreciated finally meeting the man who gave her son so much happiness.

 

As for the "dead fag story" we really dont' know if Jack was murdered or killed in a freak accident.

 

Jake was adorable as always and I know that deep down he's gay, he just hasn't met me yet!!!

 

Dan Dare

http://www.geocities.com/dandare_laca/DanDare4Hire.html

[poiuyt]

According to the Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com/weekender/weekender.php?story=dispatch/2005/12/08/20051208-W4-00.html , it'll open in Columbus (along with most of the rest of the country) on January 6. They don't say which theater.

[Guest zipperzone]

>Saw it, hated it. Anyone that grew up in the country (deep

>south, mid-west, whatever) will understand why.

 

For those of us who didn't, a little explanation would be helpfull

[BearDad58]

Does anyone know when this movie will be available on DVD?

[bigjake8]

>As for the "dead fag story" we really dont' know if Jack was

>murdered or killed in a freak accident.

 

 

Read the story. It's pretty clear, and almost goes so far as to say the father might be responsible for him getting killed (there's a little paragragh about his dad nearly beating him to death and then pissing all over him to illustrate the kind of man he was).

 

In ny case, it's time to move forward with this kind of thing. Once again, the gay guy (or the "more gay" of the two) winds up dead. And, unile the short story, he's a bottom! How perfect is that?

 

As for reaction as a former country boy, do you think these types of characters existed in a vacuum? These were the type of closted assholes that made every gay mans life hell. Things havent changed much in those parts either (Matthew Shepard?)

[+ Oliver]

>... it'll open in Columbus (along with most of the rest of the country) on January 6. They don't say which theater.<

 

Thanks, P, I missed that. And I'll be in Palm Springs then, so hopefully it will be playing there - I have to see it!

[Rod Hagen]

>Saw it, hated it. Anyone that grew up in the country (deep

>south, mid-west, whatever) will understand why.

 

I grew up farming some of the most god forsaken land in America. The story and the film's description of the terrain, people, and lives is accurate.

 

>I'm ready to move on from tragic dead fag stories. Had enough

>of it.

 

If you think these two in 1963-1983 could have ranched alone together in Wyoming or Texas you're as naive as Jack.

 

And, since you probably haven't bothered to read any of Annie P's other stories then you don't know that pretty much everyone in them ends up dead or unhappy; these sorts of stories are called tragedies. So when she wrote one story about another couple, this time two men, naturally she doomed them as well.

[Rod Hagen]

And I'm very sorry you didn't enjoy it.

 

http://www.RodHagen.com

310.360.9890

Fun, Fit, Friendly Fucker in West Hollywood.

-Rod Hagen

[bigjake8]

You are right, I haven't bothered to read any other of her stories, mainly for the same reason I piss standing up.

 

My main beef is: why this story? Why does Hollywood need to go in this direction when it comes to a gay plot every single time? I'm sure there are hundreds of other short stories and novels that are just as good BUT are not tragedies. I thought the movie itself was beatiful, Heath Ledger probably will win an Oscar. But that fact still remains that as a gay man, I'm insulted by the fact the movie was even made.

 

And BTW, I'm sorry that you take such personal offense at other peoples opinions. I guess since you are SUCH a smart guy, we should all be JUST LIKE YOU.

 

 

 

>

>I grew up farming some of the most god forsaken land in

>America. The story and the film's description of the terrain,

>people, and lives is accurate.

>

>>I'm ready to move on from tragic dead fag stories. Had

>enough

>>of it.

>

>If you think these two in 1963-1983 could have ranched alone

>together in Wyoming or Texas you're as naive as Jack.

>

>And, since you probably haven't bothered to read any of Annie

>P's other stories then you don't know that pretty much

>everyone in them ends up dead or unhappy; these sorts of

>stories are called tragedies. So when she wrote one story

>about another couple, this time two men, naturally she doomed

>them as well.

>

[Rod Hagen]

>And BTW, I'm sorry that you take such personal offense at

>other peoples opinions. I guess since you are SUCH a smart

>guy, we should all be JUST LIKE YOU.

 

Uhmmm...Apology accepted?

[SMILE]

Jake,

 

You are one of, if not the best masseurs I know, have been great in your recent film endeavors and are one of the classiest all around guys I know. I can understand your views on this film and fully respect them, and, in some respects, I agree that it would be better if Hollywood would 'move on' to show gays in another/better light. Having said that, you seem really exercised at Rod for his alternative view. Is there something I'm missing here? A nerve that has been hit that I'm not giving credit/respect to? You really seem troubled on this. Maybe it's none of my business.

 

I still think you're the best and hope to see you very soon!

[SAdler]

You really should notify people with a big...

 

!!!!!!!!! SPOILER !!!!!!!!!

 

before you print something like that. I would have totally read what you wrote and been a little annoyed if I hadn't seen the movie.

 

Anyway

 

>As for the "dead fag story" we really dont' know if Jack was

>murdered or killed in a freak accident.

 

I think that we do know that Jack was killed. Much like skewed statistics on auto-erotic asphyxiation and suicide of women represent the fact that we "madonna-size" women as to say that we'd prefer not to think of "our mothers" as engaging in that sort of thing. A good deal of the female suicides and asphyxiation related deaths are covered up by the family before authorities are called to preserve some dignity for the deceased.

 

I think we're supposed to realize what his wife was doing telling Ennis was “covering up” what really happened for the sake of saving face to a culture that wouldn’t accept someone being killed because they were a fag. I mean the way she said it:

 

“Well he was inflatin’ a tire and the iron exploded in his face and broke his nose and sliced his throat. By the time anybody came by he’d drowned in his own blood.” (Loosely)

 

I mean REALLY. Back then how would a tire like that explode in the hands of someone who appeared to know what they were doing with machinery and cars. I think it’s the point of having him tell the story of his father showing him the “beaten fag,” so we can understand why HE knows what actually happened.

 

>Jake was adorable as always and I know that deep down he's

>gay, he just hasn't met me yet!!!

 

LOL. Yeah he is YUMMY. He and Kirsten used to come to the Newsroom for breakfast every morning when I worked in the area. Sometimes they’d just be wearing pajamas or sweats. SO hot. I was almost upset that he didn’t have his “Jarhead” body.

[bigjake8]

Naw, I got nothing against him. I do however know what "tragedy" is, and I'm not "naive". I don't like the insinuation that I'm ignorant because I don't agree with him.

 

 

>Jake,

>

>You are one of, if not the best masseurs I know, have been

>great in your recent film endeavors and are one of the

>classiest all around guys I know. I can understand your views

>on this film and fully respect them, and, in some respects, I

>agree that it would be better if Hollywood would 'move on' to

>show gays in another/better light. Having said that, you seem

>really exercised at Rod for his alternative view. Is there

>something I'm missing here? A nerve that has been hit that

>I'm not giving credit/respect to? You really seem troubled on

>this. Maybe it's none of my business.

>

>I still think you're the best and hope to see you very soon!

>

[Rick Munroe]

Brokeback just got 7 Golden Globe nominations, more than any other film this year!

[uwsman2]

No picture is going to please everybody.

 

I think this short story was made into a film for the following reasons:

 

1 - When it appeared in the New Yorker, it really struck a chord with lots of people (including my partner and me!). There was a deep emotional connection with the story. I know that after seeing this film I felt disconnected from the "real world" for hours. I had a phone conversation this morning with a friend who saw it yesterday - he said it haunted him for many hours - he couldn't get to sleep - and he is still replaying details in his mind a day later.

 

2 - Annie Proulx is "hot" in Hollywood - several of her stories have made it to the big screen.

 

3 - The story itself is very cinematically written. This is not to minimize the important contributions of the screenwriters, but in many instances in this case they just had to stay out of the way and make a straightforward translation of the original material. Almost all of the dialogue in the short story is translated directly into the film, and some of the narration is as well in the form of action and additional dialogue. On the other hand, the screenwriters did have a challenge to flesh out the story more in order to generate the material for a full-length feature film.

 

4 - It's a love story of a type that is very appealing to two very large movie-going audiences: women and gay men. (Straight men are liable not to "get it." A very nice, sensitive, intelligent and sympathetic guy at my office who saw a preview did not like it at all, and said he could not see any motivation for these two guys being obsessed with each other; indeed, he did not find the whole love affair believable. He didn't pick up on how Jack Twist "checks out" Ennis Del Mar during the opening scene. To any gay man, it's obvious, and it's obvious that Jack is waiting for Ennis to "hit on" him well before it happens. Straight male movie critics are, I think, getting this wrong to some extent... And I suspect that straight women know the signs of a man "checking somebody out" in whom they are sexually interested. So this film isn't necessarily going to pull in a big straight male audience as such, although I think younger men who are more casual about having gay friends and such may be interested.)

 

5 - Tragedy is an old and honorable dramatic art form, and tends to have more emotional impact than films with "happy endings."

 

So, while I can readily sympathize with the muttering about "another dead fag film," I think this film transcends that unfortunate genre. This is not another "Cruising." I suspect this is a film that will "stick" as a part of gay culture, even though gay people seem to have had little to do with the conceptualization or execution of this project (surprising for the film industry, actually), because it is really about how the deep emotional connection of love can persevere even in the least friendly climate.

[+ friendofsheila]

I think we might need a BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN forum before Oscar season starts. ;0)

[+ glutes]

I am curious to see how this movie plays after wide-release. Can you imagine this in Topeka??

[+ deej]

I remember the story of Hepburn being second choice for BAT but I'm blanking on the other actress.

 

The other Hepburn role with similar rivalry was Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady. Julie Andrews created the role (and a career) on Broadway, and she was in the running. Andrews accepted Mary Poppins only after they added a clause to the contract releasing her should My Fair Lady come through.

 

It didn't of course. The producers decided she was too unknown at the time to be "bankable" and went with Hepburn.

 

The irony of the story? That year's best actress Oscar went to Julie Andrews for Mary Poppins.

[+ deej]

GREAT analysis!

 

>4 - It's a love story of a type that is very appealing to two very

>large movie-going audiences: women and gay men. (Straight men are

>liable not to "get it."

 

They might not get it, but they'll at least see it. It may just become "the" chick flick that women drag their dates to this year.

[fedssocr1]

I think Focus is being very smart in the way they are rolling the film out slowly in markets where they know it will do well to create enough buzz that when hits secondary markets it has a chance to do well there too. It's certainly generates tons of buzz and gotten plenty of free pub.

 

I saw a sneak preview last night. I liked the film but at 134 minutes it's at least 20 minutes too long. In some ways I agree that the romance, if you can call it that, isn't totally believable. There doesn't seem to be all that much chemistry between them in the beginning due largely to Ledger's character being so taciturn. As the film goes along that seems to change somewhat. That being said, given it's setting and timeframe, I think the performances make sense. It's a good film, but given the hype it may have a hard time living up for many people.

[Cooper]

After reading the previous 69 replies, I realize that only a few people have actually seen this film... If you walk out of it saying it had great scenery, then the romance story just didn't connect... I saw it and thought it had great scenery. :-)

[+ friendofsheila]

pics from the movie (the good pics, the important pics, the pics we wanna see!)

 

http://www.fmforums.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=43432

[straight_up]

Just saw the movie; a truly beautiful and sad film about unrealized love. The sex in the movie is immaterial vis-a-vis the power of love between Jack and Ennis.

 

Heath Ledger definitely deserves an Oscar.

 

BTW, anyone watched Charlie Rose with Ang Lee and Heath Ledger on December 7th? I missed it and was wodering how to get the interview.

 

Thanks!

[Luv2play]

I haven't seen the film yet as it just opened the other day in my city but I'm starting to wonder if this isn't another "Love Story" of an earlier generation. That movie, which starred Ali McGraw, was based on a rather thin story by Erich Segal and became huge as a film. Two star crossed lovers and one ends up dead. Only they were hets.

 

On another note, it is fitting that the film was shot in southern Alberta, which is cow country and extremely homophobic. Alberta fought gay marriage right to the end and had to yield to it when the federal parliament legislated it across the land. Currently a federal election is being fought in Canada where the party based in Alberta is asking that the whole question of gay marriage be put to a free vote in parliament (the last time the governing party required its cabinet members to vote for the legislation).

[Guest JohnPela]

The half hour previews/behind the scenes special about Brokeback Mountain on Logo Cable Channel sure looked good.

 

I am reading the short story today.

 

Can't wait for the movie to open in the backwaters of the USA. Correction, I live in the hinterlands and not the backwaters of the USA.