Brokeback post II

[jackhammer91406]

LATE ARRIVAL TO THE PARTY

 

At the risk of relating experiences to death, I just came from seeing the matinee screening today.

 

My mind is flooded with thoughts, some only half formed. My heart is filled with emotions only some of which I understand.

 

The audience for my screening was 50 % straight couples middle aged or older, 25 % Senior women, some as couples, and the remaining appeared to be gay males of various ages ( singles and couples). The audience responded to the film much as has been related here already. We laughed at the sections that allowed us to laugh and at the end, many were clutching tissues.

 

The entire ensemble performed at the top of their game. The cinematography was breath-taking in defining not only the scope of the locations used, but in also underlining the emotional isolation of everyone in the film.

 

I had forgotten that Larry McMurtry was not only a co screenwriter but also a co producer. All through the film, watching Heath's performance I kept being reminded of Tommy Lee Jones in LONESOME DOVE. The spareness of Ennis' dialogue and the restrained delivery of Ledger blew me away as an actor. A role like this comes so seldom for an actor ( NEVER for some). I have to fill out my S.A.G. ballot for the acting awards, and this performance gets my vote right now ( I have a few films yet to see).

 

On a strictly prurient note, between you and me alone and not for publication for the right to use against us..

for my money, whenever Heath and Jake wrestled, (especially shirtless) damn, it produced wood faster than some of the porn vids in my library.

[+ ArVaGuy]

Update: Shalit regrets 'Brokeback' remarks

 

Here's an update from the Washington Blade regarding his comments about Brokeback Mountain. I was a bit ofended by his use of the term "sexual predator" in reference to the Jack character. Certainly a poor choice of words but he has every right to not like the movie. The sprited defence by his gay son, Peter, to the GLADD charges is admirable. See below.

 

 

http://www.washingtonblade.com/blog/index.cfm?type=blog&start=1/6/06&end=1/13/06#4518

 

Shalit regrets 'Brokeback' remarks

 

"Today Show" movie critic Gene Shalit apologized this week for language he used in a review of "Brokeback Mountain," in which he referred to Jack Twist, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, as a "sexual predator."

 

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation issued a statement following Shalit's Jan. 5 review requesting an apology for the remark.

 

"Shalit's bizarre characterization of Jack as a 'predator' and Ennis (Heath Ledger) as a victim reflects a fundamental lack of understanding about the central relationship in the film and about gay relationships in general," GLAAD wrote.

 

"It seems highly doubtful that Shalit would similarly claim that 'Titanic's' Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) was a 'sexual predator' because he was pursuing a romantic relationship with Rose (Kate Winslet)."

 

Shalit responded on Jan. 10 in a statement sent to GLAAD in which he wrote, "I certainly had no intention of casting aspersions on anyone in the gay community or on the community itself. I regret any emotional hurt that may have resulted from my review of 'Brokeback Mountain.'"

 

"In describing the behavior of 'Jack,'" he continued, "I used words ('sexual predator') that I now discover have angered, agitated, and hurt many people. I did not intend to use a word that many in the gay community consider incendiary."

 

In his review, Shalit called the film "wildly over praised" and described Gyllenhaal's character as a "sexual predator" who "tracks Ennis down and coaxes him into sporadic trysts."

 

His negative reaction to the film came as a surprise to many because Shalit has publicly expressed support for his own gay son in the past.

 

Shalit appeared on the cover of the Advocate magazine in 1997 and wrote an essay in the issue about his son, Peter Shalit. In it, Shalit wrote, "Many parents lie awake at night wondering if they played a role in the sexual orientation of their child. I think they should go back to sleep. Each child is an individual."

 

Peter Shalit, a doctor and author of the book "Living Well, the Gay Men's Essential Health Guide," came to his father's defense after GLAAD's initial criticism of the review. In an angry letter to GLAAD, Peter Shalit wrote that he is a longtime member of the gay group and was disappointed in the characterization of his father's remarks as homophobic.

 

"I am hurt by your mischaracterization of my father, a man who does not have a molecule of hate in his being," Peter Shalit wrote. "It does not speak well for GLAAD, and it is not helping our community. "

"He may have had an unpopular opinion of a movie that is important to the gay community, but he defamed no one, and he is not a homophobe. It is you who have defamed a good man, by falsely accusing him of a repellent form of bigotry."

 

Shalit's criticism of "Brokeback" comes in stark contrast to the near unanimous praise heaped on the film by other critics.

The film was named best picture by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the New York Film Critics Circle. This week, the Broadcast Film Critics Association named "Brokeback" as best picture, Ang Lee as best director and Michelle Williams as best supporting actress at the 11th Annual Critics' Choice Awards. "Brokeback" is also nominated for seven Golden Globe awards, including best picture.

 

The Globes will be presented Monday, Jan. 16. In addition, the film is up for a Directors Guild Award and four Screen Actors Guild Awards. Oscar nominations are due out Jan. 31.

[OneFinger]

RE: SLC Update II

 

The Salt Lake Tribune published the following letter to the editor concerning the cancellation of the movie at a local theater.

 

The Family Message

 

I was heartened to hear that theater managers and Larry Miller are looking out for my children by refusing to show “Brokeback Mountain” in Miller's Jordan Commons movie theater complex.

 

Seeing such a movie at a young and easily influenced age would surely result in their becoming homosexuals. Since we still wanted to spend time as a family attending a movie at the same complex, our remaining choices included a movie about gratuitous torture (including one very family-fulfilling scene where severed body parts and blood are prominently displayed), and another about rampant drug use and prostitution patronage resulting in a grown man being unable to support himself.

 

I guess the family message here is that we could always move in with grandma. I'll have Larry Miller to thank when my sadistic, drug-addicted, prostitute-patronizing, destitute adult children move in with their grandmother in a few years. But thank goodness (and Larry Miller) at least they won't be homosexual.

 

http://www.sltrib.com/search/ci_3390440

 

Finally, a voice of reason!!

 

-------------

"We need to have more respect for each other. Things have just gone really crazy, out of control. ... We're on a very weird kind of cycle." Stevie Wonder

[JT Brooklyn]

RE: LATE ARRIVAL TO THE PARTY

 

Gyllenhaal is sked to appear on "The Tonight Show".. Tonite Fri the 13th. It will be Interesting to see, How long the Discussion goes concerning B/B/M, seeing as how Ledger seems to have now "Topped" him in all Things to do with Various Movie..Public Relations :+

[Guest JohnPela]

It was very fun and satisfying for Brokeback Mountain to win best screenplay, song, director and drama movie at tonight's Golden Globe Awards. I wanted Heath Ledger to win but Phillip Seymour Hoffman was fantastic in Capote playing another gay guy. So it ended up the best combination of wins, I guess. I hope these wins helps to propel ticket sells for Brokeback Mountain to middle America.

[+ deej]

Those of us on the west coast are still wading through the TV categories. :-(

[Chuck50]

I too thought to myself it was a good nite for the gay guys. HUGS Chuck :P :P

[Boston Guy]

Sorry. I'm guilty of the same offense with my "Golden Globes" thread. I guess I thought it was being broadcast live.

 

BG

[+ deej]

>I guess I thought it was being broadcast live.

 

It probably was for you. I suppose you think the TODAY show is live too? ;-)

 

That well-known announcement "Live from New York it's Saturday Night!" should really say "Live (except in the Mountain and Pacific timezones)..."

 

The Will & Grace live episodes were actually performed twice. Once for the east coast and once for the west coast.

 

It's ironic. The whole awards hoopla happens just a few miles from my home but I have to wait 4 hours to see it, well after the rest of the world has seen it.

 

I'll trade that for snow & ice any time. :7

[Boston Guy]

Ummm... wouldn't that be 3 hours, not 4?

 

And, no, I understand about TV schedules and time zones; God knows I spend enough time on the West Coast. However, I thought that the show was being broadcast live in all time zones. Sorry...

 

BG

[+ deej]

>Ummm... wouldn't that be 3 hours, not 4?

 

Depends how you look at it. ;-) The local news people were on the red carpet which was completely deserted by 5pm. The show didn't start until 9pm.

 

>thought that the show was being broadcast live in all time

>zones.

 

For breaking news, that happens. For entertainment shows, rarely. <shrug> We even get new year's eve on tape delay. LOL

 

>Sorry...

 

No problem.

[+ deej]

>I too thought to myself it was a good nite for the gay guys.

>HUGS Chuck :P :P

 

It was a good night for the LGBT community for sure.

 

On top of Brokeback, Felicity Huffman's win for her role as a transsexual, the cast of Will & Grace presenting together, and Desperate Housewives winning best comedy series (in the middle of a hot teenage man-man story arc), not to mention Philip Seymour Hoffman's win for Capote -- it was a gay old night! :o

[Steven_Draker]

An interesting article in the Advocate

 

http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail.asp?id=24445

 

Steven Draker~

http://www.hotsexystud.com/uk

[RockHard]

The Advocate link

 

THANK YOU, Steven. I never read the Advocate and I would have surely missed this fabulous article. I've emailed it to at least 20 people. This is one very good reason why this forum is so important to gay men who love other sexy gay men: there's a special willingness among many here to share good things. :-)

 

Fondly,

 

Rock

[+ Charlie]

I have finally seen BBM, and I can only say that I was very moved by the characters--all of them. It shows once again, if we needed the reminder, how hard it is for people to be emotionally honest with themselves and with others, and how painful it is when we actually are. After playing in only one theater here in the Coachella Valley for weeks, it has finally opened in two more theaters, and still the theater was almost full. The audience appeared to be predominantly older couples, straight, gay and lesbian. I don't know who his competition will be, but I think Heath Ledger will be hard to beat for the Oscar.

[+ deej]

>I don't know who his competition

>will be, but I think Heath Ledger will be hard to beat for the

>Oscar.

 

People thought that about the Golden Globes too, but he lost to Philip Seymour Hoffman for CAPOTE.

 

Both are compelling roles, well-acted.

 

I'd be shocked if Ledger didn't get an Oscar nom, but the win is still VERY much a horse race.

[+ Italiano]

After having watched the movie last month in NY with personal mixed reaction, I will go again today to see it in Milano, where it opened 2 days ago.

 

I am a bit scared (even if I am 100% Italian and Italian is my first language) for the dubbed version, but I am also curious to watch how milanese audience will react to the homo "sex" scenes....

 

I also hope (but a bit doubtful about it..) that I will be taken a bit more by what I found to be a "missed chance" movie.

[rocky]

Well I went with a gay escort and glad I did, the

type of movie I would not want to see along, particularly

as a gay closeted male. I cannot think what it would

have been like to see the move alone; I'm glad there

was someone there with me who cared enough to say,

are you alright? I am surprised it has become such

a mainstream movie but glad it has. Many issues there.

Rocky