*** Official BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Inspector Hammer!]

Hmmm, my girl as a blonde? I just can't imagine her without that gorgeous thick and lustrous dark hair of hers, anyone have a pic of her from the film?

At any rate, at least she's not bald like Natalie Portman is in her new film.

 

[Robert Ringwald]

I thought the point of Jack having "another" was that he was someone who very much needed a connection with someone. The idea that Enis might never come through with that led him to someone else, or to delude himself to believe someone else would come around. This is shown when he semi-hits on the rodeo clown in the bar, and later when he goes to Mexico to get a male prostitute. Although he had a love for Enis he knew inside it wouldn't ever be what he wanted, and so he tried to recreate it with others.


I didn't think it made their relationship any less important, but more or less showed that it was such a strong bond Jack couldn't function without it.

 

[DeeF]

I'm very grateful for this movie, knowing full well, it isn't the greatest movie I ever saw. But something about it is different and new.

It's about love (and yes, sex) between men, who may or may not be gay.

I think Jack is clearly portrayed as the sexual one, probably had fantasies for years (and yes, some sex too).

But Ennis, is just not gay, not in the way I'm gay. He's probably aware of Jack's feelings, and he's grateful for the friendship and he feels attraction and love. But at least how he's portrayed in the story and movie, he doesn't suddenly find he wants men, needs sex with men. It's just Jack that he loves, and he may not really know why.

This is... new. I don't think I've seen or read... this character before. And I think it's a real person -- a man who falls in love with another man, even though he hasn't really thought about such a thing before.

The movie isn't about gay cowboys. It's about a couple of loners who connect, despite all cultural signposts not to.

 

[Quentin]

I agree with you about Ennis, Dee. And, I would have liked the film much more if it had delved more into Ennis and his relationship with his family (and the effect his love for Jack has on them over time) rather than a bunch of montages showing time pass.

 

[Jason_V]

My feeling is that he says "I swear" to finally let Jack know Ennis understands he made a mistake(s) along the line. Sort of admitting they should have gotten that ranch and Ennis now feels what he passes up and ultimately can not have anymore.

 

[DeeF]

It is a movie which gets better and better on subsequent viewings. I've now seen it 3 times.

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

Sad. Sad. Sad.

 

[Chris Souders]

My dad is like Randy Quaid's character. He knows I 'stem the rose' (not heard that one before) but doesn't want to talk about it. More a product of his 1950's rural baptist texas upbringing I suppose. But hey, it's a long ways from when I came out to him.. 'too bad I spent the money on your college since you're gonna die of AIDS before you become a doctor'...

chris

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

Don't want to turn this tread into a coming out forum but my Dad told me I broke his soul. The irony of the situation is that he came out about 8 years later after my Mom died. Just goes to show you that sometimes if people react negatively to something, they may be hiding something themselves.
Irony!

 

[Chris Souders]

Buzz, I was 22 then, 34 now. Oh, and a doctor.

Anyways, back to the movie...I spoilered it before, but what do people think about Jack's wife recounting to Ennis the story about Jack's ahem ahem. I presume the flashback was actuality. Did she have something to do with it? Did she know what he was up to?

I didn't notice it until a friend pointed it out.. but the shirts at the end of the movie was the shirt Ennis thought he had left up on the mountain...but taken by Jack.. and then Ennis rearranged the shirts, putting his on the outside... it's the small touches like this that make the movie touching to me.

chris

 

[Jason_V]

to think she had something to do with it.

 

[Janna S]

I just have to say that I am incredibly impatient as I wait for this movie to show up here in Alaska. Usually we get films first run, even those in limited release, and we have a couple of theaters that show non-mainstream or challenging mainstream films, but there is no sign of this one yet (I check Fandango regularly). (When I first got here about 25 years ago there were only a few movie theaters, and television was 2 weeks tape delayed, but those days are long over.) I have been wanting to see Brokeback for ages. I am jealous that some of you have already been able to see it three times. I think it will be the kind of film I like best - dark and true.

 

[Blake Siefken]

It opens here tomorrow, but I'm worried because its only rated 14A. For twelve bucks I was hoping to see a really hot sex scene between Heath Ledger and Donnie Darko, one that warrants an R rating. How much do we really get to see? Details people!

Thanks

 

[Jason_V]

Blake,

IIRC, we see an out of focus shot of Heath's rear end, Jake kneeling naked at the stream and the two of them running naked off a cliff. Nothing at all graphic or even PG-13. You see more breasts than any guy parts.

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

Sorry Blake. No penises.
I think it got an R due to subject matter.

 

[Nick C.]

Shows how prude MPAA is...

Even Christianity Today magazine (?) praised the film, in spite of the content.

 

[Michael Reuben]

I don't know about Canada, but in the U.S., I suspect Anne Hathaway's topless shot would guarantee an R, regardless of subject matter.

But the debate over what exactly got it a particular rating seems rather pointless. In both subject matter and treatment, it's a film for adults. Most kids would probably find it dull.

M.

 

[KevinGress]

To clarify, this is what Christianity Today (12/16/05) had to say:

"As for the 3-star rating (out of 4), that is only in reference to the quality of the filmmaking, the acting, the cinematography, etc. It is not a "recommendation" to see the film, nor is it a rating of the "moral acceptability" of the subject matter."

 

[Patrick Sun]

Michelle Williams also got in on the topless action.

 

[Jay_B!]

even though I am a gay male, part of me is hesitant to see it knowing that this is a movie with stereotypical overtones to please "not comfortable with gay" audiences such as gaybashings and unhappy endings
I personally want to see a movie come out about gays that doesn't have the superficiality of the typical "Trick" style comedy (aka, the two protaganists are not pretty boy 20-somethings that few of us in real life will wind up with, and the movie is fluffy) where the gay characters wind up happy ever after and it's a good movie, and there are no mentions of AIDS (I have been out of the closet for nine years... I have one friend who is HIV+, that's all I know, but of course homophobes spin it that all we do is carry AIDS) nor transvestites nor are any of the characters "Will" types where they are happily gay, but you never see them getting laid.

The lesbians got D.E.B.S., so it's our turn. I applaud Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal for doing a gay-themed movie, but how about a gay-themed movie with the same happy ending it would have if it was Heath and MAGGIE Gyllenhaal?