Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
Joe Aguirre: what do you think of this character as portrayed in the movie?
brokeplex:
In answer to your question Artiste.
I think Aguirre employed two men that summer before. I don't have any sustantiating quotations, but my gut says two, and the second was probably the guy who met Ennis at the bridge with the food. any thoughts?
Brown Eyes:
Heya,
I thought I'd introduce a slightly new avenue into discussing Aguirre. It occurs to me that new insights always come up when we look at still shots from the movie carefully. So, I thought it might be interesting to discuss how Aguirre is physically portrayed. His clothing, his accessories (his hat, his sunglasses, etc.), the stuff in his office, his car, his horse... What do these things help us understand about him or his role?
<img src="http://www.divshare.com/img/midsize/3423016-f28.jpg" border="0" />
<img src="http://www.divshare.com/img/thumb/3423015-cf1.jpg" border="0" />
<img src="http://www.divshare.com/img/midsize/3423013-f93.jpg" border="0" />
<img src="http://www.divshare.com/img/midsize/3423014-0a9.jpg" border="0" />
I think his trailer office is particularly important. If other folks have better images of his trailer interior... I'd be really grateful. :) There are so many details in this office and some crucial bits of information that get revealed at different times... especially the binoculars that he hangs on the wall behind him. Of course, when Jack and Ennis are in his trailer together the binoculars are concealed in their case and when Jack comes back alone the next summer to ask for a job the binoculars are hanging in the same spot, but outside their case. So, Jack is the only one who ever really understands the extent of Aguirre's ability to watch them... Ennis never even sees those binoculars at the beginning. If Ennis had more of an idea about Aguirre's interest in watching them... I wonder how different things would have been between Jack and Ennis during their summer.
LauraGigs:
Great idea Amanda. There's also kind of a metaphorical quality to his character, what he represents.
My understanding is that the name Aguirre translates to "eagle-eyed". He can be seen as kind of a God figure: bringing the pair together, sending them off on their way, then "casting them out of the Garden" at the end, blocking later re-entry.
I think his physical portrayal in the film may support this — the way he's photographed, positioned and blocked.
He's in a medium shot such as Amanda's first picture relatively rarely; he's usually framed fairly close (maybe to emphasize his gaze). And he views the boys either from above (from the trailer doorway, when he spies on them, and when he speaks to Jack from horseback) or from behind a desk (sitting in judgment).
Penthesilea:
--- Quote from: atz75 on January 11, 2008, 02:09:25 am ---I think his trailer office is particularly important. If other folks have better images of his trailer interior... I'd be really grateful. :) There are so many details in this office and some crucial bits of information that get revealed at different times... especially the binoculars that he hangs on the wall behind him. Of course, when Jack and Ennis are in his trailer together the binoculars are concealed in their case and when Jack comes back alone the next summer to ask for a job the binoculars are hanging in the same spot, but outside their case. So, Jack is the only one who ever really understands the extent of Aguirre's ability to watch them... Ennis never even sees those binoculars at the beginning. If Ennis had more of an idea about Aguirre's interest in watching them... I wonder how different things would have been between Jack and Ennis during their summer.
--- End quote ---
I agree about the interior of Aguirres office being a very intersting subject. Since this doesn't only relate to Aguirre himself, but also to Ennis and Jack, and also heavily mingles with symbolism in BBM, I'll start a new thread about it with some interesting pics of the office.
Here's the thread about Aguirre's trailer:
http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,16233.0.html
One pic of Aguirre himself. This is after Jack asked for Ennis and when Aguirre holds his "Twist, you guys wasn't getting paid to leave the dogs babysit the sheep while you stemmed the rose." speech.
Brown Eyes:
Does anyone have better images of the interior of Aguirre's trailer? I'd also be interested in seeing a photo of him from the beginning in his office when he has sunglasses sticking out of his jacket pocket.
Sunglasses are a famous cinematic prop used to suggest the idea of a powerful (or threatening) observer whose eyes are covered so that the object of his gaze does not have the same level of power in returning the gaze or analyzing him directly. Hitchcock is the most famous example of a director who uses sunglasses in this way (he even uses rearview mirrors in significant ways, as of course, we also see in BBM).
Laura, I think it's absolutely right that Aguirre takes on a very particular allegorical role having to do with authority and with the power of looking/observation.
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