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?
Brown Eyes:
--- Quote from: ineedcrayons on December 20, 2007, 01:06:26 pm ---
By the way, totally OT, but why do we call them "sheep herders" or "sheepherders" rather than "shepherds"?
--- End quote ---
I think that "shepherd" somehow sounds too old-fashioned (or something like that). **But** I do think that word is particularly important to recognize - as being what Ennis and Jack actually are in '63 - to the discussions of BBM and religious symbolism (even very loose religious symbolism).
I also think the shepherd reference feels very classical and pastoral. Maybe it's also another aspect of the famous old "classical allusions" topic. If Brokeback is a kind of Eden or Paradise Lost in a religious sense, it's also a Golden Age (or phase) for Ennis and Jack in a more classical sense... in both instances the metaphor is of an ideal place or time that cannot be accessed again once it's been exited.
Artiste:
May Aguirre (as a portrait) help Ennisses and Jacks... as in the movie, somehow, all over the world to-day!!
In wondrous ways we can help and be helped, as straights, as bi, as gays, as others!! Hopefully, for humanity!
I think that Aguirre represents an somewhat good part somehow about humanity in the BM movie, since he did give Ennis and Jack jobs there and then. And Aguirre continued to help them till he could, even if what he saw from afar like the playing, kiss and hugs between Ennis and Jack was thruth!! He did not kill them,
thanks goodness!!
What else can one say about Aguirre's humanity?
Hugs!!
Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas and gay Holidays to all on Bettermost and on Earth!!
brokeplex:
--- Quote from: atz75 on December 20, 2007, 01:40:23 pm ---I think that shepherd somehow sounds too old-fashioned (or something like that). **But** I do think that word is particularly important to recognize - as being what Ennis and Jack actually are in '63 - to the discussions of BBM and religious symbolism (even very loose religious symbolism).
I also think the shepherd reference feels very classical and pastoral. Maybe it's also another aspect of the famous old "classical allusions" topic. If Brokeback is a kind of Eden or Paradise Lost in a religious sense, it's also a Golden Age (or phase) for Ennis and Jack in a more classical sense... in both instances the metaphor is of an ideal place or time that cannot be accessed again once it's been exited.
--- End quote ---
good point about the classical allusions, in "Reading Brokeback Mountain" ed. Jim Stacy, the essay "Arcadia and the Passionate Shepherds of Brokeback Mountain" by Henry Alley explores this comparison. I am delighted I bought the book on amazon. someone here on bettermost alerted me to the book.
Artiste:
Wow, I sure like the comments here!!
As you HeirKaiser say: It was a noteable part of the film, for me, that Aguirre did not rage or take obvious offense at what he saw. It seems safe to say that in 1963 in that area of the world homosexuality was very much in the closet for reasons of what happened to the murdered man Ennis' father forced him to view. Yet, Aguirre basically had a 'holy shit' look on his face and essentially let it go. A year later he reasonably calmly told Jack to get lost, but his handling of the situation was far less mean and aggressive than one would have expected.
...........
May I ask if you HeirKaiser or any others here on Bettermost, think those Aguirre actions and re-actions are so presented in the film, because the one actor who played him felt that his role should be so done?? Or it was the producer, director, script writors, others, who told him to act that in those ways?? Did Annie show such as an Aguirre character?
....
Hugs!!
Merry Gay times to all and Merry Christmas too plus Great Merry Holidays!!
brokeplex:
--- Quote from: Artiste on December 21, 2007, 11:18:00 am ---Wow, I sure like the comments here!!
May I ask if you HeirKaiser or any others here on Bettermost, think those Aguirre actions and re-actions are so presented in the film, because the one actor who played him felt that his role should be so done?? Or it was the producer, director, script writors, others, who told him to act that in those ways?? Did Annie show such as an Aguirre character?
....
Hugs!!
Merry Gay times to all and Merry Christmas too plus Great Merry Holidays!!
--- End quote ---
I see Randy Quaid as perfect for the role of Joe Aguirre, and that is one of the reasons that Quaid's supporting role in the film is so important to me. Randy Quaid has the ability to look gruff and slightly exasperated and pained at the same time. So, to me it was a combination of Quaid fitting perfectly into a role that seemingly was made for him. I don't know if AP had anyone in mind when she sketched the Joe Aguirre character, I think that she met with some ranch owners and foremen and talked about the sheep ranching industry and what is was like in the 1960's. I always anticipate that type of verisimilitude from AP. Now when Ossana and McMurtry completed their sp, they probably had Quaid in mind. Quaid has worked with McMurtry before. The first movie I saw Quaid in was Peter Bogdanovich's "Last Picture Show", based on a McMurtry story. For a look at a dying oil bust town in Texas in the 1950's, go watch it. I grew up with some of the analogs to some of the characters in that movie.
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