Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
TOTW 18/07: Do you think classic cowboy icons like the "Marlboro Man" were proto
delalluvia:
--- Quote from: atz75 on February 17, 2008, 02:11:40 am ---I'm reviving this thread after some conversations in chat recently that really struck me... about the similarities between Heath (and particularly his appearance as Ennis) and James Dean. Now of course, the fact that they both died so young and so tragically only magnifies this. Just unbelievable
:'(
--- End quote ---
Ummm, well, that's pretty much all they have in common, atz.
Their movie characters were light years different from each other. And in real life, James Dean was single, trying out his new sports car and was killed in a car accident.
Heath was a father, in the middle of two movies, about to start the publicity on a 3rd, was sick and over did it trying to medicate himself and died in his sleep.
Brown Eyes:
--- Quote from: delalluvia on February 18, 2008, 09:07:19 pm ---Ummm, well, that's pretty much all they have in common, atz.
Their movie characters were light years different from each other. And in real life, James Dean was single, trying out his new sports car and was killed in a car accident.
Heath was a father, in the middle of two movies, about to start the publicity on a 3rd, was sick and over did it trying to medicate himself and died in his sleep.
--- End quote ---
My point is more general. They're both iconic film stars who died tragically young (the details notwithstanding). And, the fact that the BBM filmmakers modeled the look/ some of the aura of Ennis after James Dean, just makes this seem a little haunting.
This is just how I see things. Others are free to agree or disagree.
serious crayons:
From Wikipedia:
James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931 – September 30, 1955) was a two-time Oscar-nominated American film actor. Dean's status as a cultural icon is best embodied in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause, in which he starred as troubled high school rebel Jim Stark. The other two roles that defined his star power were as the awkward loner Cal Trask in East of Eden, and as the surly, racist farmer Jett Rink in Giant. His enduring fame and popularity rests on only three films, his entire starring output. As with Buddy Holly, Bruce Lee, and Marilyn Monroe, his death at a young age helped guarantee a legendary status. He was the first actor to receive a posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and remains the only person to have two such nominations posthumously.
From Crayonipedia:
Heath Andrew Ledger (April 4, 1979 – January 22, 2008) was a two-time one time Oscar-nominated American film actor. Ledger's status as a cultural icon is best embodied in the title of by his role in his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause, Brokeback Mountain, in which he starred as troubled high school rebel Jim Stark closeted gay ranch hand Ennis Del Mar. The other two roles that defined his star power were as the awkward loner Cal Trask in East of Eden troubled young prison guard in Monsters Ball and as the surly, racist farmer Jett Rink in Giant failed alcoholic skateboard empresario in The Lords of Dogtown. His enduring fame and popularity rests on only these three films and a couple of others. , his entire starring output. As with Buddy Holly, Bruce Lee, and Marilyn Monroe, his death at a young age helped guarantee a legendary status. He wasmay become the first actor to receive a posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and remains the only person to have two such nominations posthumously for his performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight.
delalluvia:
--- Quote from: atz75 on February 18, 2008, 09:14:17 pm ---My point is more general. They're both iconic film stars who died tragically young (the details notwithstanding). And, the fact that the BBM filmmakers modeled the look/ some of the aura of Ennis after James Dean, just makes this seem a little haunting.
This is just how I see things. Others are free to agree or disagree.
--- End quote ---
OK, but I think the details can matter. IMO, James Dean became iconic because he was now a member of the "Live Fast, Die Young" club and what better way to achieve such a status than by dying in a sports car crash? Heath's death is tragic in a more familial way. A sad, quiet way. I'm not sure Heath will achieve the same iconic status because he wasn't the wild child, burning the candle at both ends. A couple of months prior, he was a stay at home family man.
[shrug]
Just MO.
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: delalluvia on February 18, 2008, 09:33:22 pm --- I'm not sure Heath will achieve the same iconic status because he wasn't the wild child, burning the candle at both ends.
--- End quote ---
I don't know if Heath will achieve the same iconic status, but it sounds like burning the candle at both ends was exactly what he WAS doing.
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