Author Topic: TOTW 18/08: The lines from the trailer  (Read 44028 times)

Offline Penthesilea

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TOTW 18/08: The lines from the trailer
« on: May 19, 2008, 01:42:35 pm »
Howdy BetterMostians,

another week, another topic :)

Just like the tagline of the movie (Love is a force of nature), I think the lines in the theatrical trailer encapsulate the movie pretty good. They'd better, after all trailers are made to describe a movie's basics and make people curious to watch it.

To recapitulate, here they are:

1  It was a friendship
    that became a secret

2  There are places
     we can't return

3  There are lies
    we have to tell

4  There are truths
    we can't deny


I find especially # 2 and #4 intersting:

There are places we can't return. In the short story, Annie Proulx makes it clear that they never return to Brokeback Mountain. In the movie, it's more ambigious. Do you think it's valid to take the trailer as a hint that it was the same for the movie (meaning never returning)? Or do you think it's too far-fetched? After all, we don't know who made the trailer, whether Ang Lee had any say in it or if it was completely made by marketing experts (though somehow I doubt the latter).


There are truths we can't deny. That's exactly what Ennis tries to do for twenty years, isn't it? But IMO not very successful, so the trailer is „right“ somehow. He can't deny. Alma knows, Aguirre knows, Junior and most important, I think he knows, too (yep, I know not everybody shares this take on Ennis).
And what come out from all this trying to deny? (rhetorical question here ;D). So I'd say the lines in the trailer are pretty accurate.

What's your take on the issue?












Offline southendmd

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Re: TOTW 18/08: The lines from the trailer
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2008, 02:07:28 pm »
Just to refresh our memories, here's the trailer:

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xuugq7fito[/youtube]

Offline Shasta542

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Re: TOTW 18/08: The lines from the trailer
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2008, 07:57:13 pm »
2  There are places
     we can't return


That first summer together. That was so wonderful for them (until it was cut short). It's hard to return to the first thrilling throes of love and passion. The reunion was great, but not even close to what they had on Brokeback Mountain. That's one way I see that quote -- they couldn't go back to the way it was before descending the mountain.

Good topic, Chrissi. Very sad, sad, sad trailer.
"Gettin' tired of your dumbass missin'!"

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Offline optom3

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Re: TOTW 18/08: The lines from the trailer
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2008, 10:36:46 pm »
I interpret there are places we can't return,to mean that you can never recapture the innocence and sheer heady delight of the first few weeks of falling in love.
You play the will he wont he,does he doesn't he dance.The sly glances trying to measure up how they feel.Then wow when everything is right,it just happens, almost sometimes against your will, i.e love is a force of nature.You may pretend or hide, but deep down where it matters,where only you can see,it cannot be denied.
In the case of Jack and Ennis they can never return,because as soon as they come down their lives become more complex.others are now involved.
So Brokeback almost becomes a shrine to what they once had.It will never be the same again,no matter how hard they try to recapture it.They still love each other,even if the words are never said.
But it is no longer simple,they have to lie,to others as well as denying the love to themselves,at least on the part of Ennis.
No matter what was said on Brokeback,at least for that time it was just them,the force of nature,no lies involving other people,even if they were lying to themselves.
So no, they can never return.
Just like we can never turn back the clock, much a we may wish too.

Offline Fran

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Re: TOTW 18/08: The lines from the trailer
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2008, 04:59:43 pm »
1  It was a friendship
    that became a secret

2  There are places
     we can't return

3  There are lies
    we have to tell

4  There are truths
    we can't deny

I especially like the "we" in Nos. 2, 3, and 4.  The lines could have been, "There are places they can't return," "There are lies they have to tell," etc.  To me, the  "we" emphasizes the universal message of the film.  It speaks to everyone -- well, everyone who's open to the message.

Offline BelAir

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Re: TOTW 18/08: The lines from the trailer
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2008, 05:44:43 pm »
2  There are places
     we can't return


That first summer together. That was so wonderful for them (until it was cut short). It's hard to return to the first thrilling throes of love and passion. The reunion was great, but not even close to what they had on Brokeback Mountain. That's one way I see that quote -- they couldn't go back to the way it was before descending the mountain.

Good topic, Chrissi. Very sad, sad, sad trailer.


I thought the same thing.
Looked at the banner and thought, "Dang, looking at that image with that line, about as devastating as watching the whole movie."

Makes me think they spent their whole lives trying to recreate Brokeback, and failed.  I think that is one perspective, but not the entirety of what happened.

I first saw the trailer knowing nothing of the actual story.  I remember sitting in the theater, thinking to myself after they came down the mountain, "Well. What's going to happen now, I wonder?"  So I think the trailer did a good job of being intriguing but not telling the whole story.
"— a thirst for life, for love, and for truth..."

Offline Katie77

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Re: TOTW 18/08: The lines from the trailer
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2008, 06:40:08 pm »
OMG watching that trailer really stirred up the emotions again. I wonder how many of us will get the DVD out and watch it again.

Watching the clips after the phrase "There are places we cant return".....the clips showing "normality", I felt the phrase meant more, that they could never return to the normal expected way of life, no matter how much they tried and no matter how much they made that kind of life for themselves, they were never going to be able to return to a "normal" way of life.
Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect.

It means you've decided to see beyond the imperfection

Offline optom3

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Re: TOTW 18/08: The lines from the trailer
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2008, 11:21:00 pm »
OMG watching that trailer really stirred up the emotions again. I wonder how many of us will get the DVD out and watch it again.

Watching the clips after the phrase "There are places we cant return".....the clips showing "normality", I felt the phrase meant more, that they could never return to the normal expected way of life, no matter how much they tried and no matter how much they made that kind of life for themselves, they were never going to be able to return to a "normal" way of life.

Oh no!!!
now I am in a dilemma,I was so sure it meant they could not return to,BBM,now I am not so convinced.They could not return to normal life either ,after BBM idyll.
Maybe as the plural is used,places,it encompasses both.Caught in between two worlds,BBM and "normality" never fully inhabiting,either again.It is the use of the plural that makes me think.If it was one or the other,would it not have been,there is a place we can't return to.

Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: TOTW 18/08: The lines from the trailer
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2008, 11:40:42 pm »

I'm just popping in to say this is an awesome topic for a TOTW!  I'll weigh in tomorrow after I watch the trailer again (to refresh my memory).  I can't watch  YouTube at home because I'm on dial-up, so I'll sneak a look while I'm at work.

Also, was there more than one trailer?  Why do I feel like there were at least two?

the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie

Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: TOTW 18/08: The lines from the trailer
« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2008, 11:46:58 pm »
I especially like the "we" in Nos. 2, 3, and 4.  The lines could have been, "There are places they can't return," "There are lies they have to tell," etc.  To me, the  "we" emphasizes the universal message of the film.  It speaks to everyone -- well, everyone who's open to the message.

Just popping back to say, even before I re-watch the trailer tomorrow...  that the use of the word "we" in the phrases in the trailer seems to be a very smart and very, very emotionally stirring decision.  It really does immediately make the viewer identify with the gay protagonists. 

the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie