Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
Role of Observers, Viewers, the long-shot, Aguirre, and Us (!!!) in BBM?
Brown Eyes:
Heya,
So, I watched BBM again today and it never, ever fails that I think up a new question or observation every time I watch.
This time it's a sort of complex idea, but I think pretty interesting. The one explicit scene we see of Aguirre watching Jack and Ennis together up on Brokeback, clearly comes during the scene we often call the "happy tussle" right after TS2. The happy tussle scene is first presented to the viewer as a long-shot, simply observing Jack and Ennis's romp from quite a distance. It's only after the camera swings around and we see that we were actually inhabiting the place of Aguirre from behind his binoculars (with large, powerful lenses) that we understand how we were able to see the boys' romp.
This got me thinking about a few other scenes earlier in the film, actually prior to TS1 where we see Ennis and Jack interacting from quite a far distance/ through the filmmaker's use of the "long shot"... there are about 3 instances when they're picking camp sites, moving the flock and setting up camp when we see them from quite far off and we can hear the murmurs of their voices as they talk to each other... but, we are too far away to understand what they're saying. In those "long shot" moments I've always felt like I, as a viewer, am being placed in the position of a voyeur or a trespasser on their private interactions.
One question I have in relation to this observation is, do we think that those earlier "long shot" moments can be taken as indications of moments when Aguirre was watching them (with us in Aguirre's shoes and watching through his vantage point)? Or, more simply put, was the happy tussle the first time he watched them? Or did he start watching earlier.
And, then what are the implications for the way the later camping trips are filmmed with Jack and Ennis in the years following the reunion? In the many long shots and very distant views we get on Jack and Ennis in several of their later camping trips, are we supposed to wonder or imagine that there are other observers (i.e. other campers, etc.) watching them from afar like we are?
mariez:
Amanda, you come up with some great observations!
--- Quote from: atz75 on September 06, 2008, 08:39:05 pm ---One question I have in relation to this observation is, do we think that those earlier "long shot" moments can be taken as indications of moments when Aguirre was watching them (with us in Aguirre's shoes and watching through his vantage point)? Or, more simply put, was the happy tussle the first time he watched them? Or did he start watching earlier.
--- End quote ---
I think he started watching them earlier. We don't have any direct indication that he did, but by the time of the happy tussle they would have been up there, what, about a month? I don't think he would've waited that long to start watching them; he seemed pretty cynical ("pair of deuces") about how well they would follow instructions and just about them in general.
--- Quote from: atz75 on September 06, 2008, 08:39:05 pm ---And, then what are the implications for the way the later camping trips are filmmed with Jack and Ennis in the years following the reunion? In the many long shots and very distant views we get on Jack and Ennis in several of their later camping trips, are we supposed to wonder or imagine that there are other observers (i.e. other campers, etc.) watching them from afar like we are?
--- End quote ---
I don't think this ever occurred to me, but it's really interesting to consider! As with almost everything in the story, there are a couple of ways to look at it. If they were being watched from afar, it would show that even way out in the "middle of nowhere" they couldn't get away from society's prying eyes (but, yet, none of the "observers" came after them with tire irons).
Or those later long shots and very distant views could be a way of showing us just how far out in the middle of nowhere they needed to go in order to be truly free from prying eyes and danger.
Thanks, Amanda! :)
Marie
Brown Eyes:
Thanks Marie!
And, I agree that I think Aguirre probably started watching Jack and Ennis earlier on. It's only during the happy tussle when the viewer (i.e. us) begins to understand how the activity of observing Jack and Ennis is portrayed on film or through the medium of filmmaking.
If you watch earlier in the film when Jack and Ennis are picking a camp site with the sheep, there's a very particular scene where Jack is on his horse parallel to the film screen (or he's shown in profile on his horse looking left) and Ennis enters the scene on his horse coming or emerging from the space of the viewer. In that scene it's very clear that Jack and Ennis are talking to one another, but it's very, very hard to hear what they're saying. If you turn the volume up really, really far you might be able to make it out.
And, then later when they're setting up TS2, there's that famous long-shot/ distant view of Jack selecting the driftwood log near the stream and Ennis comes up and seems to pat Jack on the shoulder as he hoists the log up. This is another instance where the view is so far away, that we feel very excluded from direct access to the activity going on.
So, these two moments really make me wonder if there's at least a hint that we're watching from a similar vantage point as Aguirre does through his binoculars during the happy tussle.
There are lots of much later camping scenes that employ long shots... and also the device of muffled voices... of Jack and Ennis talking to one another without the viewer being able to hear clearly.
It's such an unusual filmming strategy. I really do wonder if this is really meant to make the viewer feel like an intruder on these private moments... or moments that Jack and Ennis really want to keep as private and personal.
Artiste:
Merci atz !
Your post is very interesting!
Could it be possible that Aquirre is gay, or pro-gay, or neutral???
He sure has an eye ? So, could he be a con-artist instead?-Somewhat one?
Or what is he ?
To me, that long shot camera range, as you put it, provides questions, at least that can be posed?
What do you think Atz, Mariez, and others ???
Au revoir,
hugs!
Brown Eyes:
Well, this question isn't so much about Aguirre's attitude one way or another. It's about the clue we get about viewing positions based on Aguirre's use of binoculars.
This is about where we as viewers are situated when we observe Jack and Ennis in the film.
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