Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
TOTW 24/08: Extras and small roles in the movie
Shakesthecoffecan:
I like the really old guy dancing with the younger woman at the 1978 Childress dance. He has probably passed away by now.
Brown Eyes:
--- Quote from: Penthesilea on September 08, 2008, 11:23:56 am ---
Boy with firecracker and old man with flag at the 4th of July scene:
We discussed those two before; the idea was they could represent a younger and an older version of Ennis. Both are very noticeable, and similar dressed as Ennis.
Alas I couldn't find any pictures of them.
--- End quote ---
I love this interpretation of Ennis's three life-stages (childhood, adulthood and old age) represented in the fireworks scene with the inclusion of the child and the old man. But, I always wonder why this is included in the fireworks scene specifically and not at some other point in the film? What is it about the fireworks scene that calls for this kind of idea to be included?
--- Quote from: Penthesilea on September 08, 2008, 11:26:14 am ---
Two men who vaguely resemble our boys (one with black hat and solid blue shirt, the other one with white hat and light checkered shirt) obviously buying bus tickets together, travelling somewhere together.
--- End quote ---
The other thing I love about the background detail of the black-hat and white-hat guys buying bus tickets together is that the counter is covered with candy for sale. As if to imply those two guys are going to go off and find their sweet life together.
This scene seems to be so much about missed opportunities.
Brown Eyes:
I was just looking around on Striped Wall for certain images of extras/ minor characters, and it's interesting to see how many of those types of shots Striped Wall does not have available. The incidental/ in-between moments are not actually captured frame-by-frame as are the major scenes between Jack and Ennis.
What I was looking for was a picture of the ominous figure who walks by outside the window of the bus station/ diner at the very beginning of that scene. It's a dark figure with a dark hat, and I've always had a very grim feeling about that figure. To me it signals that Jack is now gone... or it's almost like a visualization of him leaving the film.
Fran:
--- Quote from: atz75 on September 10, 2008, 11:07:40 am ---
I was just looking around on Striped Wall for certain images of extras/ minor characters, and it's interesting to see how many of those types of shots Striped Wall does not have available. The incidental/ in-between moments are not actually captured frame-by-frame as are the major scenes between Jack and Ennis.
What I was looking for was a picture of the ominous figure who walks by outside the window of the bus station/ diner at the very beginning of that scene. It's a dark figure with a dark hat, and I've always had a very grim feeling about that figure. To me it signals that Jack is now gone... or it's almost like a visualization of him leaving the film.
--- End quote ---
While I like your interpretation, Amanda, after a closer look, the guy with the hat appears to be Carl (with Cassie just before they enter the building).
There is another guy on the other side of the street, walking in the opposite direction, but he's hatless.
optom3:
The Basque I think is giving us a clue that Ennis is already caring/falling in love with Jack.
Ennis seems to act sheepish/defensive when questioned about the soup as if he feels he has been uncovered /exposed and departs fairly quickly. I am sure the Basque has seen it all in his time and has become fairly shrewd in his character asessment.
The scene with Ennis on his own toying with a cake, is sad enough,and yet we get further reinforcement of his loneliness and isolation by the 2 cowboys who are pictured in the same scene. Couple that with Cassie and Carl and there is no escape the utter desolation of Ennis's situation.
The 2 cowboys almost seem to be there to taunt Ennis, look at us, think of how it could have been for you. It is interesting to note that we see 2 men together, not necessarily gay, but representative of that element, and we see Cassie and Carl.
We are left with the inescapable fact that Ennis has not succeeded in either type of relationship. He is like a boat adrift at sea.There seems to be no place where he can find a safe harbour.
So seems destined to spend his life permanantly adrift, not to mention drifting from one place and job to another.
Here again we see the parallels.The 2 cowboys obviously have a destination in mind, and Cassie although maybe not entirely happy does seem to have reached journeys end.
Twenty years and many miles later, Ennis still has not reached his journeys end. I find that whole scene utterly soul destroying.For Ennis to have travelled so many miles over the years and yet still arrived nowhere, is sad beyond words.
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