Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
My long, rambling defense of Brokeback Mountain
starboardlight:
we've had several discussion about why some people connect with the film. The "nothing happened" critique is really telling. To me their are people who need things to be spelled out and people who inherently understand that there's more beneath, around, above what actually happens. As we've all said, this is a movie about what didn't happen and what wasn't said. So "nothing happened" is right, but that's the tragedy of it. We're able to see what was on screen and instinctively see what could have/should have been. Nothing is spelled out, but we somehow were moved to look further into the context and subtext. That's another beauty of the film. It doesn't hit us over the head with a message, but rather invites us to find the deeper meaning on our own. That's what make its such a personal experience for each of us.
I sometimes feel sorry for people who can't connect with the film. From personal experience, they're always people who need things to be black and white, and everything spelled out. If a message doesn't hit them over the head like a ton of bricks, they don't get it. There are exceptions and my statement is a generalization, of course, but like I said "nothing happened" is a very telling critique of people not being able to see beneath the surface.
JennyC:
--- Quote from: JakeTwist on June 05, 2006, 02:44:58 am ---Hi JennyC:
I would really like to read your very long e-mail explaining BBM, would you post it here, or e-mail it to me? I myself have been planning to write myself a definite analysis of BBM but I have been too busy reading at Bettermost to get very far with it. If I ever do write my dissertation I will post it here.
--- End quote ---
That's too much pressure, Jake Twist. ;D Just kidding.
Seriously I wrote the e-mail back in January, before I got really involved with this community. I have learned a lot of things about the movie, the story since then. I need to do some seriously proof reading before I dare to post it here :P.
The main issue that my friend got hang up on is the infidelity issue, because of her personal experience.
ednbarby:
Oh, my GOD, Amanda. This just damn near slayed me:
--- Quote ---Ennis's final words of "Jack, I swear" echo those of Aeneas when confronted with the 'shade' or ghost of his beloved Dido who committed suicide after he abandoned her. Aeneas says to Dido's ghost, "I swear by every oath that hell can muster, I swear I left you against my will. The law of God--the law that sends me now through darkness, bramble, rot and profound night--unyielding drove me; nor could I have dreamed that in my leaving I would hurt you so."
--- End quote ---
Makes me wonder if A. Proulx isn't more than a tad familiar with Virgil.
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: starboardlight on June 05, 2006, 01:38:55 pm ---I sometimes feel sorry for people who can't connect with the film. From personal experience, they're always people who need things to be black and white, and everything spelled out. If a message doesn't hit them over the head like a ton of bricks, they don't get it. There are exceptions and my statement is a generalization, of course, but like I said "nothing happened" is a very telling critique of people not being able to see beneath the surface.
--- End quote ---
Absolutely. Once you get past homophobia, I think this is the most common reason for people not connecting with the movie. Viewers are just so used to getting their movie messages ladled out in the form of explosions, bullet-dodging and, um, absurdly coincidental car crashes.
--- Quote from: ednbarby on June 05, 2006, 01:58:41 pm ---Makes me wonder if A. Proulx isn't more than a tad familiar with Virgil.
--- End quote ---
That's for sure. Just the Ennis/Aeneas thing is enough to convince me.
silkncense:
--- Quote --- I wonder if you might challenge those three to see the film again and see if they still have the same opinions, if they might not catch more details and nuance of the film, and if they might not find that emotional connection.
--- End quote ---
I agree. After my first viewing I had the three nights of sleep loss & knew I had to see it again (didn't know then it would be 16 viewings in the theater).
A 20 something newlywed male @ my work saw Brokeback based on my praise. He came back & said it was "a lust affair" & was about infidelity. I pointed out some of the subtle scenes that show it was love, etc. That was in April. Ironically, last week (he had just seen Crash & we were discussing that) & he said he thought he needed to watch Brokeback again as he may have missed some of the details. Here's hoping he really sees it this time.
Katherine - Actually we usually agree, almost completely. Now if you'll only acknowledge that I'm right about the shirt colors... ;)
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