Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
My long, rambling defense of Brokeback Mountain
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: JennyC on June 04, 2006, 09:30:58 pm ---If you don’t mind, I will use yours instead. Are you going to charge us royalty for your copyright? :)
--- End quote ---
:laugh: Almost all of the ideas jn my message are cribbed from other people's posts, so if any copyright lawsuits are filed, I'm in big trouble.
Actually, Jenny, I would love to see what you wrote. And if anyone else has written any BBM defenses, I would love to see them, too. Let's all post them here!
Yes, it does seem like an uphill battle to convince the skeptical. I'm not particularly evangelical -- what do I care if two people I've never met (and one I haven't seen in 20 years) like the movie or not? Usually, when people tell me in person that they weren't crazy about the movie, I just shrug and tell them, well, I loved it. It's just too hard and possibly futile, in normal conversation, to outline all the arguments in the movie's favor. But because here I had the luxury of writing, I did this mainly as an exercise -- to make the argument as best I could and see what would happen. I definitely will keep you posted about the results.
Of course, since sending the email I've thought of a bunch of additional things I wish I would have said.
--- Quote from: atz75 on June 04, 2006, 11:52:15 pm ---This is a new one for me! Great observation.
--- End quote ---
Yes it is, and guess where the bread bag observation came from? Goadra, a new BetterMost member -- on her very first post!
--- Quote ---If any of these people are still in doubt about the greatness of BBM or the complexity of it... try mentioning the thing about Aeneas and Dido from and the "I swear" line of dialogue... or really anything from the old Classical Allusions thread by CaseyCornelius...
--- End quote ---
Thanks for reposting this. I so remember that thread, partly because -- I'll have to admit -- my own knowledge of "The Aeneid" is so nonexistent (I was going to say spotty, but then I remembered my vow to be honest here) that when I came to the post I was completely daunted and barely skimmed it. But I love rereading it now. I especially love the part about Jack's room and all its symbols of failed dreams :'( !!!
starboardlight:
there's so much to say about this film. despite your long email, you've only just covered the surface, but I think you did a great job explaining that there are deeper layers going on in the film. For me, despite all those beautiful details, I go back to that first emotional heartsick feeling that we all suffered. Our reaction was so unique and yet thousands of us had that same reaction. No other film has been able to make us care so much. The delayed reactions that we all had has never been experienced with other films. I certainly have never heard of any one reacting this way to any film before. And yet the story of people having to pull off to the side of the road to cry, of a guy seeing his retired marine dad crying for the first time in his life, or of people finally finding courage to confront their own demons because of the film, is evidence that their a power in this film that we've never seen before. The storytelling and literary details are brilliant, but it comes down to the fact that it is able to make very profound emotional connections that makes the film great.
welliwont:
--- Quote from: JennyC on June 04, 2006, 09:30:58 pm ---
I have written a very very long e-mail myself to a dear friend of mine, trying to explain the subtle details of some scenes and their meanings, and in my not very successfully attempt explain why I love the movie so much. I have forwarded mine e-mails to a few more friends if BBM came up in our conversation.
--- End quote ---
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.
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: starboardlight on June 05, 2006, 02:17:43 am ---there's so much to say about this film. despite your long email, you've only just covered the surface, but I think you did a great job explaining that there are deeper layers going on in the film. For me, despite all those beautiful details, I go back to that first emotional heartsick feeling that we all suffered. Our reaction was so unique and yet thousands of us had that same reaction. No other film has been able to make us care so much. The delayed reactions that we all had has never been experienced with other films. I certainly have never heard of any one reacting this way to any film before. And yet the story of people having to pull off to the side of the road to cry, of a guy seeing his retired marine dad crying for the first time in his life, or of people finally finding courage to confront their own demons because of the film, is evidence that their a power in this film that we've never seen before. The storytelling and literary details are brilliant, but it comes down to the fact that it is able to make very profound emotional connections that makes the film great.
--- End quote ---
Nipith, I remember you saying something like this not long ago, when Jeff was confronting a similar situation with a friend who, bafflingly, didn't care much for the movie. I was urging him to write something outlining its artistic brilliance. You pointed out the overlying importance of its profound emotional effect. I totally agreed, and as I was writing the thing above I kept that conversation in mind.
But of course it is really hard to convey that effect that to people who simply didn't feel it themselves. I doubt anyone here noticed half of the symbolism and stuff the first time they saw it, but I'd venture that everyone here was profoundly emotionally affected on that very first viewing. And I really don't understand what distinguishes us from the people who are lukewarm about the movie -- most of those people don't seem unusually insensitive otherwise (assuming they're nonhomophobes, of course).
Anyway, I tend to feel more comfortable discoursing in objective terms, using relatively irrefutable facts. Must be the former newspaper reporter in me. But if the email conversation with these other people continues, I'll see if I can figure out a way to address that emotional impact, too.
silkncense:
--- Quote ---For me, despite all those beautiful details, I go back to that first emotional heartsick feeling that we all suffered. Our reaction was so unique and yet thousands of us had that same reaction. No other film has been able to make us care so much. The delayed reactions that we all had has never been experienced with other films. I certainly have never heard of any one reacting this way to any film before. And yet the story of people having to pull off to the side of the road to cry, of a guy seeing his retired marine dad crying for the first time in his life, or of people finally finding courage to confront their own demons because of the film, is evidence that their a power in this film that we've never seen before. The storytelling and literary details are brilliant, but it comes down to the fact that it is able to make very profound emotional connections that makes the film great.
--- End quote ---
Nipith - I absolutely agree!!! THIS is what I have tried to explain about Brokeback. Maybe people who don't have the same reaction think I am insane, but I truly think that is what makes this more than a film. As I tried to explain to someone - Pulp Fiction is a great movie - but it is just a movie. Brokeback is a life experience.
Katherine - I love your e-mail but feel that non-Brokeback people would think a great many of the "tiniest details" are a stretch. I can't say that I view or interpret some of the often quoted views the same, even (please don't throw me off the board for this) - the clothing.
--- Quote ---(Jack, the more open, is usually wearing fewer layers). When they're apart, Ennis, missing Jack, always wears blue (the color Jack almost always wears) but when he's with him he retreats to his own typical tan.
--- End quote ---
From my viewing, Jack usually wears far more layers & heavier clothing, esp his coats. Jack always wears a T-shirt & button shirt. Ennis does not wear a T-shirt (that I remember) & his jackets appear lighter in weight - usually the cordoroy one while Jack is looking for his parka (one blue, one tan).
I love the beautiful tan color of Ennis coats but his shirts are generally a light blue plaid (or stripe) with one that is bluish/grey & red? on Brokeback. Jack's coat is not blue but green & black on Brokeback & changes virtually every time they are together.
Should I run now...???
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