Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
Carving up the Two Old Birds
mlewisusc:
WOW! Haven't been on the boards for a long time, and look what analysis I've been missing! I'll have to take time to digest this, but I wanted to point out the fact that the name of the restaurant (Knife & Fork) was from the original Proulx story (not that this fact stops the filmmakers from working it into the visual symbolism).
Front-Ranger:
I'm terribly behind on this thread but wanted to add that knives are hugely symbolic in Asian culture. In business, we are warned to never give a present of knives to businessmen of Asian background. I'm sure your take on the knives is true, and was meant to be in the film. It's also meaningful, I think, that the boys never wear knives on their persons when they are on the mountain. What's missing is just as meaningful as what's shown. We never see an eagle or other bird in the sky on the mountain, but we do hear the cry of an eagle at least twice: at the beginning when Ennis approaches the trailer, and when the boys change camp.
ruthlesslyunsentimental:
--- Quote from: latjoreme on July 06, 2006, 09:44:03 am ---And Alma is far from saintly.
--- End quote ---
You think so? Gee, when she confronted Ennis in the kitchen after her Thanksgiving Spectacular, I thought she was just trying to help Ennis come to terms with who he really is, trying to guide him into a new spiritual awakening. She was hoping that he'd come out of the closet so that they could hug, and she could say "s'alright," and then they'd go and tell Monroe and the girls the good news, and then they'd go to town, you know, out on the pavement, and they'd go to that bar and tell everyone and they'd all toast Ennis and his new-found self-awarness, and then they'd call Jack and tell him to come on up and drop by and... well, I can almost see Alma knittin' a brand new wedding suit for Ennis...
OK, I went too far, didn't I?
ruthlesslyunsentimental:
--- Quote from: Front-Ranger on July 06, 2006, 11:20:48 am ---What's missing is just as meaningful as what's shown.
--- End quote ---
Absolutely!
Front-Ranger:
"Don't mess with Alma!!!" One of the great unwritten rules. I got in major trouble for calling her a "harridan" at Thanksgiving. People are sensitive about Lureen and LaShawn too, and you'll have to tread lightly on Cassie.
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