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Clyde-B:
Did you notice how they aged this gorgeous 25 year old guy by giving him a coat that sags, especially around the waist, making him look like he has a paunch. His hat, which was stiff and shapely when he was young has been traded for one that's almost limp. The brim even droops. But he still has his coat zipped up high to show that closed-off attitude.
Brown Eyes:
I'm happy that folks are enjoying this idea for a thread! :)
One of Meryl's observations about the brown truck in the postcard scene that I found so spooky is that the angle on the truck is such that you can't see a visible driver! It really is as if a ghost is driving it... at least in the still provided here.
Yeah, the color of trucks and the changes in trucks across the span of their relationship seems to be a major theme or visual element, perhaps meant to be clues to deeper meaning. The trucks are usually quite striking one way or another, and I think it's kind of fun to think about both Jack and Ennis's trucks in relation to one another.
Buffymon, I like your analysis. :)
To me, Jack's first truck is almost comic in it's banged-up and run-down state... and of course we're immediately made aware of it by the funny tire that spins causing Jack to kick the truck. By the way, I've always thought that this might be foreshadowing about Jack's death (even this early on).
Then, later during the early years of his marriage, Ennis gets that clunky black truck that seems somewhat visually similar to Jack's first one. I always wonder if that's meant to kind of indicate that Ennis is thinking about Jack during that phase of time. And, I also wonder if it may be part of the idea that Jack is one step ahead of Ennis, but Ennis comes along eventually. At first Jack has the clunky black truck and Ennis walks. Then Ennis has a clunky black truck, and Jack moves on to a new truck.
That red truck during the reunion seems so important, and the image of that happy red truck driving off to the mountains is such an iconic BBM image.
:)
Yeah, and there's certainly a lot ot be said about the later blue and aqua blue trucks.
Monika:
--- Quote from: atz75 on October 29, 2009, 03:57:24 pm ---Then, later during the early years of his marriage, Ennis gets that clunky black truck that seems somewhat visually similar to Jack's first one. I always wonder if that's meant to kind of indicate that Ennis is thinking about Jack during that phase of time.
--- End quote ---
That's how I like to think of it. I imagine it's pretty unconsciously done on Ennis's part, though.
--- Quote from: atz75 on October 29, 2009, 03:57:24 pm ---And, I also wonder if it may be part of the idea that Jack is one step ahead of Ennis, but Ennis comes along eventually. At first Jack has the clunky black truck and Ennis walks. Then Ennis has a clunky black truck, and Jack moves on to a new truck.
--- End quote ---
that´s an interesting thought. I mean, it's an ongoing theme throughout the movie that Jack leads the way and Ennis follows. Ever since Ennis followed Jack into that bar in Signal back in 63.
Brown Eyes:
--- Quote from: Buffymon on October 29, 2009, 04:09:05 pm ---
that´s an interesting thought. I mean, it's an ongoing theme throughout the movie that Jack leads the way and Ennis follows. Ever since Ennis followed Jack into that bar in Signal back in 63.
--- End quote ---
Yes! I love that whole theme of Jack in the lead. You're definitely right about the bar in Signal.
And, then Jack leads the flock in the correct direction (or, he is a modern day "point man" - if I understand McMurtry's Lonesome Dove terminology correctly), and Ennis follows along behind with the pack animals and is sometimes way in the back. There are moments when you can see Jack resting and Ennis catching up during the trip up the mountain and when they're moving camp.
I also think that Jack may perceive this status of being slightly ahead as his "short leash." I recall discussions from long ago where folks observed that the early scene where Jack is a few steps ahead of Ennis going to the bar in Signal... almost looks like Jack is on an invisible/ make-believe leash.
Penthesilea:
--- Quote from: atz75 on October 29, 2009, 03:57:24 pm ---One of Meryl's observations about the brown truck in the postcard scene that I found so spooky is that the angle on the truck is such that you can't see a visible driver! It really is as if a ghost is driving it... at least in the still provided here.
--- End quote ---
You can't see the driver in the whole sequence. I watched it repeatedly, in slow-motion, and frame by frame. No driver visible (except maybe for a hand at the steering wheel). It's because of the angle Ang Lee and/or Rodrigo Prieto chose. And at the moment when you (normally) would see the driver from behind through the back window - the truck passes Ennis. The view through the rear window is hidden by Ennis. I'm sure this was exactly planned by Ang Lee, just as the crow and the truck meeting in the middle of the picture in the post divorce scene.
Remember how Heath and Jake (and others) continued to say how "microscopic" Ang Lee's view through the camera is?
Two more details stood out for me in that scene: look at the screenshot again. The woman to the right holds a brown paper bag. I know this is very common in the US But she doesn't hold a full paper bag on her arm; no it's a half empty one, the above part rolled down. She holds it the same way Ennis holds his paper bags in the beginning and when he leaves the Twist ranch.
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