Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
getting hit hard by offhand revelations (story discussion)
nakymaton:
--- Quote from: Jeff Wrangler on September 08, 2006, 08:51:40 am ---I think the film script is a real improvement here. I can't resist repeating myself, but I've written elsewhere that if you watch really close, you can see that Ennis's lower lip is quivvering after that revelation about the ranch neighbor from Texas. Whatever else is going on, in the film Jack's mother, intervening just at this moment, is telling/giving permission to Ennis to go up to Jack's room to cry in peace and privacy, so he can keep his dignity and self-respect by not breaking down in front of Jack's father. (And when we see him enter Jack's room, Ennis's left cheek is wet). I think this is brilliant and very touching. Jack's mother is really being a mother to Ennis here, too. Frankly, this was one of my inspirations when I wrote my fanfic, "The Grieving Plain."
--- End quote ---
I think it's absolutely perfect for the movie. And it's really fascinating how the movie can keep the details of the story, down to descriptive passages in the stage directions, and yet make subtle changes in the order of events or in what is revealed when that really changes the emotional structure. (That is -- the audience can see Ennis's struggles with his feelings throughout the movie, rather than have the depth of the feelings suddenly revealed at the end.)
Nearly all of the characterizations are softened somewhat from the short story, I think, too. (That is, it's possible to empathize with most of the characters in the movie. In the story... well, it takes a re-read to seriously empathize with even Ennis and Jack.) And some of that is accomplished by moving a few lines or scenes around. (And a heck of a lot of it is accomplished by the fantastic acting. Heath in particular. Wow.)
There's way too much more I could say, but I've got to work. (Katherine, I'll come back to your question when I'm not stealing time from my day job.)
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: nakymaton on September 08, 2006, 10:28:49 am ---There's way too much more I could say, but I've got to work. (Katherine, I'll come back to your question when I'm not stealing time from my day job.)
--- End quote ---
Well, I don't really approve of putting paid employment ahead of posting at BetterMost, but OK. I look forward to it!
You did touch on one of the issues I had in mind, though. I had a much harder time, to say the least, empathizing with the story's characters. I'd be interested to hear other people's views on that, too, while waiting for Mel to indulge her strange little habit of getting work done.
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: latjoreme on September 08, 2006, 10:35:10 am ---You did touch on one of the issues I had in mind, though. I had a much harder time, to say the least, empathizing with the story's characters. I'd be interested to hear other people's views on that, too, while waiting for Mel to indulge her strange little habit of getting work done.
--- End quote ---
Ennis never gave me a problem. Jack, however. ... I've gone into this elswhere, too, but when I meet people like Story Jack--smile too much, laugh too much, talk too much, always have big (unrealistic?) ideas they're never able to follow through on--well, a red flag of caution goes up.
It doesn't help matters that early on we see him lying to Ennis. Whether or not the lie is understandable isn't my point. I can't recall that we ever see Ennis lying to Jack--but I don't have the story with me here at work, so I can't check.
Movie Jack is definitely "softer," sweeter, and easier to empathize with.
moremojo:
--- Quote from: latjoreme on September 08, 2006, 10:35:10 am ---You did touch on one of the issues I had in mind, though. I had a much harder time, to say the least, empathizing with the story's characters. I'd be interested to hear other people's views on that, too, while waiting for Mel to indulge her strange little habit of getting work done.
--- End quote ---
I had the same experience. Ennis and Jack are less immediately appealing in the story than they are in their movie incarnations. I think this ties into Annie's strategy--she's showing her characters' inner lives incrementally, so that we discover the extent of their emotional investment in each other at a parallel pace to their own self-discovery, making the revelation at the end all the more impacting.
The film called for a slightly different approach. We needed to empathize with these characters from early on, to feel more invested in the work unfurling before us. Thus the characters come more vividly to life sooner (and Jack's character is indeed softened and sweetened considerably), and important clues to how deeply in love the boys were already falling receive more emphasis.
Both works are masterful, in their own individual, nuanced ways.
dly64:
--- Quote from: latjoreme on September 08, 2006, 10:35:10 am ---You did touch on one of the issues I had in mind, though. I had a much harder time, to say the least, empathizing with the story's characters. I'd be interested to hear other people's views on that, too, while waiting for Mel to indulge her strange little habit of getting work done.
--- End quote ---
--- Quote from: nakymaton on September 08, 2006, 10:28:49 am ---Nearly all of the characterizations are softened somewhat from the short story, I think, too. (That is, it's possible to empathize with most of the characters in the movie. In the story... well, it takes a re-read to seriously empathize with even Ennis and Jack.) And some of that is accomplished by moving a few lines or scenes around. (And a heck of a lot of it is accomplished by the fantastic acting. Heath in particular. Wow.)
--- End quote ---
Mel – I completely agree that the film softened and/or delicately changed many of the characters and scenes as compared to the story. Movie Ennis and Jack are quite different than story Ennis and Jack. And, IMO, the Twist home scene is much stronger in the film versus the story. The story has Ennis reacting to OMT’s news about the other “ranch fella” as, “OMG! It’s true! They caught Jack with a guy and he was murdered!” The film has Ennis reacting to the news as if he was completely socked in the gut.
As for empathizing …. you all probably know my answer. It would be Jack. I understand him very well. (Scarily well). I would say his psyche is similar to mine. He has a lot of hopes and dreams and he is not particularly a realist. He is sensitive towards what others are thinking/ feeling (I am not saying his responses are always “caring” … I am saying he is intuitive). Because of all of that, he sets himself up for disappointment and hurt. He exists in a life that is not his own. No matter how hard Jack may try (and yes, Jack tries) to find a “replacement” for Ennis … he can’t do it. The one person Jack loves and desires to have a life with is the one person who is unavailable and unwilling.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version