Least Favorite Character in BBM

[Lynne]

It's nice to see this thread revitalized. 

I PM'd Milli and got her permission to edit the poll so people can change their votes.  I have long been aggravated that I voted for Old Man Twist only, instead of both him and Mr. Del Mar.  I waffle on which one was the worst according to my mood.

I see Old Man Twist as clearly abusive and homophobic.  Every time I hear the line, 'I know where Brokeback Mountain is...' I hear implied his hatred of all things Jack.  I'm sure my opinion is colored also by the bathroom scene in the short story, but I could be wrong.

[serious crayons]

In the film, I think they show Ennis's Dad as headless, faceless and voiceless...

I believe it was Mikaela who once wrote a fascinating post about how Mr. Del Mar's lack of specific identification (headless, voiceless) makes him a stand-in for society as a whole, with the incident representing figuratively what boys in that society learn growing up.

Another way to look at it is that, this incident being filtered through Ennis' memory, everything that's less important in the scene fades out. When he recalls it, maybe he's less likely to think about his dad's face than the feel of his dad's hand on the back of his neck and his own sense of horror. When Marge mentioned the lack of law enforcement, it even occurred to me that it's possible that in reality there were other people around but what remains in Ennis' memory is that stark image of the abandoned mutilated body.

Part of the rationalization I read was that this was the equivalent of shooting a dangerous animal in the neighborhood -- i.e., the Ennis' good ole dad had the best of motives in trying to protect his family from a man whom he thought was a threat to them, especially to his sons.

Well, that rationalization is quite a stretch, not only for the reason you mentioned (neat killing vs. torture) but also because poor old Earl, living quietly with Rich and bothering no one, is hardly any threat to the community.

[Brown Eyes]

I believe it was Mikaela who once wrote a fascinating post about how Mr. Del Mar's lack of specific identification (headless, voiceless) makes him a stand-in for society as a whole, with the incident representing figuratively what boys in that society learn growing up.

Another way to look at it is that, this incident being filtered through Ennis' memory, everything that's less important in the scene fades out. When he recalls it, maybe he's less likely to think about his dad's face than the feel of his dad's hand on the back of his neck and his own sense of horror. When Marge mentioned the lack of law enforcement, it even occurred to me that it's possible that in reality there were other people around but what remains in Ennis' memory is that stark image of the abandoned mutilated body.

It's interesting... in terms of the visuals in the film... that the Earl scene and the vision of Jack's death are the two bits of visual information that we get exclusively through access to Ennis's thought process (memory and imagination).

I do wonder a bit about how amplified Ennis's memory of the Earl scene might have become over the years... since it was such a monumental and horrific moment in his past.  The setting of the Earl scene as we see it seems very extreme in terms of the ultimate in desolate and isolated terrain.

[Artiste]

Merci atz !

You say:     It's interesting... in terms of the visuals in the film... that the Earl scene and the vision of Jack's death are the two bits of visual information that we get exclusively through access to Ennis's thought process (memory and imagination).

I do wonder a bit about how amplified Ennis's memory of the Earl scene might have become over the years... since it was such a monumental and horrific moment in his past.  The setting of the Earl scene as we see it seems very extreme in terms of the ultimate in desolate and isolated terrain.

 
 
 
         
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Atz and to others, why do most persons do NOT care about those scenes ??

That puzzles me...

au revoir,
hugs!

[Marge_Innavera]

I don't think that most people don't care about them; they're obviously very important.  But understandably, it's not likely they're anyone's favorite scenes, to be watched on home video over and over again.

As far as the setting is concerned, it isn't uncommon for murder victims to be found in remote locations far from the actual site of the murder. Earl could have been ambushed in his own barn.

Good point about Ennis' father being faceless in that scene.

[serious crayons]

Atz and to others, why do most persons do NOT care about those scenes ??

I don't think that most people don't care about them; they're obviously very important.

There's one guy on imdb who's always ranting at people who express any sympathy toward Alma or Lureen. What about POOR EARL?? How come nobody ever feels sorry for POOR EARL?? Alma's life turned out all right, but POOR EARL was tortured and killed. The implication being that the Alma-sympathizer (usually straight) is so homophobic as to not care at all about horrific hate crimes.

He's kind of the flip side of the "that's just their society" rationalizer Marge mentioned.

I don't shed any tears for Alma, myself. But the real reason people express more sympathy toward her, of course, is that we get to know her as a character. Whereas Earl we see only as a corpse. His death is obviously much more horrifying than anything that happens to Alma or Lureen or Cassie or even Ennis. But that's the primary emotion it elicits -- horror, more than sadness.

[Shakesthecoffecan]

I don't shed any tears for Alma, myself. But the real reason people express more sympathy toward her, of course, is that we get to know her as a character. Whereas Earl we see only as a corpse. His death is obviously much more horrifying than anything that happens to Alma or Lureen or Cassie or even Ennis. But that's the primary emotion it elicits -- horror, more than sadness.

I am going to sneakily put in a plug for my all time favorite fan fic relating to the Brokeback story, it is on Live Journal, called "Roots" by 271 Horses. It is the story of Earl and Rich, their backgrounds, how they met, their life together, and also about the town of Sage, the families that made it up, including the Del Mar's. It is a fine piece of writing and stands on its own.

[Artiste]

Merci seriouscrayons !

You say about Earl:     But that's the primary emotion it elicits -- horror, more than sadness.

        
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Seriouscrayons and to others: it does seems that too many persons do NOT care anymore about horror, such murders as Earl's!

A gay guy was murdered in a bar that used to be a big chain grocery store, and when one of the two murderers the jury found him not guilty, there was no outcry; does that show that many or all on that jury does not care about that gay man' sl ife ?? That seems so to me! The two murderers were working at that bar and had stolen money from it, and they thought that the gay man who was the janitor, knew somehow like that it was them, so they knived him all over the many tables ! The one the jury believed and let go free, he could have ran to the police station was only less than 500 feet away to save that gay guy, but he did not! And the police detectives did not even care neither, because the blood trail which was even many blocks on the sidewalk was not followed, and they could not careless neither to check with the taxis since the murderers had taken one! Plus, the public went there as customers in loads now, because of the murder !! Shame ! Many people do not care if a gay man was murdered, unfortunately ! This is  true case, that I know about !

Did they, cops or others, ever found more about Earl's murder, I doubt it since even Ennis' father does not seem to care ? Too many people now love horror and are pleased with it; shamefull !

What do you and others think about gay murders ?

Au revoir,
hugs!

[serious crayons]

What do you and others think about gay murders ?

Artiste, I can't imagine that anybody on this website would not be concerned about and horrified by gay murders.

Not too long ago, a group of teenagers tortured one of their group, set her on fire and threw her into a ravine...it wastn' high enough to kill her outright so they went down and got her and threw her off repeatedly then left her. She wasnt' dead....just badly injured...she tried to crawl out and over the course of several days various teenagers drove out to look at her. Eventually someone cut her throat. No one callled the police. 

Wow, Jess. What a horrible story. I didn't hear anything about it. Was this near where you live? How long ago?

[Artiste]

Merci seriouscrayons !

You say:      Artiste, I can't imagine that anybody on this website would not be concerned about and horrified by gay murders.

      
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Seriouscrayons: may I say that I can, since at Heath death, I was blamed for no excuse, and by many on Betterrmost !! And Heath was straight, known as that! So, at a gay man's death, some members on here would NOT care at all - I think and hope and pray that I am wrong !!

Many did not even want me to use the word murderers nor gay  !!

Does that tell you something ?  I present hard facts, difficult subjects as you have noted, and I know that many do not care about them !!  Maybe I and others have made progress, some, on many dire subjects such as gay murders and bashing of  gays on here ??

At least, you are now talking about it, which was a subject no one responded to me about it before when I tried !! ?? Right ? I was told to shut up!

Au revoir,
hugs!