Interpreting the Brokeback poster

[serious crayons]

The only sad thing is that when Chrissi asked about Jack's right shoulder, I was about to say that, in the Titanic poster, you couldn't see Leo's left shoulder. But then I looked closer and saw that in fact you can, and that Leo and Kate are posing in something very similar to the Dozy Embrace.

[ifyoucantfixit]

      First I would like to say, I think this is the most beautiful Movie Poster, I have ever seen...And I know you
must know I have seen a few...  I remember after watching the movie.  Kelsey and I stood and just looked
at it, for the longest time...
      It has the feeling portrayed in its very being of the feeling you get or got from the movie.  The shy,
hidden extasy and downcast quiet.  They both do look elevated from their natural selves.  They look unblemished, and pure..The skin is literally flawless, the color of the hats and clothes are so pure and sharp.  Ever crease and
wrinkle is stark and revealing.  It seems to have the very essence of their souls within its borders.  The mountains,
and the lake gives it the iconic Eden appearance.  The bodies seem to meld into the sky, as if to become Gods,
within that high place.  They are both just on the verge of a smile.  But no smile is apparent. 
      The blue jackets I also think are to portray without doubt..They are cowboys,,   The purity of the faces,
is to portray love and beauty.. It is meant to show.  Love between men can be every bit as pure as any other
love, and definately as beautiful..
       I also agree with the fact that Jack is placed in the position of being Ennis's perfect ideal, that he has to
partially hide.  Even though they are one.  He has to hide him somewhat too.  He is also standing in front to
protect him from prying eyes too...In other words, to keep him safe..He is mine and you can't touch him..
Partially reflected also in the scene by the lake,  in a possessive way....All them things etc...It encompasses
a lot of the very things the movie tells us.  I realize I kind of rambled, there, but I was just putting down things
as i thought of them..sorry.

[Brown Eyes]

Great idea for a topic, Bud!

Well, it's late and I just noticed this thread so I'm going to make only a couple of quick comments and then think some more and come back to it later.

One is that I like that the image crams them as close together as humanly possible -- in fact, I think their juxtaposition actually may be anatomically impossible. My guess is that they didn't want to use a picture that's out-and-out sexy, or even as romantic as the dozy embrace, because they thought it would be too risky. Which is lame and sad and stupid. But for that I blame our society more than I do the marketing folks -- I give them credit for doing their best to get people into the theater. So, given that, they did at least manage to pose Jack and Ennis in a way that pretty strongly conveys that they're "more than just friends."

The only sad thing is that when Chrissi asked about Jack's right shoulder, I was about to say that, in the Titanic poster, you couldn't see Leo's left shoulder. But then I looked closer and saw that in fact you can, and that Leo and Kate are posing in something very similar to the Dozy Embrace.

Heya Katherine again,

I think these two observations about Jack's distorted anatomy here are really interesting.  And, it's also illuminating to note the slight difference from the Titanic image... where the figure in the back does have both shoulders that helps convey a more realistic idea of an embrace.  In the case of the BBM image... because of the missing shoulder it makes the image seem to be more about juxtaposition than about contact (as in a hug, etc.).  The missing shoulder I also think, very subtly adds to this other-worldly aspect or even surreal aspect of the image.  And, I don't think many people would notice the missing shoulder right away... it's something that has it's impact as part of the image in a very quiet way.  An idea of overlapping or juxtaposition is definitely re-enforced by the elegant way that the hats intersect.

The Brokeback image is definitely intimate without actually depicting a conventionally intimate pose or gesture.  And, I agree that the designers of the BBM image did a really good job of pulling this off.

Both Ennis and Jack seem so lost in thought here... it seems deeply contemplative.

[TheravadaAskesis]

 Something that always struck me about the poster were the clouds in the background. They seemed somehow violent, threatening, tumultous, rumbling, I don't know. But the clouds, coupled with the tagline "Love is a Force of Nature", always struck me as symbolic of their relationship. Especially since these clouds are reflected in a mirror image on a perfectly placid lake. The clouds being outside pressures and the perfect lake being their love, the idea of the clouds imposing, coming over on the lake. Anyways, the clouds in the image are what always caught my eye.

[southendmd]

I like the juxtaposition of the ominous clouds and the glass-still lake. 

Someone (was it Phillip?) once mentined that the mountains in the poster are actually the Big Horns in Wyoming.

I don't see Ennis as frowning; rather, it looks like a "Mona Lisa" enigmatic smile.

Also, it looks like a "Janus-head", two heads facing in opposite directions.  In Roman mythology, Janus was the god of gates, doors, doorways, beginnings, and endings (Wikipedia).

[serious crayons]

I don't see Ennis as frowning; rather, it looks like a "Mona Lisa" enigmatic smile.

Good way to put it!

[Penthesilea]

Also, it looks like a "Janus-head", two heads facing in opposite directions.  In Roman mythology, Janus was the god of gates, doors, doorways, beginnings, and endings (Wikipedia).

Good one Paul! It's so obvious, but yet it didn't cross my mind the last two days.
I think I've read the referrence way back somewhere on imdb, but totally forgot about it.

In my language, to name someone "janusköpfig" (literally = Janus-headed) is a bad thing to do. It implies that the person named such is deceitful, not truthful, therefore has two faces. 
How about English? Are there also negative connections to Janus?

[Brown Eyes]

The Janus suggestion is really interesting.  It's not a word or reference I'm all that familiar with.  I do think the visual imagery provided here seems to be very relevant to the BBM poster and I like the idea that it could be about beginnings and endings.  Chrissi, I can see how "double-headed" could also have negative connotations.  But, again, I'm not so familiar with the specific use of the term "Janus" in English.

I love that we may have come to yet another classical allusion!    With this potential connection.

I can see how many aspects of the BBM story can be seen as double-sided or double-edged.  A fantastic love affair that's also deeply tragic.  That main theme presents all sorts of conflicting circumstances for Ennis (of course).  So, I can see how this idea of double-sidedness could be really useful in thinking about BBM.

[Mikaela]

Great topic!

Some thoughts: Despite the figures of J&E being so prominent relative to the background mountains, the two men fit in with and "become one with" the mountains and the nature by means of:

-     The "horizontal" line on Ennis's sleeve and the light/shadow effect on it takes up and continues the shape and line of the mountains.

-     The flowing line of Ennis's hat that is directly continued by that of Jack's become one gently curved line that once more closely reflects and parallells the general shape the mountains.


The imagery of the mountain mirrored so clearly in the calm lake is repeated by the position of the two men - mirror images in the way they face opposite ways. That is very clearly symbolic, I'd say.


As has been noted, the vertical seam on Ennis's sleeve serves as a divider between the two men.


Their expressions and the downward-turned gazes - what to make of that? Both look introspective, taciturn, and yes - enigmatic. Veiling their feelings and hiding their eyes under the iconic cowboy hat brim. Since direct eye contact can be very eloquent as to true emotions.... perhaps this meant to be directly indicative of the two of them having to hide "the love that dares not speak it name?" Not just from the poster onlookers, but also from for each other, given their position turned away from each other. Jack's slight pout indicates a possible difference between him and Ennis, though - either in personality or in emotional state.


And yes, I recall seeing varius articles and interviews back when the film premiered confirming the deliberate use of the Titanic poster as inspiration, so there's no doubt in my mind about that.

[TOoP/Bruce]

How about English? Are there also negative connections to Janus?

 

I don't think this is either a negative or a positive, but Janus Funds Inc. is the name of a large family of mutual funds here in the US of A.