Author Topic: An Accurate Time Line of BBM - Let's Figure It Out Together!!  (Read 20703 times)

Offline Brown Eyes

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<img src="http://www.divshare.com/img/midsize/4380404-3a2.jpg" border="0" />

Hey Friends!

Let's all put our heads together and come up with the most accurate time line for Brokeback Mountain possible.  I know there are lots of clues in the film, the screenplay and the short story to work with in creating a relatively reliable chronology of events.  We can use things like the schedule of the full moon for the summer of 1963 to determine certain dates for the initial Brokeback summer for Jack and Ennis.  And then, there are lots of text-based clues from Proulx's story/ the screenplay and prop-based/dialogue-based clues from the film itself.

The time line we come up with may be used in creating certain design features here at BetterMost.  And, it seems like such a fun opportunity for a group project.  Figuring all of this out can be tricky for sure.  But, I think we can learn a lot about Brokeback Mountain as a group in the process!

8)


the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie

Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: An Accurate Time Line of BBM - Let's Figure It Out Together!!
« Reply #1 on: April 29, 2008, 08:31:15 pm »
So, let's start with the very beginning and try to figure out the '63 summer in as much as possible.


I'll start by posting the calendar of full moons for 1963 for reference.  This list is according to this website:
http://home.hiwaay.net/~krcool/Astro/moon/fullmoon.htm



1963 Jan  9 23:09  Wed   
1963 Feb  8 14:52  Fri   
1963 Mar 10 07:49  Sun   
1963 Apr  9 00:57  Tue   
1963 May  8 17:23  Wed   
1963 Jun  7 08:31  Fri   
1963 Jul  6 21:55  Sat   
1963 Aug  5 09:31  Mon   
1963 Sep  3 19:33  Tue   
1963 Oct  3 04:44  Thu   
1963 Nov  1 13:55  Fri   
1963 Nov 30 23:55  Sat   
1963 Dec 30 11:05  Mon   

So, If this is the case...

And, if we can interpret this as a full moon...

<img src="http://www.divshare.com/img/midsize/2650142-c1c.jpg" border="0" />

Then it probably occurred on June 7, 1963, since this is so early in their experience on Brokeback and since May 8 seems too early and July 6 seems too late.

« Last Edit: April 29, 2008, 10:39:05 pm by atz75 »
the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie

Offline Fran

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Re: An Accurate Time Line of BBM - Let's Figure It Out Together!!
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2008, 01:03:40 am »
"The first snow came early, on August thirteenth, piling up a foot, but was followed by a quick melt."



So this must be the morning of August 13, 1963.  (Ennis is surprised to see the snow, so I'm assuming it started snowing after he went to sleep.)

Now we can fill in the blanks between June 7th and August 13th.  :)


Offline belbbmfan

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Re: An Accurate Time Line of BBM - Let's Figure It Out Together!!
« Reply #3 on: April 30, 2008, 06:52:06 am »
I actually did sit down and work this out myself once, for a story I did, and used the lunar calendar as a basis, though the individual components of the original story, screenplay, and direction dont always quite slide together. thes tory to screenplay struck me as filled with the kind of errors a writer has in his (and her, in this case) first draft that you flag and take care of later, like the time of year Bobby and Lureen met, I never thought she was prgenant with another guys kid, I just figured the banner with the "August 1963" on it at the rodeo was an error on the part of whoever did the props that couldnt be fixed later. From the hurried nature of a lot of the screenplay in the "Story to Screenplay" book, Id bet they never imagined the mount of interest it would generate and it was something hurriedly rushed into the publishing house to capitalize on it.

But both Ang Lee and Annie Proulx are masters of their craft, and they alternate between sparsity and lushness of narrative that makes me assume thart little in the final product is chance. Also, Ang Lee uses symmetry and parallelism a lot, as do I, why I latched onto it probably. For example, the opener, a shot of Ennis riding in a truck against a backdrop of hills at the break of day, everything he has of value in the world in a paper sack. And at the end, Ennnis rides in atruck from the other diretion, against a backdrop of hill at the close of day, everything he has of value in the world in a paper sack.

So with that in mind, I'm betting the line "the wedding's June 5th at the Methodist church" uttered by Alma Jr at the end (and Ennis's bearely detectable wince) is mighty significant: Jack and Ennis met on June 5th.

What a fantastic observation (especially about Ennis wincing). The reminder of the date, the fact that Alma jr. is getting married all leads to Ennis saying 'Jack, I swear'.
'We're supposed to guard the sheep, not eat 'em'

Offline j.U.d.E.

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Re: An Accurate Time Line of BBM - Let's Figure It Out Together!!
« Reply #4 on: April 30, 2008, 07:15:51 am »
So, let's start with the very beginning and try to figure out the '63 summer in as much as possible.

I'll start by posting the calendar of full moons for 1963 for reference.  This list is according to this website:
http://home.hiwaay.net/~krcool/Astro/moon/fullmoon.htm

I think it was said before, but according to this website Amanda, Heath Ledger died on a full moon.............  Maybe even at that exact time..... :'(

-> 2007 Dec 24 01:17  Mon    2454458.553
-> 2008 Jan 22 13:36  Tue    2454488.067
-> 2008 Feb 21 03:32  Thu    2454517.647


j. U. d. E.
MLK - - - - - - - - - - - - HAL - - - - - - - - - - - - BHO
*15 jan 1929 - †04 apr 1968 | *04 apr 1979 - † 22 jan 2008 | *04 aug 1961 -

Offline Fran

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Re: An Accurate Time Line of BBM - Let's Figure It Out Together!!
« Reply #5 on: April 30, 2008, 08:24:15 am »
So with that in mind, I'm betting the line "the wedding's June 5th at the Methodist church" uttered by Alma Jr at the end (and Ennis's bearely detectable wince) is mighty significant: Jack and Ennis met on June 5th.

Wow!  I think you're on to something here.  :)

Offline mouk

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Re: An Accurate Time Line of BBM - Let's Figure It Out Together!!
« Reply #6 on: April 30, 2008, 08:53:43 am »
That's a fabulous explanation for this date!  June 5th would have been on a Saturday in 1982, but on a Tuesday in 1984, which does not make sense for a religious wedding. I had thought he winced with hurt pride because Monroe, and not he, the real father, was hosting the party, but your explanation is totally convincing: he winces, looks out the window with tears in his eyes, talks about love for the first time ever and decides to break a life time habit of putting work before everything else. In the name of love. And yes, this leads naturally to 'I swear'.

Wow 

Offline southendmd

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Re: An Accurate Time Line of BBM - Let's Figure It Out Together!!
« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2008, 09:15:16 am »
June 5th...gives me goosebumps now.

Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: An Accurate Time Line of BBM - Let's Figure It Out Together!!
« Reply #8 on: April 30, 2008, 09:58:31 am »

The June 5th observation really is wonderful!  I've always wondered if there was a way to figure out what day Ennis and Jack have their first meeting. 

Since June 5th, 1984 (assuming that's the year when Junior plans on getting married) is a Tuesday... the metaphorical significance of the date June 5th (as being the meeting date between Ennis and Jack) overrides the awkwardness of suggesting that a wedding would take place on a Tuesday. 

June 5th...gives me goosebumps now.

It gives me goosebumps too!  And, since that first full moon with Jack and the sheep is June 7... it makes a lot of sense.  I'm assuming that the June 7th is probably their first full night on the mountain.


OK!  So here's what we have so far for 1963...

June 5, 1963- Jack and Ennis meet at Aguirre's trailer
June 7, 1963- Jack and Ennis's first night on Brokeback
August 13, 1963- first snow/ Ennis wakes up in the snow


Let's not worry too much (yet) about continuity issues further on down the line in the chronology (i.e. when Jack and Lureen meet, etc.).  Let's really focus on '63 for now.


the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie

Offline optom3

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Re: An Accurate Time Line of BBM - Let's Figure It Out Together!!
« Reply #9 on: April 30, 2008, 10:20:52 am »
June 5th...gives me goosebumps now.

Me too, what an amazing observation/deduction.I thought there was nothing else left to dissect in the film or s.s . I think you may well be on to something there.
Judgeholden I really think we can take it even further.Assuming the 2 most important people in the life of Ennis were,Jack and Alma junior.We can then tie in beautifully the final scene.
Ennis met Jack on June 5th, Alma is getting wed on June 5th, and he takes Almas jumper and carefully places it in the closet with Jack's shirt.
The whole thing has really come full circle.
So that cheers me up slightly, as maybe Ennis has founf some peace?