Author Topic: The Brokeback Cult  (Read 37555 times)

Offline Meryl

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The Brokeback Cult
« on: August 03, 2006, 12:54:26 am »
On March 1, 2006, I started a thread on the Brokeback Mountain  message board at IMDb.  Here is the original post:

Quote
cult, n. 1 formal religious veneration 2 a religious system; also: its adherents 3 faddish devotion; also: a group of people showing such devotion.
I think we qualify.  :)

Next year at this time, will we all be down at NYC's Chelsea Cinema at midnight on Saturday, costumed to the nines, watching fellow Brokies act out all the roles on stage as the movie plays behind us?  I wouldn't count it out.  ;D

We have gods (Ennis, Jack, Annie), prophets (Ang, Diana, Larry) and demi-gods (Heath, Jake, Michelle, Anne, Pierre Tremblay).

Still to be defined: Rituals, sacred texts/objects/locations, creed, charismatic leader, elders, holidays, saints, orders, totems, language, temple, chants, mantras, uniforms, handshake, salute, password, mascot, publications, colors, vows, tithes, diet, code, flag, tattoo, anthem, logo and...well, creativity welcomed.  Anyone?

That post begat a lot of inspired, loving, funny and serious efforts to define this particular group of devotees' feelings about a wondrous story and film.  I'll be posting edited excerpts from that original thread here so that we can enjoy them all over again.  The entire original thread can be found in the BBM Archives at http://www.geocities.com/bbmarchive/.

To make this thread easier to read,

PLEASE DO NOT COMMENT ON THIS THREAD. 

Comments on this material or new offerings (always gratefully accepted) can be placed in a companion thread I started called

"The Brokeback Cult:  The New Testament" at http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php?topic=3655.0

YEEHAW  :)
« Last Edit: October 06, 2006, 11:34:25 am by meryl »
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Offline Meryl

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Re: The Brokeback Cult
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2006, 01:05:40 am »
Originally posted Thursday, March 2, 2006 by Meryl:

In hopes of warding off an internecine conflict, I offer the following Creed for consideration, in which we honor Story, Screenplay and Movie equally, thus making all aspects included in these texts worthy of celebration.


THE BROKEBACK CREED

I believe in Annie, the Author Almighty,

Creator of Ennis and Jack,

And in Larry and Diana, her chosen Adaptors,

Who conceived of the Holy Screenplay,

Suffered under obtuse Producers,

Were criticized, flamed and turned down.

The seventh year they rose again to the task.

They ranched up with Focus Features

And sat at the feet of Ang, the Director Almighty,

Who proceeded to cast both Heath and Jake.

I believe in the Holy Story, the Holy Movie, too,

the Communing of Shirts, the Force of Nature,

The blessings of Brokeback Mountain,

And love everlasting.

I swear.


« Last Edit: October 06, 2006, 11:30:17 am by meryl »
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Offline Meryl

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Re: The Brokeback Cult
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2006, 01:28:09 am »
Originally posted by fernly on March 1, 2006:

Well, I'd say we got the sacred texts covered (story, screenplay, story to screenplay) with the of-course-necessary commentaries (these boards, and doctoral dissertations on the way)

Anthems:  ditto (soundtrack, and Beyond the Missouri Sky that Annie listened to while writing)

Uniforms (see LA time article posted today by jmm) 

Mascot:  trout? mule? are sheep too obvious?

Password:  how 'bout "hunnnnh"?
« Last Edit: October 05, 2006, 01:12:05 am by meryl »
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Offline Meryl

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Re: The Brokeback Cult
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2006, 01:32:40 am »
Originally posted by jscheib (JeffWrangler) on Thursday, March 2, 2006:

I need to come back to this again later, but for now I'll report that I already have a collection of sacred icons (8x10s of Heath-Ennis and Jake-Jack) that I venerate every day just at sunset (that is to say, I look at them when I get home from work). And I went out last Saturday night dressed in black cowboy hat, dark blue Wrangler shirt, faded jeans, and black cowboy boots. (Um, the sacred garments "worked.") If movie screenings become too "Rocky Horror," then I will start a "reformed" sect, where we sit quietly and reverently in our seats, sharing communal boxes of Kleenex at the sad parts.
« Last Edit: October 05, 2006, 01:12:43 am by meryl »
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Offline Meryl

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Re: The Brokeback Cult
« Reply #4 on: August 03, 2006, 01:35:46 am »
THE HOLY DAYS

Originally posted by - jscheib (JeffWrangler) on Thursday, March 2, 2006:

I'm sure we can come up with several holidays, but THE high holy day has to be October 13--cover date of The New Yorker issue where the story was first published. There might be danger of schism over the date of Ennis and Jack's reunion: June (story) or September (movie).

Should April 4 and December 19 be Lesser Feast Days? (Birthdays of Heath and Jake)


Posted by sunmoonstars-1 (Daniel):

Hmm, definitely St's days. Saint Heath's Day, Saint Jake's Day. "Did you get the Saint Heath's Day card I sent you?" "Hunnnh?" "I see you did."


Posted by Ellemeno:

Quote
Should April 4 and December 19 be Lesser Feast Days?

Yes! And I'm for June 24th to be one of the highest holy days - date that Ennis runs down the stairs yelling, "Jack Fuckin Twist!" and they kiss.  Every time I see that scene, and they are at the part where they start to pull apart, and Ennis is breathing heavily, I always remember henrypie writing about something like she always expects his shirt to have gone insideout from the sheer force of their kiss.


Posted by jscheib (JeffWrangler):

I'm all in favor of June 24, but as I noted above, we'll have to guard very carefully against schism between the June-ites and the Septembrists (reunion in the movie). Also between the Tire-Ironites and Accidentalists (cause of Jack's death).


Originally posted by Yaadpyar on Friday, March 3, 2006

Quote
By jscheib
I'm all in favor of June 24, but as I noted above, we'll have to guard very carefully against schism between the June-ites and the Septembrists (reunion in the movie).

Why choose? Why don't we celebrate both dates? The movie needs the story and the story needs the book, and we need both, so why do we have to choose? No one chooses between Easter and Christmas, or Passover and Yom Kippur...

The sacred text (script vs. story) is slightly different also, so the observance of June and September would be also different. The more holidays the better, I say. But this is going to be hard to explain to my boss (why I get extra religious holidays).


Posted by starboardlight Saturday, March 4, 2006:

So far we have Oct 13 as the birth of our faith.
June 24/September to celebrate the reunion of our Gods.
I offer up the Full Moon of July which illuminates their love.
I also think the Entire month of August will also be significant.


Posted by newyearsday:

Now as for another date, I will personally always celebrate December 9th, as it was the first day this movie was officially released to the world, to the masses (albeit only in LA, NY, and San Francisco, but you've gotta start somewhere). It wasn't just a premiere for the lucky few. It was cosmically released for us all on that day.
« Last Edit: October 05, 2006, 01:13:23 am by meryl »
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Offline Meryl

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Re: The Brokeback Cult
« Reply #5 on: August 03, 2006, 01:57:14 am »
Originally posted by jscheib (JeffWrangler) on Thursday, March 2, 2006:

And it is written that upon the thirteenth day of October annually forever, just at sundown, the leaders of the cult shall bang upon coffee pots with sticks while chanting loudly (and off key): "I know I shall meet you on that final day, Water-walking Jesus, take me away!" (The meaning of which text has been lost in antiquity.) Whereupon the assembled multitude of the faithful shall cheer loudly, three times: WooooEEEE! YeeHAAAW! After which all present shall partake of the the ritual meal of baked beans consumed directly from the can.  Said ritual meal to be accompanied by the sound of the flattened harmonica. 
« Last Edit: October 06, 2006, 11:29:21 pm by Ellemeno »
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Offline Meryl

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Re: The Brokeback Cult
« Reply #6 on: August 03, 2006, 02:12:11 am »
Originally posted by sunmoonstars-1 (Daniel) on Thursday, March 2, 2006:

And the sheep of the congregation were run off by the sound, but as for the faithful they were thrown into an ecstatic frenzy.
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Offline Meryl

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Re: The Brokeback Cult
« Reply #7 on: August 03, 2006, 02:36:38 am »
About the Creed

Originally posted by Yaadpyar on Friday, March 3, 2006 (in response to the Brokeback Creed):

(with heads collectively bowed in appropriate reverence and awe) "Amen"


Posted by jscheib (JeffWrangler):

Quote
(with heads collectively bowed in appropriate reverence and awe) "Amen"

Or should that be, "YeeeHawww!"?


Posted by Yaadpyar: 

Definitely YeeeHawww...definitely!


Posted  by Julie01:

The more I read it, the better I like it. Maybe you ought to print the Episcopal and Anglican creed too--so that people will know what the hell they are, er, paraphrasing...


Posted by meryl_88:

Nah, it's easy to Google. (Makes it less incriminating if it's not too handy for reference) :D


Posted by JeffWrangler:

Seriously ... I thought about attempting something like your "creed" myself, but as a good Episcopalian I couldn't bring myself to try it.


Posted by meryl_88:

Yes, this is a job for a Lapsed Methodist. :)


Posted by Ellemeno:

This should get broad exposure. Are you willing to post it on the big board?
 

Posted by meryl_88:

Part of me would love the fame, but there's always the possibility of Pat Robertson declaring a fatwa on my ass. *Inserts lightning rod in suit jacket*


« Last Edit: August 04, 2006, 07:24:39 pm by meryl »
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Offline Meryl

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Re: The Brokeback Cult
« Reply #8 on: August 04, 2006, 01:18:27 am »
Originally posted by Rontrigger Friday,  March 3, 2006:
 
O...K...everyone--do we want Jake and Heath to see this thread, or should we worship them without their knowledge?

I mean, they know we like/love them already--but are they ready in their own minds to be earthly deities?


Posted by by - sunmoonstars-1 (Daniel):

No, no, they're saints, not deities.. :)
Ennis and Jack are the deities. :)


Posted by Rontrigger by - Rontrigger:

Oops. You're right, SMS-1.

But sainthood would also be a heady experience for them, I think.


Posted by starboardlight:

Or maybe they're more like earthly avatars. much like the Dalai Lama is the earthly representation of the holy Buddha.
« Last Edit: August 04, 2006, 08:24:23 pm by meryl »
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Offline Meryl

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Re: The Brokeback Cult
« Reply #9 on: August 04, 2006, 01:27:44 am »
Originally posted by Yaadpyar on Friday, March 3, 2006:

Amen! I mean, YeeeHawww!... I think we want to make sure that we don't freak out Heath & Jake, and stay very clear about the BBM connection. If we want to worship Jake, we could go to iheartjake and worship at that altar.

I think this is going to get very tricky if we try to define too much here. Look at everyone arguing about Christianity on the Big Board, and the nastiness on the Munich board.

Any way we can keep the attention on the reverence of our sacred experience and not get lost in ritual?
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