Author Topic: What was your argument to convince people to see BBM?  (Read 5195 times)

Offline isabelle

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What was your argument to convince people to see BBM?
« on: April 19, 2006, 04:43:54 am »
I have managed to convince a few, some of whom my own (17-18 year-old) pupils and (20+year-old) students, by saying: "If you do not cry during or after watching this film, then you need to grow up". That did it, you know, at that age they don't want to be taken for kiddies who are unable to cry, like true grown-ups (those who've had a life anyway).

« Last Edit: April 19, 2006, 11:02:44 am by isabelle »
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Offline Pipedream

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Re: What was your argument to convince people to see BBM?
« Reply #1 on: April 19, 2006, 04:53:15 am »
My husband wasn't so keen on seing it at first, but I kept telling him he'd miss out on one of the best films of the year, so he finally came along (he still thinks that was my second viewing but I had actually seen the movie three times before we went to the cinema together...). It might also have helped that I mentioned some of the sissies at work wouldn't go to see it for various reasons. Sort of challenged his manliness...
I didn't make much of an effort to convince other people, though.   

 :)

Offline isabelle

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Re: What was your argument to convince people to see BBM?
« Reply #2 on: April 19, 2006, 05:28:57 am »
My boyfriend being one who prefers silence to words, he has agreed he would watch it when we get the DVD simply because he wants to know what it is about the film that makes people crazy (from observing me).
None of my words could convince him. He loves traditional Western films so much that I think he is disturbed at the idea some cowboys might be gay - refuses to believe it!
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Offline Sheyne

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Re: What was your argument to convince people to see BBM?
« Reply #3 on: April 19, 2006, 08:50:53 am »
By and large I never tried to convince anybody.  That is, except my immediate family.  I DID drag two of my closest girlfriends along to see it, but they came cause they were sick of hearing me talk about it (just how much I loved it, not sort of "you HAVE to see this movie" kind of talk) and they wanted to see what the fuss was about. One liked it, the other friend, I am ashamed to admit, I am re-evaluating in a BIG way.  She said that given the way she was raised the only character she really identified with was Jack's father and that furthermore, her brother would probably have been one of the guys at the end who beat Jack (I'm NOT joking). Now, this friend lived way out west in Australia, probably a 9 hour drive from the Queensland coastline - its very remote. I imagine it, in my darker moments, as like 1963 Wyoming. Men are *grunt* MEN end of story.  And women raise children, keep house and don't bitch about it. You go nowhere fast, dreams die and if you are like me, you'd die in that environment too.  When she said all this me over a coffee after the movie, where I'm drying my eyes and floating in that emotional funk I always left a screening in, I was quite dumbfounded. Then shocked. Then seriously pissed off.  And I haven't been anywhere socially with her since. Oh, she's calling. And trying to get together. But funnily enough, I'm always busy when she's free. I mean, screw that, who needs friends like that right?

But after that episode, I just shut up tight as a drum.  Didn't even talk to people (except Ray and you fine folk) about the movie at all.  In fact, the only time I've spoken about it is the other night when my sister sat through the DVD with me and peppered me with questions. 

My point *reader sighs.. ahh finally* is that I'm not going to try and sway people to see it. I've learnt the hard way not to put something so close to my heart out there on my sleeve for people to sneer at, ridicule or judge. I love it and that's all that matters to me. I don't want to fight any battles over it.  In some ways I can see people's point of view - it is just a movie.  But its "just a movie" that has changed my life.  Not everybody needs to know about that, y'know?
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Offline ednbarby

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Re: What was your argument to convince people to see BBM?
« Reply #4 on: April 19, 2006, 09:35:35 am »
Oh my God, Sheyne.  How awful.  That would literally make me sick to my stomach.  Identifying with JOHN TWIST???  And the hate crime perpetrators??!!  I'm so sorry you had to find that out.  Here's a hug for you ((((Sheyne)))) and everyone else who will have to experience the hate in this woman's heart and that of anyone else in her family who "thinks" this way firsthand.

I've been really fortunate, I guess, in that only one person I've lent the DVD to had anything even approaching a negative reaction, and even that was just, "It was really well-done and a great story and beautiful to look at, but I don't think it was Academy Award material."  Yeah, OK.  Whatever.  But if that's the worst I'm getting, I'm doing very well.  I even got somewhat lucky with a very homophobic co-worker I offered it to.  He watches all kinds of movies all the time and is passionate about the good ones, but he is Armenian and was raised in Uraguay (sp?) in a big, macho, male-dominated family.  When he gave it back to me yesterday I said, "So... what did you think?"  He goes, "It was a very nice film.  Well-done.  But I don't want to go there with you about the subject matter."  Fair enough.  And frankly, I don't want to go there with him, either.  At least not in public.  ;)  He did say that his wife *loved* it and wept at the end and is still talking about it.  So maybe her gentle prodding will nudge him slowly towards the light.

I know what you mean, though, Sheyne - I am *very* careful about who I lend it to because I don't want to put my heart out there on my sleeve only to be mocked or worse in the final analysis.  This movie is so much a part of me now, it would be like having the very essence of my soul be mocked or criticized.
« Last Edit: April 19, 2006, 09:37:35 am by ednbarby »
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Offline Sheyne

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Re: What was your argument to convince people to see BBM?
« Reply #5 on: April 19, 2006, 09:44:11 am »

Well, it was bloody awful, Barb, I ain't gonna lie about that. It was such a shock more than anything!  I mean, just when you think you know a person, huh?  I felt really disillusioned for quite some time (still am, I guess) that I could know this girl for so long and yet, miss SUCH a fundamentally important flaw in her nature.  Bugger it, I'm going to call it a flaw and not write off her ignorance as "well, people are different in some ways". Nu-uh. When you have hate in your heart, its a flaw. When you stand for intolerance and marginalising others, its a flaw. When you are okay (she must have been okay with the comment she made about her brother cause she didn't offer anything to the contrary) with somebody being MURDERED for loving someone of the same sex, its a flaw.  So f*** her, if I wanted shit in my life, I'd work for a sewage company.

Thanks for your kind words though, Barb.  Can't tell you how reassuring it is that all the things I've been feeling about this film are also felt by others.  Its like a big warm hug sometimes.  :)
Chut up!

Offline ednbarby

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Re: What was your argument to convince people to see BBM?
« Reply #6 on: April 19, 2006, 10:12:20 am »

Well, it was bloody awful, Barb, I ain't gonna lie about that. It was such a shock more than anything!  I mean, just when you think you know a person, huh?  I felt really disillusioned for quite some time (still am, I guess) that I could know this girl for so long and yet, miss SUCH a fundamentally important flaw in her nature.  Bugger it, I'm going to call it a flaw and not write off her ignorance as "well, people are different in some ways". Nu-uh. When you have hate in your heart, its a flaw. When you stand for intolerance and marginalising others, its a flaw. When you are okay (she must have been okay with the comment she made about her brother cause she didn't offer anything to the contrary) with somebody being MURDERED for loving someone of the same sex, its a flaw.  So f*** her, if I wanted shit in my life, I'd work for a sewage company.

Thanks for your kind words though, Barb.  Can't tell you how reassuring it is that all the things I've been feeling about this film are also felt by others.  Its like a big warm hug sometimes.  :)

I agree - you should cut that shit right out of your life.  A person like that is poison.  I'm sorry, but there's no changing them when they're that far gone.  You can borrow this line from my husband if you ever talk to her again and this subject comes up:  "If I want any more shit outta you, I'll just squeeze your head."

And just keep your chin up that we're all here.  And there are more of us every day.   :)
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Offline isabelle

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Re: What was your argument to convince people to see BBM?
« Reply #7 on: April 19, 2006, 10:46:43 am »

  Bugger it, I'm going to call it a flaw and not write off her ignorance as "well, people are different in some ways". Nu-uh. When you have hate in your heart, its a flaw. When you stand for intolerance and marginalising others, its a flaw. When you are okay (she must have been okay with the comment she made about her brother cause she didn't offer anything to the contrary) with somebody being MURDERED for loving someone of the same sex, its a flaw. 

Totally agree, and this is why I don't hesitate to talk about this film and recommend it when an opportunity arises (it's not like I'm walking around with a big poster of the film wrapped around myself screaming "You must see this film!"). If people are going to say things bad enough to ridicule the film or my feelings, then THEY are the dickheads (sorry boys) and I don't give a shit. I would pity them if I were charitable, but I'm afraid I still have a long way to go down that road... So yeah, I do talk about the film passionately (rather than push people to see it) and freely. But I can see how you can prefer to stop talking about it after such an experience, Sheyne. I guess I'm lucky that the worst criticism I've heard around me was : 'It was a tad too long', and all the rest was 'yes, good/very good/excellent/heartbreaking film'.
« Last Edit: April 19, 2006, 02:48:33 pm by isabelle »
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Offline scottf.

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Re: What was your argument to convince people to see BBM?
« Reply #8 on: April 19, 2006, 11:12:37 am »
My own passion for the film was the best advertisement for it. I've already posted that I work in a Student Life/Athletics office at a college, where everyone knows I'm gay, and everyone knows I was seriously in love with Brokeback. Good natured ribbing was all I got. But people became soooo intrigued by this movie that had captivated their boss. So they either went on their own or rented it out of curiosity.

Three of my student employees went to an Easter church service and told me that the preacher denounced, by name, Brokeback Mountain as "Hollywood Filth." They had already seen the movie and liked it, and they remarked to one another that 'Scott probably wouldn't like THIS sermon."

Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: What was your argument to convince people to see BBM?
« Reply #9 on: April 19, 2006, 12:13:34 pm »
Well, I need some advice too. At dinner last night, my husband, who hasn't seen the movie yet, was saying that he was surprised that his brother had seen it and also had admitted seeing it. I said, "Well you're going to see it too. We need to see it together." He replied, "I'll never see BBM. If I want to watch porn, it's going to have to have some women in it." After picking myself up off the floor, I said, "If it's porn, why has it received all those awards?" He just looked blank. It's obvious that he is brainwashed by Bill O'Reilly and my opinion has no influence on him. How disgusting. A little later, I said, "Well I think Unleashed (a movie he rented recently and watched with my 14-yr-old son) is porn." I still hope to convince him to watch BBM. But short of strapping him down in front of the TV, what should I do???  :-\
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Offline Lumière

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Re: What was your argument to convince people to see BBM?
« Reply #10 on: April 19, 2006, 12:31:16 pm »
I told all my friends to go check out the movie...told them how great it was and how much it moved me, and how HOT the 2 men are (well, I had to throw in some incentive for the ladies ;) )...after that, it was up to them.  I 'volunteered' to go see it with them if they wanted to, anything to go back and watch it again  ;D...

Other than that, I just took care of my own BBM addiction, didn't have to convince my self a whole lot either ;)  I was sad and also relieved when BBM left theatres because I was spending a ton of money at the movies, going there over and over and over and over...just to see BBM  :-\
I loved it though, life is too short I kept telling myself, go ahead, spend all your money, nobody'll care if you don't..yeah right!  ;D


Offline isabelle

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Re: What was your argument to convince people to see BBM?
« Reply #11 on: April 19, 2006, 01:20:11 pm »
Well, I need some advice too. At dinner last night, my husband, who hasn't seen the movie yet, was saying that he was surprised that his brother had seen it and also had admitted seeing it. I said, "Well you're going to see it too. We need to see it together." He replied, "I'll never see BBM. If I want to watch porn, it's going to have to have some women in it." After picking myself up off the floor, I said, "If it's porn, why has it received all those awards?" He just looked blank. It's obvious that he is brainwashed by Bill O'Reilly and my opinion has no influence on him. How disgusting. A little later, I said, "Well I think Unleashed (a movie he rented recently and watched with my 14-yr-old son) is porn." I still hope to convince him to watch BBM. But short of strapping him down in front of the TV, what should I do???  :-\

Uh-uh, yours (or your husband's) is a serious case! My goodness, I'm not sure what to advise to you, short of divorce! I say this only half tongue-in-cheek, because my own BF, although not for religious reasons, has refused to watch BBM so far. He has agreed to watch it on DVD when we get it, but at the moment there is a great big ridge between us because I feel I am drifting away from him. And if I was married, I might consider divorce an option! Maybe threaten him with divorce??? If everything else fails...
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Offline delalluvia

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Re: What was your argument to convince people to see BBM?
« Reply #12 on: April 19, 2006, 08:43:12 pm »
That was appalling Sheyne.  You have my sympathy.  Life is too short to hang around people like that.

My argument to convince people to see BBM depended on who I was talking to.  Movie buffs?  I just brought out all the awards and critical acclaim and being left out talk.  Straight women?  Hot men naked.

Worked.   8)