My Mom Saw Brokeback Mountain

[brokebackvt]

My mom is 70. She is a strict old fashioned catholic. She is against the idea of two guys loving each other. She says it's "sick".

Since Brokeback Mountain came out, it is all I have talked about, even to mom. She doesn't say much about it. She just listens to what I have to say. I've told her about the movie. Granted, I have sort of sugar coated the movie and certain scenes as necessary for her.

On April 4th, she called me early in the morning and told me she bought me the Brokeback Mountain CD. I almost fell out of bed. 

Anyway, on Monday I drove down to visit her. I sat there and talked about Brokeback to her because I was about to suggest we watch the movie.  I explained to her about the first tent scene and why it was in the movie in the first place. She said "thats sick". I was nevertheless determined to have her watch the movie so I asked her if she wanted to watch the movie and she said to go ahead and start it.

All went well till we got to the first tent scene. I mercifully fast forwarded it past that scene because I know her well enough to know she would have told me to stop the movie if she saw that. The second night in the tent I also fast forwarded. BY then the thought had crossed my mind that by fast forwarding I was taking away the essence of the film although with my mom it wouldn't matter because her mind is set and thats that.

Anyway, as we approached the 4 year "reunion" and the kissing scene outside, I picked up the remote ready to fast forward past that kissing scene and then deliberately, as an act of blatant defiance against all those years of screwed up catholic teachings against homosexuality, and the oppression and tyranny of the cathlolic church and strict cathloic parents,  I set the remote down and I LET THE SCENE PLAY!  What a rush! Not only was I dealing with my emotions about the movie and certain scenes but I was also dealing with my mom who was gonna be really, really upset. My stomach was twisting like never in my life. I felt exactly how Jack and Ennis felt the morning after their first tent scene and I remembered the look on their faces...cause thats how I felt at that second....sick and scared.

Mom didnt say a word and I didnt dare look in her direction. She watched the movie mostly in silence. She did voice a concern about Jack's nudity while he was washing clothes at the river. She said how can he take off his clothes slike that with all those people behind the camera?  I comforted her, and lied, telling her that "I read somehwere" that he had a towel on and bent down and took it off for that scene and then put it back on so no one really saw him.     She never did mention the kissing scenes.  She did say that story was "pretty good" but she didn't like the language and the nudity. The next morning I had the CD in and was watching the "interviews" and the "making of the movie" and she sat down and watched it also and she DID  see both kissing scenes that they showed during the "making of the movie" but she never said a word.

Anyway,when the" Making of the movie" and and other special features were over, I left on the "introduction" preview scenes play that the CD has (before you choose a selection). As she talked on the phone and I walked towards the bathroom to get a shower,  I wanted the last thing that she'd remember about seeing Brokeback was the mountains and the sheep.

When I called her today she told me that she rented Brokeback Mountain today for my sister who wanted to see it. I just had to smile at that one. 

I love my momma very much. At her age I rarely push things that would make her upset but somehow this was different. It had to be done. I was proud that she sat there with me and watched a movie that means so much to me. What else can I say?   

 
John

[RouxB]

You are brave! My mother's head would explode and the shrapnel would penetrate my skull, embed in my brain and kill me!

 

[Aussie Chris]

Brilliant!  Beautifully done John.  My heart fluttered in sympathy just reading this.

[Toast]

Good Mom, even if she is catholic
Brave man, looks good on you.

do you reaqlize how lucky you are to have tht Mom

be nice to her on Mother's Day

[twistedude]

Daer Toast, can't claim to be Catholic, but I'm almost 71, and have seen it 25 times. My quest for a decent DVD cxontinues...have seen 5 lousy ones. Do you happen to have an extra good one I could buy? No tent scene, just mud...

Good for your mom!

[starboardlight]

Julie, think it might be your tv? or player? try taking the dvd to a friends and see it there. if it looks brighter on your friend's tv, then you know it's not the dvd.

[bbm_stitchbuffyfan]

julie, do you dislike the DVDs you've encountered because they're too dark or too bright?

I just watched my DVD for the first time tonight (after three weeks of BBM-less agony) and was disappointed to see how bright it looked in parts. (I just bitched about this on another post so I'm going to stop here.)

Anyway, I was wondering what kind of DVD you bought that's like that? I would love to have a darkly-lit Widescreen (and a Widescreen TV; damn, I miss the big screen).

[David]

Hi John,

       My Mom is 70 this year as well.     I saw BBM on December 23rd here in Connecticut by myself.    On Christmas Eve,  Mom and her sister were talking about movies.   Mom looked over at me and asked if I wanted to go see BBM with her.   I was shocked.    I told her that I'd already seen it but would go again if she wanted to see it.   She remarked, "Oh never mind, I was just going to go see it because I thought you'd like to see it".      I was saddened. 

     A few weeks later during one of our regular phone calls, she mentioned that she went to see it with a few of the other seniors at her apt senior apartment complex.    I asked her what she thought of it.     She said that she was glad she saw it in the theater because the scenery was beautiful!   She now loves Wyoming!   LOL.    She said the story was very sad but she liked the movie.   I asked her what the other ladies thought.   She said they didn't like it as much because they are all conservative, religious, republican types.   LOL.  Oh well, can't win them all!

David

[twistedude]

On excellent equipment (not mine), the DVD looks fine--except for the tent scene (which is almost entuirely black mud), and--any scene which was not shot at high noon looks like early evening. Of course i don't mind that too much, but a tent scene which is nothing but mud (that's what I could see when my friend turned the brightness all the way up)--will NOT DO..."4 nights in 20 years" is IMAX by comparison..I've now tried 6 DVDs.

For those who don't have the Oscar promo book, this is Heath and Jake on the set, dressed for the first summer--except Jack has the square whiskey bottle in his right hand (missed it in the scan!)_--for some reason or other (the one from the last night). CLICK TO ENLARGE

[bbm_stitchbuffyfan]

On excellent equipment (not mine), the DVD looks fine--except for the tent scene (which is almost entuirely black mud), and--any scene which was not shot at high noon looks like early evening. Of course i don't mind that too much, but a tent scene which is nothing but mud (that's what I could see when my friend turned the brightness all the way up)--will NOT DO..."4 nights in 20 years" is IMAX by comparison..I've now tried 6 DVDs.

See, my DVD has been brightened and it kind of bothers me. I thought the way the film looked in theatres was absolutely perfect; I liked the dark grittiness of the first tent scene, the Thanksgiving bar ext. scene, etc. Is the tent scene on your DVD even darker than it was in theatres? And where are you buying these DVDs if they're not working out; are they all too dark? (Cause I think mine, in scenes, is too bright.)

For those who don't have the Oscar promo book, this is Heath and Jake on the set, dressed for the first summer--except Jack has the square whiskey bottle in his right hand (missed it in the scan!)_--for some reason or other (the one from the last night). CLICK TO ENLARGE

I don't have the Oscar promo book; is that available at most bookstores like Barnes & Noble, Books-a-million, etc.?
That picture is on the inside of the soundtrack. I love that picture.

[twistedude]

No, it's available on eBay--for between 25-50 dollars...the pictures are huge and gorgeous...I'ver been told it should wsell for 100 dollars.

Would you like the first tent scene dark if you had been assured by sane people that during the simulated sex, Jack starts pounding the tent floor, and Ennis puts his hand over Jack's and just before Ennis collapses on Jack's back, Jack grabs Ennis's hand that's already holding his...HUH?

[Aussie Chris]

On excellent equipment (not mine), the DVD looks fine--except for the tent scene (which is almost entuirely black mud), and--any scene which was not shot at high noon looks like early evening. Of course i don't mind that too much, but a tent scene which is nothing but mud (that's what I could see when my friend turned the brightness all the way up)--will NOT DO..."4 nights in 20 years" is IMAX by comparison..I've now tried 6 DVDs.

This sounds like an equipment problem and not a problem with the DVD, especially after six tries.  However, weeks ago I got hold of one of the awards screeners and the tent scenes are much brighter than at the cinema.  It's amazing to me that having alternated between watching the BBM screener and going back to cinema that I could give you a running commentary of the differences in brightness levels from scene to scene.  Personally I prefer a brighter tent scene only because much of the shadow detail disappeared into a sepia tone blur at the cinemas here - I don't know how this compared with the US brightness levels though.

For those who don't have the Oscar promo book, this is Heath and Jake on the set, dressed for the first summer--except Jack has the square whiskey bottle in his right hand (missed it in the scan!)_--for some reason or other (the one from the last night). CLICK TO ENLARGE

I am very jealous of these pictures.  Like bbm_stitchbuffyfan, I am eager to get hold of one of these.  Is it at all possible?  Got any suggestions?

[Aussie Chris]

I am very jealous of these pictures.  Like bbm_stitchbuffyfan, I am eager to get hold of one of these.  Is it at all possible?  Got any suggestions?

Uh, sorry, just saw the note about ebay - I'll check there.

[starboardlight]

you guys realize that you can adjust the brightness on your tv sets, right? make it brighter or darker, to your preference.

[Shakesthecoffecan]

My 83 year old mom vascillated back and forth about seeing the movie, even though her 90 year old sister wanted to see it. I have printed her out a copy of the short story, but have not got up the nerve to give it to her yet. 

[Rayn]

My mom is 70. She is a strict old fashioned catholic. . I was proud that she sat there with me and watched a movie that means so much to me.

MY mother is 79 and a devoted Roman Catholic.  My father is still alive at 87 and also a RC.   I am 54.  I came out when I was in my 30s.   It's been a long slow movement from their dread and feelings of guilt, feelings that they somehow "did something wrong" when raising me, but I know they love me because after prayer and counsel with their priest, they told me "We can't agree with exactly how you live, but we love you as our son and always will."   They have met lovers over the years and have always been more than kind and accepting of the men I introduced.  There hasn't been a lot of them, but my parents have come a long and good way.   I think what you did was wonderful, John.  I think your Mom is more accepting of you than you might imagine.  The fact that she rented the movie for your sister says a lot.  I salute your courage... courage.... it comes from the French word "corage", meaning heart.

All the best,
Rayn

[Pug]

The BBM Pressbook was included with Daily Variety pre-Oscar, at the HRC event in NYC in goodie bags, was handed out at a special screening in So. California with cast and Ang present, and was given free with DVD purchase at the Virgin Megastores when it was first released on DVD. You should be able to be get one for less than $50 on eBay if you play your cards right.  It is gorgeous.

My Mom, age 88, saw BBM with me in December at the County Theater in Doylestown PA in December and has seen it at my place on DVD once.  The other day, she mentioned that she'd like to see it again!  She favors Jake to Heath but loves them both!