Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > IMDb Remarkable Writings Rewound

Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art - by ClancyPantsNasty

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TOoP/Bruce:
Responses to this post on TOB
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by Ellemeno (Tue Jan 2 2007 19:24:58 )   

UPDATED Tue Jan 2 2007 19:26:10
Clancy Pants,

Do you remember on Saturday Night Live, when Wayne and Garth bow down in front of Madonna and repeat, "I am not worthy, I am not worthy?"

This is swell and I read every word in one sitting. Actually, I reread some words. At least 80 of them, so for me it was longer than the short story.

I would love if you could develop the following paragraph with examples:

Another example of Lee’s mastery of scene development is exemplified by his use of a “bad technique” to overwhelming success. It is generally considered a bad idea to leave a scene without resolution of the scene (that is, of the particular event that occurs within that particular scene), unless, of course, it is one of a series of scenes moving to an ultimate resolution; however, this is infrequently done well. What Lee did in a lot of the scenes was to leave the action (the plot, that is) unresolved while at the same time bringing resolution to the theme point that was actually lingering in the background behind what we actually saw and heard going on. In each scene, there is always some aspect of the theme being expounded on. Lee focused the film on threading the theme elements together and he did this by both resolving the particular theme elements within individual scenes and by leaving plot elements unresolved so that when the same plot element was raised again later, the two aspects of the plot element would, once again, expound on the theme, bringing resolution then. This is a very uncommon filmic practice, mainly because most films do not focus on a theme, they focus on a story; but also because it is very, very difficult to do. Lee has shown a mastery of this technique in a number of his films and has been singled out by critics for his mastery of this.

I am so happy we all found this. And that there are people who can verbalize about it. I pretty much wind up going "Abbada abbada" when someone asks me why I love BBM.

Ellemeno

BetterMost, where trolls don't last an hour.
http://bettermost.net/forum   
      
Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by FargoUT (Sun Jan 28 2007 22:34:22 )   

That is an excellent examination of the film as art. I have told and been told by many that the film is not really the same one that Annie Proulx wrote. It contains the same characters and the general story, but it delves into far more complex areas than her story did. I do not rate either higher than the other, since both are excellent in their own ways, but the filmed version is more psychologically probing, whereas the short story is more emotionally probing. Proulx's use of words in describing Jack's shirt towards the end are far more poignant than the visual imagery in the film--but they are the same image told for different effects.

It would be a very interesting subject, the clash of a story and a film. It's the first time I can remember in which two stories, with about 90% of the same material, are so widely different.

I personally can't understand how people view this anything less than a work of art or a masterpiece. I have to admit, the first time I saw it, I was a bit underwhelmed. I was expecting to see Annie Proulx's story told again. But it wasn't the same--if the short story was about Ennis and Jack's hearts, this was about their minds. This film leaves me in complete emotional turmoil when I see it. Hands down one of the best films ever made.

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by latjoreme (Fri Dec 29 2006 13:10:13 )   

CPDM, this post is the three B's: Brilliant (obviously), Bountiful (unquestionably ), and Beautifully written.

Thank you for writing it, and thanks for the many other BB&B posts you have provided over the past months. My understanding of "Brokeback Mountain" has been immeasurably enriched by your observations and insights. And with this post, the process continues ...


Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by vince55 (Wed Jan 10 2007 12:57:12 )   

bump. Excellent!

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by vaporize (Fri Dec 29 2006 14:15:21 )   

UPDATED Fri Dec 29 2006 14:43:04
ClancyPantsDelMar, words cannot describe how great you are.

EDIT: Have you considered posting this on Wikipedia.org? I'm not sure how that site runs, but I am pretty sure the public controls what gets posted.

-------------
Let's go the the beach tonight
with a bottle of wine

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by HeathandMichelle (Fri Dec 29 2006 14:30:48 )   

There are only two books where every line to me is poetry. Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice and Annie Proux's Brokeback Mountain. Every paragraph, every sentence, every word, flawless. Annie is Jane reincarnate
.
Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by True_Oracle_of_Phoenix (Wed Jan 10 2007 13:17:42 )   

Just a follow-up link to the Wikipedia.org entry for Brokeback Mountain that is already there:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brokeback_mountain

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by jackie-77 (Fri Dec 29 2006 14:30:11 )   

I'm saving myself a file of this to read when I get a chance. At a quick glance-through it already looks amazing.

Hugs,
Jackie

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by arnoldashton (Fri Dec 29 2006 17:11:43 )   

ClancyPantsDelMar...you are the BEST! An awesome discourse on all things BBM. A true labour of love to our beloved BBM! Thank you!

(And I agree with vaporise - this would be terrific on Wikipedia).

Arnold

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by malina-5 (Fri Dec 29 2006 17:28:13 )   

I'm saving this for after tonight's festivities, too. For right now, I just want to say how grateful I am that you are our BBM scholar, Clancy.

Bring light into darkness

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by daphne7661 (Fri Dec 29 2006 19:21:07 )   

bump for daphne to read later, too, after my niece, who is staying with me this weekend, is fast asleep!

thank you in advance Clancy! you know I luv ya!



...Nice to know ya, Ennis del Mar...

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by littlewing1957 (Fri Dec 29 2006 19:36:54 )   

Clancy, this is amazing. It is a true labor of love and I thank you so much for writing and posting this for us. I'm in agreement - this should be published, at least on Wikipedia! You are a true scholar and you continue to challenge and surpass!

TOoP/Bruce:
The responses to this post continued.
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Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by MyersX20 (Fri Dec 29 2006 19:37:09 )   

hmmmmmmmmmm

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by Shasta254 (Fri Dec 29 2006 21:38:41 )   

UPDATED Fri Dec 29 2006 21:39:36
Wow, Clancy---what a great dissertation---and I have read the first segment only, so far. I will continue, though.

Question--What WAS the significance of Jack and Bobby driving in circles? I am sure it has been discussed, but I missed it. Thanks. I still have a long way to go before I "get" everything, but I get it more and more all the time.

Thanks, CPDM! You're the bomb!! :)

"Gettin' tired of your dumbass missin'!"

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by ClancyPantsNasty (Sat Dec 30 2006 00:25:07 )   

Hi everyone –

Thanks for the nice comments, but this is nothing more than anyone else could have done. We’ve all read it and written it and discussed it for near on a year now. I just happened to have had some spare time so I pulled it all together.


Hi Shasta254 –

Concerning Jack and Bobby…

It shows us a striking difference between Ennis and Jack, how they related to their fathers.

Jack had a very controlling, spiteful, and mean-hearted father. He always described his father in negative terms. About his father, Jack said “…he kept his secrets to himself. Never taught me a thing. Never once come to see me ride.” Here, we see Jack not keeping his secrets to himself, and he is with Bobby as he teaches Bobby “to ride.” It doesn't have to be Jack teaching Bobby how to ride a bull, it’s sufficient that we see that Jack is breaking the cycle from his father.

Now, contrast this with Ennis. Before the river reunion scene, Ennis always described his father in positive (or some may say “neutral”) terms, but not in negative terms. Then, at the river reunion scene we hear the story of Earl and Ennis says of his father: “Hell, for all I know, he done the job.” Suddenly we learn that Ennis’ father is potentially a murderous man, perhaps having killed a man for being gay. Does Ennis break this cycle? Well, he doesn't kill anyone literally for being gay, but Ennis does not break the cycle from his father in that the homophobia that is the basis of his father’s potential-murderer characteristic is transferred to Ennis and Ennis does “act on it.” Because of his homophobia, Ennis killed both Jack’s and his own spirits. We also see that the “murder” characteristic has magnified. Only Earl was killed in his daddy’s day, but Ennis had magnified it by killing the spirits of both of the new old birds, Jack and Ennis.

Anyway, that’s my take on it all…



Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by RingerFanatic (Sat Dec 30 2006 00:37:55 )   

whoa. This is amazing.
You can seriously do a college class on BBM. There's so much to discuss and review and analyze. I didn't even realize it all til just now. You should write a book. :)

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by littlewing1957 (Sat Dec 30 2006 16:51:44 )   

<<whoa. This is amazing.
You can seriously do a college class on BBM. There's so much to discuss and review and analyze. I didn't even realize it all til just now. You should write a book. :)>>

I know! I would love to study at his feet!

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by JaJasMa (Tue Jan 2 2007 21:05:19 )   

Clancy -I am amazed by you once again and I look forward to the continuing education!

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by redhowe (Sat Dec 30 2006 04:19:09 )   

Clancypants, I loved your post. And thanks too for your take on what it says about Jack that he shows Bobby how to drive a tractor.

I think in that whole part of the film there's a series of clips of both Jack and Ennis as they are living their lives, and this scene with Bobby is also simply a snap-shot of what is important in their lives at this time. They are both loving, caring fathers who spend time with their children and do the best they can for them. They have jobs, wives - and of course a relationship with each other.

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by arnoldashton (Sat Dec 30 2006 08:19:04 )   

Terrific connection, Clancy, between Jack's earlier reference to his father and how he is now teaching Bobby in the tractor scene.

One other metaphor in this scene is the fact that Jack's life had become very repetitive of late - the routine of working, raising a family and occasional visits to see Ennis (and the fact that his relationship with Ennis was beginning to become more stagnant, as depicted by more scenes of still waters vs flowing, moving streams). In effect, Jack was literally and figuratively 'going around in circles'.

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by Dancing_Bear (Wed Jan 3 2007 09:10:47 )   

Regarding the 'riding around in circles' imagery of Jack and Bobby in the combine, now this explains to me something that AL tried to include on screen but had to switch from the book to film. Ennis and Alma were supposed to be 'spinning donuts' in the pickup before she gets pregnant, that is spinning the pickup round and round in an icy parking lot or some place like that. But they couldn't get the truck to do it right (or maybe were worried about damaging the vintage truck, I think 'spinning donuts' affects the alignment) so they switched to another cold weather scene, sledding. Would have been a parallel scene, if they could have included it. But I think they made up for the 'circles' imagery by dressing in the signature blue and tan (with red shirt underneath) and getting thrown off the sled (couldn't ride it to the finish).

Grandmaster Clancy, this is deep stuff, I'm still wading through it, many thanks for new insights, your analysis is simply spectacular! *bows*


Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by Dancing_Bear (Wed Jan 3 2007 09:46:08 )   

Here is an excerpt from an Ang Lee interview, I wonder if the 'circles' imagery makes us root for them to 'turn things around' or if it only pertains to the context Clancy mentioned, going around in circles in a stalled stale relationship that's going nowhere. Even the image of Jack on a bronco, turning round and round and getting thrown seems more meaningful to me now. While circling, he keeps trying and trying to control the 'ride' but can't manage it.


AL : Well, they’re doing what their senses tell them. They’re not
being totally honest and brave to their sensibility. At some point
they are going to regret that they missed life; when they realize
they are a bit too old to turn things around. The things you have
missed, you missed. You only live once. The poignant part is that
people do their best. They did their best. It’s not like if time
goes back they would do something different; they’d probably do the
same thing. But, the regret is the same.

TOoP/Bruce:
The responses to this post on TOB, continued...
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Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by Dancing_Bear (Wed Jan 3 2007 11:20:06 )   

A couple of questions...

The essence of their relationship is captured in numerous metaphors from buckets to beans, from colors to alcohols, from diseases to cowboy hats.

Can you expound on the ‘alcohols'?

Also, is there significance that Ma Twist's cherry cake has only one cherry in it?

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by Dancing_Bear (Wed Jan 3 2007 12:07:02 )   

More questions...


there is a growing openness between the two, there are discussions that hint at sexuality and attraction. And, almost most importantly, is, again, what we are NOT shown: typical male sexual bravado. There are no tales of prior manly conquests or of the near death-provoking hunger for female sexual involvement that nearly every heterosexual male has experienced at this time in his life. Instead we see two young men “at their sexual peak” who spend a lot of time talking to each other and only once does the subject of girls come up for each of them, given as a passing comment that is quickly dismissed.

I think this ‘absence’ of boasting of female conquests passes people by because the majority of westerns of that era which people have seen do not show the hero cowboy (or sympathetic characters) shooting their mouths off about women notchposts. I think the mystique of cowboy honor in the early 60's was that they were respectful of women and did not jaw about them that way. Of course, the old westerns were unrealistic in the extreme and you’d have to read between the lines there too, however, I think this is a big reason why people wouldn’t notice the absence of such type of talk between Ennis and Jack on the mountain. But come to think of it, you hear them bragging about their women conquests at the last lake scene (putting the blocks to a gal in Riverton, etc, maybe this sort of talk reflects that it's the 1980's, a new era), and it’s all hollow foolery.

He also used words to transition (“honey”), objects (stairs/steps), music, symbolic elements (black flowing water), time stamps (full moons), activity (heterosexual anal sex), and sometimes a physical movement (baby handholding).

What is the ‘baby handholding’?

Or I could talk about the significance of the Aguirre trailer to Ennis’. Or of the placement of the apartment in Riverton above a laundry and next to an Elk Lodge.

How many people understood the significance of the red and white stars on the swing set on one viewing?

Interesting, would you please expound?

By the way Clancy, I wish you'd write an exposition on Hidden Tiger Crouching Dragon, I did not get that movie at all.


Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by jaaguir (Thu Jan 4 2007 10:20:47 )   

<< By the way Clancy, I wish you'd write an exposition on Hidden Tiger Crouching Dragon, I did not get that movie at all. >>

Count me in. I didn't understand a thing. So I was bored to pieces. I guess there must be something more than martial-art figths to it. I think first I have no idea what the characters stand for and then it's too hard suspending disbelef (and I liked The Hulk...).
Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by xdreamfly (Sat Dec 30 2006 01:01:08 )   
Ignore this User | Report Abuse   
Thank you, ClancyPants. I absolutely agree with your reasons of why BBM is a masterpiece, how all the elements of filmmaking come together to convey the central theme of the film.

Also, to add on to your chapter on acting: I was stunned by the use of the body language by all the characters to convey their emotions or aspects of personality; ranging from Ennis's slightly raised eyebrow and side-smile when he is teasing Jack about rodeoing, to Jack's contrasting gaze as he watches Ennis ride away in flashback scene vs. last meeting scene, to Alma's priceless look in the Jack&Ennis reunion scene, to Lureen's breething and vocalizations during phone conversation with Ennis when she realized WHO Ennis is and why Jack didn't want to "dance" with her. There are just so many different emotions communicated through face expressions and body language, that bring us closer to understanding/empathizing with character than those same feelings verbalized (such as in voiceover) might have not.

BUMP

Your essay, ClancyPants, has to be on the first page, not some threads like 'why Crash deserved oscar' or likes of.

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by Shasta254 (Sat Dec 30 2006 07:45:36 )   

UPDATED Sat Dec 30 2006 07:49:04
But one of the reasons that this film is a masterpiece of art is that where it suffers most is not in its story, its direction, its choice of locations, sets, or set decoration. Where it suffers most is in trivial “goofs” such as a disappearing log or a late model car passed by on the street in a matter of a split second.

Clancy--why doesn't the producer or whoever--hire a couple of people to sit and watch the finished product to point out those trivial "goofs"? Because if we can see the whiskey bottle disappearing and re-appearing, the mike cord on Alma, Jr., etc., a couple of people whose job it would be to find those surely could. Would it be too late to change things--between finished product and release--or what? It's hard to see your own mistakes sometimes. Whose job is it to begin with--the film editor's? I think they should get some regular people who aren't so close to the production to watch it a few times and point out those little details before the release date. :) That would be a fun job.

"Gettin' tired of your dumbass missin'!"

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by jaaguir (Thu Jan 4 2007 10:12:13 )   

I think there still is a job called 'script-girl' (because in the early days of cinema it was always done by women, it seems) whose task is just to sit beside the camera and take notes of how everything looks on each take, so if they resume shooting a scene a day later, for example, everything looks the same.
I think it still exists that job, but I guess they're not infalible. And also we don't know how many of these goofs may have been introduced in the editing process, because of needed cuts that bettered a scene, but can leave this side-effects, which they hope no one notices, I guess.

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by riverspipe (Sat Dec 30 2006 11:21:48 )   

Clancy,

Unbelievable post. I think you even helped me to be a better writer. Well, you helped someone intellectually progress is all I'm saying. I kind of fell to the doom of exposition of thought, not quite events, but an over-revealing of my own thoughts.

Totally dig what you say about pacing-- it is like letting us get enough but not too much. You're so right he uses rapidity when it is right, and slowness when it is right.

Will you enlighten us further with your interpretations of Lureen's father? Does he know jack is gay? They seem to have this negative relationship before Jack ever goes with Wade. Yet, we do see Jack go to Mexico, so it may not necessarily have been Wade that started either rumors or negativity; it seems like Jack was with many men. Could it be a reputation that ultimately destroyed him? Sure, perhaps the relationship, which does, I will admit, seem likely that he had with Wade, may have been a "final straw," but Lureen's father always seems keen on it. I mean Jack says he is referred to as a "pissant." I have entertained that it may be Jack's monetary status- perhaps he senses oppurtunism in Jack; or the probable possibility that he and Lureen had a child out of wedlock- that is an assumption, but I think the night after the rodeo was the consumation. Well, maybe the writer did not even know that.

One more thing, Ennis, says that his father Earl beat an old gay man to death with a tire iron. Jack is "struck" with a tire iron. Could this be some sort of midwestern ritual of dealing with gays? It seems far too ironic to me. This may take research, but if the author comes from Wyoming, she may have learned a bit of folklore about a usual manner in killing gays.

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by riverspipe (Sat Dec 30 2006 11:36:28 )   

ok guys, im reading more threads, and aplogetic of my redundant questions. Still would like to have Clancy's take on those things though.

TOoP/Bruce:
The responses to this post on TOB, continued...
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Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by skwerlbaitbev-1 (Tue Jan 2 2007 05:11:15 )   

UPDATED Tue Jan 2 2007 05:34:51
Wow. I'm gonna hafta watch the movie again -- after re-reading this essay a few times. :~}

I stand corrected on my opinion of the movie. It was not BBM that I 'hated' (I regretted using that word, from the moment I posted it, because I don't like to use such a 'strong' word so poorly). In retrospect (which, for me, was the whole idea of posting -- to get some ideas on why to re-access BBM), what I didn't like was the characters; and I see now I didn't like them for the wrong reasons. CPDM, you were right, at the start, with me -- I was making a mistake, in judging E&J by what I think they should have done, based on what I think I would have done, instead of examining more closely what they did do, and why. It's called being judgmental, and it's not one of my more attractive attributes (although it's often the most obvious ... sigh.).

I wish I'd read this before watching BBM -- and I do think I'll read the story.

CPDM wrote:
the most common type of person I have seen who did not feel a connection with this film would be people who, for whatever personal reasons they may have, do not take the time to place their own myopic world-view on hold for two hours to step into someone else’s shoes and try to see the world from a different perspective. They are too comfortable in their niche to be disturbed to try an understanding of the forces at work in our world against our fellow men and women. For all that I have been able to do, I have tried to step into Jack’s and Ennis’ shoes and see what they see of the world in which they are written. It is all too real and it is all too disturbing. No one should have to see the world in such a way.


Thanks for sharing your insight, and for taking the time to wipe the lenses of my myopic-correction lenses ... lol! (ps When I read this, I cringed, as I (how's this for vanity) thought it was directed at me, specifically. Looking at the date of the post, I see it was written before I posted. I'm still cringing, because I do recognise myself as being a bit too -- well, I'd have said 'lazy', but perhaps 'too comfortable in [my] niche' is a better use of words -- to have watched the film with an open mind.

Thanks again.

What the world needs now are MORE SQUIRRELS! Then there would be fewer NUTS running around, loose!

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by Shasta254 (Tue Jan 2 2007 06:58:31 )   

You are so open-minded, SBB. That is an attractive attribute! Aren't you happy that you happened upon this forum and CPDM's illuminating words? You will be amazed when you watch the movie again.

"Gettin' tired of your dumbass missin'!"


Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by Shasta254 (Tue Jan 2 2007 13:22:32 )   

Still reading---extremely interesting, but I am reading a little at a time because I have a very short attention span.

"Gettin' tired of your dumbass missin'!"

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by littlewing1957 (Tue Jan 2 2007 20:11:49 )   

<<Still reading---extremely interesting, but I am reading a little at a time because I have a very short attention span.>>

I know, Shasta! I just sat down with some ice cream and read the enitre essay in one sitting. In fact, I have read it 3 times now from start to finish.


Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by ClancyPantsNasty (Wed Jan 3 2007 14:08:52 )   

Hi Dancing_Bear –

So nice to talk to you again!

I agree with your comments about the tractor driving in circles and also about Jack on the bulls.


You asked: “Can you expound on the ‘alcohols'?”

Sometimes it seems on the surface that everyone in the film smokes and drinks and spits whenever the spirit moves them. I disagree. It appears to me that the smoking, drinking, and spitting are all fully scripted into the film to give meaning and emphasis at various times. Specifically, about the alcohol… When some people drink alcohol, they get more “in control;” some people lose their “control.” Whenever Jack drinks, he takes control in terms of their relationship. The opposite is true of Ennis. It may not be at the very moment, but it is within a relatively short amount of time. Now when I say “takes” or “loses” control, it’s about the relationship, and it may be something subtle. For example, Ennis got spooked by the bear, came back to camp, drank alcohol, and not only said he’d stick with their available diet, but he also protested doing anything at all about it. In the very next scene, we see Ennis breaking the law to do something nice for Jack, out of his attraction for Jack. He lost control of himself, for Jack. Another example, is whilst he waits for Jack to come to the Riverton apartment, he drinks a lot of beers (well, to me, it’s an awful lot)… he then loses control of himself for Jack in a big way, the big kiss. These are two examples, but it plays out consistently throughout the film. It also applies when they don’t drink alcohol, but others do. It also magnifies with the kind of alcohol they drink, and the marijuana cigarette also magnifies the whiskey for the final lake scene.


“Also, is there significance that Ma Twist's cherry cake has only one cherry in it?”

I believe there is. In a Christian imagery sense, Ma Twist offers Ennis communion. The communion bread and wine are represented by the cake and coffee. Ennis declined the cake, but accepted the coffee. Ennis declined the bread, but accepted the wine. The bread is the body (of Christ) and the wine is the blood. Jack is present in two ways: the ashes (the body) and the shirts (the blood). Ennis came expecting to get the ashes, the body, but the ashes/body will stay in the family plot. What Ennis ended up getting was the shirts, the blood. Again, he declined the cake, the body, but he accepted the coffee, the blood. The cake, representing the body has a single cherry in it, the heart. Ennis cannot take the body, the ashes, or the cake with Jack’s heart in it, but he gets the shirts, the blood -- Lev. 17:11 “For the life of a creature is in the blood”.

Anyway, that’s my take on it.


“I think this ‘absence’ of boasting of female conquests passes people by because the majority of westerns of that era which people have seen do not show the hero cowboy (or sympathetic characters) shooting their mouths off about women notchposts. I think the mystique of cowboy honor in the early 60's was that they were respectful of women and did not jaw about them that way. Of course, the old westerns were unrealistic in the extreme and you’d have to read between the lines there too, however, I think this is a big reason why people wouldn’t notice the absence of such type of talk between Ennis and Jack on the mountain. But come to think of it, you hear them bragging about their women conquests at the last lake scene (putting the blocks to a gal in Riverton, etc, maybe this sort of talk reflects that it's the 1980's, a new era), and it’s all hollow foolery.”

Very true. In fact, it is certainly is an interesting contrast that while they were getting to know each other, they didn’t brag of female dalliances, but they do after twenty years, and again, Jack is still giving Ennis the line that he isn’t queer, while Ennis is still trying to make himself believe it by doing Cassie, Cassie Cartwright.


“What is the ‘baby handholding’?”

After the peanut jar incident, Alma tells Jr. to come along and leave, extending her hand to Jr., who takes it. In the very next scene we see Lureen in bed comparing her own hand size to the size of Bobby’s hand. Two mothers holding hands with their children.


“Or I could talk about the significance of the Aguirre trailer to Ennis’. Or of the placement of the apartment in Riverton above a laundry and next to an Elk Lodge. How many people understood the significance of the red and white stars on the swing set on one viewing?”

Ha ha! Which one? All three? I’ll try to make them quick – I'm not very good at “quick.”

Jack and Ennis came together at Aguirre’s trailer. The short story says “they came together on paper as herder and camp tender for the same sheep operation.” This has a marriage license/contract imagery to it. They stand before Aguirre who hands out rules to them for how they will live their lives. This is an imagery for a wedding ceremony. But it is turned on its head by the phone call in which Aguirre keeps saying “No.” In Ennis’ trailer, the discussion with Jr. is about her upcoming wedding. She’s the same age as Ennis was when he met Jack. She drove up to him waiting outside his trailer the same way that Jack drove up to Ennis waiting outside Aguirre’s trailer. This time, the wedding ceremony imagery is not turned on its head. He shares a toast with Alma and he makes a pledge to her to go to her wedding. Then, the very next thing he does is go to the closet, adjust Jack’s shirt and he says (according to the short story): ““Jack, I swear—” he said, though Jack had never asked him to swear anything and was himself not the swearing kind.” This is not talking about cursing (swearing) or Ennis being at a loss for words, there is a definite vow imagery at work here. It is also significant that the “wedding clothes”, so to speak, in the end, are the same ones that were on the boys in Aguirre’s trailer.

Elk – On the mountain, Ennis shot an elk to give Jack something he wanted. At the final lake scene, Ennis offered an elk hunt to Jack as a poor substitute for what Jack really wanted. Moving to the apartment in Riverton was Ennis giving Alma something that she wanted, and the apartment was right near the Elk Lodge. (BTW – In reality, that building is not an Elk Lodge. The filmmakers added that feature to the building.)

The red and white stars on the swing set are used to transition to the next scene where we see Jack atop a tractor, giving his spiel to the farmers/buyers. Above Jack’s head is the “Newsome” business sign which has prominent white/red stars on it.


I hope this helps. I’m not sure whether there are other questions in the thread. I’ll have to look later. I just saw these and grabbed them.


“By the way Clancy, I wish you'd write an exposition on Hidden Tiger Crouching Dragon, I did not get that movie at all.”

Ha ha! I could do a better analysis of the movie “Gerry.” CTHD is a very symbolically-infused film. However, I am in the minority in that I did not care for the film. I recognize its quality, but I don’t have much interest in analyzing it.

TOoP/Bruce:
Responses to this post on TOB, continued...
===================================================================================================
Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by Dancing_Bear (Wed Jan 3 2007 14:43:19 )   

Wow, thank you, Clancy! Lots to think about and look for the next time I see BBM!
*prostrate with admiration*

By the way, I was kind of joking about Crouching Tiger, I'm in the same minority you are. Everyone I know was raving about it but I felt pretty dense... gave it a second try and couldn't understand the popularity. Was willing to give it another go though, seeing as how there was so much I missed the first couple of times I saw BBM, and considering how many people kept saying about BBM "watch it again! you can't get everything the first or second time around!" Although, I realized the first time I saw BBM that it is truly a masterpiece, even without seeing all the symbolism or being spoonfed information (I rely on all the Brokies for that!)


Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by Shasta254 (Wed Jan 3 2007 22:22:07 )   

Just finished part II--thank you for writing this all together ClancyPDM.

How many people understood the significance of the red and white stars on the swing set on one viewing? Did anyone “get” the bread bags on the first viewing? How about the number “17”?

Even tho there are probably detailed explanations of these 3 somewhere on the board---would you give me a brief synopsis of each?

"Gettin' tired of your dumbass missin'!"

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by ClancyPantsNasty (Thu Jan 4 2007 12:58:01 )   

Hi Shasta254 --

I answered the red/white stars one in a post above. I'll get back to you about the bread bags and number 17. I'm sorry but I'm a bit rushed today and just dropped in to check on things. Check back later, OK? Thanks! Have a great day.

Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by Shasta254 (Thu Jan 4 2007 13:19:09 )   

The red and white stars on the swing set are used to transition to the next scene where we see Jack atop a tractor, giving his spiel to the farmers/buyers. Above Jack’s head is the “Newsome” business sign which has prominent white/red stars on it.

OKAY---I found it in your other post. Thanks. I have seen the stars on the business sign, but not on the swing set. Next time I watch, I will look for that transition now. I always notice the "Honey" one from the paper to the parka scene. Someone, probably you, pointed that out. Thank you,Clancy. :)

So when you get time--bread bags and 17.

I've read about the number 17 being the amount of times the boys got together in the book or in the movie---is that right? Or does it have another significance? Or maybe it was the # of places? Can't remember the exact explanation.

Can't remember anything about the bread bags--not even seeing them in the movie right now.

Thank-you.


"Gettin' tired of your dumbass missin'!"


"Tell you what . . . the truth is . . . sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it."
Re: Why Brokeback Mountain is a Masterpiece of Art   
by True_Oracle_of_Phoenix (Fri Jan 5 2007 12:43:12 )   

Awesome post, Clancy!

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