Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum

I had a discussion today!

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Anya_Angie:
Well guys, I had a discussion today and I just wanted to share it.

I went to my brother's for a Mother's Day dinner, and while my prejudiced stepfather was outside, my mother, brother's girlfriend, and myself discussed Brokeback Mountain very briefly. We couldn't possibly bring it up while my stepdad was inside with us or he'd flip, even though all of us are straight. He thinks it's wrong to support anyone or anything "queer."

My mother said the film was slow and you had to analyze everything, and she didn't like that. My brother's girlfriend Chrissy said she couldn't understand anything Ennis was saying. I mentioned that you had to take into account Ennis' education, and that you did indeed have to analyze everything because it was all secretive.

They look at it as simply "a movie," with which I'm disappointed but not surprised. In short, the film's message went over their heads. *sigh*

serious crayons:
I have given up trying to persuade anyone I know to see it. Partly because of experiences like yours, Anya_Angie. I'd rather have them not see it at all, than to see it and criticize it or be "ehh" about it.

Karan13:
It is horrible when someone can`t share your point of view especially when you are so passionate about something , some minds unfortunately can never be changed , so it is probably best to just try and discuss the movie with people who can appreciate a great piece of cinematic history, rather than others who would laugh at you and try to ruin your enjoyment.

I found no one who saw the movie shared my passion so it was nice to post on the Brokeback Board at IMdb , i found that men , woman , Gay , BI and staight shared my passion. xx kaz

silkncense:
Has anyone formulated an opinion as to WHY some of us not only see all the subtlety of this film but are deeply impacted by it. 

And, it clearly is not limited to any particular 'group' - we've seen young, old(ish) ;), gay, straight, male & female.  Thoughts?

ednbarby:

--- Quote from: silkncense on May 14, 2006, 06:40:52 pm ---Has anyone formulated an opinion as to WHY some of us not only see all the subtlety of this film but are deeply impacted by it. 

And, it clearly is not limited to any particular 'group' - we've seen young, old(ish) ;), gay, straight, male & female.  Thoughts?

--- End quote ---

I honestly think it comes down to compassion and sensitivity.  I've known people I think are very bright who said it was just "ehh."  I've known people I wouldn't describe as intellectuals who *loved* it.  While I do think there's that group of moviegoers in this country who like their films spoon-fed to them (you know - the Crashites), I think it's more a measure of your capability for compassion as to whether it moves you like it's moved us or doesn't.  One coworker, for example, who I think is very intelligent and who I think has very good taste in movies said that it was "clearly very well-done - well-written, well-acted, well-shot" but that she wasn't particularly moved by it.  She did understand implicitly that Jack was most likely murdered, and even said it was eerie how much it parallels Matthew Shepard's story.  But she didn't shed a tear.  But then, she wasn't outraged by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina or the 2004 election like I was, either, even though she is quite liberal and agrees both things are "a shame," after which she shrugs her shoulders and says, "But what can you do?"

Then there's my husband, who I consider about the most intelligent person I've ever known personally.  He just gets stuff - immediately.  And he can explain it so that someone like me who doesn't can understand it.  And I mean everything - from how an air conditioner works to the proper mechanics of volleyball to every plot twist and nuance in "Miller's Crossing" (which I had to watch twice and have him explain it to me to fully understand it).  I never thought of him as a particularly compassionate person - he always describes me as his "heart of gold" in the sense that he doesn't see himself as having the kind of compassion I do.  And yet he wept like a baby watching this movie.

Maybe it's that all us Brokies are fixers instead of standers, each in our own way.  And I know many of us have had to work very hard to come to be that way - myself included, but on a different level, I think.  So maybe it takes that to see that this movie is tragic on a Shakespearean level - to see this man who had a shot at real happiness and fulfillment that maybe one in a million people get but who missed it because of his ingrained, societally-influenced fears.  I haven't quite pieced together *why* it takes being a fixer to see that, but I think it may be the common thread.

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