Isn't it true that Gus Van Sant had his "hat in the ring" for a long time hoping to direct Brokeback Mountain? I'm really glad he didn't (although I do like some of his movies).
That's what I read repeated times, too. IMDB names GVS and Joel Schumacher as directors who had been interested.
Though I liked MOPI very much, liked Good Will Hunting and think Drugstore Cowboy wasn't bad, I'm happy that Ang Lee did it and not GVS.
A good deal of the magic of BBM comes from it's ambiguity and the subtlies, and I don't think GVS would have made a subtle movie. I think he would have made a far more blunt movie.
But maybe I'm not fair, because I love the movie so much as it is right now. I can't imagine it with another director, or with other leads, or with another score, and so on.
It was a blessing that all the talents from Annie Proulx, Ossana&McMurtry, Jake, Heath, Michelle and so on (cinematograpy, score) melted together into such a beautiful piece of art.
And since this is a cowgirls picture thread, how about these two? They're cute, aren't hey?