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

The shared flashback

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saucycobblers:
I read a really interesting idea in a Sight & Sound article on BBM, where the reviewer talks about the flashback being shared between Ennis & Lureen during the phone scene (it's not online as far as I know so I can't post a link). I posted this idea on IMdB and one poster vehemently attacked the idea and said the reviewer was 'wrong'. Whilst i took his point that the cutting of the scene might link the flashback to Ennis, IMO there are never 'right' or 'wrong' answers with film, only interpretations, and I thought this idea of a shared flashback that links Ennis and Lureen for the briefest of moments was an interesting one which enriches an already complex movie.

Any thoughts?

dly64:

--- Quote from: saucycobblers on June 27, 2006, 03:07:23 pm ---I read a really interesting idea in a Sight & Sound article on BBM, where the reviewer talks about the flashback being shared between Ennis & Lureen during the phone scene (it's not online as far as I know so I can't post a link). I posted this idea on IMdB and one poster vehemently attacked the idea and said the reviewer was 'wrong'. Whilst i took his point that the cutting of the scene might link the flashback to Ennis, IMO there are never 'right' or 'wrong' answers with film, only interpretations, and I thought this idea of a shared flashback that links Ennis and Lureen for the briefest of moments was an interesting one which enriches an already complex movie.

Any thoughts?

--- End quote ---

Hmmm ... that sounds like an interesting point of view, but I don't agree with it. What is shown, IMO, is in Ennis' mind. There is an ambiguity, however, about how Jack really died. Was it as Lureen said? Was it the way Ennis envisioned it? I've seen some articles that indicate Lureen is lying. Honestly, I can't tell from their phone conversation one way or the other. Personally, I like the nebulousness so everyone can interpret it the way s/he wants and we can discuss in a forum like this!  :)

opinionista:

--- Quote from: dly64 on June 27, 2006, 04:10:17 pm ---Hmmm ... that sounds like an interesting point of view, but I don't agree with it. What is shown, IMO, is in Ennis' mind. There is an ambiguity, however, about how Jack really died. Was it as Lureen said? Was it the way Ennis envisioned it? I've seen some articles that indicate Lureen is lying. Honestly, I can't tell from their phone conversation one way or the other. Personally, I like the nebulousness so everyone can interpret it the way s/he wants and we can discuss in a forum like this!  :)

--- End quote ---

I don't agree either. I don't think the flashback is shared, it's Ennis mind. In fact, I even think Jack's death was indeed an accident but Proulx is ambiguous about it to show Ennis' state of mind. It's too much of a coincidence that Jack is also killed with a tire iron. I mean, there are countless of ways of killing a person. It can't be always a tire iron. I think the author wanted to show that Ennis was so afraid of being killed, he couldn't even consider that Jack's death could've been an accident.

dly64:

--- Quote from: opinionista on June 27, 2006, 06:09:08 pm ---I don't agree either. I don't think the flashback is shared, it's Ennis mind. In fact, I even think Jack's death was indeed an accident but Proulx is ambiguous about it to show Ennis' state of mind. It's too much of a coincidence that Jack is also killed with a tire iron. I mean, there are countless of ways of killing a person. It can't be always a tire iron. I think the author wanted to show that Ennis was so afraid of being killed, he couldn't even consider that Jack's death could've been an accident.
--- End quote ---

I completely agree with you. It emphasizes Ennis' fear and paranoia. Technically, it could have happened the way Ennis envisioned .... I just don't think it did. But, as with so many things that makes this story remarkable, we will never know. It is up to the individual to decide.

Luvlylittlewing:
This is really an interesting theory.  However, I don't think Ennis and Lureen had a shared flashback.  It is late, so forgive me if I'm not making sense, but why would Lureen know how Jack was "done" if he was murdered?  I suppose she could have imagined, but the flashback is very specific, the number of men involved, the tire iron.  I suppose the coroner would have figured out what weapon was used to kill Jack if it wasn't found at the scene and Lureen would have been told.  But the flashback seems too specific for Lureen to image, IMO.  Now Ennis had more of a reference because of what his father told him and what he saw with his own eyes as a boy.  Does this make any sense?

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