Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
Can we please have an end to the ranting?
dly64:
Hey guys! I am just throwing in my opinion ...
I have the deepest respect for both of your (Jeff's and Ruthlessly's) opinion. You both bring up great ideas and insight and I love reading what you have to say. We don't always agree ... and, IMO, that's part of the fun. I enjoy debating! Jeff - you and I like to use materials like the short story, screenplay and quotes from other sources. Ruthlessly, you like to look at the film as its own entity. It doesn’t mean either one is right or wrong. It’s just that we have our own approach. I personally have not been offended by anything either of you have written.
What I see as the beauty of this film is that we all interpret it in our own way. We bring in our own background, thoughts, POV. Sometimes I feel very strongly about an idea, other times I am flexible. It certainly does not mean that I expect others to agree with what I have to say. I have not gotten the opinion that anyone else has, either. That’s the fun of this forum and talking with all of you. You all give me “food for thought”. Sometimes it helps me to see something in a different way. Other times, I can’t be swayed.
I am hopeful that this misunderstanding can be resolved. I value you guys too much! I don’t want to “quit” either of you! (or anyone else on this board, for that matter!) ;)
vkm91941:
Just a reminder
Topic: Hey Folks... A Gentle Reminder About the Open Forum... (Read 51 times)
Phillip
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Hey Folks... A Gentle Reminder About the Open Forum...
« on: July 13, 2006, 12:23:06 pm »
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From time to time I like to remind folks about how we've set up the Open Forum, and with a lot of new people coming in, now is a good time to bring this back to the table.
I want to remind everyone who has been profoundly affected by this movie that it's an emotionally overwhelming experience (as if you needed a reminder!) I think a lot of us who have come away from seeing it are quite emotionally fragile because of its impact on us, and we are prone to being fiercely protective of how we interpret the meaning of the film. But each of us will interpret this film in different ways, based on our own experiences and feelings.
It is very important to me that we have respect and tolerance for a wide variety of views about the film. You may agree or disagree with what others have shared as their personal intepretations, but I'd consider it a major favor if everyone maintains respect for these different views. And with the emotional impact on our lives, in a life-changing way, it can be destructive to our collective and individual journeys forward if those feelings are criticized or disrespected. By supporting one another and by keeping comments positive and supporting, we will achieve great things here.
I really appreciate your continued support!
serious crayons:
Whew, you guys. I take a couple of hours off to go out to dinner, come back for a quick check of the boards and look what I missed. Guess from now on, dinner will be a sandwich at my desk, hunh?
As moderator, I think the proper protocol is for me to post some neutral diplomatic calming message, suggesting the conversation is getting a bit heated and should move to the realm of PMs. But this feels a little different, maybe because this has been a freaky couple of days, maybe because I like you both a lot and it pains me to think that either of you would be uncomfortable or upset.
You both contribute immeasurably to this board: Jeff, as a longtime member, you have offered countless interesting comments and well-reasoned viewpoints. Ruthlessly, as a newer member, you have brought in a unique energy and fresh insights. You both can certainly hold your own in a disagreement -- I know that from personal experience ::). I disagree with some (OK, plenty) of what both of you say, but tell you what, there is nobody I'd rather argue with.
It's not a matter of, "Can't we all just get along?" That's facile (sorry, Rodney King). But how about: Can't we all just cut each other a little slack? I'm talking about everyone here; not just you two. (I'm even reminding myself.) If someone says something you disagree with, if you take umbrage at the idea, if the language seems too forceful, if the concept makes you out-and-annoyed ... how about stepping back and taking it in a bit of stride? Internet communication has a way of distorting people's intentions. Things can get interpreted in ways we didn't expect (man, have I learned this!). How about we try if we can to give each other the benefit of the doubt? I'm all for arguing vehemently on some neutral objective point about the movie -- you know I am. But I can't imagine anyone here deliberately hurting anybody or wanting anything except good conversation.
In the end, I hope we can shrug it all off and remember that (OK, this is sacrilege and we all know I don't really REALLY believe it, but ...) it is only a movie. Albeit a movie (and story!) that we all love to an amazing -- not to say weird -- degree. Tell you what, whenever I start to wonder why I'm like this, I can't tell you what a relief it is to know all you other intelligent, articulate, seemingly rational people are like this, too.
You both are way too appreciated here for anyone to want to see either of you upset. Personally, I -- and countless others feel the same -- are very glad you're here.
Katherine
silkncense:
* I did not read the original thread but base my thoughts on prior occurrences *
I too hope that everyone will take to heart the underlying intent here & will not rustle entire threads to their point of view (as we saw occur several months ago).
Clarification is certainly appreciated, but reinteration of the same point while negating another's is not.
opinionista:
I've been a journalist and a researcher for quite sometime now and one thing that I have learned is that when in doubt go to the source. In this case Brokeback Mountain's source is Annie Proulx herself and the short story she wrote. She's the one who came up with Ennis and Jack, their love and sad story. In other words she gave birth to them so if anyone can provide the most accurate information about the characters and their depiction in the movie is her and everything she has written about the story and the movie.
And I agree with ruthlessly that the movie does not follow the short story in every way, but Diana Ossana herself said in an interview, included in the DVD extras, that she and Larry McMurtry tried to adapt the story just as Proulx wrote it, but it wasn't long enough to be a movie, so they had to expand, invent situations and add dialogue not originally written by Proulx.
In my opinion to say the short story, and the screenplay are"extraneous material," and to consider Annie Proulx's or Ossana's comments just speculation and interpretation, is to diminish Brokeback Mountain's true value. Proulx is the creator of all this, the one who came up with a story that moved us so much, and that brought us here in the first place. And I personally think she deserves more respect than that, as an author and as a person.
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