Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
Timeline discovery
Cameron:
Hi everyone,
I think I just noticed something that answers the question of how long between TS1 and TS2. I am still watching at least parts (especially this part) every single day (when does this stop?) and this just just hit me. I also have some totally new to me conclusions about TS 1 and Ennis in general due to finally being able to watch TS 1 carefully and also reading some of your old amazing threads (I so wish I was here sooner :( :( :() but I will save that for now.
Anyway for the time line.
The sequence is 1 . Ennis packing, see you for supper.
2. Ennis riding the ridge, then galloping to the sheep.
3. Ennis finding the dead sheep
4 Jack washing clothes
5. Animal in background.
6. Sheep in background, tail talisman in foreground.
7. Jack reclining on mountain, Ennis approaching, "I ain't queer' conversation.
What I realized is that 3 and 4 are in daylight, Jack washing has very dark shadows (afternoon ?) but then in 5 with the animal in the background, the sky and mountains are very dark. Then in 6 the sheep has a daylight blue sky with bright white clouds, the in 7 (Jack on mountain) the sky is darkening again.
I really think the animal in background dark scene is too show that that is the evening, and the sheep next with the light sky is the next day, meaning Ennis spent the night on the mountain!!!!!
I also am convinced that the animal is not a coyote, but one of the dogs keeping watch over Ennis as he is sleeping on the mountain. I had thought it was a coyote but when I noticed the sky I think that is the significance of that weird scene.
I had thought the tail was the coyote's but now I also think it was the dead sheep that Ennis put up on the stake as some sort of offering. I don't think Ennis killed another coyote at all anymore.
I really think the sequence of light sky (Jack washing), dark sky (dog) , light sky (sheep) , dark sky (Jack and Ennis, 'I ain't queer'..) proves to me that Ennis stayed out on the mountain without ever going back for supper the evening after TS 1, and it is only on the afternoon of the second day that Jack, not being able to wait any longer ( and to see if Ennis is even still okay) goes up to the mountain. Then they go back down to camp and to TS 2 which is two nights after TS1.
I could be wrong, but I know it was discussed a couple of days ago, so I couldn't help but share......
moremojo:
--- Quote from: marlb42 on January 22, 2007, 06:06:27 pm ---I really think the animal in background dark scene is too show that that is the evening, and the sheep next with the light sky is the next day, meaning Ennis spent the night on the mountain!!!!!
--- End quote ---
This opinion is completely new to me. I had always assumed that the second tent scene was one evening after the first one. If we were meant to infer that Ennis spent one night on the mountain without returning for supper, this was conveyed in so subtle a way that I wonder if anyone could possibly have caught it on an initial viewing (or more, for that matter, as I've seen the film at least six times, and have never before considered this).
Certainly, Jack going up to see Ennis with the sheep is a sign that he is anxious and craves some resolution with Ennis more quickly than Ennis would otherwise have delivered. I can only imagine Jack's sickness of heart if Ennis had abandoned him, so to speak, for that one night away!
Cameron:
Yeah, I don't think it could be possible to get it with one or two viewings at all, but I have been thinking about it because it didn't really make sense for a number of reasons that all of this was one day.
The animal shot really bothered me, but then I finally noticed the dark sky and the next shot, light, and the next shot dark I am convinced of this.
It makes sense emotionally, Ennis was so confused and with so many emotions in his mind, that even though he didn't even bring the bedroll and the pup tent (not on his horse when leaving after TS 1) it makes sense that he would stay on the mountain, not able and not ready to face Jack.
And yes, it makes sense after two days of wondering and waiting Jack just had to go and find Ennis.......
mouk:
VERY interesting - this dog seems to be waiting on full alert, perhaps in tune with Ennis waiting for coyotes to shoot and pass his rage on (I really think he shot 2, because he is so angry with himself and with them), and/or representing the mood of Jack waiting anxiously back at the camp.
You say that the shadows indicate that Jack washes the shirts in the afternoon - good observation. He is washing Ennis's SNIT shirt which could have never have dried fast enough for SNIT to be on that same night. So you must be right. Wow!
nakymaton:
Hey marlb42 - that timeline makes a lot of sense, both in terms of details and emotionally. Nice observations!
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