Author Topic: lovable subtle details  (Read 476109 times)

Offline Brown Eyes

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lovable subtle details
« on: April 27, 2006, 10:01:53 pm »
Think of this thread as an homage to the "notice anything so subtle..." thread back on the old board.

Here are two relatively little details that always strike me as amazing flourishes to their particular scenes.

-I love that when Jack emerges from the tent after the first tent scene and approaches Ennis, his blue shirt remains un-tucked.  An amazing contrast to Ennis's compulsive "shirt-tucking" habit.   Jack's un-tucked shirt (in addition to his visibly worried/hurt facial expression) makes him seem incredibly vulnerable.

-In the reunion scene... I love when Ennis first enters the apartment after the big kiss he wipes his mouth!  I love that.


Anyone else have other favorite details?
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Offline ProwlAmongUs

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Re: lovable subtle details
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2006, 10:33:33 pm »
I like the scene when Jack reaches over and gently touches Ennis' face ( I THINK after he says, "Sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it."). This really knocks me back on my heels. Jack is gentle and caring and this little gesture sums up his whole persona. I have to admit there are days when I wonder if *I* will ever get over this movie. I've never had a film/story have such an impact on me. I saw it opening day in the theater, and I'm still numb at times... :'(
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Offline henrypie

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Re: lovable subtle details
« Reply #2 on: April 27, 2006, 10:58:39 pm »
That face-touch of Jack's is after Ennis tells him about seeing Earl's body.  If that's the one you mean.  The ear-grab, kinda?
I love that.

My all-time favorite subtle detail may be the bird flying over when Ennis nervously watches the white truck drive past when Jack has come up unannounced after Ennis's divorce.

Offline DeeDee

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Re: lovable subtle details
« Reply #3 on: April 27, 2006, 11:00:44 pm »
All time favorite:

The nose nuzzle after the reunion kiss....sigh
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Offline ProwlAmongUs

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Re: lovable subtle details
« Reply #4 on: April 27, 2006, 11:03:40 pm »
That face-touch of Jack's is after Ennis tells him about seeing Earl's body.  If that's the one you mean.  The ear-grab, kinda?
I love that.

My all-time favorite subtle detail may be the bird flying over when Ennis nervously watches the white truck drive past when Jack has come up unannounced after Ennis's divorce.

That's the scene I meant; thanks for the clarification!
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Offline Penthesilea

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Re: lovable subtle details
« Reply #5 on: April 28, 2006, 04:01:40 am »
The nuzzle is my favourite, too.

There's another detail, in which Ennis does not what I expect him to too: it's the scene when he gets the first postcard from Jack. He washes his hands, picks the postcard and reads it. Then heads for the next room and we see him from behind. He puts his left hand to his back in a well-known manner. I always think he will tuck the shirt in (I love this mannerism). But no, he just wipes his hand at his shirt (cause he didn't use a towel after washing them). Always makes me laugh, because this time he does not tuck in the shirt.




Offline Sheyne

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Re: lovable subtle details
« Reply #6 on: April 28, 2006, 05:47:40 am »
Kudos to the nuzzle..  ahh the nuzzle...

Amanda, i LOVE your observation about the untucked shirt.. you are SO right.. it does make him seem suddenly so vulnerable.  Even if he was a shirt-tucker like Ennis, it was more important in that moment to get over and talk to Ennis and make some contact - any contact - after the sex. Somehow, I don't see Jack as a tucker. Its important to Ennis that everything is "right" where as Jack is more devil-may-care...

My favourite moment would have to be Jack's body-draping at the very start.. I cannot watch it without a slight moan of desire escaping my lips.  Every time.  :D

I also love the profile shot of Jake just before the "nobody's business but ours" line. You can see every emotion fleet over his face then.. he's already in love and he's just scared to death that it was just a one-time thing for Ennis, especially after the "one shot" line. He's debating how to keep the door open, so to speak and you can see the vulnerability again.. just amazing acting on Jake's part...
« Last Edit: April 28, 2006, 08:16:42 am by hungry_hungryhippos »
Chut up!

Offline David

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Re: lovable subtle details
« Reply #7 on: April 28, 2006, 07:16:38 am »
Favorite detail:   The nuzzle after the reunion kiss of course!

also,  love how you can see Ennis's lips move as he is reading Jacks first postcard.

Also,  when John Twist mentions Randall to Ennis, you see his nostrils flare in a moment of anger.   

Tell you what.....  for a low budget, Art house Film that this was supposed to be, this movie is chock full of the best acting, best scenery, best screenplay, etc etc.    The entire cast and crew just seemed to give us 110%.   

Offline MaineWriter

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Re: lovable subtle details
« Reply #8 on: April 28, 2006, 07:28:26 am »
I love--in the motel scene, the way Ennis rubs Jack's arm--a little caress--while they are talking.

in tent scene 2, the little kiss that Ennis plants on Jack's chest.

And like David said, the nostril flare. How the heck did he do that?

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Offline henrypie

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Re: lovable subtle details
« Reply #9 on: April 28, 2006, 08:43:36 am »
Here is an observation from the version of the movie I saw last night in a dream.... and a little bit of background... I saw it (in a dream, again) in a little mom-and-pop theater in an addition to a farmhouse down a dirt road in Western Maryland or maybe the Eastern Shore of Maryland... one of the red areas of the state, ten or twelve seats, freshly baked cookies for the patrons.... weird, nice.

The not-so-subtle dream-detail I noticed: "Gee, the Pepsi sign in the opening scene when Ennis jumps down from the truck is more in-your-face than I ever seemed to notice before."