Author Topic: lovable subtle details  (Read 476219 times)

Offline inwooder

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Re: lovable subtle details
« Reply #560 on: January 01, 2010, 10:01:07 pm »
Inwooder, I'm researching those two visuals, one seen at the drive-in and the other on television. But while I'm doing that, I'd like to address your comment:I agree with you that these scenes were chosen with a lot of thought. To give you an example of another small loveable detail, consider the snatches of harmonica playing we hear from Jack. As explained below by EDelMar (from earlier in this thread), these tiny bits of songs are actually clues to the plot and the personality of Jack:

Ang Lee certainly chose his audio and visuals for a definite reason!!

Thanks for pointing this out, I dont know if I would have ever realized that was the song he was playing. Kinda sad in that it forshadows his own death

Offline Lynne

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Re: lovable subtle details
« Reply #561 on: March 01, 2010, 01:02:02 pm »
by - Flickfan-3 (Thu Feb 2 2006 01:07:33 )
...as a Texan who was graduated from none of the universities I mention, I can offer some possible insight about MacMurtry's inside jokes...

the line Texans don't drink coffee? is Alma's query to Ennis when Jack does not have time to come into the apartment as I remember it so actually means that it is very UN likely Texans don't drink coffee, and there is something fishy if you don't want him in here...everyone knows why...even Alma at that point...

as far as the "tea sippers" epithet--- graduates from University of Texas at Austin are called "tea sippers" because the school's hand sign is to fold down two middle fingers and thumb and to have index and little finger extended upwards--just like the European horns sign which has a negative, sexual reference (which is why President Bush and his wife were castigated in foreign press some months ago for doing it to show support for UT at the Thanksgiving parade, I think)----so the "horns" gesture ties in with UT's mascot the well-known Texas longhorn steer----the "tea sipper" comes, I think, from raising the little pinky like the stereotypical Britisher drinking tea, and conveniently forgetting the index finger is there also. Also, and this goes to the second insider joke MacMurtry might have played, UT Austin graduates are considered more "effeminent" when compared to their arch rivals from Texas Agricultural and Mechanical University===Texas A & M.
...

The above is a quote from IMDb Remarkable writings rewound related to Larry McMurtry's 'inside joke' :  "Texans don't drink coffee."  And the 'tea' inference that arises.

I have no idea if there is any relevance to this, but I like it.  Oil is called 'Texas tea' (at least in the Beverly Hillbillies song :P ).  If I stretch the point, to me it follows that oil has in some sense taken away two women who loved Ennis.  His sister married a roughneck and moved to Casper.  And Alma, Jr.'s fiancé works in the oil fields...

Poor Ennis.   :'(
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Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: lovable subtle details
« Reply #562 on: March 01, 2010, 01:32:49 pm »
Very astute of you, Lynne! I'm starting to know way more about Texans than I ever wanted to!!
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Offline Lynne

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Re: lovable subtle details
« Reply #563 on: March 01, 2010, 01:39:02 pm »
Very astute of you, Lynne! I'm starting to know way more about Texans than I ever wanted to!!

Isn't it both bizarre and beautiful that four years later, we can still think of things in ways we hadn't before??   :)
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Offline zephaniah

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Re: lovable subtle details
« Reply #564 on: March 19, 2010, 04:02:33 pm »
Ever notice that the first night they're separated on the mountain, in the series of shots with Jack and the sheep, Jack is looking down on Ennis's fire and all of the shots of that full moon night are blue - I've always thought of them as the "Jack's got the blues..." sequence.

Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: lovable subtle details
« Reply #565 on: March 19, 2010, 04:15:09 pm »
Welcome Zepahniah, and thanks for reminding us of those lovely scenes of Jack in the twilight up with the sheep. It's amazing how many new members of BetterMost like to post on this thread for the first time. Happy to see you here. Want a cup of coffee, don't you? Piece of cherry cake?
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Offline zephaniah

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Re: lovable subtle details
« Reply #566 on: April 23, 2010, 09:57:47 am »
I don't hink I could eat no cake just now, but thanks.

Offline Monika

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Re: lovable subtle details
« Reply #567 on: April 23, 2010, 10:36:58 am »
I don't hink I could eat no cake just now, but thanks.
but how about a cup of coffee?

Or are you from Texas?

Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: lovable subtle details
« Reply #568 on: July 17, 2011, 12:41:53 am »
Tonight I watched BBM with a non-Brokie - and it was the first time for me in about a year.  In the midst of the viewing, and in the course of explaining to my friend about how Ennis's protective instincts about the sheep may be transferred to Jack... it occurred to me that the woolly collar of Jack's coat may be significant.  So frequently, in the early scenes of BBM, we see Jack's face framed by the woolly collar of his green coat.  To me, this must be significant.

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Offline Penthesilea

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Re: lovable subtle details
« Reply #569 on: July 17, 2011, 05:23:41 am »
RE-posting a picture for Sonja; we talked about this in chat last night.

This is Ma Twist in her kitchen. You can see the cherry cake in the background.




Closeup of the cherry cake with oddly only one cherry in it: