REPOST
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Riverton: an editorial dream
by BannerHill (Sun Dec 24 2006 08:15:24 )
Isn't it strange how we never really see Riverton? We see glimpses; alleys, storefronts, a corner here, a house there. But there are no classic "establishing" shots. We see only fragments of Riverton. We fill in the rest in our mind; like a dream.
Re: Riverton: an editorial dream
by BannerHill (Sun Dec 24 2006 08:27:12 )
By contrast, Brokeback Mountain seems majestic and real. Many establishing shots.
Re: Riverton: an editorial dream
by daphne7661 (Sun Dec 24 2006 11:55:56 )
This is interesting BannerHill.
I have always thought that Riverton, along with Alma and even the lonely ranches, was kind of a state of mind for Ennis. Not a good state of mind, but his perception of where he was supposed to be to be acceptable and safe from the fear of Earl's fate. I also think we see so little of it because of the focus on the journey of Jack & Ennis. When they are together, when they are apart. When they are happy and when they are longing for each other. When they are "safe" and when they are not.
Along those lines, it's funny that even though Ennis wants to be perceived as straight and following the conventional lines of life, he never really even shows any interest in interacting with that life or anyone in it (the church social, the church picnic...). Even when he tries (4th of July, Cassie...), he fails.
The more I think on Ennis and his inner turmoil, my heart just breaks a little more and more each time.
It's so so sad...
...Nice to know ya, Ennis del Mar...
Re: Riverton: an editorial dream
by toycoon (Sun Dec 24 2006 12:07:21 )
UPDATED Sun Dec 24 2006 13:02:08
This is very interesting, BannerHill. Ennis' entire existance in Riverton is very bleak and fragmented anyway and to use Ennis' own words, "nowhere". Ennis is so alarmed at the end when Jack says, "all we got now is Brokeback Mountain." Brokeback Mountain is all Ennis ever had and to hear Jack disparage it so must have truly been gut wrenching for the poor man. Jack and the memories of the times they had on Brokeback were the only lightness in Ennis' dreary entity.
Re: Riverton: an editorial dream
by frozenbarbie (Sun Dec 24 2006 12:22:48 )
toycoon- Great post! Nice insight into Ennis' character.
I suppose (hope!) that Ennis was a bit comforted in the end to find out that Brokeback Mountain is where Jack wanted his ashes scattered since it was his "favorite place."
Re: Riverton: an editorial dream
by djo-17 (Mon Dec 25 2006 14:00:59 )
Hi toycoon: In a sense it could almost seem that Jack was kind of disparaging Brokeback Mountain, in this scene, but it doesn't seem that way, to me anyway.
I get the impression that Jack was referring back to those days, as a wonderful memory, and that now, that was all they had, the memories of that beautiful ...."cold time on the mountain when they owned the world and nothing seemed wrong"....
Jack seems to be telling Ennis that these memories are ALL they have now, and that he wanted much more than to be clinging to the memories of that summer. He wanted that "sweet life", which he had come to the sad realization wasn't going to happen with Ennis, at least anytime soon. I don't know, maybe I'm just being too optimistic here, but it's a thought anyway.
...."What we got now is Brokeback Mountain! Everything's built on that!"....
Doug O'Connor
Re: Riverton: an editorial dream
by BannerHill 6 days ago (Thu Jan 4 2007 22:17:43 )
<<We fill in the rest in our mind; like a dream.>>
I guess it's bad form to quote myself, But this triggered some thoughts.
Re: Riverton: an editorial dream
by LauraGigs 6 days ago (Thu Jan 4 2007 22:30:40 )
UPDATED Thu Jan 4 2007 22:33:26
"Jack seems to be telling Ennis that these memories are ALL they have now, and that he wanted much more than to be clinging to the memories of that summer."
I think that's really well put, Doug. Jack is denigrating the situation IMO, not Brokeback itself maybe.
The closest thing to an establishing shot of Riverton is when Ennis looks out the apartment window waiting for Jack, and there's a quick shot of this grayish, flat-as-hell parking lot — a total contrast to the mountains. (Makes me immediately think of the lyric "they paved paradise, put up a parking lot...")
Re: Riverton: an editorial dream
by djo-17 6 days ago (Thu Jan 4 2007 22:54:16 )
Laura: Excellent thoughts. I think Jack obviously loved Brokeback as a place. The "Dozy Embrace" scene gives me that impression. That was Ennis's and Jack's "Eden", where they were both truly happy.
OT: BTW, I'm hoping to be looking out of that same apartment window some day, if I get a chance to get down to "Riverton" (Fort MacLeod, AB.) In that scene, you can just catch a glimpse of "The Fort" in the upper right-hand of your screen. It is a dark brown log building. You can see one of the "towers" that are typical of a frontier fort. Apparently, you can ask for a "tour" by the owner of the apartment during "reasonable hours". There is more information on the findingbrokeback.com website. I used to pass through that whole area quite often a number of years ago. I've even eaten at the diner/bus depot where Ennis had his last conversation with Cassie. I believe it is now called "The Java Stop".
Gotta get there, hopefully this summer! (You can probably guess what I'm going to order at the diner!)
Doug O'Connor
Re: Riverton: an editorial dream
by Rontrigger 5 days ago (Fri Jan 5 2007 10:48:37 )
UPDATED Fri Jan 5 2007 10:51:10
Very interesting thread!
One thing I noticed that couldn't have been a coincidence was that big Elks Lodge in the next block over from Ennis & Alma's apartment. Which you see clearly when Ennis comes barreling around the corner in his truck, almost running over the extra who resembles Jack, and then again as that same extra passes in front of it during the "Nobody's eatin' it unless you're servin' it" scene.
And, of course, let's not forget "JT's Bar" next to the phone booth.
"You can't have Ennis without Jack."--Annie Proulx
Re: Riverton: an editorial dream
by BannerHill 4 days ago (Sun Jan 7 2007 04:17:02 )
<<of course, let's not forget "JT's Bar" next to the phone booth>>
Actually I had forgotten about that. It does show quite a bit of Riverton. Hmmmmmm
