Author Topic: TOTW 15/07: Short story or movie, which one do you prefer?  (Read 39283 times)

Offline brokeplex

  • BetterMost Supporter!
  • BetterMost 5000+ Posts Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 7,247
  • LCARS
Re: TOTW 15/07: Short story or movie, which one do you prefer?
« Reply #50 on: December 02, 2007, 03:04:14 pm »
I forgot! As far as saying that I prefer the movie or the book, that is one reason maybe that the book might be better?

Hugs!

The short story definitely has its positive points and can be read at many different levels. anti-gay really is not one of them.

Artiste, in the movie do you remember the scenes in Jack Twists' home in Childress Texas? I am going to ask you a question because I know that you are a very accomplished artist who sells your paintings for top dollar.  I looked at the prices that your paintings are selling for on line. WOW!
 My question: Do you think that the decor in the Twist's home was tacky to the point of being a parody of nouveau riche Texans? I do, so maybe I should view Brokeback the movie as anti-Texan? hhhhhmmmmmmm.....????

Offline Artiste

  • The BetterMost 10,000 Post Club
  • ********
  • Posts: 15,998
Re: TOTW 15/07: Short story or movie, which one do you prefer?
« Reply #51 on: December 02, 2007, 08:09:52 pm »
Thanks brokeplex!

Wow, you sure pose a question there! You ask me a puzzle, indeed!

I always figure that that scene in Jack's parents' home, inside is like a painting, utmostly known like the ones with the man and woman with the fork, which title was it again? Mr.and Mrs. Twist are such figures of that painting? As an producer, I could not have choosen better physical and stern looking and acting actors as these two!! Wow, wow!!


And the outside of it, like the one from the Pennsylvania artist where the lady is on the side on the hill and the house is seen from afar; forgotten that titled and name of the artist, even if I lived there nearby.

Of course, other paintings will come to mind too. You too?

Even if my paintings seem to be expensive to you, they are not so, since they are worth much, much more $ wise, plus otherwise as for humanity!! That is another subject for later on... OK?

I am glad that you bring that up about my paintings and of others, to think about the Twist's house and home!!
Remember the word stern that I used!! It is always BM movie! Is it the book too??

You might think that the decor is tacky, to use your word, for the Twist' home, but then  many were and much still is to-day, as I entered numerous house travelling all over USA and Canada... plus I had delivered newspapers which allowed me to enter and even babysit at some places. Boy, did I see many places which were REALLY the BM movie!!

Hugs!



Offline brokeplex

  • BetterMost Supporter!
  • BetterMost 5000+ Posts Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 7,247
  • LCARS
Re: TOTW 15/07: Short story or movie, which one do you prefer?
« Reply #52 on: December 02, 2007, 08:31:17 pm »
No Artiste, not the Twist home in Lightning Flat, Wy. The Jack Twist home in Childress, TX. And, you know that I am joking about BM being anti-Texan...right? But I am still interested in your impression of the Twist home in Childress, TX

Offline Front-Ranger

  • BetterMost Moderator
  • The BetterMost 10,000 Post Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 30,288
  • Brokeback got us good.
Re: TOTW 15/07: Short story or movie, which one do you prefer?
« Reply #53 on: December 02, 2007, 09:08:09 pm »
I grew up in Kansas, not Texas, in the '60s, and the Jack Twist house is a dead ringer for my childhood home. It is very faithful to the post-war newly affluent suburban Midwest lifestyle of that time.

"chewing gum and duct tape"

Offline brokeplex

  • BetterMost Supporter!
  • BetterMost 5000+ Posts Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 7,247
  • LCARS
Re: TOTW 15/07: Short story or movie, which one do you prefer?
« Reply #54 on: December 02, 2007, 09:34:30 pm »
I grew up in Kansas, not Texas, in the '60s, and the Jack Twist house is a dead ringer for my childhood home. It is very faithful to the post-war newly affluent suburban Midwest lifestyle of that time.



Really, in Kansas? Even with the fake cactus lamps, and the weird desert motifs in the wallpaper? To me its a little over the top, not that a loving home can't be found with all that Southwestern decor and strangely mismatched colors?. I just don't remember seeing a house  in Texas or anywhere with that type of furnsihings, it looks like it was expensive, I just thought it was kinda weird. When I was younger during the same time period as you, I remember decor similar to what we see in Alma's house after she divorced Ennis and married the grocer. Kind of heavy on the polished wood and stone, and brick....brick......brick......everywhere. Warm and "homey".

Since I'm in my 'decor' mode, I'll ask one more question. What did you think of the decor in Alma's apt with Ennis in Riverton? I thought that was right on target for a poor young married couple with a young child. The Singer sewing machine over in the corner, the red Betty Crocker cookbook on the drainboard, the plastic glued on vanity cabinets in bathroom. Wow, I think Ang Lee sure got that one right!
« Last Edit: December 03, 2007, 10:57:32 pm by brokeplex »

Offline Front-Ranger

  • BetterMost Moderator
  • The BetterMost 10,000 Post Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 30,288
  • Brokeback got us good.
Re: TOTW 15/07: Short story or movie, which one do you prefer?
« Reply #55 on: December 02, 2007, 10:09:07 pm »
What did you think of the decor in Alma's apt with Ennis in Riverton? I thought that was right on target for a poor young married couple with a young child. The Singer sewing machine over in the corner, the red Betty Crocker cookbook on the drainboard, the plastic glued on vanity cabinets in bathroom. Wow, I think Ang Lee sure got that one right!

I agree! From what I've read, he and his wife were in a similar situation  when he was young and studying at the University of Chicago and later in New York. Minus the rural aspect, of course! Alma's prominently displayed sewing machine, along with her knitting, made me think of her as a kind of Penelope character, waiting for her man to come home, or more to the point, to his senses. And in the opposite corner was a chilling tryptich--a vacumn cleaner (a reminder of Jack, since he is associated with the wind), a water heater (ditto, Jack was associated with water), and, most chilling of all, an iron on an ironing board!!  :'(
"chewing gum and duct tape"

Offline brokeplex

  • BetterMost Supporter!
  • BetterMost 5000+ Posts Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 7,247
  • LCARS
Re: TOTW 15/07: Short story or movie, which one do you prefer?
« Reply #56 on: December 02, 2007, 10:24:17 pm »
I agree! From what I've read, he and his wife were in a similar situation  when he was young and studying at the University of Chicago and later in New York. Minus the rural aspect, of course! Alma's prominently displayed sewing machine, along with her knitting, made me think of her as a kind of Penelope character, waiting for her man to come home, or more to the point, to his senses. And in the opposite corner was a chilling tryptich--a vacumn cleaner (a reminder of Jack, since he is associated with the wind), a water heater (ditto, Jack was associated with water), and, most chilling of all, an iron on an ironing board!!  :'(


Thanks! Wow that is very good. Front Ranger! ....we see more and more into this movie......Ennis as Ulysses, Jack as hmmmmmmm, I don't know? one of the sirens that lured nearly lured the crew to their deaths........ I have become obsessed with the deeper meanings of the movie and the short story.

Offline Artiste

  • The BetterMost 10,000 Post Club
  • ********
  • Posts: 15,998
Re: TOTW 15/07: Short story or movie, which one do you prefer?
« Reply #57 on: December 03, 2007, 12:07:20 am »
Thanks Front-Ranger, and thanks brokeplex!!

You two bring up much, to my surprise about decor. I am really happy about your questions and details you two provide. I always wanted to do such decor, especially paintings for films. I still dream of doing it... but since one I went out with was a gay man like I am, and that Walt Disney studios became anti-gay after Walt died, I became disintered! (Did you know that Walt got his idea here in Canada?)

I have sold some decor itemsfor movies, some I know about, because most I do not name the films since these sales have been indirect.  I do not know if any were in the BM movie. One big movie I know about, but I have not seen yet.

During my Montreal exhibition of my paintings I created, I had a spectator who does designs of decor for movies (USA...). I have her address and plan to contact her, and ask her if she had seen the BM movie or did one or more of those decors.

In my Los Angeles studio days, I did meet often decor persons for movies, but I did not ask, unfortunately. I regret that I do not even remember their names to-day! They showed black and white silent movies at their residence, often, which I learned to like very much. One such actor is or was a relative of mine... it seems. Others I knew in LA were actors, art critic about movies, etc., but I do not know if any of my relatives are in the movie industry these days... even if many still live in California!

Do I like the movie or the book better?? Boy, now I have to consider decors!! Wow, such is a welcomed challenge you give me brokeplex and Front-Ranger!! The adventure continues... is the book detailed for decors??

Hugs!! Hugs!!

Offline serious crayons

  • Moderator
  • The BetterMost 10,000 Post Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 22,712
Re: TOTW 15/07: Short story or movie, which one do you prefer?
« Reply #58 on: December 03, 2007, 01:42:37 am »
I think all of the movie's decors are really fabulous depictions of time and socio-economic level and character, along with little movie/story-oriented metaphors and clues. It's amazing that a movie directed by a non-American can be so consistently spot-on with Americana details.

One question about Jack and Lureen's house, Brokeplex. Do you think it's tacky in an inherent sense, or is it tacky to our contemporary eyes because it's so '70s?


Offline Artiste

  • The BetterMost 10,000 Post Club
  • ********
  • Posts: 15,998
Re: TOTW 15/07: Short story or movie, which one do you prefer?
« Reply #59 on: December 03, 2007, 10:36:03 am »
We can and must congratulate the ones who created such decors!!

At least, I do... so far. I know that some were OK for me. Since you ask brokeplex, you will get my answer  as I will later on review the film.

Were they on Bettermost these decor persons??

Hugs!!