Author Topic: Aguirre's office  (Read 8114 times)

Offline Penthesilea

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Aguirre's office
« on: January 11, 2008, 10:41:42 am »
From the Joe Aguirre thread:

I think his trailer office is particularly important.  If other folks have better images of his trailer interior... I'd be really grateful. :) There are so many details in this office and some crucial bits of information that get revealed at different times... especially the binoculars that he hangs on the wall behind him.  Of course, when Jack and Ennis are in his trailer together the binoculars are concealed in their case and when Jack comes back alone the next summer to ask for a job the binoculars are hanging in the same spot, but outside their case.  So, Jack is the only one who ever really understands the extent of Aguirre's ability to watch them... Ennis never even sees those binoculars at the beginning.  If Ennis had more of an idea about Aguirre's interest in watching them... I wonder how different things would have been between Jack and Ennis during their summer.



Here we go with the pics. I have increased the brightness very much so we're able to see the details. The first four pics are from 1963.
















Offline Penthesilea

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Re: Aguirre's office
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2008, 10:43:47 am »
The next three are one year later, when Jack returns and asks for work and Ennis.











Offline Penthesilea

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Re: Aguirre's office
« Reply #2 on: January 11, 2008, 12:10:49 pm »
One more pic from the second year:




Look at the blue container on the counter behind Jack's right arm (left side, seen from us). Is this another thermos? And maybe a lunch-box?
In the first year, we see Aguirre's thermos (another one, bigger and silver) prominently.
Calling FRiend Lee: tell us sumpthn about containers, will ya?  :-*



I find it interesting that Aguirre has not only one fan in his office, but two. The big one in the wall, which so deliberately begins to turn when Jack comes in the second year, directly with the  "Look what the wind blew in"  comment from Aguirre. And another one on the cabinet to the right, next to the orange lamp.


And what is this cable at the left wall for? It looks as if it came out of the clock. But I've never seen a wall clock with a cable.


I didn't find a pic where the Jackalope can be seen on which Aguirre puts his hat the first summer. Has anyone a pic from it?

Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: Aguirre's office
« Reply #3 on: January 11, 2008, 01:42:50 pm »
Thanks for these great images Chrissi!  These are just what I was hoping to see.  :)

It's definitely interesting to note that Aguirre has not one, but TWO fans behind him.  I hadn't realized that before seeing these pics.

:)

I also love the different shots that show how the binoculars look (both in and out of their case) hanging on the wall.  The binoculars combined with the sunglasses really emphasize the idea of Aguirre as the agent of the "look" or of "observation."




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Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: Aguirre's office
« Reply #4 on: April 30, 2008, 12:49:45 pm »


Heya,

I'm bumping this because Aguirre's office all of a sudden has become a hot topic again in the Confetti Quz thread.

:)


the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie

Offline serious crayons

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Re: Aguirre's office
« Reply #5 on: May 02, 2008, 01:41:36 pm »
Amanda, I just love the idea you advanced on the other thread that Aguirre's office could be a bookend to Jack's bedroom -- that is, a room that contains a microcosm of the story. Let's look around the place for images and try to figure it out!

For example, as you mentioned, the binoculars were not only a practical tool for observing Jack and Ennis, but they also symbolically represent "the eyes of society."

And the fans, of course, are symbolic of Jack.

The lamb/jackalope/whatever-it-is head on the wall -- could that be another symbolic representation, in cuter form, of the slaughtered lamb and thus of Earl and Jack?

I noticed just now that the two jackets hanging together on the coat rack to Jack's right are blue and tan.

And of course, we've discussed this before, but the sign outside encompasses the whole movie. "Trespassers will be shot. Survivors will be shot again." Jack and Ennis "trespassed," and Ennis, the survivor, was shot again with grief and guilt.

What else? The phone, the keys, the clipboards ...?



Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: Aguirre's office
« Reply #6 on: May 02, 2008, 02:17:27 pm »
Amanda, I just love the idea you advanced on the other thread that Aguirre's office could be a bookend to Jack's bedroom -- that is, a room that contains a microcosm of the story. Let's look around the place for images and try to figure it out!

For example, as you mentioned, the binoculars were not only a practical tool for observing Jack and Ennis, but they also symbolically represent "the eyes of society."

And the fans, of course, are symbolic of Jack.

The lamb/jackalope/whatever-it-is head on the wall -- could that be another symbolic representation, in cuter form, of the slaughtered lamb and thus of Earl and Jack?

I noticed just now that the two jackets hanging together on the coat rack to Jack's right are blue and tan.

And of course, we've discussed this before, but the sign outside encompasses the whole movie. "Trespassers will be shot. Survivors will be shot again." Jack and Ennis "trespassed," and Ennis, the survivor, was shot again with grief and guilt.

What else? The phone, the keys, the clipboards ...?


Thanks K!  These are all really interesting observations.  I love that you note the two jackets hanging together.

Aguirre's offics is so loaded with details, I've always been curious about what some of them might mean.


One thing that might be significant, in addition to the things you've already mentioned, is the coffee thermos. Of course, coffee is such a big theme and this seems to be the first introduction.  Also the structure of a thermos is interesting when you think about all the previous discussions that have gone on about coffeepots and vessels (i.e. buckets, etc.).  A thermos intrinsically combines the "coffeepot" (or the container part the holds the coffee) and the vessel out of which you drink (or the vessel that catches the coffee).  Maybe I'm pushing this too far... but there could be something interesting in that.  Or, additionally, there are two trash cans behind Jack (one large can and a smaller rectilinear one), which may also play into the bucket theme.


I'm also curious about the large white thing on the counter behind Jack... is that a small refrigerator?  And then, next to that, built into the wall there appear to be vents (maybe heating vents?).  I wonder if this is a situation where weather or natural things like snow or fire are being represented in man-made form.






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Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Aguirre's office
« Reply #7 on: May 02, 2008, 02:23:06 pm »
Calling FRiend Lee: tell us sumpthn about containers, will ya?  :-*

I think friend Amanda said it better than I could!!

"chewing gum and duct tape"

Offline Penthesilea

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Re: Aguirre's office
« Reply #8 on: May 02, 2008, 04:54:50 pm »
I'm also curious about the large white thing on the counter behind Jack... is that a small refrigerator? 

For two years I've thought it's a safe. Only a few days ago I noticed it looks more like a fridge than a safe.



Another detail that's intriguing me is the note on the wall next to Ennis. We can read "I've never - "




First I connected Aguirre with this note and thought of a 'saying' (not really a saying) sometimes seen in pubs in Germany that goes something like (paraphrasing): "I've never lend money to anyone and I won't start with you." I connected the note with Aguirre never doing anything friendly for anyone.

But lately I connect the note with Ennis and him still being a virgin: "I've never" (yet!  ;D)


Oh, and one other thing:
the lamp on Aguirre's desk looks like a spaceship to me. Does anyone remember those models of spaceships sold years ago? Mostly of the Enterprise?
It really looks out of place and too big. Aguirre has not only a big-ass pair of binoculars, he also has a too big lamp to be able to see everything. Aguirre the God-like figure who sees everything.

Offline brokeplex

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Re: Aguirre's office
« Reply #9 on: May 03, 2008, 08:26:01 pm »
For two years I've thought it's a safe. Only a few days ago I noticed it looks more like a fridge than a safe.



Another detail that's intriguing me is the note on the wall next to Ennis. We can read "I've never - "




First I connected Aguirre with this note and thought of a 'saying' (not really a saying) sometimes seen in pubs in Germany that goes something like (paraphrasing): "I've never lend money to anyone and I won't start with you." I connected the note with Aguirre never doing anything friendly for anyone.

But lately I connect the note with Ennis and him still being a virgin: "I've never" (yet!  ;D)


Oh, and one other thing:
the lamp on Aguirre's desk looks like a spaceship to me. Does anyone remember those models of spaceships sold years ago? Mostly of the Enterprise?
It really looks out of place and too big. Aguirre has not only a big-ass pair of binoculars, he also has a too big lamp to be able to see everything. Aguirre the God-like figure who sees everything.

wow, thanks for noticing these details! that note would be consistent with his handmade warning sign out front: "tresspassers will be shot and survivors will be shot again".

Offline Fran

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Re: Aguirre's office
« Reply #10 on: May 03, 2008, 10:55:56 pm »
I didn't find a pic where the Jackalope can be seen on which Aguirre puts his hat the first summer. Has anyone a pic from it?

Here's the jackalope -- courtesy of Toast (who found it for Paul, who posted it in the ABCs game).



Offline Fran

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Re: Aguirre's office
« Reply #11 on: May 03, 2008, 11:16:31 pm »


Joe's apparently serious about shooting trespassers.  There's a rifle near the case for his binoculars.

Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: Aguirre's office
« Reply #12 on: May 05, 2008, 11:59:21 am »


This thread really is eye-opening.   :o :D

I'm so glad this topic has been revived!  I've seriously never noticed the sign behind Ennis's head (that's awesome!!)  and I've never noticed the rifle either.

Somehow the phrase "I've never..." echoes the phrase "I swear..." from the end too.  It's one of those half-finished sentences that could mean any number of things.

The more we look at this office the more interesting it is!  Aside fromt the crucial difference between how the binoculars look in the beginning meeting (inside their case) vs. how they look when Jack comes back alone the next year (outside their case)... I wonder how much the office has changed or if there are any other significant differences that could be noted?


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Re: Aguirre's office
« Reply #13 on: October 13, 2008, 12:35:07 am »
Aguirre's office is fascinating!!
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Offline chowhound

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Re: Aguirre's office
« Reply #14 on: October 13, 2008, 04:39:12 pm »
Can anyone make out what Aguirre is wearing on his right hand? Is it a ring of some sort? You can see it most clearly in the photograph where he has both his hands on his desk. To my eyes it looks blue.

Offline Penthesilea

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Re: Aguirre's office
« Reply #15 on: October 14, 2008, 06:23:40 am »
Can anyone make out what Aguirre is wearing on his right hand? Is it a ring of some sort? You can see it most clearly in the photograph where he has both his hands on his desk. To my eyes it looks blue.

I've seen people referring to it as a class ring (grad ring) from high school.

In the pic, it is to small to see and in the blow-up it gets too blurry to be sure how the ring looks like. I'd say it's a ring with a big turquoise. See yourself:




Offline chowhound

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Re: Aguirre's office
« Reply #16 on: October 15, 2008, 04:33:16 pm »
I've seen people referring to it as a class ring (grad ring) from high school.

In the pic, it is to small to see and in the blow-up it gets too blurry to be sure how the ring looks like. I'd say it's a ring with a big turquoise. See yourself:





Hi Penthesilea,
     Many thanks for the enlarged shots.
     However, as I don't live in the US, I'm not sure about the significance of the class or grad ring. I assume it's given - or you can buy it - on graduation from high school, right?  Do many men do this and continue to wear it in later years? Was it more popular in earlier years than it is now? I assume Aguirre is around forty - do you? - so if that's about right he must have graduated in the early forties and have been wearing the ring for some time.
     Of course, if it is a high school graduation ring, it places Aguirre in the middle of the educational hierarchy of BbM. Jack and Ennis would be at ther botttom as neither graduated from high school. In the middle would be Aguirre with his high school graduation ring. Then at the top would be, not a man but a woman, Lureen,
with her college degree. Lureen, is in many ways the "new woman", not only in terms of her education as compared to Alma, but in the sexual forwardness she displays on meeting Jack and her ability to run a business.
     So letting us know that Aguirre, through the ring he is wearing, is a high school graduate may have a point to make in the overall "sociology" of BbM. I know that a lot of attention went into small details. One of my favourite examples of costuming detail comes from an interview Devora Brown, a costume designer for BbM, gave to the Calgary Herald earlier this year:

 
 
Faces of Calgary Film
Calgary Herald
Published: Friday, April 18, 2008

- Name: Devora Brown

- Job: Costume designer/costume truck supervisor/stylist

- What do you do? "As a costume designer, I meet with the director and production designer to help figure out the overall look of the show, then buy and build the clothing. As costume truck supervisor I dress the actors."

- Largest number of costumes on one set: "On Jesse James we had hundreds and hundreds of extras -- they were dressing 500 people."

- Favourite wardrobe creation? "My favourite costume from a show was from Brokeback Mountain. The scene where Heath (Ledger) and Michelle (Williams) get married. Heath is wearing blue jeans and a suit jacket, and his best man is wearing the matching trousers of the two-piece suit. It is such lovely attention to detail."

It is indeed a lovely way of showing that Ennis and his brother were so poor that they could only afford to hire one wedding suit which they then divided between the two of them. However, before reading this interview, I'd never spotted this lovely detail of the divided suit.

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Re: Heath's wedding suit
« Reply #17 on: October 15, 2008, 04:43:26 pm »
What a great detail about the costuming, chow!! Amazing follow-through on the theme all the way down to the best man!
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Offline optom3

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Re: Heath's wedding suit
« Reply #18 on: October 15, 2008, 05:23:52 pm »
What a great detail about the costuming, chow!! Amazing follow-through on the theme all the way down to the best man!


WOW ! In all the times I have watched BBM, I have never notice that Ennis wa wearing Jeans not suit trousers.What detailing, but what a shame that as I suspect, I may not be the ony one not to notice this.

I was too upset at Ennis going ahead and getting married. immediately after the alley scene.

Offline mariez

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Re: Aguirre's office
« Reply #19 on: October 15, 2008, 05:27:47 pm »

- Favourite wardrobe creation? "My favourite costume from a show was from Brokeback Mountain. The scene where Heath (Ledger) and Michelle (Williams) get married. Heath is wearing blue jeans and a suit jacket, and his best man is wearing the matching trousers of the two-piece suit. It is such lovely attention to detail."

It is indeed a lovely way of showing that Ennis and his brother were so poor that they could only afford to hire one wedding suit which they then divided between the two of them. However, before reading this interview, I'd never spotted this lovely detail of the divided suit.

Devora Brown sure knows her job!  And if that doesn't prove that nothing was left to chance in the movie, nothing does!   That certainly is a lovely, and meaningful, detail.  Thanks for sharing this!

Marie
The measure of a country's greatness is its ability to retain compassion in times of crisis         ~~~~~~~~~Thurgood Marshall

The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself.    ~~~~~~~~~ Mark Twain