SOTW 14/08: Containers and Containment

[belbbmfan]

for what its worth here is a list of every possible phallic image that I could find in the film:



that is all I can find with only one viewing.

 

Just from one viewing hun? I'm impressed! 

[belbbmfan]

So strictly for research purposes ,I will force myself to watch the film again, for containers, open or closed,upright or knocked over.Goodness what a drag,how will I sit through it again!!!!!!!!
Especially as I had a full day of washing,ironing and cleaning planned.

 

Any new insights? About the movie I mean, not the washing, ironing or cleaning. 

[Front-Ranger]

for what its worth here is a list of every possible phallic image that I could find in the film:

cattle trucks in intro - horizontal phallus
sheep trailers - horizontal phallus
telephone poles, light poles and fence posts
solo pines on mountain
church steeple in Signal
Randy Quaid's nose
cigarettes
long neck beer bottles
thermoses
rifle barrels
...that is all I can find with only one viewing.

 

And I thought I had it bad!!...

You forgot the hanger, described in the story thusly, "as a coat hanger is straightened to open a locked car and then bent again to its original shape"

[brokeplex]

And I thought I had it bad!!...

You forgot the hanger, described in the story thusly, "as a coat hanger is straightened to open a locked car and then bent again to its original shape"

    good point, but you see, I haven't yet reviewed the ss for "phallic imagery". just the film. I'll try looking at the ss before the end of the week.

[Front-Ranger]

Oh, I'm starting to warm up to this topic!! Yes, the story is a rich resource. But also the hanger appears in the movie, most notably as the question mark pressing into Ennis's face as he hugs the shirts.

Not a phallic symbol but a powerful symbol of sexual potency is the beans that Ennis loves and Jack tolerates. This symbol, only mentioned in the story, is expanded (hehe) in the movie for effect. Beans are an ancient Asian symbol of potency. You may recall the story of Jack and the Beanstalk where Jack planted some magic beans which grew into a GIANT beanstalk that reached up into the sky to the abode of a GIANT. Possible clue to the origin of Jack's name?? ??

[brokeplex]

Oh, I'm starting to warm up to this topic!! Yes, the story is a rich resource. But also the hanger appears in the movie, most notably as the question mark pressing into Ennis's face as he hugs the shirts.

Not a phallic symbol but a powerful symbol of sexual potency is the beans that Ennis loves and Jack tolerates. This symbol, only mentioned in the story, is expanded (hehe) in the movie for effect. Beans are an ancient Asian symbol of potency. You may recall the story of Jack and the Beanstalk where Jack planted some magic beans which grew into a GIANT beanstalk that reached up into the sky to the abode of a GIANT. Possible clue to the origin of Jack's name?? ??

excellent references. I didn't know about the bean is an Asian symbol of potency. The hanger as a "question mark", I hadn't noticed this. I will look for it. 
"Jack" and the bean stalk, that certainly could be one of the reasons for AP's choice of the name jack. The bean stalk also being a phallic image.  I understand that AP was  looking for character names used in classic pulp westerns and came across Jack Twist. Makes sense as a name at least subliminally noticeable as being from a story such as Louis L'Amour would have written. Del Mar also sounds like an appropriately western name. I noticed that the name Ennis in the Irish language means "island". Of course "del mar" in Spanish means  "from the sea". So Ennis del Mar would be suggestive of an island isolated in a deep body of water. that is certainly appropriate for Ennis.  Of course the very name "Twist" as in twisted,  and the fact that he grew up in Crook County WY have many levels of meanings.