Author Topic: Randall really is...  (Read 17791 times)

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: Randall really is...
« Reply #20 on: June 21, 2006, 09:46:45 am »
Both Randall and Monroe look better in real life, but hot is stretching it, in my view.

I agree with you about Scott Michael Campbell (Monroe) (I'd call him cute), but David Harbour looks much better with that beard and mustache. In fact, seeing him with and without is a good argument in favor of facial hair!  ;D  Without the facial hair, he really does remind me of Boris Karloff, who, of course, was the original Frankenstein monster (the prototype of Herman Munster).
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Offline serious crayons

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Re: Randall really is...
« Reply #21 on: June 21, 2006, 11:55:25 am »
I think Randall, Monroe and Jimbo are all unhot for a reason -- the better to emphasize the hotness of our heroes (not that that needs much emphasizing, I realize). It's kind of similar to the long-honored tradition of having best friends of leading characters be relatively plain, otherwise known as the Lucy Ricardo/Ethel Mertz syndrome.

But clearly -- based on appearance, anyway -- Randall would be a step down for Jack, Monroe was a step down for Alma, and Jimbo was no great loss.


Offline JCinNYC2006

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Re: Randall really is...
« Reply #22 on: June 21, 2006, 01:22:23 pm »
Randall would be a step down when you compare him to Ennis, of course!  But the guy who plays Monroe does actually seem a lot less dowdy in real life.  Out of these two, who's more attractive?
« Last Edit: June 21, 2006, 01:27:27 pm by JCinNYC2006 »
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Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: Randall really is...
« Reply #23 on: June 21, 2006, 01:27:42 pm »
I think Randall, Monroe and Jimbo are all unhot for a reason -- the better to emphasize the hotness of our heroes (not that that needs much emphasizing, I realize). It's kind of similar to the long-honored tradition of having best friends of leading characters be relatively plain, otherwise known as the Lucy Ricardo/Ethel Mertz syndrome.

But clearly -- based on appearance, anyway -- Randall would be a step down for Jack, Monroe was a step down for Alma, and Jimbo was no great loss.

While we all have our own tastes, I would argue that in terms of appearance, Randall couldn't be--and isn't--a very big step down for Jack, or else there would be no conflict for Jack to deal with. For dramatic purposes Randall has to be at least reasonably attractive, and I think he is. (Take off the facial hair, and that's another matter. ...) If Randall looked like, say, Timmy (Ennis's coworker on the road crew), his approach to Jack would be farcical, where what is needed is a plausible threat.
« Last Edit: June 21, 2006, 02:10:14 pm by Jeff Wrangler »
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Offline serious crayons

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Re: Randall really is...
« Reply #24 on: June 21, 2006, 01:41:44 pm »
While we all have our own tastes, I would argue that in terms of appearance, Randall couldn't be--and isn't--a very big step down for Jack, or else there would be no conflict for Jack to deal with. For dramatic purposes Randall has to be at least reasonably attractive, and I think he is. (Take off the facial, and that's another matter. ...) If Randall looked like, say, Timmy (Ennis's coworker on the road crew), his approach to Jack would be farcical, where what is needed is a plausible threat.

Well, I would argue that in terms of appearance every man on the planet is a big step down from Ennis (present company excepted, of course  :)).

But you're right, we all have our own tastes. Timmy isn't just a step down, he's the whole staircase down -- he's intended to be so ludicrously unattractive he's not even fun to work with, let alone share a tent with. So in that context, yes, Randall is at least a viable candidate. For that matter, so are Jimbo and Monroe.


Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: Randall really is...
« Reply #25 on: June 21, 2006, 02:17:14 pm »
Well, I would argue that in terms of appearance every man on the planet is a big step down from Ennis (present company excepted, of course  :)).

Pffffft!  ::)

Quote
But you're right, we all have our own tastes. Timmy isn't just a step down, he's the whole staircase down -- he's intended to be so ludicrously unattractive he's not even fun to work with, let alone share a tent with. So in that context, yes, Randall is at least a viable candidate. For that matter, so are Jimbo and Monroe.

Tell you what, I think they could have found somebody better looking, or with a hunkier body, for Jimbo (ref. the various "Hot Guys" threads over at "Anything Goes"  ;D). I've always figured Monroe's attractiveness to Alma was his attentiveness, at least mainly.
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Offline Kd5000

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Re: Randall really is...
« Reply #26 on: June 21, 2006, 03:19:48 pm »
Actually, I thought Jimbo and Randall were a much more accurate portrayal of what males on the western plains look like. When I first saw them, I thought, ah those must be real locals from Alberta. Their look is the exact opposite of the so-called metrosexual look.  I mean the harsh climate and outdoorsey lifestyle make you look windburnt and haggard. We are talking rural and blue-collar, not exactly the Hollywood look.  Of course, the women compensate with heavy utilization of makeup and preocuupation with hair maintenance and spending lots of movie on clothing in Dallas or Denver.

I thought that Jake had been miscast as he too much of a pretty boy to be a cowboy, Heath to a lesser extent.  Of course, in love stories, you like the lovers to be attractive, unless it's a veteran actor or actress whose doing a swan song performance or something.   

moremojo

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Re: Randall really is...
« Reply #27 on: June 21, 2006, 05:34:42 pm »
My own two cents' worth:

I think David Harbour is an attractive man, and, in my opinion, looks even better sans facial hair. Randall is a masculine guy, with a seemingly pleasant temperant, who expresses interest in Jack--all undoubted pluses in Jack's book. Randall seems like the kind of person that could grow on you over time. We BBM fans tend not to be partial to him in large part, I would reckon, because he's not Ennis, the real and abiding love of Jack's heart. But Randall is a human being with feelings, too (listen to me, rhapsodizing like this over FICTIONAL characters!), and making his way through existence hoping to snatch little moments of happiness like any of us. In his longing and vulnerability, he becomes, as we all do when reflecting the quintessence of our being, beautiful.

Scott

Offline serious crayons

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Re: Randall really is...
« Reply #28 on: June 21, 2006, 07:39:12 pm »
But Randall is a human being with feelings, too (listen to me, rhapsodizing like this over FICTIONAL characters!), and making his way through existence hoping to snatch little moments of happiness like any of us.

Well, sure. Randall seems like a nice guy. So does Monroe. (Not Jimbo, though.)

Tell you what, I think they could have found somebody better looking, or with a hunkier body, for Jimbo (ref. the various "Hot Guys" threads over at "Anything Goes"  ;D). I've always figured Monroe's attractiveness to Alma was his attentiveness, at least mainly.

I was too busy disliking Jimbo to notice whether his body was hunky or not. But I think he's supposed to look somewhat like Ennis from across a bar (white hat, light-colored shirt) and not at alll like Ennis up close. I don't think he's supposed to be hot. His appearance helps suggest that Jack would be "settling" -- and in fact, didn't even get the opportunity to settle (illustrating the frustrations of being gay and single in his millieu and helping explain why he went for Lureen)!

As for Randall, I agree that he's supposed to be at least a viable possibility for Jack, but not so hot that he represents serious competition for Ennis, outside of his apparent availability. Of course appearance would be just part of his potential appeal, but it's the attribute that's easiest to convey in the little time we have to spend with Randall, so the filmmakers have to rely heavily on it.

And yeah, I think Monroe's attractiveness to Alma was probably some combination of attentiveness, financial stability, reliability and heterosexuality.

I thought that Jake had been miscast as he too much of a pretty boy to be a cowboy, Heath to a lesser extent.   

But surely SOME men in the West happen to be born good-looking. Setting aside whatever cosmetic enhancements Jake and Heath may have at their disposal, couldn't they as easily have come from Wyoming?

Anyway, Annie Proulx obviously had in mind a far more realistically gritty appearance for her two cowboys. Oddly enough, in all the debates I've seen on this board about the pros and cons of changes made by the filmmakers, I don't see too many complaints about that one ...  ;)

Offline j.U.d.E.

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Re: Randall really is...
« Reply #29 on: June 21, 2006, 07:41:39 pm »
My own two cents' worth:

I think David Harbour is an attractive man, and, in my opinion, looks even better sans facial hair. Randall is a masculine guy, with a seemingly pleasant temperant, who expresses interest in Jack--all undoubted pluses in Jack's book. Randall seems like the kind of person that could grow on you over time. We BBM fans tend not to be partial to him in large part, I would reckon, because he's not Ennis, the real and abiding love of Jack's heart. But Randall is a human being with feelings, too (listen to me, rhapsodizing like this over FICTIONAL characters!), and making his way through existence hoping to snatch little moments of happiness like any of us. In his longing and vulnerability, he becomes, as we all do when reflecting the quintessence of our being, beautiful.

Scott
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