Life and this movie are messy

[Front-Ranger]

Today I'm thinking about the prologue and it's interesting that Jack pees in the woods (with firelight glittering in the arched stream), while Ennis pees in a sink.

[moremojo]

Today I'm thinking about the prologue and it's interesting that Jack pees in the woods (with firelight glittering in the arched stream), while Ennis pees in a sink.

In the short story, we read of both young men urinating in each other's presence on the mountain, with the liquid sparkling golden in the fire's light. In the film, interestingly enough, we only ever bear witness to Jack urinating (more inferred than actually seen), and it is indeed on the mountain. I think in both story and film, the act of urinating in the presence of the other might suggest the great comfort the two men feel with each other.

All acts of urination in the story seem to be tinged with an air of the illicit or the gauche: Ennis relieving himself in the sink (suggesting gaucheness or laziness), the two lads letting loose on Brokeback (illustrating freedom from restraint), and Old Man Twist's humiliating inundation of his young son (an abusive act redolent of contempt and sexual sadism).

[Front-Ranger]

From the story's prologue:

[Ennis] gets up, scratching the grey wedge of belly and pubic hair, shuffles to the gas burner, pours leftover coffee in a chipped enamel pan; the flame swathes it in blue. He turns on the tap and urinates in the sink, pulls on his shirt and jeans, his worn boots, stamping the heels against the floor to get them full on.

This starts the story out on a depressing note. Ennis is a washed up guy who shuffles, settles for warmed over leftover coffee, pees in the sink, and hurriedly pulls on worn boots. The only thing that stands out here is the flame that swathes the coffee in its blue flame. Blue is a reminder of Jack, and the flame tells us that Ennis still carries the torch for Jack after all these years.

[moremojo]

Ennis is a washed up guy who shuffles, settles for warmed over leftover coffee, pees in the sink, and hurriedly pulls on worn boots.

Notice how no mention is made of Ennis donning underwear or socks, just as years (decades) earlier, Jack noted their absence when Ennis undressed in preparation for bathing on Brokeback. This adds emphasis to Ennis's poverty throughout his life.

Blue is a reminder of Jack,...

Blue is very much associated with movie-Jack, but is the story's character specifically linked to this color? (I'm sorry, I don't have the short story in front of me, and cannot recall such this specific element right now).

[HerrKaiser]

Obviously, the short story came first, and in spite of the author's endorsement of the screenplay, had Larry McMurtry not done his Hollywoodization and had Lee not selected two young, very attractive men to play the roles, I think the love affair the the film, and Ledger and Gyllenhall specifically, would be much less.

neither man was as the book described them to be physically, in terms of standard sex appeal. So, it is hard to compare such aspects from the story vs the screenplay, in my opinion.

[Front-Ranger]

Notice how no mention is made of Ennis donning underwear or socks, just as years (decades) earlier, Jack noted their absence when Ennis undressed in preparation for bathing on Brokeback. This adds emphasis to Ennis's poverty throughout his life.

Blue is very much associated with movie-Jack, but is the story's character specifically linked to this color? (I'm sorry, I don't have the short story in front of me, and cannot recall such this specific element right now).

Yes, I did notice this Scott, and I thought it was interesting that the author implies that Ennis sleeps in the buff. For some citations to blue and Jack in the story, see posts in this topic over on the Arts & Entertainment forum.

Generally, I have been struck by how often I have noticed something in the movie and when I went back to the story, it's in the story too!!

[Penthesilea]

Notice how no mention is made of Ennis donning underwear or socks, just as years (decades) earlier, Jack noted their absence when Ennis undressed in preparation for bathing on Brokeback. This adds emphasis to Ennis's poverty throughout his life.Blue is very much associated with movie-Jack, but is the story's character specifically linked to this color? (I'm sorry, I don't have the short story in front of me, and cannot recall such this specific element right now).

Yes, I did notice this Scott, and I thought it was interesting that the author implies that Ennis sleeps in the buff. For some citations to blue and Jack in the story, see posts in this topic over on the Arts & Entertainment forum.

Good observation Scott about Ennis not donning underwear or socks. I hadn't nocticed it.

But could it be that he just slept in his underwear and therefore didn't don it in the morning? I always had an image on my mind of Ennis in drawers and tank-top undershirt, pushing the undershirt up while scratching his belly.
Maybe that's just because this is what men do. This is how I am used to seeing men: sleeping in their underware, yawning and scratching their belly (must be their second favorite thing to do after grabbing their private parts    ).

But after your posts I read the first sentences again and now I think you are both right

Generally, I have been struck by how often I have noticed something in the movie and when I went back to the story, it's in the story too!!

I hear you FRiend. Just five minutes ago, while re-reading the first sentences of the prologue, I had another revelation of something I had seen in the movie, but had not noticed in the story yet. Just looking for a thread where it fits in.

[Front-Ranger]

Maybe that's just because this is what men do. This is how I am used to seeing men: sleeping in their underware, yawning and scratching their belly (must be their second favorite thing to do after grabbing their private parts    ).

I thought it was farting??

Looking forward to seeing your new topic, Chrissi!!

[Marge_Innavera]

Obviously, the short story came first, and in spite of the author's endorsement of the screenplay, had Larry McMurtry not done his Hollywoodization and had Lee not selected two young, very attractive men to play the roles, I think the love affair the the film, and Ledger and Gyllenhall specifically, would be much less.

neither man was as the book described them to be physically, in terms of standard sex appeal. So, it is hard to compare such aspects from the story vs the screenplay, in my opinion.

I've had my moments of getting het-up about a favorite book being changed for a film. But they are two different media, and what works in one wouldn't work in another. IMO the casting as well as the slight change in the ending was less "Hollywoodization" than it was adaptation; e.g., the story was a very bleak one and with the added impact of sound and visuals that a movie brings, what was haunting in the story could be very off-putting in the film.

It was a matter of making choices as to what they wanted to do. If Ang Lee et al. had wanted a limited run in small theatres they would have done it a different way and the film would have been more 'purist' but I doubt it would be so extensively discussed and I'm not sure that anyone would be saying they were inspired or their lives changed by it.

[Marge_Innavera]

And regarding the use of the word stink: I love it. I love how Annie Proulx doesn't mince matters and is frank and outspoken in her descriptions of smells.
It's how the world is and how people are: messy at times. And people stink at times.
We often stated how real this movie feels, how real Ennis and Jack are for us. In the story, these descriptions play a part in creating this feeling of authenticity. It's not only for the purpose of undercutting sentimental mushiness.

The story had a much lesser impact on me than the film, but one of the parts that intrigued me was Annie's reference to the smells in the del Mar apartment right after Alma Junior is born: blood, dirty diapers, etc.  She uses a turn of phrase that suggests a less than pleasant smell, but Ennis, she tells us, is a man who works around livestock and finds that rather reassuring and familiar.