Where did you FIRST hear/read about Brokeback Mountain?

[Lynne]

...I don't know that it ever will be.
Wether or not thats a good thing only time will tell.

{{{{{{{Lee}}}}}}}

[Kelda]

It was tv/paper reviews that it was opening up.. that must hav been December 05. I really fancied it so went to see it early January.

[Kerry]

I'm Australian and I first started hearing rumours in the media, probably around mid-2005, that Heath, a fellow Australian, was making a controversial "gay cowboy" movie somewhere overseas. Heath had been a teenage heart-throb television soap actor up until that time, leaning towards a "pretty-boy" image, with adoring teenage female fans in abundance. I remember thinking at the time that I would go to see the film when it was released for the subject-matter only, and try to ignore Heath in the process. This strategy had worked for me previously, with "Titanic" and Leonardo Di Caprio. I couldn't have been more wrong about Heath, as it turned out.

I'm not proud to confess that I'd never heard of Annie Proulx, nor her short story, prior to seeing the movie. I had also never heard of Jake prior to the movie. I knew of Ang Lee primarily through "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon," which I loved and saw twice at the cinema.

I virtually forgot about the movie until shortly before its commercial release in Australia, in January 2006. There was a gala premier here in Sydney, not open to the public, attended by Heath and Michelle. As they entered the theatre, Heath and Michelle were squirted with water-pistols. I believe this was done by some journalists in protest at Heath, for his having spat at some of their colleagues at some time. This story got a lot of coverage here in Sydney and it acted as a trigger for me to be sure to see the film when it was commercially released.

It opened in Sydney on the Australia Day public holiday, 26 January 2006. I went along to the very first (morning) screening with my ex-partner. The cinema was packed. I identified several people in the audience as being media personalities and celebrities.

George and I both left the theatre in floods of tears that day and I ended up seeing it another 19 times at the cinema before it closed two months later, this being a very long run for a film in Sydney.

It was only a matter of time before I bought "Close Range" and every other book written by Annie Proulx. I have also bought the screenplay, the CD and the DVD, as well as a couple of music spin-offs of "The Wings" theme. I have subsequently read the original short story and screenplay countless times.

And last but by no means least, I have found my spiritual home here at BetterMost. 

[mvansand76]

I'm Australian and I first started hearing rumours in the media, probably around mid-2005, that Heath, a fellow Australian, was making a controversial "gay cowboy" movie somewhere overseas. Heath had been a teenage heart-throb television soap actor up until that time, leaning towards a "pretty-boy" image, with adoring teenage female fans in abundance. I remember thinking at the time that I would go to see the film when it was released for the subject-matter only, and try to ignore Heath in the process. This strategy had worked for me previously, with "Titanic" and Leonardo Di Caprio. I couldn't have been more wrong about Heath, as it turned out.

I'm not proud to confess that I'd never heard of Annie Proulx, nor her short story, prior to seeing the movie. I had also never heard of Jake prior to the movie. I knew of Ang Lee primarily through "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon," which I loved and saw twice at the cinema.

I virtually forgot about the movie until shortly before its commercial release in Australia, in January 2006. There was a gala premier here in Sydney, not open to the public, attended by Heath and Michelle. As they entered the theatre, Heath and Michelle were squirted with water-pistols. I believe this was done by some journalists in protest at Heath, for his having spat at some of their colleagues at some time. This story got a lot of coverage here in Sydney and it acted as a trigger for me to be sure to see the film when it was commercially released.

It opened in Sydney on the Australia Day public holiday, 26 January 2006. I went along to the very first (morning) screening with my ex-partner. The cinema was packed. I identified several people in the audience as being media personalities and celebrities.

George and I both left the theatre in floods of tears that day and I ended up seeing it another 19 times at the cinema before it closed two months later, this being a very long run for a film in Sydney.

It was only a matter of time before I bought "Close Range" and every other book written by Annie Proulx. I have also bought the screenplay, the CD and the DVD, as well as a couple of music spin-offs of "The Wings" theme. I have subsequently read the original short story and screenplay countless times.

And last but by no means least, I have found my spiritual home here at BetterMost. 

What a journey, Kerry, and at the end of that road lies BetterMost, that's wonderful! I do believe we will always have Jack and Ennis in our hearts!

 

[Kerry]

What a journey, Kerry, and at the end of that road lies BetterMost, that's wonderful! I do believe we will always have Jack and Ennis in our hearts!
 

Always.   

[southendmd]

How great to revive this thread!

I had heard rumors of the so-called 'gay cowboy movie' like many people, sometime in '05. I remember thinking the title was strange, and feared people would call it "Bareback Mountain".

I have to admit I had no idea who Jake was.  I was aware of Heath Ledger, that he had done that jousting rock music thing, and thought, "oh, no."

Then, a friend with cinema connections went to a sneak preview in November '05.  He raved about it, and told me in no uncertain terms: "do not read the story first."

So, I was a BBM virgin when I saw it on that cold, rainy opening day here in Boston:  December 16, 2005.  I'm glad that I experienced the story fresh, the element of surprise was preserved for me.  I'll never forget when Ennis found the shirts, and, when I saw the bloodstains...the sense of recognition, longing, loss, regret poured over me.

Many, many viewings and buckets of tears later, I'm still here.  Changed for the better because of y'all.

[mvansand76]

How great to revive this thread!

I had heard rumors of the so-called 'gay cowboy movie' like many people, sometime in '05. I remember thinking the title was strange, and feared people would call it "Bareback Mountain".

I have to admit I had no idea who Jake was.  I was aware of Heath Ledger, that he had done that jousting rock music thing, and thought, "oh, no."

Then, a friend with cinema connections went to a sneak preview in November '05.  He raved about it, and told me in no uncertain terms: "do not read the story first."

So, I was a BBM virgin when I saw it on that cold, rainy opening day here in Boston:  December 16, 2005.  I'm glad that I experienced the story fresh, the element of surprise was preserved for me.  I'll never forget when Ennis found the shirts, and, when I saw the bloodstains...the sense of recognition, longing, loss, regret poured over me.

Many, many viewings and buckets of tears later, I'm still here.  Changed for the better because of y'all.

I believe too that Jack and Ennis have changed many people for the better!

Such great advice your friend gave you not to read the story before seeing the film, by the way. So you had no idea about the ending? Oh wow, what an experience...

[ifyoucantfixit]

         I too saw the movie cold.  I had no idea about the movie, or what it was about.  I just heard it was two gay cowboys. 
         Like you Paul, I had no knowledge of Jake.  Just that he was boyfriend of
Kirsten Dunst..  I liked Heath fine, thought he was cute.  But had no real knowledge about him.  I wanted to see it as soon as it was released, but my grandaughter wanted to see it too.  So I waited until she came home from college, and until after Christmas in order to go with her.  We went on the 5th of January..and as they say, the rest is history.

[Ellemeno]

I had never seen anything with either of them in it.  The only actor in the whole movie I was familiar with was Randy Quaid! 

I read the short story many, many times from mid-October to December 31st, 2005, while waiting for the movie to arrive, and don't regret it a bit.  Just want to add that experience to the mix.

[shortfiction]

After I found out that it was based on a short story, I bought a copy of the anthology it was in and read it before seeing the movie.  In a way, I wish I had not done so.
I liked the other stories as well.