Author Topic: That zany Uncle Harold  (Read 24005 times)

Offline BBM-Cat

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Re: That zany Uncle Harold
« Reply #40 on: January 28, 2007, 10:31:58 pm »
Don't want to get OT, but are we missing a few pages of this thread? I remembered a few more pages, and maybe they were moved because they were getting OT from the topic of discussion about Uncle Harold.

Please delete this post if need be.
Six-word Stories:  ~Jack: Lightning Flat, lightning love, flat denied   ~Ennis: Open space: flat tire, tire iron?

Offline Lynne

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Re: That zany Uncle Harold
« Reply #41 on: January 29, 2007, 04:37:26 am »
Don't want to get OT, but are we missing a few pages of this thread? I remembered a few more pages, and maybe they were moved because they were getting OT from the topic of discussion about Uncle Harold.

Please delete this post if need be.

Sorry to cause confusion, Chris - I did split this thread after it diverged from Uncle Harold to a new 'Post Divorce Scene thread.'  The other posts are here:

http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,7760.msg148214.html#msg148214
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Offline Shakesthecoffecan

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Re: That zany Uncle Harold
« Reply #42 on: January 29, 2007, 12:18:27 pm »
Okay, so I am getting ready for bed last night and then it hits me: Mrs. Twist and the cross on the wall. I poped in the DVD and found it at frame 158:19, the two cross scenes almost compliment one another:
"It was only you in my life, and it will always be only you, Jack, I swear."

Offline Shakesthecoffecan

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Re: That zany Uncle Harold
« Reply #43 on: January 29, 2007, 12:21:42 pm »
Well, if this is deliberate, it supports my feeling that there are some faintly religious undertones throughout the whole Uncle Harold episode. Uncle Harold -- or "herald," a harbinger or announcer -- may or may not die. Jack has no control over it, either from "up here," in their Brokeback Eden, or "down there" in worldly society. Not long after that, Uncle Harold is resurrected -- that is, he doesn't die, even though Jack didn't go see him. And that news is of such primary importance that Jack announces it to Ennis even before explaining that their mountain idyll is over.


Yes, this makes quite a bit of sense. What I wonder is, is the authors and screen writers so in tune with symbolism like this they can just rattle it off like we have normal conversations? Thank you for the analogy.
"It was only you in my life, and it will always be only you, Jack, I swear."

Offline serious crayons

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Re: That zany Uncle Harold
« Reply #44 on: January 29, 2007, 03:08:50 pm »
Yes, this makes quite a bit of sense. What I wonder is, is the authors and screen writers so in tune with symbolism like this they can just rattle it off like we have normal conversations? Thank you for the analogy.

Well, it probably didn't come quite that easily. But it is not unusual for writers of literary fiction, like AP, to incorporate lots of symbolism. It wouldn't have been rattled off -- she spent six months working on the story -- but it's there, and it's deliberate. The story is packed with references to religion and mythology; AP is particularly good at it, but the effort is common among fiction writers. It's far less common among screen writers. But I think LM and DO, and later AL, were all sensitive to the symbolism in the story and looked for ways to either preserve the same symbols, or incorporate new ones, in the film.

Offline Penthesilea

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Re: That zany Uncle Harold
« Reply #45 on: January 29, 2007, 03:13:28 pm »
And that news is of such primary importance that Jack announces it to Ennis even before explaining that their mountain idyll is over.

I know it's ot here, cause it's not about Uncle Harold, but...
This always bothered me. We've discussed Jack's nonchalant, almost disinterested and too chipper attitude regarding coming down.
But why the f* did he mention Uncle Harold first? In doing so, he really seems disinterested about the other news.

On Harold's name: I found another meaning: hari= army, force and waltan= to preside, to control and reign/rule --> Harold= ruler of the forces