Author Topic: Undertow - "Brokeback Peru"  (Read 24867 times)

Offline Lynne

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Re: Undertow - "Brokeback Peru"
« Reply #20 on: February 02, 2011, 12:15:36 am »
Undertow opens Friday at the Kendall Square cinema in Cambridge for one week only!  Thank you for the heads-up, Eric!
"Laß sein. Laß sein."

Offline southendmd

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Re: Undertow - "Brokeback Peru"
« Reply #21 on: February 02, 2011, 06:49:45 pm »
Lynne and I, and maybe some others, will try and see Undertow this weekend, although another nasty storm is predicted!

Offline Lynne

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Re: Undertow - "Brokeback Peru"
« Reply #22 on: February 05, 2011, 05:04:30 pm »
The snow storm turned to rain and even that hasn't materialized yet.

Paul, Andrew, and I are at the Kendall Square theater. I broke my personal landspeed record and we were here with ten minutes to spare!

Report to follow in a few hours.

:)
"Laß sein. Laß sein."

Offline Sason

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Re: Undertow - "Brokeback Peru"
« Reply #23 on: February 05, 2011, 05:53:24 pm »
Looking forward to your reports!

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Offline Shakesthecoffecan

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Re: Undertow - "Brokeback Peru"
« Reply #24 on: February 05, 2011, 07:18:08 pm »
Me too!
"It was only you in my life, and it will always be only you, Jack, I swear."

Offline southendmd

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Re: Undertow - "Brokeback Peru"
« Reply #25 on: February 05, 2011, 09:35:38 pm »
Well, I was caught by the current.  

*spoilers below*





After a lovely brunch with Pete/VermontSunset, Sandy/memento, Lynne and Andrew, complete with toasts to our dear friend Rodney, Lynne, Andrew and I headed out to Kendall Square to see "Undertow".  Apologies to Lynne for rushing us along, she knows I hate to be late.

I purposely went into this film as an Undertow virgin, not having read reviews or articles, nor even having seen the trailers.  Just like BBM.

There are many rewards to seeing this film.  The characters are so real, so believable, even in the face of unbelievable circumstances.

The BBM comparison can't be ignored, from the early dozy embrace homage, to the Ennis-like character who sincerely loves his wife and baby, and also his photographer/painter lover, but can't admit it.   

The overall theme, to me, is:  what does it mean to be a man?  Miguel, the fisherman, as the main protagonist, must ask himself this question repeatedly.  

Instead of the west of the 1960s, we have present-day Cabo de Blanco, a poor, very Catholic, very claustrophobic fishing village.  Steeped in tradition, everyone knows everyone's business.

Miguel is smitten with Santiago, but repeatedly denies (Peter-like) their relationship.   There are confrontation sequences, reminiscent of our Lake Scene, and when Santiago drowns (it was not clear if this was an accident or a suicide, victim of the "undertow"), Miguel alone sees him, as if in purgatory, waiting for his rest.

Some of the most moving scenes (to me) were of the two lovers being themselves, including walking down the street holding hands, knowing that Santiago was invisble to everyone but Miguel, because now he is a kind of ghost.  

The ending parallels BBM in that Miguel eventually gets to "offer him" to the sea, in the way that Ennis would if he could have scattered Jack's ashes on Brokeback Mt.  

There were tears, both on film, and chez moi, but I didn't think it stooped to melodrama.  I found it very sincere.  Miguel's wife was as sympathetic as Alma, even more so, and the different and changing reactions of the town folk to Miguel's plight was fascinating.

Superb performances, gorgeous cinematography, diverse music, added to the pleasure.  

Thank you, Eric, for going to bat for this film, and I even liked it LOL.  I may have to see it again this week before it leaves.
« Last Edit: February 06, 2011, 11:34:09 am by southendmd »

Offline southendmd

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Re: Undertow - "Brokeback Peru"
« Reply #26 on: February 05, 2011, 10:38:14 pm »
I dare say that "Undertow" explores bisexuality more than any other film in recent memory.  

Although Miguel longs for Santiago, and prefers to watch the handsome character in the soap opera over 'football', he so clearly loves his pregnant wife, wants to be a good father, and even has a passionate scene with his wife after his son is born.

He wants to honor his male lover in order for his son to 'respect' him, which I found very interesting.  

Again, what does it mean to be a man?  
« Last Edit: February 06, 2011, 11:35:11 am by southendmd »

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Re: Undertow - "Brokeback Peru"
« Reply #27 on: February 05, 2011, 10:52:51 pm »
Thanks for your feedback! Reviews are very favorable. Undertow is showing here in Denver and I will see it...hopefully with friends but if not, by myself!!

"chewing gum and duct tape"

Offline Aloysius J. Gleek

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Re: Undertow - "Brokeback Peru"
« Reply #28 on: February 05, 2011, 11:59:25 pm »



[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGuyD0-B3h4&feature=related[/youtube]
&feature=related

"Tu doives entendre je t'aime."
(and you know who I am...)


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and Pee-wee in the 1990 episode
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Offline Andrew

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Re: Undertow - "Brokeback Peru"
« Reply #29 on: February 06, 2011, 12:46:16 pm »
Thanks everyone who was part of the community effort which got a few more of us to see this film!

I'm on the lookout for other good images from the film.  For now, this one.



One thing mentioned in the interview with the director Javier Fuentes-Leon, linked to earlier, is the blue wall color chosen for this scene.

Naturally, as is the way with art, this detail had the desired effect at the time, going straight into my unconscious as I was watching the film.   Only later did my conscious mind come along to put this check mark on it, as if to try to validate its own importance vis-a-vis the unconscious/the sea.