Here is a photo of the marquee at the Bridge theater in San Francisco during the last week of the movie being shown in the San Francisco area last April or May. This photo was shot the night before the marquee was changed to the next film. In other words, this view is one of the last visualities of Brokeback Mountain on a theater marquee during its initial run.
I asked the theater manager to rework the marquee to show only Brokeback Mountain; the front elevation had been featuring the upcoming attractions, and I thought such a photo for history and posterity ought not be tainted by anything other than BBM. After much discussion and salesmanship, he agreed, if I helped, which of course I was glad to do.
In honor of the last week, I had a florist make a display for the lobby; it was very nice, too. Red roses for passion, yellow roses for farewell, and pine twigs for Wyoming mountain motif. To add to the motif, the arrangement as on a bed of rock and drift wood. I sent it anonymously (and feel OK mentioning it here as I remain anonymous!) as a personal thanks as well as a congratulatory symbol for the last week of the film's run. The popcorn concession's girl told me they thought that the director or production company had sent it; is that not wonderful?
I shot two roles of film for this. The marquee is neon and goes through a regimen of lighting each letter of the Bridge name, then highlighting the entire display with lots of red neon. The timing is very fast so getting the all blue name was tough. I think the all blue is perfect.
What's more perfect is the name. I have been enjoying the name Bridge associated with BBM. The story bridges two wonderful men's lives. The film bridges many thoughts, yearnings, ideas, and emotions. A bridge is a linking of two important entities. Ennis and Jack created a Bridge we know as Brokeback, in many ways.
Enjoy!
