Don't believe the hype
August 19th 2006 23:53
Before Brokeback Mountain even hit our cinemas it was labelled a ‘gay love story’. This perplexed me, I had seen previews for it and its atypical story and striking scenery had grabbed my attention. I was definitely keen to see it when it was released. However, the swamp of media attention perturbed me. I’m the type of person that as the song says, ‘doesn’t believe the hype’, so once the film was out and the media attention was in full force, I was reluctant to see it.
Knowing that the film was made by Ang Lee who seems to be able to bring such truth to his films, despite the wide variety of genres and cultures that he explores such as Hulk in 2003 – (I haven’t and will probably never see) and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (which I loved and have seen a couple of times), I was intrigued to see what Lee could do with this screenplay. My decision was made; I wanted to see the film.
As soon as the film began I was emersed in the scenery, the uniqueness of the story and characters. I realised I knew very little about such farming expeditions, especially in the 1960s and was interested in that aspect as well as their relationship. As the story evolved it grabbed and maintained my attention for its realness and not the publicity surrounding it. Thankfully my hype fears fell aside and my involvement magnified. I delighted in the lack of dialogue of the film which I believed allowed the dialogue when used to have more of an effect, especially compared to other films (usually Hollywood formulaic films) where the pace is much faster and there seems to be an insatiable need to fill the screen with needless dialogue. The story, script and movie all add depth to each other, like three versions of the same tale that emphasise different shades. It allows the viewer to delve deeper into the lives and actions of these characters through a stark honesty. The characters' idyllic time on Brokeback Mountain was never recreated, and the loneliness and tragedy of their lives and love is a very powerful message.
The sadness I felt as the screenplay reached its conclusion was profound. The story resonated on many levels and left me thinking about human behaviour, alienation, acceptance, choices and tolerance. As Proulx said when she saw the film for the first time:
‘I was not prepared for the emotional hammering I got when I saw it. The characters roared back into my mind, larger and stronger than they had ever been. Here it was, the point that writers do not like to admit; in our time film can be more powerful than the written word.’
Brokeback Mountain is a raw, severe, spare film. It evokes a visceral reaction in the viewer that on some levels words cannot do it justice. The characters' idyllic time on Brokeback Mountain was never recreated, and the loneliness and tragedy of their lives and love is a very powerful message. It is a striking film that remains with you long after seeing it.
Knowing that the film was made by Ang Lee who seems to be able to bring such truth to his films, despite the wide variety of genres and cultures that he explores such as Hulk in 2003 – (I haven’t and will probably never see) and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (which I loved and have seen a couple of times), I was intrigued to see what Lee could do with this screenplay. My decision was made; I wanted to see the film.
As soon as the film began I was emersed in the scenery, the uniqueness of the story and characters. I realised I knew very little about such farming expeditions, especially in the 1960s and was interested in that aspect as well as their relationship. As the story evolved it grabbed and maintained my attention for its realness and not the publicity surrounding it. Thankfully my hype fears fell aside and my involvement magnified. I delighted in the lack of dialogue of the film which I believed allowed the dialogue when used to have more of an effect, especially compared to other films (usually Hollywood formulaic films) where the pace is much faster and there seems to be an insatiable need to fill the screen with needless dialogue. The story, script and movie all add depth to each other, like three versions of the same tale that emphasise different shades. It allows the viewer to delve deeper into the lives and actions of these characters through a stark honesty. The characters' idyllic time on Brokeback Mountain was never recreated, and the loneliness and tragedy of their lives and love is a very powerful message.
The sadness I felt as the screenplay reached its conclusion was profound. The story resonated on many levels and left me thinking about human behaviour, alienation, acceptance, choices and tolerance. As Proulx said when she saw the film for the first time:
‘I was not prepared for the emotional hammering I got when I saw it. The characters roared back into my mind, larger and stronger than they had ever been. Here it was, the point that writers do not like to admit; in our time film can be more powerful than the written word.’
Brokeback Mountain is a raw, severe, spare film. It evokes a visceral reaction in the viewer that on some levels words cannot do it justice. The characters' idyllic time on Brokeback Mountain was never recreated, and the loneliness and tragedy of their lives and love is a very powerful message. It is a striking film that remains with you long after seeing it.
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I didnt love Brokeback Mountain but I certainly think it was a good film. The cinemtography was breathtaking, the script was textured but Heath Ledgers mumbling drove me nuts.
Ang Lee's The Ice Storm is my favourite of his films. The western Ride With The Devil also entertained me.
Comment by Cibbuano
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Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I know what you mean about Heath Ledger's mumbling, it drove me nutty too. I had to analyse the film for a uni project so I watched the film a few times. I also bought the screenplay book and was quite flabbergasted at how much of Heath's speech I had missed through the film because of his mumbling. I haven't seen The Ice Storm or Ride with the Devil. One of these days I'll get around to seeing them.
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Comment by Emma
I'm sick and tired of seeing the happy, bouncy flmaboyant, 'gay and proud' type of homosexuals that are constantly represented on shows like Will and Grace and Sex and the City. Fair enough - you're gay, you're proud, but it doesn't really accurately represent gay people as a community. It promotes a stereotype of gay people and that's dangerous. It only serves to oppress and alienate gay people even further.
If people look at the likes of Jack on Will and Grace and his outrageous, over-the-top character they are able to diconnect from that, they're able to laugh at the funny gay man while disengaging from him as a human being.
I think that's what I loved most about Brokeback. The humanity. The struggle. It was a love story. Not a gay love story. These men weren't weak, overly emotional, bitchy or any of the typical stereotypes. They were just two regular guys who discovered that love doesn't always come with a silver lining and I loved that.
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I agree, it basically was two men that fell in love and the repercussions of their feelings within their community which unfortunately was damaging and stigmatising. To feed into the media incorrect frenzy of it only being a 'gay cowboy film' does not do the film justice as well as being incorrect on many levels.