I think that this film can only do good out there.
This from the idiot who when scouting for sites for the failed TV series "Balboa" carved his initials on an expensive antiques in a private home which was going to be one of the locations (true story, 'cause I knew the owners of the house):
CURTIS BERATES BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
Movie legend TONY CURTIS is stunned to learn BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN has received eight Oscar nominations, insisting there is nothing "unique" about the gay cowboy romance.
ANG LEE's tragic epic has received nods for Best Director, Best Picture, Best Actor for HEATH LEDGER, Best Supporting Actor for JAKE GYLLENHAAL and Best Supporting Actress for MICHELLE WILLIAMS, much to the chagrin of Curtis.
The SOME LIKE IT HOT star, 80, tells FOX NEWS reporter BILL McCUDDY, "This picture is not as important as we make it.
"It's nothing unique. The only thing unique about it is they put it on the screen. And they make 'em (male gay lovers) cowboys.
"HOWARD HUGHES and JOHN WAYNE wouldn't like it."
When asked to name his favourite film of the year, Curtis replied, "HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE."
I'm curious how he knows Howard Hughes and John Wayne wouldn't like it -- Wayne knowingly having gays on his household staff in Newport Beach. The hype about his homophobia was just that -- the "Red River" myth that he and Montgomery Cliff did not get along, perpertrated mostly by a biographical profile, was false).
I saw Brokeback over the weekend.
I will admit when I first saw a trailer for the film, it didn't prompt me to want to see it. Too much emphasis on the gay aspect with shots of bare chested men made it appear to be cheap titillation rather than a real story.
It's a good film. Would it be Oscar worthy without the subject matter? I don't know. The gay aspect adds tension and conflict that wouldn't be there in a straight story of unrequited love but is it enough to make it Oscar winning. Ennis is a wonderful tortured character but does he really grow or change? The final scene where he tells his daughter he can quit his job to be at her wedding isn't much different from his constantly quitting his job to spend time with Jack.
As for Jack's death, I am not sure the manner of it matters as much as that his wife knows by that time what Jack is. The return of the post card with "deceased" stamped on it with her cool response to Ennis tells it all. Jack peed in his own pool and was found out. He paid the price in some fashion, probably the way Ennis imagines it. Death in a small town is accidental if no one is willing to pursue it and the powers that be decide it is accidental.
Golly -- what trailers are they showing in your area?
None like that here and this is Southern California!
So much significance to visuals -- what they don't say! So much symbology like the "closet" in the final scenes.
You are right and if you read the story, the vision of a gay bashing is embeded in Ennis' mind. It would be impossible to hide that from police blotters and the media in the 80's.
Recently, President Bush was asked if he'd seen Brokeback Mountain. The President said he hadn't seen the movie, but that he'd be happy to talk about ranching. Then he added: " 'Ranching' still means 'gay sex,' right?"
