It is interesting how this movie, really the publicity for this movie, has changed the message conveyed by the image of lone cowboy. Now, every time I see a cowboy hat and faded jeans, I’m thinking of this movie. The Marlboro Man will never be the same.
. . . Ummm . . . Spartacus doesn’t really count, does it?
Forgive the slight hijack, but am I being too conspiracy-minded, or do you think that there was a deliberate decision to release “Narnia” (which is being marketed to conservative christians) on the same weekend that “Brokeback Mountain” came out?
As much as I am looking forward to seeing it (and hope it’s as good as it’s made out to be) I imagine that “Brokeback Mountain” (which isn’t even opening for another week in some parts of the country) can not possibly compete with a family-oriented movie (which entails multiple ticket sales, 1-2 parents + variable #s of kids, for every one ticket sold to the R-rated “Brokeback Mountain.”) I imagine that next week, when sales figures come in, conservative talking heads like Michael Medved will ignore anything but the bottom line sales figures (which will likely show “Narnia” ahead of “Brokeback Mountain”) and snidely state that this is proof positive that “Americans want to see films that reflect fundamentalist christian beliefs and AREN"T INTERESTED in gay cowboys struggling with their sexuality.”
So what’s the deal anyway? It was just released to a few select theaters. Now what? I figure it’s never going to make it to the mainstream theaters, but what about the smaller artsy-fartsy independents?
I’d really like to see this on the big screen, but I don’t think I’m going to drive to San Francisco to do it.
I’m seeing this movie hyped & advertised on newspaper websites all over. But what’s the point of hyping it if it isn’t going to be seen except by .0001% of the theater-going audience?
If the cinematography really is all this epic, then it would be a shame to send it off to DVD right away.
I don’t necessarily disagree with your prediction in the second part of your post, but I seriously doubt the distributors of Narnia took any special interest in the release date for Brokeback Mountain. I’m sure they looked to avoid competing with other big movies (Harry Potter, etc) but I don’t think BM (that’s an unfortunate abbreviation) would be considered much of a threat to their potential audience size.
I enjoyed the story, and was surprised that it had been made into a film. I’ll go see the film, and I’ll take tissues, because the story alone made me cry.
That said, I just hope the (ahem) displays of physical affection between male actors is limited. They make me uneasy, to say the least. Nauseated, in fact. So I’ll be the huge guy there with his wife, tissues, and an empty popcorn bucket (just in case), who turns his head and peeks through his fingers a lot.
Well, it was more in the backstory of one of the movie’s characters, but “Gods and Monsters” with Brendon Fraser and Ian MacKellan had a heartbreaking story of love between two men.
In a flashback for Ian MacKellan’s character we see him and another man fall in love in the trenches during WWI. During a battle the man he loves is killed and tangled in razor wire. He has to walk past and see this man every day dead and tangled in the wire. To make it even worse, all his comrades keep making jokes about the man in the razor wire whenever they pass. In order for Ian to hide his homosexuality and love for this man, he also starts making jokes.
Nothing too graphic or distressing.
Make sure it’s a big box of tissues, though.
Not to be all cyncial about True Love and all, but aren’t these guys cheating on their wives? (I haven’t read the story, so correct me if I am wrong) I have a hard time being sympathetic to adulterers, regardless of their orientation. I hated Bridges of Madison County for pretty much the same reason.
Yes, both men end up getting married (after they meet and fall in love with each other). It that’s your bottom line [sic], you probably would not like this movie.
To Skammer: I haven’t seen the movie but I have read the short story (which is wonderful, by the way) & I would respond this way - yes, the characters are cheating, but its because they are so constrained by their upbringing, and the time and place in which they live. One of the lovers wants them to leave their wives & have a life together; the other is too afraid to. I’m oversimplifying - because I’m not an artist and Annie Proulx is. And she’s writing about 3-dimensional characters.
Anyhow, I thought very little of the self-justifying rationalizing adulterers in “Bridges”, but that criticism doesn’t apply here.
Can we get a mod in here to put SPOILER BOXES around everyone’s comments? You’re all giving away entirely too much detail here.
That’s a bit of an oversimplification. Keep in mind that even though this takes place in the 60’s & 70’s, these people were living in a very different world. It’s kinda hard to consider a man an adulterer with another man when the concept barely existed.
Also, you do realize this will be a tragic love story, right? I haven’t seen the movie, or read any ending-spoilers, but you don’t really think anyone’s going to make it through this movie getting off scott free? It’s a tragic love story. Everyone’s going to suffer. Hence the advice about bringing lots of tissues.
If all you’re going to get out of this is “guys cheatin’ on dey wives” then you really shouldn’t see the movie.
I can’t wait to see this. The trailer looked great.
As for the limited release, I heard that it is in limited release now to qualify for the Oscars and will go into wider release in the new year.
Well, I’m a little bit more sophisticated a movie watcher than that, thank you; I’m just expressing my own prejudices about characters who cheat on their spouses. I empathize with the tragedy inherent in their relationship - it would have been terribly frustrating, confusing and difficult even if they didn’t have families. I feel worse for the wives, however, than I do for the cowboys.
But you’re right, I probably best skip the movie. Sorry for the hijack.
The story doesn’t skimp on the pain experienced by the wives – it’s definitely one of the things that make the story so heartbreaking. The friend I went with and I spent a fair amount of time talking about exactly this point afterwards, specifically whether it would be “better” or “worse” for the one wife to realize exactly what the nature of their relationship was, despite the fact that her husband tried to hide it from her.
As I said above – if that’s your bottom line, skip the movie. We all have certain themes and behaviors we just don’t want to see on the big screen – I’m never gonna see Leaving Las Vegas, for instance.
In reference to Jeremiah Johnson. It was a western with a tragic romance in it. What’s the big deal? It’s got one my favorite movie lines ever… “Who won?”
It’s because you called it Jeremiah*'s* Johnson.
I’ve read the story several times and loved it. I recommend it.
I am dying to see the film but it’s only playing in one theatre right now, too far for me to want to drive there. I really hope they put it into wide release soon.
The soundtrack is heartbreakingly beautiful as well, for the most part.
That was lieu, not me.
I had a feeling there was a woosh in there somewhere. I didn’t even notice the pun. 
But it IS a western with a tragic romance. Still, that was funny. How’d I miss it???