Tuesday, August 25, 2009

I see 'Brokeback Mountain' at last

I went down to the ballroom to see this movie as I thought that I was finally ready to see it, and I found out my video store did not have it. I wonder why. I did have quite a strong emotional reaction to the scenes with the wife who accidentally sees some intimate behavior going on between her husband and his lover, Jack. This ruins her feelings about her marriage to the character Heath Ledger plays and she goes for a divorce, but the kids still love him. Jack's wife never tumbles that he is bisexual but his father-in-law apparently does and after a few clashes with him hires some men to beat him to death and he tells his daughter and two grandsons that it was accidental. Pretty ugly.
The scenes on Brokeback Mountain reminded me a lot of the camping out done by the cattlemen when I was young, both on the mountain and in the canyonland country which was the winter range. My dad and his hired hand cooked many as meal on an outside fire and ended up doing just what those guys did on Brokeback Mountain, found sexual release with each other, and eventually grew very fond of each other, life time 'buddies.' Circumstances would change and so would the buddies, but a favorite would usually be with him for 5 or 6 years. Some of his drinking buddies did not work for him, but he had at least one he was fond of for years. And I thought there was a sexual element in their relationships from behavior I 'accidentally' saw as child.
I thought 'Brokeback Mountain' was a milestone in movies made about that subject. I had to laugh at how the people acted watching it. As soon as there was a revealing scene some would get up and leave until there was hardly anyone left at the end but me and the guy who was in charge of the movies. One guy kept saying, "I just don't get what is going on here." A lady in the audience told him in graphic terms what these guys were. I love Heath Ledger. His acting was so good he seemed like a real person and that is great acting.
I wonder how much this controversial role for which he was nominated for an Oscar, played a part in his death. I heard that he was criticized in his native Australia for taking such a role, which caused some suspicion about his sexual orientation.
Doesn't really matter. Now the movie will be forever associated with an actor who died soon after he played this role. I was proud of Heath Ledger for how good he really was. I salute the Chinese director who I believe did win an Oscar for this movie, Ang Lee or something like that. In this case Heath outacted Jake and that does not happen often. Don't ask me to spell Jake's last name but you know who I mean.

2 comments:

sober white women said...

I still have not seen this movie, but I do want to. I will have to watch it when Rusty is not home, because he has no desire to see it.
I like docs you tube channel!
Kelli

Anonymous said...

Maybe if you watch it more than once - maybe numerous times you may see that Jake Gyllenhaal gives a great performance. Subtle moments- the arch of an eyebrow - the look in the eyes. Have seen reviews where people have commented about watching it again and paying attention to his role. Of course Heath gave a great performance and should of won the Oscar but his was the surprise performance - Jake had always been expected to give good performances but Heath had not always been considered "a great actor" and then he does this and makes it the focus of many.
Heath was proud of this movie and i don't think it had anything to do with his death - making The Dark Knight" took a lot out of him but he was loving making that movie.
It was just one of those horrible mistakes.


Herrad

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