I Saw Brokeback Mountain on video.

[DawnCt1]

Today Brokeback Mountain was released on video, and since I didn't see it on the big screen, I rented it. After all of the publicity, the emotional reviews, etc. I expected to see a really excellent movie. To be honest, it was just "okay". I thought that it was long and drawn out, particularly in the beginning. "Innis" seemed to mumble a lot and I found myself rewinding on occasion just to catch the dialog. To the me the most sympathetic character was Innis's wife who was essentially married to a distant and absent man. It was worth watching once but I would have no desire to see it again. Was anyone else not that impressed? It certainly didn't live up to the hype for me.

 

[Micca]

I haven't seen it, but your description is pretty much what I would expect.
I will watch this sometime if DW really wants to rent it.

 

[AuntieM03]

I think that is the problem when things are over-hyped. It tends to lead to disappointment. I saw it at the movies, and I thought it was good. However, it was so sad and slow that it isn't something I would want to watch over and over. I agree about Heath Ledger, everytime he would come on screen my best friend would say "mumbler" (think Johnny Depp in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).

 

[frndshpcptn]

I agree - it is sad. And not just the part about their concealment of the relationship. The whole part about how he has to work the ranches and it's a fading industry and he doesn't have much, etc. That made me sad...how Jake came looking for work and didn't get it, etc.

 

[LukenDC]

The various reactions to this movie fascinate me. I thought that it was incredibly powerful and one of the best films I have ever seen. I have shed more tears over Brokeback Mountain than ANY event in my life, including death, family illness, 9/11, etc. I have met people---both male and female, gay and straight---who have had the same reaction. I have also met people--again male and female, gay and straight--- who said that they thought that it was just OK and no big deal.

I had no trouble understanding Heath Ledger, which surprised me because when I watch DVDs at home I usually have to use subtitles to understand the dialogue.

 

[Skywalker]

I have shed more tears over Brokeback Mountain than ANY event in my life, including death, family illness, 9/11, etc.

 

[Free4Life11]

Main thing that bugged me was the eye makeup on the two main guys. Didn't look very good to me. I also thought movie was LOOOONG. In the theatres I had to pee so bad I was in pain and though I was going to have a permanent problem, but I kept waiting for something exciting. I enjoyed it, but it isn't something I'd watch very often simply because it was so long and a little slow/boring at parts. I did like the story though.

 

[sajetto]

ditto

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

One of the best movies I have ever seen. I've seen it more than once.

 

[LukenDC]

So I've had a fortunate life light on sadness and tragedy. If only everyone else was as fortunate.

 

[Skywalker]

So I've had a fortunate life light on sadness and tragedy. If only everyone else was as fortunate.

Yeah, but you even went beyond your "fortunate life" and listed 9/11 as an example. Sorry, but your comment still boggles my mind but hey, everyone's different.

 

[sotoalf]

You have to ignore the hype and watch the film with fresh eyes. I'll accept criticism that it's too slow or that Heath Ledger mumbles (although he was perfectly legible to me); what I won't accept is the idiotic claim that the movie would be "nothing special" if it was the story of impossible love between a man and woman! That's like saying, "Othello would be nothing special if Othello were white." Moreover, anyone who claims that the film has an "agenda" of any sort probably fell asleep thru the movie, as we see what damage repression wrought upon wives and children.

 

[LukenDC]

Yeah, but you even went beyond your "fortunate life" and listed 9/11 as an example. Sorry, but your comment still boggles my mind but hey, everyone's different.

I said that I shed more tears over BBM than any event, not that it was the most tragic event in my life. That honor goes to 9/11. As a leader of a nonprofit in Washington, DC, I did not have the luxury of tears. I was too preoccupied with getting counselors for my terrified employees and making sure that desperately ill and sick people received their food and help in the chaos. Just when people were starting to feel a bit secure again, we had the anthrax crisis. There were plenty of times that I wished that I could have a good cry or that there was someone that I could lean on, but I accepted the burden of leadership and fulfilled my responsibilities.

I cried over BBM because there are so many frightened, persecuted gay men and women in America who have done nothing wrong except act on natural feelings for their own gender. Anti-gay discrimination is a tragedy and a damn sad one at that.

 

[Skywalker]

Luken, now that I understand what you're saying I can understand your point a little better. The way I read it from your first post was that you shed more tears over this movie than anything else, and that sounds kind of scary...twilight zone music kind of scary...

BUT now I see that you shed tears over the injustices faced by gays in the real world and that is understandable.

Thanks!

 

[LukenDC]

Luken, now that I understand what you're saying I can understand your point a little better. The way I read it from your first post was that you shed more tears over this movie than anything else, and that sounds kind of scary...twilight zone music kind of scary...

BUT now I see that you shed tears over the injustices faced by gays in the real world and that is understandable.

Thanks!

My original post was unclear and I appreciate your understanding.

 

[Buckalew11]

Haven't seen it yet but I saw Ellen Degeneres on TV this morning and she was talking about Heath mumbling and how that bothered her and she even did a spoof of it on her show when he was a guest.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I have shed more tears over Brokeback Mountain than ANY event in my life, including death, family illness, 9/11, etc. I have met people---both male and female, gay and straight---who have had the same reaction. I have also met people--again male and female, gay and straight--- who said that they thought that it was just OK and no big deal.

 

[Planogirl]

I wondered why they had Ennis mumble? It appeared to me that Heath had something in his mouth to get that effect.

I liked Brokeback Mountain but I wouldn't watch it over and over again. It's a slow movie (and should be) with a powerful message that I don't need to revisit.

 

[Marseeya]

I thought his mumbling was PERFECT!!! I know so many country boys who speak just like that. They mumble and speak quietly, so you really have to listen to what they're saying. They don't want to draw attention to themselves, keep their hats down low over their eyes, and don't have a whole lot to say.

 

[Planogirl]

I thought his mumbling was PERFECT!!! I know so many country boys who speak just like that. They mumble and speak quietly, so you really have to listen to what they're saying. They don't want to draw attention to themselves, keep their hats down low over their eyes, and don't have a whole lot to say.

That makes sense. I know of the type of guy you're talking about too. It just made it a little harder to understand Ennis and seems kind of surprising from a movie perspective.

I liked Heath's acting job though but then I always do. He's excellent.