Brokeback Mountain

Damien
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Post by Damien »

Akash wrote:If I had seen Brokeback Mountain at age 12, I don't think I'd ever have kissed a boy.
Why not?
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Post by rain Bard »

cam wrote:But I guess if Glass can do an opera on Nixon, and have it turn out successfully, who knows.
(Pssst. cam, that was John Adams. Glass did operas on Einstein, Gandhi, and Christopher Columbus, but no presidents)
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Post by Akash »

If I had seen Brokeback Mountain at age 12, I don't think I'd ever have kissed a boy.
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Post by 99-1100896887 »

I wonder how that will go down. There was so much open space and wonderful scenery, that the romantic setting became an integral component of the picture. The characters of the supporting cast will have to be fleshed out, as well. And Wourinen isn't exactly a "romantic" composer--in fact, much of his work is atonal.
But I guess if Glass can do an opera on Nixon, and have it turn out successfully, who knows.
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Post by Penelope »

From the NY Daily News:

"Brokeback Mountain" writer Annie Proulx has given the go-ahead to an opera based on her story about two gay cowboys, we hear. Fellow Pulitzer Prize winner Charles Wuorinen will compose.

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I'm eagerly awaiting the "Un bel di" variation of "I Wish I Knew How To Quit You."
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Post by criddic3 »

Back in eighth grade, we were going to watch Lord of the Flies, and the teacher was going to show the 1990 version (this was, I think 1992). I insisted that she play the older black & white version, because I knew the original would be closer to the book and that the newer one would be more graphic. I won the debate and we saw the wonderful earlier version.

However, showing Brokeback Mountain to 12 year olds is altogether more serious. It is not explicit in terms of male nudity and you don't see the actual sex between the men, but it is not shy about its themes. There is female nudity and there is sex depicted in the film. Frankly, I wouldn't mind if they played a film more along the lines of Get Real, which didn't deserve an 'R' rating and has no graphic sequences that I can recall. It deals more directly with teenaged homosexuality and dating and first love. Furthermore, it is funny, smart about high school relationships and far more appropriate to the age group. While Get Real undoubtedly would resonate more with 14 and 15 year olds, it would have been a much better choice than Brokeback Mountain.
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Post by anonymous1980 »

Though I agree that it's inappropriate to let kids that age see Brokeback Mountain especailly without parental permission, I think the $500,000 lawsuit is ridiculously excessive.
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Post by The Original BJ »

Eric wrote:Seriously, though, I distinctly remember permission slips being something like a requirement for watching R movies in class even into high school.
Yeah. At my school, we needed permission slips for 'R' movies even as high school seniors, when the majority of students were 17 or older.

Personally, I think parents of 12-year-olds should be able to send their kids to school without thinking a film as violent and sexual as Brokeback Mountain would be shown.
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Post by Eric »

Oh noes, a movie helped a 12-year-old girl realize she was turned on by the sight of two men kissing. What is the world coming to?

Seriously, though, I distinctly remember permission slips being something like a requirement for watching R movies in class even into high school.
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Post by Penelope »

Franz Ferdinand wrote:Good to see Brokeback is still generating plenty of heat and talk!
And here we go again:

Girl's suit claims sub showed 'Brokeback Mountain' in class

May 12, 2007, 4:07 PM CDT

An 8th-grade girl and her grandparents have filed a lawsuit claiming a Chicago public school allowed a substitute teacher to show the movie "Brokeback Mountain" in class.

Jessica Turner, 12, claims to have suffered psychological distress after seeing the R-rated film, in which two rugged Western men conceal a homosexual affair.

The girl and her grandparents, Kenneth and LaVerne Richardson, are seeking more than $400,000 in damages. The suit was filed yesterday against the Chicago Board of Education in Cook County Circuit Court.

The suit alleges that Ashburn Community Elementary School's principal, Jewel Diaz, knew the film was being shown to the students.
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Post by Franz Ferdinand »

Good to see Brokeback is still generating plenty of heat and talk!
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Post by 99-1100896887 »

I would imagine that this woman's book refers to sex EVERYWHERE, any time, that the mate On The Down Low is into. The wife , learning of it, would let her husband know anywhere and at any time.Scott-Blanton immediately drop the suit and the producers of Brokeback Mountain should countersue for damages. This all would be a huge laugh to Proulx!
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Post by OscarGuy »

"both scenes take place in a kitchen". She should sue the makers of Clue, Annie Hall and any other movie where something happens in a kitchen...ludicrous.
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Post by Penelope »

From The Advocate:

Author files $250 million suit against makers of Brokeback Mountain

Janice Scott-Blanton, the author of My Husband Is on the Down Low and I Know About It, filed a $250 million lawsuit claiming copyright infringement against Universal and the studios that financed and distributed Brokeback Mountain, reports BlackNews.com.

Scott-Blanton claims there are over 50 substantial similarities between her novel and the Academy Award-winning film. An early bar scene in the movie reminded Scott-Blanton of a scene from her novel, but she chalked it up to coincidence until further scenes, including the first sexual encounter between Jack and Ennis, reminded her of her novel.

In Brokeback Mountain Alma confronts her husband Ennis about his homosexual activity during Thanksgiving dinner and tells him she purposely wrote a note and put it on his fishing line for him but he never found it. According to Scott-Blanton, this scene is strikingly similar to a scene in her novel wherein her character Annette confronts her husband James about his homosexuality on their ninth anniversary. James tells her he wrote a confession in his journal purposely, knowing she was secretly reading it. Both scenes are set in a kitchen.

Scott-Blanton will argue in court that the film is strikingly similar to her novel in terms of characters, plot, themes, and sequence of events.

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What the article fails to mention is that Scott-Blanton's novel was published in March 2005, a full 9 months AFTER Brokeback Mountain had started filming, and a full 8 YEARS AFTER Annie Proulx's story was published (which contains the initial love-making scene and the Thanksgiving scene) and Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana wrote the script. Perhaps the lawsuit should be the other way 'round.
"...it is the weak who are cruel, and...gentleness is only to be expected from the strong." - Leo Reston

"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
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Post by Penelope »

From IMDb:

Randy Quaid Drops Suit Against 'Brokeback' Producers

Randy Quaid, who had accused Focus Features of duping him into appearing in Brokeback Mountain for a fraction of his regular salary, said Tuesday that he had dropped his lawsuit against the company after it agreed to pay him an unspecified bonus. Six weeks ago, Quaid maintained that he had agreed to take the role in the movie because studio execs had described it as an arthouse film that had little chance at the box office. It has thus far earned $160 million worldwide. On Tuesday Focus indicated that it was bewildered by Quaid's latest statement, saying that it had "never negotiated, offered or agreed to any settlement with Mr. Quaid or his attorneys, but we are happy to put this behind us, and do wish Mr. Quaid all the best."
"...it is the weak who are cruel, and...gentleness is only to be expected from the strong." - Leo Reston

"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
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