Well, let’s start with the obvious. Oscars were last night. Brokeback won as follows:

• Best Director (Ang Lee)
• Best Adapted Screenplay (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana)
• Original Score (Gustavo Santaolalla)

This means we were cheated out of:

• Best Picture (went to Crash)
• Best Actor (went to Philip Seymour Hoffman in Capote)
• Best Supporting Actor (went to George Clooney in Syriana)
• Best Supporting Actress (went to Rachel Weisz in The Constant Gardener)
• Cinematography (went to Dion Beebe for Memoirs of a Geisha)

Grr! *shakes angry-fist at the Academy*

Well, we got three, though, right? Best Director is nothing to cry about, that’s for sure. Reuters has a “post-Oscar” analysis of why Brokeback lost the Best Picture category, basically coming up with: “Crash was a safer way to look like a liberal in Hollywood than Brokeback.” Full list of Oscar winners is here.

Now, I’m sure some of you have heard about Willy Nelson’s gay cowboy song. Blogger Daniel Williford sent me a link to his post on the subject, which has the lyrics and so-on. Independent Gay Forum also has a small blurb on the song, mentioning that the song seems to use the same old stereotypes about homosexuality, especially in the line: “What did you think all them saddles and boots was about?…Inside every cowboy there’s a lady who’d love to slip out.” I would argue that the meaning is less stereotypical only due to the fact that earlier in the song, Willy sings about women having husky voices inside them or something equally as silly — so it goes both ways. BBC covered the song as well.

While we’re on the subject of silly, how could I not post about the “Brokeback to the Future” mashup? (via BoingBoing) This is a funny little movie trailer that puts the Brokeback theme to Back to the Future: Part 3 images. Funny, but also squicks me out a little. (After you’re done looking at that, maybe you insensitive jerks should read this article about how parodies are ruining–just ruining!–the public discourse on this film.)

You may have also heard about the two shirts from the movie going up for auction on eBay. The surprise winner came in during the last few hours and bid $30k more than the highest bid so far, winning the auction for $101,100.51. Proceeds went to charity. Gay.com has an interview with the winning bidder. (via Luxist)

Here’s an interesting little tidbit: the word “Brokeback” was named “word of the year” by the irrelevant Global Language Monitor. Whoopee.

On a more serious note, now, heres’ an article called “Brokeback” wins gays place in Hollywood history which discusses how a “production code” in Hollywood effected the portrayal of homosexual characters on screen.

Just one final read is from the New York Review of Books: An Affair to Remember. Long read, but a well-done look at the movie and story.

And that’s pretty much all she wrote, my little sheeple. After this you probably won’t be seeing much of me around this blog as there’s not much to report anymore. If I see anything interesting, I’ll be sure to drop it on you here! If you see anything interesting that I should report on, drop me a line at jordan@brokebackblog.com. But let me say that it was a pleasure to keep you all reading about our favorite topic. It’s been a shotgun-blast. Be good, and stay safe!

Howdy!

Let’s jump right in with the Oscars — BROKEBACK. CLEANS. UP. Take THAT Munich fanboys! Here’s the list of noms:

• Best Picture
• Best Director (Ang Lee)
• Best Actor (Heath Ledger)
• Best Supporting Actor (Jake Gyllenhaal)
• Best Supporting Actress (Michelle Williams)
• Best Adapted Screenplay (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana)
• Cinematography
• Original Score (Gustavo Santaolalla)

Expect to see the winners at the 78th Annual Academy Awards on March 5th at 8pm EST.

Moving on!

For those of you who didn’t see the boys and gals on Oprah, you can find a nice summation on the Oprah website. I TiVo’d and thought it was pretty tame. Anne Hathaway didn’t make much an impression, though. She seemed a bit ditsy, and I kept getting the impression they were all giving her sidelong glances every time she giggled. Interesting how she responded to Oprah’s question about what her character knew regarding Jack’s death: “Well, I think it’s pretty obvious…” Anne said. Oprah picked up on the jibe, fortunately. Shame-arity insued. No one calls Oprah stupid, you skinny white –!

Speaking of swell marketing, here’s a WSJ article by a cat named John Lippman that looks at why our favorite movie did so well over the past few weeks. It even has a nice table comparing revenues for Brokeback and Underworld

Another interview with Ang Lee looks at some of the motivations and outcomes of doing this movie. For using the words “happy trail” within the first two paragraphs, I salute this crafty writer.

Interesting tidbit from the Advocate: Brokeback Mountain too taboo for China? Apparently they don’t expect the movie to play in mainland China. I’m betting it’s going to do great in Japan, though, where all of our cowboy gear is probably made.

Here’s a great op-ed called Clock can’t be turned back on gay reality that analyzes how the film will affect gay bias.

Finally, here’s another op-ed titled Breaking Hearts: Society’s Cruel Mores Are Barriers To Happiness, that is a response to the movie, and the current state of social stigma regarding homosexuality.

Friends with Big Hats, that’s the roundup for today. Let’s keep spreading the word — the movie is still in theaters! See it again, and then see it once more with friends! Until next time, remember to keep your spurs shined and your ropes coiled!

So this doesn’t have anything to do with Brokeback, really, but I thought I’d take a moment to introduce some folks to another movie about family and love (but not family love — that’s weird).

A Home at the End of the World (Book, Movie) stars Colin Farrell in an uncharacteristically subdued role. This story, also based on a piece of literature (this one was actually a full-fledged book, though) is about the relationship Bobby (Farrell) and Jonathan (Dallas Roberts) as young teenagers, and then as adults. Like Brokeback, it is heartbreaking and moving, even though it touches on different scenery (although an almost identical time-period).

The movie did not do well in theaters, and was rated pretty low at RottenTomatoes, but moderately well at Yahoo! Movies. I enjoyed it, myself, and would definitely recommend that if you like the movie with the cowboys, you rent this one night. If you’ve seen it, add your comments below!

See Also

• Movie Trailer
• IMDb Entry

Greetings!

Lots of fun stuff this week. I wasn’t really planning on doing an update, but I keep stumbling over all these articles that I feel need to get on here! So here goes…

The film is a subtle piece that lingers with you after it’s gone. It’s issues are very complex, the relationship between Twist and Del Mar is affectionate, brutal, heartbreaking and destructive as both try to deal with their feelings, which ultimately divides them from their families and a shot at living without each other. Unlike the film, the lovers do not triumph against adversity.

Quoting from the “News & Star” site, a little fluff called “Brokeback Masterpiece.” The rest of the article is expendable, but I had to start with this because it sums up my feelings on the movie quite well. I saw it over the weekend, and can we say depressed? Altogether now: DEPRESSED. I loved it, but I’ve never felt this emotional about a movie before! Sappy, let me mosey on…

Of course, anyone who has been watching any stories about the movie knows that our President (for better or for worse…), George W. Bush, was asked at a recent open forum if he had seen the movie. Take a look at the new story. Independent Gay Forum (generally critical of most of the gay establishment) responded with a short newsbit, which points out that GW is not being flippant, just showing what little charisma he has. I haven’t seen the video, but from the text, my feeling is that he’s just trying to gloss over the subject in as minimally offensive a way as possible.

And now for an odd bit on Entertainment Weekly’s PopWatch: Christopher Lee: Today’s stars are too inexperienced. Mr. Lee seems to think that the boys didn’t pull off their roles too well in the film, and PopWatch agrees, saying that the “grownup” boys and their wives were more like children playing dress-up than the real thing. Not sure if that matters, though. It didn’t distract me much.

Here’s a really great article, called Two Gay Cowboys Hit a Home Run. Touches on all the normal reviewish type stuff, but also is nicely astutue in its observations about the fact that the story is about more than just Ennis and Jack.

Time has another great article, How the West Was Won Over, talking about the current effect the movie is having, with some good background on how the movie got made.

And lest I dare, here is an article on a conservative magazine site, from a reviewer who is underwhelmed by the movie: Brokeback Mountain and the Romance of Gayness. Here’s my favorite part:

Based on a prize-winning story by Annie Proulx, one of the problems with the movie is that the screen writers are too respectful of Proulx’s story. It is this fidelity to the short story that makes this film, with its awe-inspiring backdrop, seem so small. The story is characterized by emotional minimalism — the young men, Jack and Ennis, are barely articulate even at emotional high points. Much is communicated by silence or enigmatic looks and shrugs. This may work well in short fiction, but the art of writing a short story is different from the art of writing a movie. And after all a short story can only go so far in developing character and creating dramatic conflict.

I find this laughable. So enthusiastic to condemn the movie, is the writer, that logic goes out the window! Tell me, oh wise right-leaning sage, how “silence or enigmatic looks and shrugs” supposedly “work well in short fiction”? I’m curious as to how either of these things are conveyed artfully in literature? Is it not the screen on which silence is more poignant than words? And on the page in which we are touched by poetic verse? What a silly criticism.

But we see this poor, mentally challenged reviewer’s true colors just a paragraph later:

Her grievances with men, or at least men who live by “white masculine values,” as she calls them, profoundly influence “Brokeback Mountain.”

Of course. If we couldn’t get feminism up in the discussion (or, rather, anti-feminism), it just wouldn’t be a discussion, would it? I will neglect to mention that he continues by mentioning the fact that Proulx has been divorced three times, as if that had any bearing at all on how the movie turned out — because I would rather walk on my own two hands than talk about someone else’s foolish criticsms! But hopefully, dear reader, you will grace his words with your eyes for a few moments if for nothing else a good chuckle.

Let’s end now on a high note, with two articles regarding awards. ‘Brokeback’ Gets Top Honor at PGA Awards is a nice short article about the fact that Diana Ossana and James Schamus won the Darryl F. Zanuck producer of the year award for Brokeback. Gratz to them!

GLAAD has also put out their nominations for the 17th annual GLAAD Media Awards, and this article lists those up for awards.

Stay safe bulldoggers, and I’ll see you back here soon!

Just two quick notes:

1. I added the nominations for the Orange British Academy Film Awards to the Awards & Honors list. They are as follows:

• Best Film
• The David Lean Award for Achievement in Direction (Ang Lee)
• Best Adapted Screenplay (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana)
• Best Actor in a Leading Role (Heath Ledger)
• Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Jake Gyllenhaal
• Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Michelle Williams)
• The Anthony Asquith Award for Achievement in Film Music (Gustavo Santaolalla)
• Best Cinematography (Rodrigo Prieto)
• Best Editing (Geraldine Peroni and Dylan Tichenor)

2. Here’s another interview with Annie: Annie Proulx tells the story behind “Brokeback Mountain”.

After yesterday’s less-than-impressive (but-nonetheless-a-return-to-blogging) update, I wanted to follow up with some further news and information. So here goes, roundup part II…

First and foremost the awards and honors list has been updated with what I believe is the most complete list of awards received. I counted an amazing 52 awards received so far. In related news, the the 78th Academy Award (Oscars) nominations will be announced on Tuesday, January 31, 2006, at 5:30 a.m. PST, 8:30 a.m. EST. I will, of course, post the list of nominations for our boys in cowboy hats as soon as they’re made available. (Hehe… intentional modifier misplacement…)

Next is, of course, the news that the movie is in general wide release throughout the United States. Check the release dates page for the complete list of cities the movie is showing in currently, as well as the future opening dates for international locations. Now, the numbers are modest, but remain very good per theater. As of this past Sunday, the movie was ranked in 9th place nationally, with a weekend gross of $7,041,508. That was the 6th week it was showing, and was in 683 theaters. Total gross so far is $32,074,517. (Source) Don’t forget that most “big name” movies show in no less than 1,500 theaters. Narnia, for example, is showing in 3,224.

On this vein, I want to mention a newspiece from January 8th: Utah Theater Cancels ‘Brokeback Mountain’. Shows that there is still a lot of resistance in more conservative areas. But on the flip side, you have an older article in Variety, from December 19th, ‘Brokeback’ tries red-state breakout, which talks about how Brokeback is opening in the right-leaning states and hoping to score in whatever fashion it can. I would also mention another article from 12/19, titled ‘Brokeback ‘ faces marketing challenge which addresses the movie’s marketing and how it is struggling with the “Gay Cowboys” moniker.

On the flip side, I’ve got two great pieces about how great the opening of the movie went. The first is ‘Brokeback Mountain’ debuts without protest from Baylor U. community, which is just a humble little story about how conservative protestors didn’t show up, which is always nice. And then a heart-warming feel-good little thing from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette called Local opening of acclaimed ‘Brokeback Mountain’ draws crowds. The latter is actually a nice read about opening night with some personal touches.

No scramblin’ roundup would be complete, of course, without mentioning the Shalit mess. Some of you, I’m sure, have heard of Gene Shalit, the arts reviewer for The Today Show. The long-and-short of it is that Shalit didn’t much like our movie. But the rub was that he described Jake Gyllenhal’s character Jack as a “sexual predator” who “tracks Ennis down and coaxes him into sporadic trysts.” (Source) GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) got their panties in a wad over the fool’s statement’s, and made a ruckus. In response, Shalit admitted fault, and apologized. His gay son got in on the game, too. So what’s the moral of the story? Don’t listen to the professionals for your movie-going advise, I guess.

Next-to-last, I want to end this roundup with two little tidbit stories. First, a delicious little bit of gossip: Gyllenhaal Suffered with Unfriendly Lee. Yes, that Asian wannabe-queer must be a total queen to hurt Jarhead’s feelings. And then this odd one, Is There a ‘Brokeback Mountain’ Syndrome? which questions just how pervasive the “I’m a straight-person who once loved another person of the same sex and then put it all behind me to marry someone of the opposite sex but now feel like I need to love people of the same sex” phenomenon is. Interesting.

And finally, my first fan mail! I was so totally pleased to get this I just want to puke warm fuzzies:

Hi!

I am an English teacher at LaGuardia High School in New York City (the school featured in the movie FAME). My students read the Annie Proulx story and saw the Ang Lee movie. Your blog has been invaluable for them to find reviews when writing some of the most fascinating essays I have ever received.

Thank you!
Garret

Shout-out to the LaGuardia kids! Keep up the good writing. And Garret: much love for the support. Can’t tell you how much it inspires us toiling, starving blog writers to keep at it.

Today’s roundup brought to you by Garret, the letter B, and well-worn chaps. Until next time buckaroos!