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Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie Industry?

By Last Night in Little Rock, Section Media
Posted on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 02:30:15 PM EST
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by Last Night in Little Rock

With Brokeback Mountain winning the Golden Globe for Best Drama, it is "a solid front-runner for the Academy Awards, whose nominations come out Jan. 31, with the Oscars handed out March 5," according to CNN. The Golden Globes always have been a strong indicator of the Academy Award winners.

The fact that "Brokeback Mountain" has found eager audiences across the country, including the conservative heartland, shows that Americans are willing to embrace stories of love in all forms, [Director Ang] Lee said.

Before that, one can predict that the Right will again attack the movie industry for its values, centering on the fact that it is a "love story" that happens to involves (horrors) men.

Moral values? Whose moral values imposed on whom?

The movie and television industry regretfully puts out so much crap that isn't worth watching, finding a good movie so you don't waste two hours can be a rare find. Some will attack anything that they would not watch. (Apparently they did; they counted the profanities.) Unless one has been living in a cave for the last three months, it hard to imagine somebody walking into this movie not knowing exactly what it is. We all knew what Passion of the Christ was about, and the title doesn't exactly give it all away.

Don't we all want a movie that appeals to adult themes and adult issues and life? One reason why the movie industry's gross is down this year is because it does not give the people movies worth watching, except marvelous movies like this one and a few others this year.

Box office should be the only thing the movie industry is responsible to, because that is a true indicator of what the people want. And, no, Rev. Robertson, "acceptance of homosexuality could result in hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, terrorist bombs and 'possibly a meteor'" will not rain down on is because of that. For other reasons, maybe; but not because of that.

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    • Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie Industry? | 18 comments (18 topical)
    Re: Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie In (none / 0) (#1)
    by ras on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 03:16:43 PM EST
    Ain't seen it myself, but the reviews from those who have have been that it's a yawner.

    Re: Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie In (none / 0) (#2)
    by kdog on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 03:18:36 PM EST
    I was wondering when this would come up...I was channel surking the news channels and Fox had a segment that boiled down to the hollywood liberal conspiracy trying to turn good christians onto "the gay agenda". Funny stuff, 7 out of 10 on the unintentional comedy scale. My stance is a classic..."it's only a movie".

    Re: Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie In (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 03:32:57 PM EST
    ras - that's called hearsay, and it's inadmissable. go see it yourself. I sure didn't yawn.

    Re: Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie In (none / 0) (#4)
    by Edger on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 04:42:10 PM EST
    kdog: the hollywood liberal conspiracy trying to turn good christians onto "the gay agenda". Is Fox worried that gayness is contagious now?

    Re: Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie In (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 04:43:33 PM EST
    Ang Lee's films in general are a bit on the subtle, quiet side compared to most American movies. They unfold more like good long novels. Brokeback Mountain was no exception. My husband (who refused to see it) complained that it sounded like a "chick movie." Too bad, he missed out on an excellent film. The acting was amazing. My two cents.

    Re: Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie In (none / 0) (#6)
    by scarshapedstar on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 05:04:23 PM EST
    Carmina Burana features prominently in nearly every action movie ever made, half of which are probably praised by David Brooks or some other imbecile for their manly straightness. If only conservatives knew what the words meant...

    Re: Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie In (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 06:53:15 PM EST
    ras:
    Ain't seen it myself, but the reviews from those who have have been that it's a yawner.
    I have seen no reviews of that kind, but I have seen the movie, and it was as convincing and riveting as any classic love story on film. If you and your sources think all such movies are "yawners", then your opinions say nothing about this one in particular. No-one is claiming it's an action movie, but it's not a "gay" movie either -- unless you think it's wrong to show some kinds of feelings in a movie. So if you enjoy good movies, don't form an opinion about this one without seeing it. I saw it with my wife, and we agreed that the story was very believable, and the characters were extremely well portrayed by the actors and the director.

    Re: Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie In (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Jan 18, 2006 at 05:56:50 AM EST
    Many anti gays fear they will find themselves aroused as well as entertained!

    Re: Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie In (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Jan 18, 2006 at 06:07:26 AM EST
    I imagine that homophobes are all telling each other that Brokeback Mountain's grapes are sour. It's astonishing movie, brilliant and real and fresh in a way few movie romances are these days - and tragic, a specifically gay tragedy, forcing the watcher to identify with a peculiarly gay problem.

    Re: Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie In (none / 0) (#10)
    by Slado on Wed Jan 18, 2006 at 07:12:46 AM EST
    All the hubbub over this movie, which I will wait for HBO to show doesn't matter if it didn't or did make money. Money is still the bottom line and awards are only to make Hollywood feel good about itself and make movies earn more money on a second take. Hollywood constantly picks out small/edgy movies to congragulate itself over because they can't give themselves awards for 80% of the stuff they put out that is dumbed down for 20-35 year old males. So they make a movie they know will cause controversy and they fall all over themselves to congragulate themselves for having courage etc... yawn. If there was a really good movie made this year it was Capote but it involved the classic issue of murder & execution not gay cowboys so it won't win.

    Re: Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie In (none / 0) (#11)
    by Slado on Wed Jan 18, 2006 at 07:14:35 AM EST
    F/U I ask you if this movie wasn't about gay cowboys (I haven't seen it so I'm just asking) would it be any good? If it was more a Romeo and Juliet story would it be good or is it purely riding the gay theme? Just asking.

    Re: Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie In (none / 0) (#12)
    by pigwiggle on Wed Jan 18, 2006 at 09:55:50 AM EST
    “Box office should be the only thing the movie industry is responsible to, because that is a true indicator of what the people want.â€
    Let the market decide! (that is, as long as it makes the correct decision) Hmm, gay romance, I don’t know. My personal experience, with friends, acquaintances, colleagues, friends of friends, and so forth, is that while I am altogether indifferent to whom folks want to make it with, I have a very visceral negative reaction to overly feminine men. I think that most men respect and envy other men who excel at traditionally male things and my reaction is probably just the corollary. While I certainly could get into the lifestyle I understand is portrayed in the film, I doubt I could enjoy the romance. There’s little more feminine than being romanced by a man. And I’m really not to keen on romance movies to start.

    Re: Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie In (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Jan 18, 2006 at 10:00:39 AM EST
    slado, I saw Capote also, and I agree with you that as a movie it was very well done, and a dead-on portayal of Truman Capote's personality. If you enjoyed Capote, you should also try to see Brokeback Mountain; I think you would find it equally engrossing. But don't wait for HBO -- try to see it on the wide screen, because the scenery is stunning and contributes to the overall 'atmosphere' of the movie.

    Re: Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie In (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Jan 18, 2006 at 10:16:28 AM EST
    If it was more a Romeo and Juliet story would it be good or is it purely riding the gay theme?
    Without giving away too much of the plot, it is basically a story of a (largely) unfulfilled love between two people who cannot be together because of their circumstances. In this case the reasons happen to have a gay theme, which is relevant in today's society. But in similar plots in the past, the barriers separating the lovers depended on taboos based on social class or race.

    Re: Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie In (none / 0) (#15)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Jan 18, 2006 at 10:29:49 AM EST
    Pig, maybe if you tried watching the movie, and still experienced a "visceral negative reaction," it would help you to figure out where that was coming from. Because this movie contains no "overly feminine men," and very little "romance". It is basically a tragedy.

    Re: Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie In (none / 0) (#16)
    by Slado on Wed Jan 18, 2006 at 11:19:15 AM EST
    Cyrno i will eventually check it out I'm more likely to veiw in in my home theatre then a movie theatre. Maybe I'll Netflix it soon instead of waiting for HBO. thanks for the recomendation.

    Re: Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie In (none / 0) (#17)
    by jimcee on Wed Jan 18, 2006 at 08:33:26 PM EST
    Scarshapedstar, Carmina Barana is a Gay choral piece? Please explain. Karl Orff would also be interested. Please explain. 14th century Monks might also be interested. Please explain. Or on the other hand don't read to much into it no matter what your college music appreciation instructor tried to tell you. But please explain..... David Brooks is not a moron nor are many conservatives... No need to explain... your stereotypes speak for themselves. Sheesh.

    Re: Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie In (none / 0) (#18)
    by jondee on Thu Jan 19, 2006 at 10:28:54 AM EST
    Has anyone posting here ever met or spoken with anyone who "decided" to become homosexual after reading about it or seeing it depicted in some form? Forget "the homosexual agenda" what we need to be concerned about is the moronic dumbing-down agenda being perpetrated by these Faux types alarmed about flag burning,secularism,school prayer,the war on christmass and now this.

    Brokeback Backlash From the Right For Movie Industry? | 18 comments (18 topical)