Old News: Back to "Brokeback"

23 January 2006

I need to write about my experience seeing Brokeback Mountain, but I can't right now. It's too raw, even though it's been a few days. I went out and bought the short story on Saturday, and today I've been downloading movie stills to hang in my cubicle at work as well as at home. I also need to buy the movie poster, have it framed and hang it up in whatever house I live in from today onward. This film gripped me and broke me like none other. It's a huge awareness ... a huge hit ... a huge blow ... it wrung something out of me that's been festering for a long time. I feel like something's changed in my life, but I can't figure out what. I feel like I want to jump out of my skin. I dunno. That's it for now. I'm gonna hang this pic of Heath and Jake and get the hell outta here.

And yes, Heath was terrific in this movie, but so was Jake! I'm sick of hearing accolades only for Heath. It's takes two to tumble, folks, so don't forget the other guy.

I've decided, however, that if Heath wins the Oscar, I'll cry uncontrollably again. Later ...

24 January 2006

Below is some text I wrote to a new friend.

"I don't think I can see Brokeback again, at least not until the DVD comes out, and even then ... I wasn't anywhere near prepared for what the story did to me. From the moment when Ennis learns of Jack's death, I fell apart. I had to dash home afterward just to let the rest of it out. I'm not usually a crier. The only movie that used to make me cry was E.T. Otherwise, I can get teary-eyed often enough, but full-out sobbing? Almost never.

"Then last night, I finished reading the short story and cried again. I mean, Annie Proulx just piles it on at the end, you know, with the shirts and everything. And for some reason, Ennis' line "Jack, I swear ..." just wrenches something out of me.

"It was a beautiful love story, gut-wrenchingly honest and tragic. I think we all want a true love like that. I know I do. Thought I had it a couple of times, too. Hopefully, we'll be lucky enough to make things work out and not have it all end so tragically and so ... finally. But, like everything else, you have to give it time ... and hope."