The LovelyWife is very keen, and I guess I should go considering I’m a ... you know ...
Plus Fred Nile says I shouldn't see it, so I pretty much have to.(Fred and I have a close personal bond - he thinks he can tell me what to do with my life and I think I should end his).
But I always have the same dilemma with mainstream portrayals of gay storylines. At first, everything always seems to be going along nicely and it feels good to see relevant storylines/characters and be able to identify with them blah blah, empowerment, blah blah, uplifting, blah blah.
But then, all of a sudden, everything will turn to sh*t and all the bad stuff in the movie/play/book/tv show will happen to the gay character(s).
All the lesbians either turn straight, get bashed, get evicted and addicted, get assaulted and knocked up, or turn into homicidal axe-wielding maniacs. All the gay men get HIV/bashed/fired/estranged/bad haircuts/dead.
This of course, conveniently reminds us all that being a gay is evil and will only lead to trouble in your life (you see, I'm such a duffer that sometimes I forget).
Gotta tell ya, this isn’t always enjoyable to watch. Not least because it can get a bit depressing, but also because these stereotypes always get me rather fired up. Punching the telly, whilst therapeutic, can be dangerous and expensive.
So do I see the movie?
I’ve deliberately not looked into the specifics of the storyline in case I do want to see it – I don’t want to spoil it. So I’m not really sure how it ends, but I’m guessing that a story involving a close personal relationship between two men in American Cowboy country in the 1960s might also involve themes of repression, self-hatred, homophobia, family break-up and denial.
Its just a hunch.
Tell ya what I will be seeing,
If its just 90 minutes of Uma doing silly dancing, well um, *dribble dribble*, hang on, *dribble dribble* let me just check the session times.
Sorry, gotta go.
5 comments:
Mmm... Uma...
ahem!
BTW, I tagged you for a 'four things' meme to fill in some of those non-Uma filled boring work moments. (You don't have to do the pictures bit, I just added that for my own amusement!)
Oh, forgot to say that the fact that Brokeback Mtn was written mostly by E. Annie Proulx gives me some hope (but then look what Hollywood did to The Shipping News. Yuk). I also can't shake the South Park joke about film festivals being full of movies about gay cowboys eating pudding.
Okey dokey then, I'll set aside some meme-ing time. Ta muchly.
I have seen Brokeback Mountain and am afraid it confirms your worst fears re sadness, badness and so on. No more than realistic though, for the time, place and characters. Not that much in the way of stereotyping, especially not the Heath Ledger character, who is a classic creation. It really isn't about "being gay" so much. In fact I think it is at least as much about class.
And it is an A-1 fantastic movie IMHO. I am working on a longish post about it. Go when you're feeling strong, if you haven't been already. If you have, I'd love to hear what you thought.
Thanks Catness. Your encouragement has renewed my resolve.
Might get along to it on the weekend and I shall let you know what my verdict is.
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