Today's topic of discussion.

[hackthis_archive]

In today's Variety there's an article on Brokeback Mountain, one of many that have come out over the last few months and which will doubtlessly be followed by many more. I mention this because in reading it this comment caught my eye,


I don't believe they would have ever allowed an openly queer director to make this movie, nor do I believe that actors of this calibre would have signed on. In a long line of ironic outcomes, it took these guys [Jake Gyllenhaal & Heath Ledger] with impeccable heterosexual credentials to make this kind of breakthrough.
-Critic and author B. Ruby Rich

Do you lot agree with that?

Discuss.

Comments

[ladycat777.livejournal.com]

Like a poster above says, it's sucky, but it's probably very acurate. This way the studios can't claim they were pushing any kind of agenda or indavertantly allowing the movie to become a vehicle for a gay actor/writer/director/etc.

Which is ludicrous, because chances are good that somebody working on this film is gay. Probably a lot more than just one. But this gives them a chance to say it really was about the story, which is gorgeous and heartbreaking, and has nothing to do with anyone's political or social Issues.

And ... I kind of agree with that mentality. We aren't at a point, culturally, where we're ready for gay-films that are by gay people and for everyone. We're far too repressed still, and I'd fear some kind of backlash if anyone tried. Hopefully, Brokeback will help break down some of those barriers, simply because it really is about the story. I don't know about JG, but I have heard fairly reliable reports that Ledger is fairly clear on how gay he isn't, and while he's not exactly intolerant, he's gotten burned by rumors of gay affairs that've made him less ... open. So if someone like him is doing this, then it really is about the story. Supposedly, anyway.

I can't wait for this movie. Even though I know it's going to make me cry.