hackthis_archive | BBM RPS - Sacrificial Lambs (JG/HL)

Inspired by a few stills and Mr Ang Lee's dedication to the crack, err, craft.

Brokeback Mountain RPS
Jake Gyllenhaal/Heath Ledger, Ang Lee

Sacrificial Lambs

Take #1

Films are shot in reverse. Generally, whatever you see at the end of a film is what was shot first. Jake doesn't know why this is, it could be a budgetary thing, but it's probably to allow for fuckups and the like. Regardless, it's not Jake's place to question why things happen in the order they do; it's his part to question his character's motivation. Jake has read Annie Proulx's short story, so he knows his motivation. It's the 1960's American Mid-West. He's a sheep wrangler. He's in love. That's all the motivation anyone should ever need.

It doesn't matter if Jake's in love with Heath -- he's not –- and it doesn't matter that Heath's shorter than Jake is -– he is –- Jake just has to be in love for this scene. He just has to feel the yearning and understand the secrecy for this particular take.

Except the first time he and Heath grab each other, he pulls a muscle in his neck and lets out a yowl.

"Cut! Cut! Cut!" Ang shouts.

Take #2

Twenty minutes later, Jake's neck feels better, but the sun has gone behind some clouds, and Jake can feel the chill. His vest looks a lot thicker than it is, but he can't even imagine how cold Heath must be in his thin cotton shirt -– he's shuddering against Jake's chest. Heath doesn't grip at Jake as much as he curls around him, smelling like Marlboro Red cigarettes and coffee, and Jake can feel the tremours when Heath sneezes.

"Damnit," Ang snaps, "Cut! Lighting!"

Heath lifts his head and smirks at Jake in their recessed porch setting. "Mint?"

Take #4

They're running the scene and this might be it. Jake can feel it in his bones. He's on his mark; Heath's on his mark. The lines are flowing seamlessly. The lighting is good. Heath's back is against the wall; Jake has him pined there with his body. Heath's hands are freezing on his ears though, and Jake's hearing is kind of muffled. When Heath's eyes close, Jake leans forward -– and his footing slips. The only reason he doesn't end up eating the staircase is because Heath's holding him up.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Ang howls. "Fucking cut!"

Take #5

There's something wrong with this scene, Jake can feel it. He's not quite on; Heath's distracted, and then Jake catches onto Heath's line of vision. Ah, Michelle is on set, and so much for being professional.

The kiss is dry and devoid of any passion or character. Jake could be kissing carpeting.

"Cut!" Ang shouts. "What the hell? You're supposed to be happy to see each other! You're in love! Love story, boys! Love! You know that thing that makes your heart beat faster and decreases your IQ by half? Christ!" he snaps waving them off. "Take five."

Take #6

Five is more like forty-five, but now, Heath's not with Jake anymore. He's saying the words and going through the motions, but he's just not there. Michelle's left the set, but Heath's focus isn't anywhere on the rickety stairs with Jake. Heath turns his head at the wrong moment and Jake ends up kissing his ear.

Jake can hear Ang's sigh. "Right. Cut. Again."

Takes #3, 7-9

Technical difficulties.

Take #10

Jake's lost it. He has no idea what the hell his "it" is –- Maggie calls it "Mr Ed" –- but whatever "it" is, "it" is lost. When he kisses Heath, it's lackluster, and Ang groans. Loudly.

"Look." Ang is moving from behind the camera. This is not good. Heath is shorter than Jake, and Ang is shorter than both of them, but he strides over with the determination of a small man who does very big things all the time.

Jake's not expecting it when Ang slides in between them, grabs Heath's face, and plants one on him. Hard. Apparently, Heath isn't expecting it either.

"You love this man," Ang tells Jake before looking between them impatiently. "You can't get enough of him, but you have to share him with this other woman. You're completely broken at the same time that you want more. This is desperation at its finest. Act like you're in love, boys. Do it now."

Ang nods his head, steps away, and Heath lets out an exhalation of disbelief.

"You love me?" Heath asks Jake with a smile; he's almost flippant. Jake inhales deeply, he feels a bit shaky. His hands are trembling, and he doesn't know why. Actually, he does, it's called belief; it's called acting. It's been missing for the last several takes.

Jake grabs Heath by the shoulders and shoves him back against the cold aluminum siding. When Heath opens his mouth to protest, Jake kisses him. He presses his mouth against Heath's lips, licking and biting, hoping to convey everything he thinks Jack Twist might be: hopeful, hurt, intelligent, lonely, depressed and defiant.

When he pulls back, finally, Heath's eyes are wide and glazed.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Ang shouts. "Kiss him like that!"

Take #11

Production difficulty.

Take #12

The sun is crossing the sky, and the wind is starting to blow in from the north. Alberta is many things, but more than anything else, it's cold and lonely. Jake misses Kirsten. And Maggie. He misses his friends. All he has is Heath, and all Heath wants is Michelle.

Heath jumps the gun on this take. Jake's just leaning in, and Heath's already there.

Jake's pretty sure that Ang yells, "Cut" but he can't tell because Heath's slammed him against the opposing wall, and his head is ringing. Plus, he can't breathe because Heath is sucking all the air out of his lungs. It's a good kiss, but it's all wrong for the film.

"Cut!" finally makes its way to Jake's rattled brain. "Nice idea, Heath," Ang says, "but that's not your role this time around."

Heath doesn't look at Jake when he lets go and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. "Right," is all he says.

Take #13

Jake says his dialogue by rote. Heath responds. Their inflection isn't great. Jake thinks he's going to need voiceover work later. They meet somewhere in the middle, and then there are hands and lips, and they kiss, and there's no acting whatsoever.

It's not flawless. It's not perfect. It is all flaws and imperfection. Heath's holding on too tight, and Jake's fingers are tangling in Heath's hair. There are teeth, and tongues, and they slam against the wall too hard. Heath's going to hurt later. But. But their thighs press together, and Jake can feel Heath's body heat radiating through their clothes. Just for a moment he believes that they are in love, and then Ang says, "Cut!" and Jake gets this strange sense of vulnerability, like he's sacrificing something good for something that might not be better.

-end-

Larger copies of the still are available here, because really, can you see too much of this?