Reactions to Brokeback by friends, family & audiences

[Diego]

Ive seen this one 3 times now.

My first sceening, which was populated mostly by gay men, there were no laughs, but there were gasps in all the right places. Thinking back, it was the best responce at the landing kiss scene. but it was dissapointing because they didn't really laught at the jokes and the applause at the end was very mild.

On my second and third viewings i have to add that the same things that have been said above happened. Laughing at the Funny parts and Completely silent during the tent scene and the last 20 minutes of the film. You could hear yourself breath. Now on the third, a really strange thing happened, reactionwise. I was seated next to two women on my left. The scene where Alma catches Ennis and Jack, the woman next to me let out a *loud* gasp, turned around to her friend and hid her face in horror. It was a little distracting when i noticed her but when i got out of the theatre I couldnt stop smiling that it got that kind of reaction out of her.

Im going to my fourth tomorrow. My younger brother wants to see king kong, I told him i would take him and gave me an excuse to Enjoy BBM once again.

 

[rjc]

Just came home from my fourth viewing: 7:30 show in Bellevue (Seattle burb). The theatre was about 80% full; most of the audience consisted of couples (40 yrs old and up). There was a lot of energy in the auditorium before the movie started, laughter, loud conversations. That was an indication of reactions to come. Laughter at the intentionally funny scenes and lines, but the loudest laughter of all came in the scene where Alma sees the guys kissing. I know a number of you have mentioned this kind of reaction, but I was horrified. What could these people find funny about a scene of "unnatural" passion that rips the heart out of Alma. In my first three viewings, no one laughed at all; most people gasped (which I think is the appropriate reaction).

As in all my other viewings, there was silence for the last 30 minutes or so. And as in the other viewings, no one I could see or hear cried. Audiences cry at the cheapest, most manipulative crap. How could they not cry here?

[MellorSJ]

I'm wondering if the people seeing it now were well-prepared by reading reviews on what to expect.

Lynn, I don't think any amount of reading reviews can prepare you for what you see up there on the screen.

I hope not.  I'm spending 4hrs/day on BBM, and I STILL haven't seen it.  12 days and 11 mins to go!

[jack]

Just came home from my fourth viewing: 7:30 show in Bellevue (Seattle burb). The theatre was about 80% full; most of the audience consisted of couples (40 yrs old and up). There was a lot of energy in the auditorium before the movie started, laughter, loud conversations. That was an indication of reactions to come. Laughter at the intentionally funny scenes and lines, but the loudest laughter of all came in the scene where Alma sees the guys kissing. I know a number of you have mentioned this kind of reaction, but I was horrified. What could these people find funny about a scene of "unnatural" passion that rips the heart out of Alma. In my first three viewings, no one laughed at all; most people gasped (which I think is the appropriate reaction).

As in all my other viewings, there was silence for the last 30 minutes or so. And as in the other viewings, no one I could see or hear cried. Audiences cry at the cheapest, most manipulative crap. How could they not cry here?

rjc...

i don't know if all your shows were in bellevue, but i do know that town, and it tis both yuppie and conservative to the max, it seems inconceivable but its still not surprising.

jack

[ruth]

rjc---

I was at the 9:45 showing at that same theatre in Bellevue last night.  Again, nice mixed crowd and about 80% full; lots of energy from the audience before hand BUT the first 10 minutes or so of the movie were messed up by some form of screwup in the projector room---nothing but a big blur up until the time when Jack and Ennis are being told what their jobs are to be. My friend was POed...as was I, as that beginning sequence is one of my favorite parts!

At any rate the audience was riveted during the entire film. There was a distinct energy coming off of the crowd I thought--they were *way* into it. There was some laughing at the Alma-sees-The-Kiss scene but after last night's viewing I have a different take on it, it doesn't horrify me any more, and this is why: There is a remarkable tension building way before the kiss, and I think the audience can feel it. It started when Ennis was just beginning his Jack Watch, looking at the window, anticipating. By the time the Kiss happens, the tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife, and the crowd is just starting to gasp and make noises, and when Alma sees them---my feeling is that the laughter is more a blowing-off-of-steam kind of reaction, like an Oh-God-Oh-God nervous tic. I really didn't get the impression they were laughing at Alma at all.  Just some way of releasing the tension. They certainly didn't keep laughing when it became clear how saddened she was.

At one or two times during the film I took a mental break just to monitor what the crowd was doing, and it was amazing how absolutely silent they were, just drinking it in. No fidgeting, no coughing. Completely absorbed.  And this was the late show when most folks (like myself) are normally starting to doze off during lesser films.  Also, there was definite sniffling at the end.

One very pleasant thing was the gal sitting on my right. There was a handful of young women, late teens early twenties I guessed, sitting there and at first I thought, "Oh no are they going to be rowdy and mock it all the way through?"  They were certainly high-energy before the show. But then it became apparent that the gal on my right was a FAN---she was so totally into it, I could feel waves of love just coming off her! For all I know, she might be here on this board right now--Hello,  I kind of wanted to talk to you after the show, are you there?  You were the one who told me Laura Bush dragged the President to go see BBM...

Oh one more thing. My friend was not sorry she went; she loved it (despite lack of Matt Damon) and she had some wonderful comments to make afterwards. First thing she said when the lights came up was: "Dude, Heath Ledger just totally portrayed my father up there on the screen for all to see."  She was kind of melancholy about it.  She also made several observations about the characters motivations that were new to me, for instance she said she knew Alma Jr. knew of her dad's love affair because of the scene where Ennis is dropping her off after the meeting with Cassie, and AJ asks to come live with him. She says she could cook for him and be a real help around the house. My friend interpreted this as AJ saying, "Dad I know you are not going to want to live with another woman (because you are gay) but I want to come to your house and be the woman in your house and take care of you because I love you."  My friend also went on to say that most movies would slap you across the face with this information and she really appreciated the rare subtlety.

All in all, a very satisfying evening.  rjc, I am sorry it was not so much for you, I'm glad I wasn't at that showing.

[PetterG]

portrayed my father up there on the screen for all to see

are you saying that your friend is an 'Alma del Mar jr'

we have a lot of 'Ennis' here, some 'Jack' and even one or two 'Alma sr' !

[Carl]

Orlando shows were all sold out.  Mostly gay, but there was a mix.  Probably the best way to describe the power of the movie...BBM is being shown at an arthouse theatre with waiters, food and drinks.  NO ONE budged during the enitire show.  BUT, when the credits stared to roll...there was an absolute stampede to the restrooms.   I thought I was the only one holding it in.  I went with a straight friend of mine and will take two more tomorrow.  This movie will do fine with straight folks...if they see it.  I have been twice and I am hooked.

[rjc]

You're right, jack, Bellevue is primarily yuppie and conservative, but there's a large contingent of liberal Microsofties in town, and it's this contingent that's kept the BBM boxoffice strong for three weeks now. In any case, I'm assuming that anyone who attends BBM is in some way, for some reason interested in it, and that's why I was so surprised by the insensitive reaction. The laughter didn't come from fundamentalists, bigots, and other assorted idiots; they wouldn't be caught dead in the theatre in the first place.

Ruth, I was willing to give my audience the benefit of the doubt and conclude that what I was hearing was nervous laughter. But I don't think it was. In any case, I'm happy to hear that your audience's reaction was more appropriate. I'd love to hear some sniffling other than my own. I guess I'll just have to keep going until I find an audience that gets it right.

[jack]

rjc, the boeing-ites must have moved on creating a migratory effect from redland

[gnash]

i posted this in another thread in response to tony, but figure it should sit here as well:

tony -- we were able to get in for the 7:35 arclight show last night,,, oddly enough there were plenty of seats left, practically the entire front 3 rows -- must have been that computer glitch.

wow, nobody screamed during the "DECEASED" scene at our showing. there was a group of younger people slightly high or drunk, or just happy. they laughed hard during many of the scenes... kinda strange. lots of coughing too, must be a bug going around. a woman wailed at the cut to jack, his face bloodied by his three assailants. some nervous laughter during alma's window scene and when it was discovered that joe was watching them through binoculars.

i love that scene because you can hear joe in the saddle, the leather creaking slightly, and the view is jittery, like the view through a handheld camera. but you never know what's going on until they show him with binoculars in hand. some laughter here at this showing, a few audible gasps.

a slight wave of chucklng during the scene where jack describes his relationship with lureen as easy as "over the phone." dead silence during the entire twist ranch kitchen scene and upstairs in the bedroom.

my first viewing was with a very gay audience the first week it came out. lots of crying and sniffling was heard throught the movie, and much cheering at the end for ang lee. some men stood up to applaud, but i think most of the audience was just too stunned to follow.

a marked difference this time around, and the audience was varied -- saw lots of hetero couples hand in hand, and even a few families with kids as young as 8 or 10 years old. we noticed many of the people waiting to get in to the 10pm show were gay, or at least looked gay. male couples hand in hand, etc. nice to see guys unafraid to show affection, if only as simple as a head on a shoulder or open bickering over buttered or plain popcorn, lol.

i'm sure our friends in small towns wouldn't dare hold hands in line for this movie, no way.

i've seen BBM at the grove, burbank, pasadena and the arclight. i have to say that the soundsystem at the arclight was the best. like i said, you can almost hear insects crawling in some scenes! the sound in the camp scenes are masterful, with so much layering to create a perfect, outdoor atmosphere.

i went with a 21 yr old and his 24 yr old old partner, neither of them cried (!), but they loved it, and we had a nice discussion afterwards at a weho eatery. (our waiter was a looker on par with jake, a dark haired beauty from a town called wintergreen. we would have loved to have seen him in a cowboy hat, heh.)

we noticed a store window with a display of BBM related items. cowboy hats, movie posters, some horseshoe coat hangers and whatnot. i reckon the phenomenom will continue. can't wait to see boys in west hollywood in cowboy boots and pearl button shirts. who knows, maybe two shirts layered, denim on top of a light plaid, will be fashionable in the gay community sometime soon. 

my seventh viewing was tonight as well... but surely not the last!

[jack]

gnash...

you might want to consider bookmarking the new BBM fever support group.  i did, but its not really that bad for me, lol.

jack

[gnash]

jack, is it that obvious? 

i wrote my recent posts with brokebackLJ's song and the BBM soundtrack playing in the background, fueled by my seventh viewing tonight, with first time friends and some interesting conversation afterwards. i suppose this will all wear off in due time, but seriously doubt another movie will grab me like BBM, which so far has refused to let go. like you're fond of saying, "aint no reins on this one!!!"

just think what this board will be like when the dvd is released...

"...played the kissing scene in slo-mo, and was finally able to see the silvery line of spit between jack and ennis' lips!"

[jack]

GNASH...

now THAT gave me a laugh.  so much for the "moderates" who think this will blow over in a month or so.  the hardcore among us will keep the flames fanned until the DVD comes out, and then we can anticipate a deluge of obsessed newbies.  at least this site will be in place for them..

jack

[Nado]

A friend of mine here in Washington had an interesting report.

She said that at BBM's conclusion, the audience filed out of the theater - and while in tears, it was almost as if they couldn't look at one another. It was as if they felt shame and embarassment for the America they live in.

This IS a political film!

[rjh_dump]

BBM opened in Oklahoma City on Jan 6th at two theaters. I attended the first showing (early afternoon) at one theater. That same day I attended an evening showing at the other theater.

During the first showing, my perception was that the audience was mainly straight. I noticed that some may have been granddaughter and grandmother going to an afternoon matinee. I was surprised and wondered if most of the goers even knew what kind of movie it was. The theater on opening day, 1st showing (1:10 pm), was filled. Not sold out, but fairly packed. The 7:10 pm showing on the board at the ticket booth flashed "sold out."

During the 1st "tent scene" very little happened in the theater. It was rather quite. I noticed the man in front of me putting his arm around his girlfriend and/or wife and quickly kissing her. During the scene when Alma witnessed the two guys kissing, there were some "Oh no's." I was surprised and pleased with how the audience handled the movie. I live in Yukon (a suburb of Okla City) and expected some "walk-outs." There were none that I noticed (and no groans). An emotionally powerful moment occurred when Ennis received the mail stamped "deceased." I heard an "oh no" and some groans. After that I heard many sniffles. I was torn-up. I rarely cry but felt that I was going to lose it toward the end. I left the theater quickly, embarrassed at my emotional state and not wanting anyone to see a grown man upset and crying a bit...so I didn't witness how others left, however, I heard a lot of sniffles.

The evening show at another theater was not as quiet. My perception was while there were more gays in the audience, I'd say the majority where straight. There were more responses from the audience as far as laughter during some of the more comical scenes and statements. I heard a lot of comments (non were derogotary, just a good natured audience) thoughout the movie, however, again, dead quiet from the scene of the "deceased" post card to the very end, aside from the many sniffles. The audience left and it was quiet. I noticed leaving the theater people seemed to be leaving as if in mourning. It was really quite sad.

I love Oklahoma, but having lived here for 15 years (moved here from Los Angeles where I grew up) I did expect at least some walk-outs or a loudmouth in the audience exclaiming their distate for the movie. None of those happened in the shows I went to.

I believe the audience knew the content of the movie and/or where mature enough to handle it.

Thanks.