Tuesday, December 12, 2006 Photocap of the Day: Dreamgirls meet DreamguysChoosing the Photocap of the Day is one of the really fun parts of designing an edition of TDS and with so many creative, witty and talented photocaptioners on the forum, we're often spoilt for choice. Today, however, we're running a really exceptional "Photocap of the Day" as our lead article and in so doing, we pay tribute to the creative talents of one of our longtime members,
Lyle (Mooska). Lyle saw
Dreamgirls this weekend, and says: "During the song "When I First Saw You", my thoughts turned to Jack & Ennis. The following post is what I was thinking of."
Ed's note: For those who aren't familiar with the song, you can
listen to a 30-second preview here - click on number 17, wait for it to load, then enjoy Lyle's creativity while you listen to an segment of the original song!
Dreamguys
"WHEN I FIRST SAW YOU"(JACK TWIST)"When I first saw you..." "I said, 'Oh my'.""I said, 'Oh my, that's a dream, that's MY dream'. " "I needed a dream when it all seemed to go bad." "Then I found you""And I have had the most beautiful dreams
Any man's ever had." (ENNIS DEL MAR) "When I first saw you" "I said, 'Oh my, oh my,' ""That's my dream, that's my dream." "I needed a dream to make me strong.""You were the only reason""I had to go on" "You are my dream""All the things I never knew." (JACK & ENNIS)"You are my dream.""Who could believe they could ever come true?""And who would believe""The world would believe in my dreams too?" "When I first saw you...I said, 'Oh my, oh my.' ""That's my dream." New Ang Lee Movie Shooting In China
"Lust, Caution," an adaptation of a short story by famed Chinese writer Eileen Chang, is about a group of patriotic students who plot to assassinate the intelligence chief in the Japanese-backed Chinese government during the World War II era. The movie features Chinese actress Joan Chen from "The Last Emperor," Cannes Best Actor award winner Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Chinese-American pop star Leehom Wang and newcomer Tang Wei, also from China. James Schamus is executive producer and Rodriego Prieto the cinematographer. | | | |
Tony Leung Chiu-wai said he spent two months memorizing the script for the spy thriller - a painstaking process because the dialogue is delivered in Mandarin, instead of his native Cantonese. Leung said shooting of "Lust, Caution" is on a tight schedule because some scenes took longer than expected and that he plans to work on New Year's Day and Christmas Day, but that shooting should wrap by the end of January.
Happy Anniversary, Darling: UK Civil Partnerships One Year Old It's been a year since the Civil Partnership Act 2004 came in to force in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales, giving gay and lesbian couples the same rights as their straight counterparts to "marry" (officially to "affirm their union"), to become their partner's next-of-kin, to gain inheritance and pension rights, to divorce ("experience dissolution").
The statistics are compelling: more than 15,500 couples registered civil partnerships in the period from last December to September this year, suggesting that government predictions of 22,000 partnerships by 2010 are a huge underestimate. But perhaps more significant is that among the 15,500 pledging their union were a cabinet member - Ben Bradshaw, the Fisheries minister - and among those planning to tie the knot are Adam and Ian from The Archers, which, lest we forget, is "an everyday story of country folk".
Trend analyst and social commentator Peter York says, "Civil partnerships have reinvigorated the whole notion of marriage. As an institution, it was getting a bit ragged in this country, wasn't it? Most people weren't doing it, or were failing at it. Now, for a whole bunch of people to embrace it in this way - well, no wonder the conservative lobby are rather stymied. It's like the embourgeoisement of the gay outlaws - they're coming in from the cold and taking their place at the table."
Click here for the full article and interviews with some of the couple who have tied, and untied, the knot. American Film Institute Names Top 2006 Films | | | The American Film Institute has a panel of 13 filmmakers, critics, scholars and trustees who select its picks for best films of the year, a list which is presented unranked. This year's panel included directors Michael Apted and James L. Brooks, writer-producer Diana Ossana and Los Angeles Times critic Kenneth Turan.
Films which made this listing for 2006 include the musical "Dreamgirls," the September 11 drama "United 93" and the outrageous comedy "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan". Also on the Top Ten list were the ensemble story "Babel," the fashion-world satire "The Devil Wears Prada," the gritty classroom drama "Half Nelson," the animated penguin romp "Happy Feet," the bank-heist thriller "Inside Man," the World War II saga "Letters From Iwo Jima," and the road-trip tale "Little Miss Sunshine." | |
Celebrating One Year of Brokeback Mountain Love As Revolution: "The Fuck Heard Round The World" David Walker, writing in the
Wilamette Weekly in December 2005, made a prophetically strong case for Brokeback Mountain as a tool for civil rights.
He says: "In director Norman Jewison's 1967 film
In the Heat of the Night, actor Sidney Poitier, portraying black Philadelphia police officer Virgil Tibbs, slapped a white man-and was not made to pay for his 'sin'."
"Looking back", says Walker, "it is difficult for some to understand the artistic and sociopolitical significance to be found in a single action, which occurred during the height of the civil-rights movement. But when added into the cinematic mix of the film and the complexities of where America was at that place and time, Virgil Tibbs' actions in a small Mississippi town meant something very significant. It became something important-the slap heard 'round the world."
Walker goes on to describe the setup of the Brokeback Mountain, then turns to what BBM aficionados know as FNIT. "...what seemingly starts out as a fight between two twenty-something men, quickly turns into a carnal act that will forever define and shape the lives chronicled in Ang Lee's new film,
Brokeback Mountain. And not unlike Sidney Poitier slapping a white man, the explosion of pent-up sexual desire and repression between Jack and Ennis, equal parts mountain brawl and synergistic lovemaking, is likely to become something very significant.
"For lack of a better term, it will be the fuck heard 'round the world."
He explores his theme in depth, concluding that ." if it's possible for a film to have heart and soul, then at its core Brokeback Mountain is a poetic, brilliant love story. A tale of repressed, burning desire, it reaches heights of emotional purity and delves into the depths of raw humanity.. Brokeback Mountain would be equally compelling if it were about a man and a woman. But it isn't, and that's what makes it revolutionary."
FanFiction Review:Riding Fences - An Uneventful Life
By Cynical21
Long-time members of the Dave Cullen forum will undoubtedly remember a fan fic written by forum member Lucian, aka No_Reins, entitled Riding Fences, a compelling story of the life of Ennis Del Mar after losing Jack Twist. That story concluded several months ago, after following Ennis in his attempts to survive his loss and rebuild his life. The fate of Ennis and the question of whether or not he would ever be able to find any meaning in his existence following his great loss has long been a bone of contention among Brokeback Mountain fans. Riding Fences - An Uneventful Life is proof that the story can be told, and that Jack, though no longer physically present in Ennis' life, can continue to occupy the place that was always his to claim - Ennis' heart. | | | |
This segment of the ongoing narrative covers the years from 1996 through 2000, and finds Ennis at a crossroads in his life. Though he has made tentative efforts towards resolving the duality of his nature, he is still - as Annie Proulx describes it - trapped
between - between what he knows and what he tries to believe. Although it is undeniably true that no narrative which covers a time frame not included in the original story can be considered "canon", Lucian has made a tremendous effort to duplicate Annie's original character and place him in a setting that logically evolves from the events of that well-loved novella. Lucian's Ennis
is Annie's Ennis, and that impecable characterization is part of what makes this story so compelling. While much of the action in Part One occurred at the Twist Ranch in Lightnin' Flat, and featured interaction between Ennis and Jack's mother, Part Two will see the fic's horizons stretch to encompass a larger world and Ennis struggling to make his way through it. Ennis, being Ennis, will encounter many problems and difficulties in trying to resolve the issues that trouble him, but the author hints that he will find assistance from the most unexpected of sources. And through it all, Jack will remain an integral part of his life, closely held and deeply treasured.
"No need to wake now. Del Mar he hears the familiar voice say, Ennis, time to wake up. Cowboy, you better wake up now! Bolt upright, his panicky breath fills the dark room and Ennis, moist above, moist below, lays back down to clutch the pillow through the lonely Jackless night."
This is a story of possibilities - of exploring plausible and realistic ways in which Ennis might survive and rebuild his life, while never relinquishing his hold on the memories that will always give meaning to his existence. Lucian is walking a difficult path, a tightrope between canon and speculation, and he is doing it remarkably well, constantly earning new fans as he reassures his audience that it
is possible to write this story
and at the same time preserve the sanctity of a love that was truly a force of nature.
Lucian is a single gay man who lives in Alaska, a graphic designer by profession. He confesses that he spent many years wanting to write fiction, but never found the proper inspiration until this incredible story and these compelling characters touched him and showed him the way. Fans eager for more of his unique vision are delighted that he overcame his reluctance.
To access this sensitive, beautiful portrait of Ennis Del Mar struggling to live without Jack,
click here or go direct to
the author's LJ.
CalendarForum Events
5-7 Jan, '07 - San Francisco, CA -
The Solstice Bay Bash
25 Feb, '07 - Bay City, MI - Oscar Night
Screening of Brokeback Mountain
If you have ideas about initiating a gathering go to
Start Your Own Threads and get the ball rolling
to plan a get-together near you.Other Events
Let us know of any events you'd like listed here.
The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at www.davecullen.com/forum
Editors: Elle (elle_ann) and Kathy (kmich)
Assistant Editor: Marcia (Marge_Innavera)
Columnists: cynical21, Connie Bailey, Jim Bond, michaelflanagansf, sparky
Proofreader/Researcher: Gonzo (twistedboy) and gnash
Today's edition produced by Elle (elle_ann) email: elle@davecullen.com
Today's edition formatted and proofed by gnash
Contributors: Lyle (Mooska),
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