I've been reading complaints, by gay men, that the leads of Brokeback Mountain are not in fact gay. They feel strongly that gay actors should have played the roles. One of the writers who railed against the film is John Scagliotti. He was a classmate of Ang Lee's (director of Brokeback) at NYU. John's critique could be perceived as simple jealousy, as he has not had the successes of his former classmate; or it could be a legitimate frustration with an industry that does not value documentary films, such as his own 2003 release Dangerous Living - Coming Out in the Developing World.
Still, I feel that this 'gay only' position neglects to realize a powerful by-message of the film: that straight men, who are known for being female magnets, are not afraid or ashamed to be cast as gay lovers; and by taking on these roles, with sensitivity and feeling, further breaks down the barriers that exist between the straight and gay cultures. It also sends a message to male homophobes who might be admirers of Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal --who've played such roles as a battling knight and a marine sniper, respectively.
Willie Nelson gives a vote of confidence with his song "He was a Friend of Mine" in the movie, and aditionally recording "Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly (Fond of Each Other)".
If only gays played gay parts, and recorded gay songs you would have a very segregated and exclusionary group. That doesn't seem very progressive.
2 comments:
I haven't seen this movie as yet but do know the gist of the story line. I found your article most impressive. I sure hope this new site gets around. We can learn a lot here. Your slant on topics is very freeing. Gives one cause to take a different view of things. Keep up the great work! Amerika needs you!
yeehaw!
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