I was unaware Brokeback Mountain, the original short story, is available for free online at The New Yorker. Big ole thanks to Stephen Bennett for the link.
B
I was unaware Brokeback Mountain, the original short story, is available for free online at The New Yorker. Big ole thanks to Stephen Bennett for the link.
I read it a few days ago. Other gay blogs were linking to it.
I cried at the end 🙁
I know! I got teary eyed when I first read it. I haven’t been able to go to see it in LA yet because I know it would be embarrassing. I’m going to have to wait and see it on the down-low like a Tuesday 10:30pm showing once it’s in general release.
Daniel,
c’mon… it’s not like you’re going to be the only one walking out with red eyes and a damp kleenex. You’ll be in good company.
btw.. even if you go on a Tuesday at 10:30, you might want to get tickets in advance. Yesterday’s 10:30ish show sold out.
fbtw.. Regan and I are thinking of getting together for coffee. Wanna come up and join us?
I’ll go with you Dan. You can hold me during the weepy parts…..
🙂
For anyone wanting to read the story:
There are two versions. The original version, as it was printed in the New Yorker, is linked above.
When the story was included in Proulx’ collection of short stories, Close Range: Wyoming Stories, there were two additional paragraphs added to the beginning of the story (they are printed in italics).
If you were unfamiliar with the gay content of the story, I’d recommend reading the original where it comes as a shock. If you already know that it’s a “gay cowboy story” then the revised version adds to the impact.
For those who don’t want to buy the book, the story has been published separately as a (very) small book.
Once it’s in general release yo.
Just as a side-note – saw CNN yesterday and they did a segment on BB and guess who added his two cents worth…….our friend stephen bennett.
[Once it’s in general release yo.]
It goes out to another 25 theaters in a couple of weeks then wide release in January 2006.
How ironic… I was actually at the Tuesday 10:30 show at the Grove in L.A. with a friend of mine, who took me for my birthday. The place was packed, and not just with gay boys.
Dan, you don’t strike me as the type who would break down crying in a theatre, but that’s probably because I don’t know you all that well. 🙂 I’m the type who would, and I didn’t, although I was fully prepared to. I got a bit choked up towards the end, but the film is really, really subtle, which is something the rave reviews don’t clearly emphasize. Most of the story is spoken not through dialogue, but face and body language, and that goes for everyone in the cast. It’s a wonderful film and Ang Lee is a certifiable genius.
You’re right Christopher but I didn’t think I was the type to get teary eyed over a short fiction story either. Still, I’m not gunna take a first date to Brokeback and risk getting all weepy on him 😛
I’m reading it now. Just got to the “no instruction manual needed” passage.
Some initial observations: Where are people coming up with all this “gay cowboys” nonsense? So far, there are no cows in this story. None. Not so much as a distant “moo” as Jack and the other guy eat beanie weenies by firelight.
That’s another thing. Why don’t these guys know how to cook? Maybe they don’t need an instruction manual, but they sure as hell could use a Betty Crocker Cookbook.
Here’s the official release schedule
https://brokebackmountainmovie.com/scheduleList.html
Here’s the official release schedule
https://brokebackmountainmovie.com/scheduleList.html
The closest it’s coming to here is Miami???
I hope that changes 🙁
David
The New Yorker took the damn story offline before I could finish it. I got to the part where the one guy’s father-in-law dies, and the other guy’s ex-wife confronts him in the kitchen on Thanksgiving and then he goes out and gets drunk.
I’m not that disappointed about not finishing it, though. I feel like I know what’s going to happen. It’s kind of like when Tony is watching one of those Lifetime Television for Women movies. I just need the first seven minutes of the story, and then I can fill in the rest.
But I have to say I am now more puzzled than ever over the hand wringing from Stephen Bennett and the rest of the “Traditional Values” milieu. “Brokeback” doesn’t seem like the sort of thing that I would have found particularly inspiring or gay-affirming had it appeared back in the 70’s when I was growing up.
Were I a Religious Rightist, I’d forget about boycotting “Brokeback Mountain” and focus my energies on “That’s Entertainment!” and “Funny Girl.”
David,
I hope that changes 🙁
It goes to wide release on Jan 16
Kurt
“I feel like I know what’s going to happen. It’s kind of like when Tony is watching one of those Lifetime Television for Women movies. I just need the first seven minutes of the story, and then I can fill in the rest.”
On this one you’d be wrong. The last few pages are the part that leave you stunned. The imagery in the last few paragraphs is what illustrates (IMHO) Proulx as one of the best wordsmiths of the 20th century.
For a chuckle: I ran across a review of the short story by someone for whom it was clear that English wasn’t their first language. They said the story wasn’t well written because it had a lot of typos and gramatical errors. Well I tell ya, if they ain’t goin a like the spellin, they goin a have to stand it. he he
Here is another link to the short story since the new yorker link is dead:
https://lamusclepower.tribe.net/thread/45024476-10bb-4e43-b09d-5e95dce67ef4
Where can I find the revised story?
I’d like to compare it with the original.
Thanks, Allen