Gay Cowboys under a micro scope

[Harrowborg]

Was reading something on the news about how 'gay' films seem suddenly more interesting to studio bosses to be made after the success of brokeback mountain. Specifically, they made reference to a film set during the olympics about a gay romance that took place back in the 1970s. While originally this made me think good, I started to think that isn't this just making 'gay' people some freakish phenomonen? selling a film on the basis its about a 'gay' romance?

So what do you guys this?

Did the film help in highlighting the gay culture? Do you think it will help in bringing more focus and universal acceptance to gay themes? or do ya think studio bosses were just ignorant for not seeing more subtle 'gay' characters already in films?

or none of the above?

 

[Raimondin]

Was reading something on the news about how 'gay' films seem suddenly more interesting to studio bosses to be made after the success of brokeback mountain. Specifically, they made reference to a film set during the olympics about a gay romance that took place back in the 1970s. While originally this made me think good, I started to think that isn't this just making 'gay' people some freakish phenomonen? selling a film on the basis its about a 'gay' romance?

So what do you guys this?

Did the film help in highlighting the gay culture? Do you think it will help in bringing more focus and universal acceptance to gay themes? or do ya think studio bosses were just ignorant for not seeing more subtle 'gay' characters already in films?

or none of the above?

Despite all the hoopla and the growing number of parodies, I think Brokeback was a good thing for bringing attention to something that's been so taboo in our culture to a maximum mainstream forefront. And that is two men in love, in fact, romantically in love.
Rather than the ususal stereotypical portrayal of gay men as sexually obsessed creatures that live in some dark fetish world, or as dancing drag queens, Ang Lee shifted the focus to showing the world that we are also loving, caring, and feeling human beings. It's rather incredible that this movie made it to the top, being nominated for Best Picture, you can't get any higher than that.

Even if it didn't get the Best Picture award, I don't think it needed to. I'm willing to bet that more people know more about Brokeback than Crash. Yet, I can't help but be suspicious that Hollywood (once again) pulled a fast one here in denying it the top award. That good'ol Hollywood double standard.

Of course studio bosses are going to jump on the bandwagon. I'm just afraid we're suddenly going to see love stories about lumberjacks, truckstops, or oil rigg workers! Ok, I'm being funny here.
I don't know whether this film will bring universal acceptance or bring more focus in highlighting our gay culture, I'm still willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. I think it did.

 

[Samuelx]

Well, that's surprising. I never thought of that. Brokeback Mountain was a good movie but an even better one is Get Real, starring Ben Silverstone and Brad Gorton. It's about two high school boys who fall in love. John Dixon ( played by Brad Gorton) is a closeted bisexual athlete who has a supermodel girlfriend and Steven Carter ( UK favorite Ben Silverstone) is a closeted writer who wants to make it to the big time. They meet, fall in love, and have a secret romance. People at school start to suspect them and things get a lot more exciting and dangerous from here on in.

 

[Harrowborg]

I've wondered since the Oscars, if where it might have failed was the sheer amount of publicity it recieved rather than the subject matter. It was pretty much billed as the greatest 'gay' movie ever made etc etc, but while I felt I could relate to the main theme of the movie, unless that specific culture is known to you, I just couldn't buy into it. I'm a bi-sexual guy living in London, and while I found it opened up a lot of minds, I personally think a lot of people who saw it probably just went away thinking 'so cowboys are having sex with each other, no surprise'.

its hard putting thoughts into words but I guess what I'm saying is, a really successful film will move beyond its settings and characters, and whlie this film did portray the message of love between gay people, to me I just felt the hype was bigger than the movie.

What are your opinions on it?

 

[Queersetti]

I've wondered since the Oscars, if where it might have failed was the sheer amount of publicity it recieved rather than the subject matter. It was pretty much billed as the greatest 'gay' movie ever made etc etc, but while I felt I could relate to the main theme of the movie, unless that specific culture is known to you, I just couldn't buy into it. I'm a bi-sexual guy living in London, and while I found it opened up a lot of minds, I personally think a lot of people who saw it probably just went away thinking 'so cowboys are having sex with each other, no surprise'.

its hard putting thoughts into words but I guess what I'm saying is, a really successful film will move beyond its settings and characters, and whlie this film did portray the message of love between gay people, to me I just felt the hype was bigger than the movie.

What are your opinions on it?

Well, I think it was, to a degree, overhyped. But I think that has as much to do with Ang Lee being overhyped as the film itself (Not that Lee is not a great film maker).

I think that the setting was largely responsible for the film's success with non-gay audiences. It allowed some distance and may have made it more palatable than a story that implied that maybe the guy next door was keeping a secret.

And, by the way, the idea that the Oscar race was some sort of "upset" is nonsense. I felt all along that Crash was going to win Best Picture, and many other people did as well.

 

[Raimondin]

Yes, I agree with all of you.
I just still think that no matter how we (as GLBT) people look at it, it's always going to be looked at ( by the rest of the non-gay world) as that gay cowboy movie.
Yes, the themes are universal and all that, but what made this film unique (even if it wasn't that great of a film) was the fact that it was two guys this time. And not the usual rodeo queen waiting for her hero cowboy at the back of the stalls, or in this case the sheep pasture.
We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Harrowborg]

Hmm, do you wreckon it would have been up for best picture if it had been two lesbian cowgirls?

 

[John Doe]

Hollywood is fickle.

Big shock.

 

[Raimondin]

Hmm, do you wreckon it would have been up for best picture if it had been two lesbian cowgirls?

Good question. You see, this has always been such a socio-cultural issue in our own American culture as to what is expected, allowed, and what is not allowed from gender roles in regards to sexuality. The taboo list is long. This is why I was very surprised Brokeback hit to the top as fast as it did, to even worldwide proportions. Had it been two lesbian cowgirls, maybe not, or let's just say the impact wouldn't have been as strong.

We have to remember that movie making is still a business, a very big business. Showbiz and glitz have always been a matter of luck and timing, or being at the right place at the right time. Of course, marketing (or Hype) definitely helps. Maybe it was Brokeback's time.

Now at the risk of getting in trouble here by sayng this, I think that lesbian movies have always been more popular and accepted in general than a gay film. I just wonder why.

"OMG!" It's two guys kissing! Embracing! And they look like they're actually really in love with each other! They're even liking it! How shocking!!"