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Big Gay Picture Show

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema and more

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema & more

Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt & Ryan Phillippe Turned Down Brokeback Mountain, Says Gus Van Sant

July 22, 2018 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

It’s difficult to imagine anyone except for Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger playing the lead roles in Brokeback Mountain, but it might have been very different. Before Ang Lee took over, Gus Van Sant was developing the film. However, he’s recently told Indiewire that one of the reasons he didn’t make the movie was how difficult it was to find someone to star.

He says “Nobody wanted to do it. I was working on it, and I felt like we needed a really strong cast, like a famous cast. That wasn’t working out. I asked the usual suspects: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Ryan Phillippe. They all said no.”

It could have been a very different film with them, but before we cry ‘homophobia’ for their decision not to make the movie, Van Sant adds that he was angling to make a movie very different to what others involved were hoping for. He comments, “The original story, which was in The New Yorker, was so beautiful and simple, and Larry [McMurtry, screenwriter] had turned it into something that resembled ‘The Last Picture Show’. Which was really good if you were thinking along certain lines … I was thinking more like ‘Gerry,’ ‘Elephant,’ ‘Last Days.’ I kind of wanted to go back to the simplest view of the short story, which I couldn’t do … I didn’t really want to go and talk Larry and Diana [Ossana, producer] out of what they had created, because it was great.”

Ossana confirmed to Indiewire that those actors were approached, but was very diplomatic about why they might have turned it down, just saying, “Yes, all those young gentlemen (at the time) turned down the project, for various reasons.”

It’s also known that Mark Wahlberg was approached and turned the movie down. At the time Gyllenhaal and Ledger were up and comers, although it was still almost unheard of for a mainstream American film to cast two well-known heterosexual actors to play gay romantic leads in a movie. Indeed, it hasn’t happened that many times since.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Ryan Phillippe, Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath Ledger  FILMS: Brokeback Mountain  

10 Years After Brokeback Jake Gyllenhaal Thinks It’s Now OK To Be Gay In Hollywood

November 29, 2015 By Tim Isaac 1 Comment

brokeback-mountainIt’s a decade since Brokeback Mountain became one of the most successful gay-themed movie ever at the box office, so it’s a good time for Jake Gyllenhaal to take a look back and consider whether things have improved for gay actors in Hollywood.

He recently told THR about the changes in gay rights over the last 10 years, “I think it is changing. And it’s pretty amazing how it’s changing. And one of the things that I’m so proud of [about] that movie, was to see, within the past basically 10 years, how much has changed. When the Supreme Court [issued a ruling] just a little while ago, I felt like we had been part, a little part and parcel of that movement. I was proud, you know? To me that’s really a pretty incredible moment. We had to wait a little while for it. But when will it be OK for an actor to be gay? I mean, it’s OK now.”

Of the decision to take the role of Jack Twist in Brokeback, he adds, “It’s one of the most beautiful scripts I’ve ever read and it was Ang Lee, and at the time Heath [Ledger] was a friend of mine — before we even shot the movie — and always sort of alluring to me. Heath was always somebody who I admired.  He was way beyond his years as a human, in a way. I wasn’t quite sure where he came from. I mean, I know he’s from Perth, but I wasn’t really quite sure where he came from and I think that’s the feeling most people got when they were around him and why he was so extraordinary. And when that opportunity came I was a young actor. I was like, “Yeah, I’m in.”  I know a lot has been made of the choice to do it, but it just didn’t seem like something that was scary to me. You know, it was binding, because sometimes a lot of that character is very specifically the more overtly gay character of the two.  The one who’s struggling with it less. And I didn’t really realize that.  And that was an interesting journey for me, giving into that idea. Being the one who tries to push the relationship.  And I think in a very simple way people would say, “Oh the sort of more female character.” I don’t even know what the hell that means, but I’ve been told that many times — you know, the one who wants the relationship or something. That was an interesting thing for me.”

You can take a look at the full Hollywood Master interview below. [Read more…]

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ACTORS: Jake Gyllenhaal  FILMS: Brokeback Mountain  

Brokeback Mountain Is Headed To The London West End Stage

September 14, 2015 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

brokeback-mountainAt the end of last year Brokeback Mountain writer Annie Proulx surprised many when she said of her short story, “I wish I’d never written the story. It’s just been the cause of hassle and problems and irritation since the film came out.”

Her problem was that since the film came out, people haven’t responded to the story the way she would like, as they would prefer if it had a happy ending. “So they rewrite the story, including all kinds of boyfriends and new lovers and so forth after Jack is killed,” she said.” And it just drives me wild. They can’t understand that the story isn’t about Jack and Ennis. It’s about homophobia; it’s about a social situation; it’s about a place and a particular mindset and morality. They just don’t get it… The implication is that because they’re men they understand much better than I how these people would have behaved. And maybe they do. But that’s not the story I wrote. Those are not their characters. The characters belong to me by law.”

However despite her rather crotchety attitude it hasn’t stopped her cashing in, making a mint from the movie, turning Brokeback Mountain into an opera, and now she’s sold the stage rights to producer Tom O’Connell, who intends to turn it into a play due to be staged next year in London’s West End. At the moment, it’s not clear who will write the play (Proulx herself wrote the book for the opera, but it doesn’t appear she’ll be involved in that capacity here).

Playbill prints statement from Annie, saying, “I am looking forward with sharp anticipation to the stage interpretation of the star-crossed lovers of Brokeback Mountain who moved from the page to the screen and now, under the skilled hand of producer Tom O’Connell and the sensibilities of the company, to the stage —a strange journey for two messed-up wannabe cow-hands from Wyoming. The actors who pull on their scuffed-up boots will step into a difficult time in a hard place.”

There’s no specific date given as to when it will hit the London stage, or what theatre it will be at. You can follow the show’s progress at brokebackplay.com. [Read more…]

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FILMS: Brokeback Mountain  

Heath Ledger Wasn’t Initially Considered ‘Macho Enough’ For Brokeback Mountain

August 6, 2015 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

brokeback-mountainSometimes after a movie is made, it’s difficult to imagine any other actors playing the roles. That’s certainly true of Brokeback Mountain, but apparently at one point it seemed unlikely Heath Ledger would get the role of Ennis Del Mar, as he wasn’t considered ‘macho enough’ for the role of the taciturn ranch-hand.

The news comes from Oscar-winning screenwriter Diana Ossana, who was chatting about the film to mark its 10th Anniversary on the The Michelangelo Signorile Show. She said, “[Ennis] was the most difficult role to cast. And that seemed to be the perpetual problem as we went on. And even a little bit for [director] Ang [Lee]. Another actor had committed [to the role of Ennis] and we had suggested Heath. But the studio didn’t feel he was macho enough.

“I thought that was a rather odd comment. But we just sort of stuck with it. And when that [other] actor backed out — and he did, after three months — I called Heath’s agent…It was interesting. Early on, Ang had wanted both the boys to be lifting weights and get all buff. Heath said,  ‘You know, I’m the ranch hand [in the film]. I wouldn’t have time to be lifting weights. I’m kind of scrawny and young.’ He said, ‘I’m not going to do that.’ So he didn’t.”

Heath was right, at it would have seemed slightly odd if both Ennis and Jack looked like they spent all their lives in the gym and were almost a porn version of what ranchers are. But it’s certainly interesting to hear how things could have been.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal  DIRECTORS: Ang Lee  FILMS: Brokeback Mountain  

Heath Ledger’s Homophobic Gay Uncle Inspired His Brokeback Mountain Character

July 6, 2015 By Tim Isaac 2 Comments

brokeback-mountainHeath Ledger is probably best remembered as The Joker in The Dark Knight and as Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain. It’s 10 years since the latter movie debuted, and as part of their marriage equality special, Variety caught up with director Ang Lee and producer/writer James Schamus, to talk about the movie.

Perhaps the most interesting info to come from the chat, is what inspired Ledger’s performance as the quiet, completely closeted Ennis. Ang Lee says, “Heath came in and wanted to do it right away. He told me that he learned from one of his uncles, who is also a very macho, homophobic gay, much like Ennis, and also a rancher.”

Anne Hathaway meanwhile apparently auditioned while in costume for The Princess Diaries 2 – a far cry from the Midwest character she ultimately ended up playing in Brokeback.

Lee also talked about the difficulty he had shooting the sex scenes, saying, “I was pretty shy shooting sex scenes, so I designed a very complicated one-shot deal, with 13 points of focus. I made it technical so that no one would think about anything else except hitting their marks. Once we got past the first take, nobody was shy anymore. We tried to make it as real and compelling as possible, and they were very professional. Getting into the first take was hard, and it was the 13th take that I ended up using, which was the last take.”

It’s well worth reading the whole chat, which includes the fact Lee never thought it would be a big success. He comments, “I also thought it would be an arthouse film with a very small audience. I was nervous about the subject matter hitting the shopping mall, and I was surprised at its success. I think it has something to do with the fact that it’s a poignant love story.”

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ACTORS: Heath Ledger, Anne Hathaway  DIRECTORS: Ang Lee  FILMS: Brokeback Mountain  

Brokeback Mountain Author Annie Proulx Now Wishes She Could Quit Her Creation

December 30, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

brokeback-mountainWriters tend to be split into two camps – those who don’t mind others taking their creations and spinning them into their own fantasies and ideas in whatever direction they wish (within limits), and those who are very protective and get frustrated by other people’s ‘incorrect’ interpretations and extrapolations.

It appears Brokeback Mountain author Annie Proulx is one of the latter, as in a recent interview she’s suggested she wishes she’d never written the story, due to how obsessives fans have reacted to it, particularly since her acclaimed short story was turned into a movie.

Talking to Paris Review, she says, ‘I wish I’d never written the story. It’s just been the cause of hassle and problems and irritation since the film came out. Before the film it was all right… In Wyoming they won’t read it. A large section of the population is still outraged. But that’s not where the problem was. I’m used to that response from people here, who generally do not like the way I write. But the problem has come since the film. So many people have completely misunderstood the story. I think it’s important to leave spaces in a story for readers to fill in from their own experience, but unfortunately the audience that “Brokeback” reached most strongly have powerful fantasy lives. And one of the reasons we keep the gates locked here is that a lot of men have decided that the story should have had a happy ending. They can’t bear the way it ends—they just can’t stand it. So they rewrite the story, including all kinds of boyfriends and new lovers and so forth after Jack is killed. And it just drives me wild. They can’t understand that the story isn’t about Jack and Ennis. It’s about homophobia; it’s about a social situation; it’s about a place and a particular mindset and morality. They just don’t get it. I can’t tell you how many of these things have been sent to me as though they’re expecting me to say, Oh great, if only I’d had the sense to write it that way. And they all begin the same way—I’m not gay, but . . . The implication is that because they’re men they understand much better than I how these people would have behaved. And maybe they do. But that’s not the story I wrote. Those are not their characters. The characters belong to me by law.’

You would think a writer would be happy their work has had such a profound effect of their audience, but for Proulx there’s obviously more to it than that. If you read the entire interview though, Proulx does come across as rather crochety and, to be honest, a little snobby, so perhaps it’s understandable that she doesn’t like others to interpret her work too much.

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FILMS: Brokeback Mountain  

Jake Gyllenhaal Looks Back On The Importance Of Brokeback Mountain

November 4, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

brokeback-mountainWith Nightcrawler hitting cinemas last week, Jake Gyllenhaal sat down with Huffpo and took the opportunity to look back at one of the most important films of his career – Brokeback Mountain.

He considers its place both in his own filmography and its more general legacy. The ‘gay cowboy’ film follows Gyllenhaal’s Jack Twist and Heath Ledger’s Ennis Del Mar, from their meeting while looking after sheep on the titular Brokeback Mountain, through their love affair over the next 30 years.

Gyllenhaal notes, “It was at the time, culturally, it gave me the idea that movies can be important. That they do have some sort of political value…it’s become something beyond what any of us could have imagined.”

He adds, ‘”It’s a beautiful story and it was very successful in many different ways and so that’s what brought a lot of the attention… It’s one of those films that’s no longer mine – it’s sort of everyone’s.”

You can take a look at what Jake had to say below. [Read more…]

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ACTORS: Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath Ledger  DIRECTORS: Ang Lee  FILMS: Brokeback Mountain  

Brokeback Mountain Gets A Gay-Free Russian Makeover In A Fun New Vid

August 30, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

brokeback-mountainWith the ban of gay propaganda in Russia, I imagine a bit of editing has had to go on with some Hollywood movies over there, to ensure they don’t say suggest being gay is a-ok.

Now a fun new vid has come along which gives us a look at Russian Brokeback Mountain, where the Ang Lee tale of two cowpokes who like each other an awful lot is straightened up to be the story of two totally heterosexual guys who get naked to show how straight they are, sleep with lots of women and have straight babies.

And the only thing they want to quit is smoking.

It’s a fake trailer that’s a lot of fun, so take a look below. [Read more…]

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FILMS: Brokeback Mountain  

Heath Ledger’s Brokeback Mountain Shirts Fetch $15,000 At Auction

March 2, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Jake Gyllenhaal & Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain

Jake Gyllenhaal & Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain

There’s a huge trade in movie props and costumes, but it’s usually only truly iconic pieces that reach exceptionally large sums. It seems someone feels shirts worn by Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain are worth a pretty penny, as GayStarNews reports that a pair of them fetched $15,625 in an auction that ended last Thursday.

The pieces were sold by Hollywood memorabilia collector Nate D. Sanders, although it’s not known who bought them. Although you might have expected these to be the shirts that play such an important role at the end of the movie, they were actually worn by Heath’s character, Ennis, when he tell Jack that he doesn’t plan to sleep with him again. They consist of a white ribbed tank top and rust coloured plaid shirt.

2005’s Brokeback Mountain tells the story of two cowboys who go to look after sheep on the titular mountain and end up falling for one another. While both Ledger’s Ennis Del Mar and Jake Gyllenhaal’s Jack Twist go on to marry women, over a 20 year period they just can’t quit one another.

The film won three Oscars, although both actors lost out despite being nominated.

brokeback-mountain-shirts-heath-ledger

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ACTORS: Heath Ledger  FILMS: Brokeback Mountain  

Brokeback Mountain Has Become An Opera In Spain

January 7, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

brokeback-mountain-600px
Brokeback Mountain started life as a great but very short story by Annie Proulx, before becoming an Oscar winning movie starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, two young men hired to look after sheep who start a years long love affair.

Now the tale’s moving to another medium, as BroadwayWorld.com reports that it’s set to open as an opera in Madrid later this month. Charles Wuorinen is the composer, with Proulx returning to her own story by working on the libretto.

It’s doesn’t directly ape either the movie of the original short story, as the opera is described as ‘grittier’ than the film, with tighter characterisation, as well as thee addition of a ghost and a chorus. Canadian bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch takes on the role of Ennis, while American tenor Tom Randle is Jack.

The openly gay Wuorinen describes it as, “A story of doomed love, in this case a complex homosexual relationship taking place in a very homophobic society.”

Broadwayworld seems fairly impressed with the music, saying the “Score evokes the mountains with its swells and strains, bringing to life the harshly imposing Wyoming landscape from which the story was born.”

The opera was originally meant to be first staged in America, as it was commissioned by the New York City Opera, which was well known for producing new works with popular culture interest, such as opera based on Where The Wild Things Are, as well one about the life of Anne Nicole Smith. However that organisation is now defunct, and when the company’s director, Gerard Mortier, resigned, he took Brokeback Mountain to the Teatro Real in Madrid. It will now premiere there on January 28th.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
FILMS: Brokeback Mountain  
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