From Molly

   When watching Brokeback, it is difficult to relinquish the preconceived knowledge about the "gay cowboys", and the sex scenes that managed to raise opinions from almost anyone. The beginning of the movie managed to capture the desolate tone of Brokeback Mountain, but was quickly contrasted with a speeding image of a train which foreshadows the idea that Jack and Ennis are not alone. 


When introduced to their boss, we are able to notice the quietness that both of them possess. However, when their boss has to answer a phone call you can almost feel the tension in the air. As we join Jack and Ennis on their journey to Brokeback, we see Ennis caring for a baby lamb up the mountain while Jack wrestles with a full grown sheep, but then picking out the thorns it has, both subtly displaying their quiet sense of tenderness. A more obvious choice that Ang Lee makes is Jack's clear eye contact, but he also chooses to make Ennis' voice tighter and lower, his mouth always seems gripped and shut tight, always wanting to say more than he can. 


Ang Lee successfully transfers the excess use of commas into a clear sense of habitual action that does not carry the montage, love connotations, but simply a transition and explanation of a few days in a mere few minutes. 


As the weeks progress on Brokeback we are reminded of the exponential growth in Jack and Ennis' comfort level. There are two scenes where Ennis begins to remove his clothes, and Jack seems to pay no attention to it at all, and the image of the blurred background as Ennis is naked signifies the blurred image Jack has of Ennis. It is unclear or not to him if he should focus this image and take a chance to exist with him. As the habitual actions continue on, we are constantly taken back to images of the mountain and reminded of just how isolated these men are. Even after the first sex scene, Ennis wakes up and fixes his belt, as he is able to note that he did actually have sex with Jack. The quick cut to the image of the tent after the sex scene contrasts the primal, rough, scene with the secret, deserted, camp ground that we begin to truly understand is Brokeback Mountain.