Wow--read the diary.
Brokeback Mountain really made me understand homophobia in a way I never had before. It was absolutely heartwrenching and the movie stayed with me a good long time--in fact I had to go back and see it again a week later because I couldn't get it out of my head. I will always remember Heath Ledger's beautiful performance. The fact that his 2-yr-old daughter won't even remember him is incredibly sad.
Posted by CG at January 23, 2008 04:20 AMI didn't think it was that great of a movie. The performances weren't that memorable. I'd like to read the book but I just don't find myself picking up much fiction.
In any event, while I find Steam Kettle's account of his own personal struggles touching his piece is not exactly a tribute to Heath Ledger is it? And he does exactly what he seems to reject in his diary. He overtly makes his mourning about his own pain and problems. Not about the person who died. The whole diary is about Steam Kettle. Not Heath Ledger. Heath Ledger, real human being, father of a young 2 year old daughter, apparently quite tortured himself, is dead. Not Ennis Del Mar.
Posted by snark at January 23, 2008 06:31 AMI still haven't seen Brokeback, though I do like both of the actors; but then, I'm not all that into tragic romance stuff. Moulin Rouge being a glaring exception, but that was spectacular, spectacular! I still haven't seen Bridges of Madison County either which was supposedly brilliant.
But snark's right, it wasn't a tribute, more of a "wow, Ledger's death reminds me of a painful time in my life." Not that that's a bad thing, really.
I've always liked A Knight's Tale as a guilty pleasure - there were so many things wrong with it, like the modern sound track and the myriad anachronisms, but it was a cute story, and Paul Bettany's performance was a hoot. It's just sad that another young guy with so much to look forward to, just couldn't enjoy it without the drugs.
Posted by iamcoyote at January 23, 2008 07:27 AMBrokeback was a tremendous, milestone movie and we're all a bit poorer today for having lost such a great young talent. His turn as "The Joker" for the up-coming Batman film was allegedy so eerie it bothered even him.
I'd like to reserve judgement on how he died, too. I've heard he had pnuemonia. Who knows what the pills were for?
All we know for sure is he tragically left behind a 2-year-old child and apparently a very loving family, judging from their statements.
It's just very sad, especially for film-lovers.
Posted by Jeff Dinelli at January 23, 2008 09:35 AMYou're right, Jeff, about the drugs part, no one knows yet and I haven't really tried to sift through the speculation... It is a sad thing for his family, either way. And I can understand why the new Joker might be disturbing! Looks like a refugee from an old Tool video!
Posted by iamcoyote at January 23, 2008 09:58 AMBrokeback was a tremendous, milestone movie...
It might have been a milestone but I still don't think it was a really great film.
Posted by snark at January 23, 2008 10:19 AMthe reason why it was a tribute is that heath ledger made that role come alive. it was also a great career risk for a rising young leading man to take on such an explicit gay role. that ledger is now dead, far too young, only makes the film that much more sad and haunting. it makes the pain of the movie that much more real, and the pain of the movie is what steam kettle was talking about- and living.
Posted by Turkana at January 23, 2008 10:20 AMI'm with you, Coyote, that Joker looks awfully scary. I'm no fan of clowns in the first place! I just read he had trouble sleeping while playing that role and the one of the struggling actor in "I'm Not There," the Dylan film. I also read that sleeping pills were by his body so.....maybe he was playing too many dark roles?
The thing about Ledger, especially in Brokeback, was he wasn't an over-the-top actor, but rather a really intensely subtle one. He was tight-lipped and mumbled throughout the film, yet projected the pain and turmoil within Ennis. To me, that's amazing work. The scene where he smells and holds his dead friend/lover's shirt was incredibly sad, and no words were spoken. He brought such fierce intensity to that role, often without saying a word. That's what I admired about him.
Posted by Jeff Dinelli at January 23, 2008 10:44 AMI dunno. I just didn't feel it "come alive". They played the roles but that was it for me. I didn't really get a sense of chemistry between the characters. That's what I remember thinking when we left the theatre. If it hadn't been two guys up on the screen it would have been a b-grade romance flick. Again, it might have been "a milestone" but I didn't think it was a great film.
Posted by snark at January 23, 2008 10:47 AM
I just watched Brokeback again last weekend. I've seen it a few times, and I have to say I do think it's a great film with some incredible acting by Ledger. He had so few actual lines but he showed every emotion tearing through his body in his face and movement. He physically embodied that role perfectly. Even Proulx said he portrayed Ennis exactly as she'd envisioned him. For me, as another actor, I'm always convinced of an actor's greatness by whether I can see him working. I never saw Ledger working in Brokeback. It was a tribute to unrequited love like nothing I've ever seen before.
Posted by ann at January 23, 2008 10:59 AMOh snark, I almost always agree with your posts, but I have such a different opinion about Brokeback. That movie haunted me--Ennis haunted me. I've never been so affected by a movie before in my life. I bought the dvd--something I've never done because I rarely watch a movie more than once. Jeff, you said it all beautifully.
As for Heath, I don't like batman movies, but will see the new one to see what it was about that role that was getting to him. I feel so sad for his little girl and his family.
Posted by CG at January 23, 2008 11:52 AMHey, I make no claim to being a movie critic.
Just my opinion.
Maybe it was all the hype?
Posted by snark at January 23, 2008 12:06 PMA lot of people were very deeply affected by it, but not everyone was. What can you do. It has nothing to do with critical acclaim--just the feelings the movie evoked. It was just weird for me because I had never experienced anything like it before. I literally kept seeing the movie in my head after I got home. I could hardly drive because the images were there in front of me. I think I saw it before I heard much hype. All I had heard was that it was a gay cowboy movie and a friend said it had stayed with her. I didn't understand why or what she really meant until I saw it. I really had no expectations going in.
Posted by CG at January 23, 2008 12:19 PMThis reminded me of the shock I felt when hearing River Phoenix was dead. Utter disbelief. And now, like Brandon Lee, we have a film coming out that will probably be brilliant and make us hurt for the great work we'll never get a chance to see.
However, this thing about actors and how the roles get to them -- this always reminds me of a story I heard once about Laurence Olivier.
As the story goes, Olivier is filming a movie with a real method actor. This guy won't break role for a second -- when they're eating at the craft services table, when they're waiting around the set, this method actor is ON.
Meanwhile, Olivier is being himself, chatting with the cast and crew, talking current events.
When they're ready to do the scene, Olivier jumps into character and delivers a masterful, dominating scene. The director yells "Cut", and Olivier goes back to what he was doing.
The method actor, so astonished by what he's just seen, asks Olivier where he draws from and how he can find his motivation so suddenly without living in the role off camera.
Olivier turns to him and says, "My dear boy, it's called acting."
I'm not trying to belittle the legacy Ledger has left behind. And I also don't want to speculate on what ended his life. I just hope it wasn't the dark roles that got to him.
It's just acting.
Posted by MaskedVigilante at January 23, 2008 12:27 PMMaybe it was all the hype?
That's one of the other reasons I didn't go see it.
(snark, I finally posted my limerick - did ya see it?)
CG - the only time I felt that way after a movie was Farenheit 9-11 and Jet Li's Hero. Oh, and just thinking about the musical montage at the end of Donnie Darko instantly brings tears to my eyes.
MV, I always loved Olivier, but dang, did he chew the scenery in Hamlet! And I think he was older than the chick who played his mother, wasn't he? Was it Joan Fontaine?
Posted by iamcoyote at January 23, 2008 12:50 PMLoved him as the sadistic fucker drilling holes in Dustin Hoffman's teeth in Marathon Man!
Posted by snark at January 23, 2008 12:53 PMHis family in Australia having to hear about Heath's death through the media first really is a disgrace.
How'd the media find out?
Posted by snark at January 23, 2008 01:03 PMOw, snark! Good role, horrific scene!
Man, SoS, that's so sick!
Posted by iamcoyote at January 23, 2008 01:03 PMMV, I always loved Olivier, but dang, did he chew the scenery in Hamlet! And I think he was older than the chick who played his mother, wasn't he? Was it Joan Fontaine?
It was Eileen Herlie who played Gertrude to Olivier's Hamlet, and yes she was 13 years younger than him.
Joan Fontaine -- you're thinking of "Rebecca".
Posted by MaskedVigilante at January 23, 2008 01:44 PMIs that verified? That his family found out via the MEDIA??
That's horrible. Wow.
Posted by MaskedVigilante at January 23, 2008 01:48 PMIt was all over the internet within 2 hours of his being found dead. I wouldn't expect the police to have made a notification any faster than that. And short of keeping those in the know in custody to gag them...
Posted by snark at January 23, 2008 02:07 PMFrom Huffington Post:
In Touch reports his parents found out from watching the news. Ledger's uncle said,
"His mother and father heard of his death on the news. We are all devastated. The whole family is devastated over his death, and more so over having to learn of his death from the media."
This may not be true at all, but I heard that police called TMZ. I thought that was weird when I heard it, so I'm taking it with a large grain of salt.
coyote, if you ever do see Brokeback, don't expect anything. You just have to let the movie wash over you.
Posted by CG at January 23, 2008 02:26 PM