Author Topic: Old West/New West  (Read 6590 times)

Offline jerasjr

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Old West/New West
« on: Mar 18, 2006, 08:52 AM »
In the production notes, Jake Gyllenhaal says:
"There's a metaphor of the whole West, how the West was changing at the time from the Old West to the New West.  Ang likes to say that Jack represents the New West, and Ennis represents the Old West.  They're two people, two landscapes."  Wonder how this could affect our ideas about Jack & Ennis.  Can see Jack becoming more involved technologically (in Lureen's business) and Ennis satying the hardscrabble rancher that he had always experienced in his life.
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Offline tpe

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Re: Old West/New West
« Reply #1 on: Mar 18, 2006, 02:12 PM »
In the production notes, Jake Gyllenhaal says:
"There's a metaphor of the whole West, how the West was changing at the time from the Old West to the New West.  Ang likes to say that Jack represents the New West, and Ennis represents the Old West.  They're two people, two landscapes."  Wonder how this could affect our ideas about Jack & Ennis.  Can see Jack becoming more involved technologically (in Lureen's business) and Ennis satying the hardscrabble rancher that he had always experienced in his life.

I like this vision: "They're two people, two landscapes." 

Jake  Gyllenhaal, you speak the truth...and the truth I love.

Offline Stephen

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Re: Old West/New West
« Reply #2 on: Mar 22, 2006, 09:39 AM »
First of all, where are these "production notes"?  Well, according to Ms. Proulx, there really is no New West; the old, homophobic, Marlboro cowboy west is still the predominant mind set. Mayby Jack is a symbol of a new west trying to Become, whereas Ennis is the status quo, a prisoner of his own homophobia.
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Offline jerasjr

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Re: Old West/New West
« Reply #3 on: Mar 22, 2006, 09:54 AM »
Okay, to answer your question - downloaded the production notes from somewhere on this site - don't ask me where, because it was days ago, and there is nothing on the print out to attribute where it came from.  My best guess is that in the thread dealing with screenplay you could find it.  That is not always the case, but it's the best guess on my part.
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Offline jerasjr

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Re: Old West/New West
« Reply #4 on: Mar 22, 2006, 10:00 AM »
Did a search, the "Production  Notes" are in Treasure Box, on the second page, around midway down.
"A mountain with a wolf on it stands a little taller."

Offline Stephen

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Re: Old West/New West
« Reply #5 on: Mar 22, 2006, 10:18 AM »
Thank you so much for the info. I'm on my way there now.
"One more chain to break to get closer to you"

Offline coguaro

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Re: Old West/New West
« Reply #6 on: Mar 22, 2006, 12:36 PM »
what are the true west state?
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Offline welshwitch

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Re: Old West/New West
« Reply #7 on: Apr 19, 2006, 02:03 PM »
The West isn't just a place, it's a state of mind as well. The literal West to me is everything beyond the Mississippi, the plains and the desert and the mountains.
The old West is the myth of the frontier, of finding gold and hacking out a living from the wilderness. It's male and tough and lonely, and I guess Ennis fits right into that vision.
The new West is, to me, the far west of California and the nodding donkeys of West Texas, the Castro and Silicon Valley. Jack belongs there to some degree.
DH Lawrence, who lived in New Mexico for a time, wrote about his home county, Norringhamshire in the UK, and "the country of my heart". That's what Brokeback Mountain is to Ennis and Jack, of the West but neither new nor old, a place out of time and place.

Offline Patriot1

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Re: Old West/New West
« Reply #8 on: Apr 19, 2006, 03:09 PM »
what are the true west state?

Coguaro, I am not sure what you mean by "true west state" but the following States are considered by the United State government to be in the West Region.

Washington
Oregon
California
Idaho
Nevada
Montana
Wyoming
Utah
Arizona
Colorado
New Mexico.

Since Alaska and Hawaii have been added to the Union as States, they are also included in the Western Region of the United States of America.

The "OLD WEST", of course, was any State or territory west of the Mississippi River.

You might be interested in reading about the divisions of the United States, especially the area known as the Mountain States.  The Western Region is further divided into Divisions, the Pacific States and the Mountain States.  If you read about the Mountain States you will find the people there are more individualistic.  They are more inclined toward same sex unions.  I didn't know that!  I am moving tomorrow!   ;D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_regions_of_the_United_States#Census_Bureau-designated_areas

« Last Edit: Apr 19, 2006, 03:16 PM by Patriot1 »
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Offline coguaro

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Re: Old West/New West
« Reply #9 on: Apr 21, 2006, 04:32 AM »
thank you Patriot!

I notice that Texas is not considered part of west.. maybe south state I guess; I  consider in my mind as a western typical state
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Offline Patriot1

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Re: Old West/New West
« Reply #10 on: Apr 21, 2006, 12:59 PM »
thank you Patriot!

I notice that Texas is not considered part of west.. maybe south state I guess; I  consider in my mind as a western typical state

You are welcome Coguaro.  Yes, Texas is one of the Southern States. 

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Offline TJ

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Re: Old West/New West
« Reply #11 on: Apr 22, 2006, 08:18 PM »
Oklahoma, where I was born and raised, is considered to be a Southern State by people in the NE USA and in the historical southern states (those which were in the Confederacy at the time of the Civil War).

But, Oklahoma was the first of the last 3 US Territories in the Southwest to become a state. Oklahoma did not become a state until 1907. Arizona and New Mexico became states in 1912.

In the history of the Old West, Oklahoma is included because at the time of Statehood, there were working cowboys in almost every county in it. I grew up in NE Oklahoma and even met some of those cowboys who were around before OK statehhood. One of them grew up with Will Rogers.

The US Government divides of the country which ever the way that it wants. So, I would not go by what the US Census Bureau says as far as grouping the states.
(Ennis) is suffused with a sense of pleasure because Jack Twist was in his dream . . . lets a panel of the dream slide forward . . . it might stoke the day, rewarm that old, cold time on the mountain when they owned the world and nothing seemed wrong.