Thursday, 27 January 2011

Up on Brokeback: A trip down memory lane to Moose Mountain

This week, 29 January to be precise, marks my 5th Brokeback anniversary. Five years ago almost to the day that I took myself off, on my own one night, to see a film that I'd wanted to see earlier in the month, when I'd been in Arizona, but had been unsuccessful. I wanted to mention it today because tonight, in Oxford, I bumped in to a special someone that I don't know well enough but who told me completely out of the blue that she lived by Moose Mountain. Here's the place I mean.


This is one of those fortuitous moments that you can never predict and which catch you out. I told her about my love for Brokeback Mountain and how that people I know have made some physical attachments with her home and she kindly said that this had made her night - hearing how much we have come to love her home, when she is over here, a long way from it.


Moose Mountain, close to Calgary in Alberta, is clearly a beautiful place, befitting the story that is played out on it in the film, even though under another name. A banal reason for its choice as a location was sheep. You can read about that here. But it was a place of beauty and isolation. It also gave cast and crew a vital extra hour of daylight.


The filming locations of Brokeback Mountain have now become a tourist industry in their own right and Moose Mountain has a prominent place on that list as the place in the film that became Brokeback, where Ennis and Jack fell in love and where Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger spent their time. I did a post on these locations almost 4 years ago, which you can read here.


But if you really want to find Brokeback, this is the place to go.


Includes pictures from IHJ.

My review of Black Swan is now up at MovieBrit.
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18 comments:

  1. TD27 January 2011 at 23:04

    Biutiful post. Glad you did a '5 yr' one.
    TD

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  2. Wet Dark and Wild27 January 2011 at 23:12

    Thank you, TD! And et it was spurred on by a chance encounter - that makes it amazing for me! Fate!

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  3. td27 January 2011 at 23:50

    BBM is fated! ;D

    TD

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  4. mermon27 January 2011 at 23:57

    What a nice night surprise! To find something like that when you don't expect this. Those pictures, they awake such a lovely memories. It so strange how that movie touched hearts of so many people. Every time I see the pictures, read something about it, hear the Gustavo's music from the movie - I have a warm feeling in my heart, a bit sad, a bit sweet. I'm so grateful that that movie "exist". It had such a huge influence on me.
    I like very much all Jake's pictures with sheep and dogs. It shows how easy he is with the animals, how they cling to him.
    I didn't know the original name of BBM - Moose Mt - I like that.
    Thanks for the links, I will dig in that last one tomorrow - it's over 40 pages and it seems interesting.
    Goodnight!

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  5. Dani28 January 2011 at 00:46

    Thanks, WDW, for the Brokeback post. I still get a twinge in my heart whenever I see those words that will be forever embedded in my soul. I celebrated my 5th anniversary on January 5th by watching the film again. And thanks for the beautiful pictures. The cast photo always gives me chills when I think that the people in it probably had no clue that they were a part of something that had the power to change so many lives.

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  6. Anonymous28 January 2011 at 08:22

    I´ve flown all the way from Sweden to Calgary on a couple of occasions now just to visit these places. I´ve hiked up Moose Mountain, I´ve tracked down abandoned houses and stood around in empty allies.
    Looking at these pics makes me remember both the movie and myself visiting there. Powerful stuff.

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  7. Anonymous28 January 2011 at 09:00

    It's incredible to think that so much time has passed and still the impact of this amazing movie is there.

    Thank you for this post.

    Be well!

    Antonella

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  8. Wet Dark and Wild28 January 2011 at 09:12

    Morning everyone! It's Friday :) And more good news - I'm so glad I did this post, because it's giving me the chance to say hello to some old friends!! Fabulous :D

    Morning TD!

    Hi Mermon! Ooh do read that article - it's wonderful, packed full of information. I love pictures of Jake with dogs and animals too. I'm so glad you liked the post.

    So good to see you Dani! I hope you and yours are well. Five years.... And coming up to the Oscars again - that always makes me think of you x

    Thanks so much for sharing that, 8:22 :) That sounds an incredible thing to do. It's definitely something I want to do too.

    So lovely to see you Antonella! I'm really glad you liked the post x

    What a good day!

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  9. BBMISwear28 January 2011 at 13:28

    Ahhh, WDW, beautiful post - beautiful memories! That chance encounter with the woman from Moose Mountain is simply amazing - and fate I think. Happy 5th anniverary to you - mine was on January 22nd and, as I've said before, what was once a very happy day for me is now a very sad one because of what happened on that date - my 2 year anniversary (while I was watching Brokeback no less). *sigh*

    But, on a happier note, what wonderful memories you have for us here!! I love all this old BBM stuff - I remember them all so clearly - combing through every last bit of info I could find on line and making friends for life. Dazed and confused most of the time - that was 2006 and true. I feel so fortunate that I spent a lot of timing talking with Jake about Brokeback when I met him on the Nailed set (to the point that he actually referred to my "love of BBM" when he signed my favorite BBM photo - which is my avatar)! *more sighs*

    Have a great Friday and weekend all and I'm really enjoying the Brokie vibe going on here!!

    :-)

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  10. Anonymous28 January 2011 at 14:44

    Thank you so much, WDW. My 5th anniversary is coming up on April 4th, Heath's birthday. That is when the DVD came out in the US.

    What a small world it is, that you met someone from moose mountain. It looks like a gorgeous place to live.

    Thank you for keeping BBM alive this way

    sweetpea

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  11. Wet Dark and Wild28 January 2011 at 17:02

    Hey BBMISwear :-) This year I'm glad I spent that day by the seaside. As you know, I've said this to you many times, I love that Jake called BBM 'BBM', just as we do. Really love that!

    It's a pleasure, Sweetpea :)

    Weekend! And cold with it...

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  12. mermon28 January 2011 at 17:27

    Hi! I will have my first BBM anniversary in June!

    A new photo of Anne Hathaway and James Franco - a nice one
    Oscar promo

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  13. mermon28 January 2011 at 18:07

    German trailer for Brothers. Of course in German dubbing. I think they just have premiere now.
    Brothers - Kino Trailer deutsch

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  14. Wet Dark and Wild28 January 2011 at 18:13

    Hi Mermon! I love the pics of Anne and James :D. It is incredible but I think Germany finally has Brothers... Good to get a chance to see it on the big screen, although dubbed. Thanks for the links!

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  15. Wet Dark and Wild28 January 2011 at 19:36

    I've spent quite a while thinking about Black Swan - here's my review on MovieBrit

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  16. mermon28 January 2011 at 22:33

    Great review - WDW. I'm glad I've read it before watching the movie. I will watch it probably tomorrow.

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  17. Darling Bluebell29 January 2011 at 11:31

    Such a beautiful post WDW, thank you. And what an amazing encounter. Isn't there a saying that Coincidence is Fate incognito, something like that? ;)

    I've never experienced a film moving me so deeply that just reading about it sends chills down my spine. I took some time reading bits of the Finding Brokeback PDF and it pulled me into that "lonesome chill" immediately. Sometimes I don't want to, it's such a strong emotion. Sometimes I let it happen, and I think I want to see the movie again now. :)

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  18. Wet Dark and Wild29 January 2011 at 17:37

    Thanks so much, Mermon! Looking forward to hearing what you think!

    Hey Lady Ekster! I think you're right - BBM has the power to make some of these things happen. And I know that feeling. I'm going to experience it tonight.

    So tonight is my 5th BBM anniversary and so I'm having a Jake evening. Prince of Persia to draw in the evening and then later BBM. Phone off the hook, no internet, just BBM with chocolates, cheese and a shiraz bought especially for the occasion.

    PoP on now - I love Dastan! I love the accent. I love The Chest.

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