Just read all 55 pages of Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx real quick. It’s been years since I saw the movie but from my memory, it stayed remarkably close to what I just read. Of course, it should be easy for a two-hour movie to include everything in a 55-page short story, but it’s Hollywood; you have to keep your eyes on them. At any rate, I hope I wasn’t too colored by having seen the movie first; I thought it was a remarkably evocative little book. In few words, Proulx gives us emotions without calling them that; she shows, doesn’t tell. It reminded me of Hemingway’s short stories that I love so much, like Up In Michigan in particular: coarsely sexual, quietly tragic, no-frills. I’m impressed.
Filed under: book reviews | Tagged: LGBTQ |
pagesofjulia 
I really need to read that. My mother was so moved by the story that she never saw the movie. The story was perfectly in her mind, and she didn’t want anybody else’s images to mess up the ones she had.
I feel the same way about some movies. I never want to read Let the Right One In because of how perfect the movie is.
Interesting blog, BTW. I’ll definitely be back.
I feel that way about every book I read. I rarely see the movies unless I (accidentally) see them first.
Why thanks Anthony! This comparison in particular is crooked, for me, because I saw the movie first (against my policy), but I felt that it stayed pretty true. Of course, it was a unique situation because the book was so tiny – really more of a short story – that the movie got to expand upon a book, whereas I think the usual problem is in trying to compress a novel into 2 hrs of Hollywoodism. Definitely a touching and beautiful story, in both formats, but I respect your mother’s decision – I think by far the majority of the time, I’m disappointed by the movie.
I’m usually disappointed by the movies, too. I don’t remember being really impressed by Brokeback Mountain- but I remember it well, which says a lot because I typically forget details in movies rather quickly.
Maybe I’ll give this one a try. Thanks for linking back to it. š