| For the most part, the critics agree that Brokeback Mountain is one of the year's most commendable films. Then there's Gene Shalit's point of view.
The veteran Today show critic has been taken to task by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation over his negative review of the gay cowboy western, in which he referred to Jake Gyllenhaal's character, Jack, as a "sexual predator" who "tracks Ennis down and coaxes him into sporadic trysts." -Reuters | |
I'm
Gene Shalit of NBC'
Today show, soon to be formerly of NBC'
Today show.
I was looking for an open forum to air my opinions but since NBC has cajones the size of olive pits, I brought my frank film talk over here to CRACKED, where there' no censor breathing down my hairy back and where they don't worry about "offending the American public", "alienating national advertisers" or "not exercising basic common sense before speaking."
First off, I'd just like to say for the record that when I referred to Jake Gyllenhaal' character in
Brokeback Mountain as a "sexual predator," this was based solely on the trailer. I've now watched the film (well, most of it), and sure enough, there' a love story subtext that I completely missed in the preview.
And in fairness to me, I didn't even get that they were gay the first time I tried to sit through the film either.
"Wasn't there a red-hot gay sex scene in a tent within the first ten minutes of the film, Gene?" you might ask. Answer: I stepped out for some popcorn, an Almond Joy and a pit stop (number 2, not number 1). When I returned, I definitely noticed the two male leads were sitting a bit closer, and with less clothes on. But I merely assumed their clothes had been devoured by parasites and that they were smothering one another for warmth after the fire had gone out.
Then, my cell phone rang and I had to take the call. I missed about ten minutes of dialog, but was watching the action on screen. Subsequent deep-kissing scenes I mistook for Gyllenhaal attempting, unsuccessfully, to fish a lozenge out of Heath Ledger' mouth. After that, I stepped out for more popcorn, a large Diet Coke and two more trips to the bathroom (I have a genetically small bladder). When I came back, I saw the two leads cavorting shirtless onscreen. I just assumed they had managed to retrieve the lozenge and were celebrating. My bad.
But the second time I tried to watch the movie, someone had by then tipped me off that these two were a little light in the chaps, if you know what I mean. So I get it now.
Now, look. I have nothing against the gays, but