BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN: Scene Deconstruction

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN- SCENE DECONSTRUCTION.

CAMERA ANGLES

<!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->The close up of Ennis’ face when he first sees Jack coming out of his truck shows the explicit joy he feels as he is seeing the love of his life again. Ennis is a reserved character with little emotion on his face throughout the film so to see him express such joy keeps the audience focused on the love these men feel for each other.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->The medium close up shot of the two men kissing each other emphasises their passion up close so that the audience can sense their love and feel more intrigued with the film. This shot gives enough detail of their facial expressions away but then also shows their body language with their hands.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->The point of view shot followed by the close up shot of Alma seeing her husband kissing another man puts us in her shoes of finding out the man that is father to her children is embracing this other man he clearly loves. The audience should feel forlorn for Alma as this situation was shameful for those times.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->At the end of the scene there is a long shot of Alma on her own in the corridor which could signify how alone and betrayed she feels. The emotion evoked here is sorrow from the audience.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->The over the shoulder shot between Alma on her own and the two actors opposite her is probably a visual guise of how she was feeling at that moment in time: weak and lost towards these two men, one being her own husband.

MISE EN SCENE

<!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->Ennis hits Jack’s cowboy hat off of his head as he goes to kiss him which shows the aggression of a man but at the same time dismissing a typical symbol of a cowboy and allowing his love for him to take over.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->When Alma has just seen Ennis and Jack in the moment, when she comes back inside a wave of darkness is cast upon Alma and the lighting could have been done this way to show how she feels now: secluded and alone.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->The one lamp on the table lighting up the whole room could connote the little hope that their marriage has, especially after Alma found out what happened.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->The simple furniture in their house conforms to the stereotype of Western films being quite basic and rustic: the plain couch, a few chequered pillows, a lamp and a dining table in the kitchen. It could also reflect the simplicity of the two protagonist’s love.

SOUND

<!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->The profanity used is the most significant in this scene. When Ennis sees Jack, he calls him “Jack fucking Twist” and runs down the stairs taking two steps at a time. This shows the audience how thrilled he is to see him and again with Ennis being quite introvert and quiet the audience see a different side to him and believe he really is in love with Jack. Jack also says “sonofabitch” when he hugs Ennis, again showing the audience how words can’t even describe how he’s feeling so he resorts to just swear words to express his feelings.