The beauty of boredom

This weekend my husband and I at last came around to watch Brokeback Mountain. We knew what to expect, a beautiful movie on a compelling subject. When it was over I saw that it was based on a SHORT story. AKA, it was not enough stuff for a long movie. Umberto Eco once stated that the definition of a pornographic movie (and the definition of movie is when there is some kind of story which can be followed through the film: not just separate film clippings) is that there are a few scenes that all in the audience are waiting for and that the rest of the time you just waited for those scenes. This wasn't even porn. It was dull. Hadn't my husband been there I would have watched the movie in *4 speed (I actually do this sometimes). When something actually happened it was too dark to see or they just told you afterwards what had happened.

But what really disturbed me was the people and the costumes. If the movie reminded me of something it was the old fascist movies about the "blacks". And in this case the people pictured were white Americans from the mid west. The costumes, the wigs, the language, the description of the culture. For me, hating racism, it was quite disturbing.

But the scenery was fantastic: if there was some kind of message it was that if you're going to be gay: be it it in a beautiful landscape. Next time I want to be bored, I can watch the dust bin stead. It least I wouldn't give a dime to racists in Hollywood.