Countdown to Brokeback Mountain: Darren Sees McMurtry & Ossana
My review of the film will be up by the end of the week. I'm seeing it again on Thursday and will hopefully be able to discuss it more thoroughly by then. In the meantime, the screening I attended had two very special guests: Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, the screenwriters and producers of the film.
If you've read any interviews or articles about them before, most of what they covered in Sunday night's discussion was previously mentioned with the exception of the following noted things:
+They discussed why they were so keen on getting Ang Lee to direct. It had to do with Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and the way Lee related the characters and the landscape; people being trapped by societal conventions from birth, etc. They felt it was important to have that same approach on Brokeback Mountain. McMurtry added that he likes Michelle Yeoh.
+They talked about Heath Ledger and why Monster's Ball was the reason he was cast. Not too shocking if you've seen Monster's Ball.
+They once again brought up why the film shouldn't be labeled "the gay cowboy movie." As Ossana said, that would be like calling McMurtry's own Lonesome Dove a book "just about a cattle drive."
+When responding to a question of potential controversy, they said they aren't too worried. Thus far, there isn't any. Whether that will continue is another story.
+How the film was written and their general writing process was another topic. McMurtry only writes 5 pages a day, normally before breakfast, to keep momentum. Ossana does the rewriting and a lot of editing of McMurtry's material. The two have a good chemistry and Diana likes to tease Larry about his dislike of modernities such as cell phones and computers. Diana is also very pretty and I was tempted to ask if she has her Oscar dress picked out yet, being a future double nominee after all. Larry has a comforting, grandfathery vibe.
If you've read any interviews or articles about them before, most of what they covered in Sunday night's discussion was previously mentioned with the exception of the following noted things:
+They discussed why they were so keen on getting Ang Lee to direct. It had to do with Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and the way Lee related the characters and the landscape; people being trapped by societal conventions from birth, etc. They felt it was important to have that same approach on Brokeback Mountain. McMurtry added that he likes Michelle Yeoh.
+They talked about Heath Ledger and why Monster's Ball was the reason he was cast. Not too shocking if you've seen Monster's Ball.
+They once again brought up why the film shouldn't be labeled "the gay cowboy movie." As Ossana said, that would be like calling McMurtry's own Lonesome Dove a book "just about a cattle drive."
+When responding to a question of potential controversy, they said they aren't too worried. Thus far, there isn't any. Whether that will continue is another story.
+How the film was written and their general writing process was another topic. McMurtry only writes 5 pages a day, normally before breakfast, to keep momentum. Ossana does the rewriting and a lot of editing of McMurtry's material. The two have a good chemistry and Diana likes to tease Larry about his dislike of modernities such as cell phones and computers. Diana is also very pretty and I was tempted to ask if she has her Oscar dress picked out yet, being a future double nominee after all. Larry has a comforting, grandfathery vibe.
posted by Darren at 9:38 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home