| "Brokeback Mountain" to be adapted for opera | |
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| Jun 12, 2008 03:56 |   |
 | Annie Proulx's short short story "Brokeback Mountain" will be turned into an opera which is expected to be premiere during City Opera's 2013 spring season, the spokesman of New York City Opera announced said on Sunday. American composer Charles Worinen was invited to adapt the novel to an opera. The short story is about the homosexual love of two cowboys. In 2005, the Taiwanese director Ang Lee has made the story into a film that won three Oscars.  |
| Jun 12, 2008 19:55 | #1 |
| I watched the movie. The English spoken by the protagonists in the movie is hard to understand. The Australian actor who was nominated for the best leading actor was dead. He was 28. |
| Jun 16, 2008 12:44 | #2 |
| Homosexual cowboys singing opera. In New York City. Hmmm, the entire premise seems a bit over the top to me. The jokes coming out of the movie were bad enough: "Wyoming -- where men are men and the sheep are scared!" |
| Jun 16, 2008 20:28 | #3 |
| The jokes coming out of the movie were bad enough: "Wyoming -- where men are men and the sheep are scared!" Haha, Seth, so funny. "Wyoming-where men are men and the sheep are scared". Are there some "gay sheeps" on the brokeback moutain? LOL! Seriously, "Brokeback Mountain" tells the story of two men who meet and fall in love on the fictional Brokeback Mountain in Wyoming in 1963. Their complex relationship lasts about 20 years. The topic itself is very "subtle" and "controversial". In terms of art, the movie is superb. Both Ang Lee and the leading actors did a good job. The cinematography is great. Wyoming's natural scenery is stunningly beautiful! I am looking forward to an opera-version of the short story. |
| Jun 17, 2008 14:55 | #4 |
| Hi Leonardo - I have read the reviews and agree that the movie attacked the controversial subject with subtlety and good taste. The actors are all first class and Ang Lee is a world-class director, no question about it. But certain movie reviewers in the US press talked about something called the "ick factor". The "ick factor" addresses certain topics, visual or otherwise, that make you want to go ICKKKKK! Seeing animals butchered or sausage being made elicit an "ick factor" from some people, myself included. I'm not homophobic, but the subject matter just doesn't interest me. So when I read about an opera coming out, it made me laugh a bit, thinking that it was just another way to exploit the controversial subject to make more money. I can't picture an opera about Brokeback Mountain being in the same class as Aida or Tosca or Madam Butterfly. But then again, who am I to criticize? Oh, about the "sheep are scared" line in my posting -- there have been jokes about men taking liberties with sheep (another "ick factor"), and in a different thread (about US state mottos), the same line appears: "Wyoming-where men are men and the sheep are scared". It was just meant as a joke. |
| Jun 18, 2008 20:50 | #5 |
| Yea, Seth, after a second thought and reading your post, I begin pondering if the short story is suitable to be adapted into an opera though the movie was brilliant. Anyhow, we have to wait for several years to see if it is good. I can basically comprehend the concept of "ick factor". Well, I have never come across this word "ICK". What does it stand for? "Does it stand for "sick"? Forgive my ignorance of the word. |
| Jun 19, 2008 10:47 | #6 |
| Leonardo - the "ick factor" is supposedly based on the sound you might make when confronted with something gross or definitely not to your liking. Almost like saying YUCK or UGHHH or EEWWWWW as a vocal response. ICKKK also works. :-)) |
| Jun 19, 2008 10:49 | #7 |
| Oh, and there are no dumb questions, only dumb answers. No need to apologize for your lack of familiarity with the "ick factor" concept. |
| Jun 19, 2008 23:12 | #8 |
| Seth, Thanks for your explanation! Now, I understand why the uncut version of Brokeback Mountain was initially prohibited in mainland China. Have you heard of Ang Lee's another movie Lust, Caution? The uncut version was rated "R" in America. It was also prohibited releasing to the public in mainland China. They both contained erotic scenes or "ICK Factor". |
| Jun 20, 2008 20:27 | #9 |
| There is a great difference in the amount of nudity and sex scenes contained in Chinese and American films. American films seem to stick to the principle of "sex sells". It seems that there in a golden rule in Hollywood: "more erotic scenes, higher box office". Chinese movies put much emphasis on the quality of story and dramatization of the film. It might be due to the fact China has quite strict censorship laws on films. |
| Jun 23, 2008 08:06 | #10 |
| I agree ICEBLUE. But to examine the issue for a moment. I'm not sure it is only censorship in China that dictates what is in films. The profit motive here in the US pushes film makers to include erotic scenes and nudity to sell their films, even if the sexual content has nothing to do with the story line. But if the general public didn't want erotic scenes and nudity, the film makers wouldn't put them in. While I don't think I am a prude, to me, sexual content in many films today aren't fitting and generally detract from the film. It is sad for me to see that so many people in the US look for the cheap thrill and don't push for quality of story and dramatization of the film. |
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