Many said it wouldn't happen, others said it couldn't happen. But it did. Brokeback Mountain is now open in select Jamaican theatres.
And the reviews are, well, exactly what you'd expect from Jamaican people in the 21st century- "Bun out dem ting deh!" Movies involving homosexual interactions are among the few that people will review even if they haven't seen it (and most of them probably haven't)- it's just wrong!
I was somewhat shocked this morning as I headed to work to see the movie listed on the Palace Cineplex board. "Brave move," I thought. It would've been a far more brave move to show it at Carib. It would also have been a far sillier move, and the smart execs at Palace Amusement stayed away from that idea.
I've already heard one male coworker of mine say, "Mi nah watch nutten wid dem two bwoy in deh again." "Extreme and ignorant, I thought." These men are making their money the way they know how to, so whether or not we choose to watch it here is of negligible effect to them. But my coworkers comment prompts the question, what are we hitting out against?
Are we taking a moral stand? And if we are, shouldn't we be more concerned about the gun-toting movies, movies which include indiscriminate killing? I specifically ask about movies involving murder because of the current state of our country. Shouldn't we be more concerned about movies involving rape, terrorism, paedophiles?
Are we taking a religious stand? And if we are, shouldn't we be more concerned about movies involving fornication, polygamy, even theft for crying out loud! We should all march down to Palace Amusement's headquarters and protest against 'The Italian Job.' How dare they show a movie with people stealing... And my word, the movie even appeared to condone stealing! What sacrilege!
Now I'm not trying to show support for the BrokenBacks. I am saying, however, that we need to be rational. Nevermind the ignorant among us, who simply believe that "ba***man fi ded!" I suppose the problem we have here is that the majority feel that way.
I don't buy into the argument that some people buy into, that the movie is being shown to change our culture. The movie is being shown so that the people who are showing them can continue to make money. That's it. And even if that's not all, even if there's some homosexual individual in their office with an agenda, we're still under no obligation to watch it. Jamaican people spend far too much time preoccupied with denouncing gays. There's so much more to life. What a challenge we have as a people.
2 comments:
Here here, could not have said it better myself. If you going to ban Brokeback Mountain, then ban every other movie that contains any kind of sin the bible speaks out against. Hell, Lord Of The Rings would have to be banned for war, murder, violence and demonism (if thats even a word). Brokeback Mountain will receive the same fate as every other movie that the Jcan population either doesnt like or understand, ppl simply wont spend their money to go. examples are Kill Bill and Sin City. Considered great movies internationally, didnt spend more than a week here. Neither will Brokeback. If anything, us making such a big deal about it will probably make some ppl more curious than normal. We need to just leave it alone.
Sorry for hijacking the post...
Movies tell stories. Sometimes the stories are based in fact, other times fiction. A movie can't make you turn gay, any more than another will turn you into a serial killer. People need to get over themselves. If you not interested in the theme, you don't go to see it, end of story.
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