It struck me while I was watching this film for what was probably my third or fourth time that I really wish I hadn’t known anything about it before seeing it the first time. I clearly remember visiting the Dimond Center theatre to see BROKEBACK when it first came out. I was with my then boyfriend and each of our best friends, who were also dating at the time.  We sat in the back row of the front section of theatre 4.  My best friend was sick and left part way through to go throw up in the bathroom.  

Obviously there was a lot of buzz and controversy at the time and much of the plot was openly known before walking into the theatre. Back in 2005, my life had yet to have been touched by film festivals. Having never been to a fest, I had yet to experience the festival surprise - that movie that you wander in to because it fits in your schedule and you have nothing else to do or just because you want a Back-to-Back for the next film. Sometimes those movies aren’t that great and are just an excuse for a between-films nap. But sometimes they’re amazing.  

I really think this would have been the ideal way to find BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN. It would have been awesome to walk in not anticipating Ledger and Gyllenhaal and their relationship. As it is, I really love this movie. It always makes me cry. I think maybe in general I’m just incapable of not shedding tears when I see Heath Ledger cry. 

Not too long after seeing BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN the first time I bought and read the short story it’s based on. I kind of want to go dig it out of my storage unit and read it again…