As moved as I was by the sublime film Brokeback Mountain when I saw it last weekend, I'm almost more moved by the record-breaking wave of momentum it's riding.
A milestone in gay history is being made here, folks.
Last weekend Brokeback played only 69 theatres in the USA and, still, was the #8 grossing film nationwide. It's extremely rare for a Top 10 grossing film to be showing on fewer than 100 screens; last time that happened was a timed-release Disney flick 10 years ago.
From a Dec 19th Variety article reprinted in today's Chicago Tribune (source: NEXIS -- I can't locate this article online yet):
After its gay cowboy love story -- "Brokeback Mountain" -- rode roughshod over more mainstream competition in Texas, Arizona and Florida, Universal specialty film arm Focus Features is accelerating expansion plans.
Focus brass said Monday that it will roll out "Brokeback" on 300-400 screens by Jan. 6, altering its original agenda of putting the film on 250 screens by Jan. 13.
That decision by Focus co-heads James Schamus and David Linde came after the Ang Lee-helmed picture -- starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as cowboys who spark a taboo romance while ranching together during the early '60s -- lassoed the No. 8 spot in the top 10 over the weekend from a scant 69 theaters, including Chicago.
The total is just under $3.5 million to date, and the picture's final gross for its second frame was $2.5 million, with a per screen average of $36,455. That's even higher than Sunday-morning estimates that not only impressed industry types but drew national attention.
The move to broaden the picture's presence comes as "Brokeback" is riding a wave of critics' honors and media attention without its distributor having paid a single dollar in TV advertising for the $14 million picture.
And this, from yesterday's Arizona Republic -- Brokeback is packing in crowds in Scottsdale:
If the lines at the Harkins Camelview 5 in Scottsdale seemed longer than usual last weekend, it wasn't anyone's imagination.
So many people crowded in to see Brokeback Mountain, Ang Lee's romance between two 1960s cowboys, the theater set a record for weekend attendance, selling about 8,000 tickets. theater-chain owner Dan Harkins says Brokeback Mountain bested the previous title-holder, the Oscar-winning musical Chicago, by a wide margin.
The film has just garnered 7 Golden Globe nominations; critics' choice awards in New York, Boston, Texas, and many more. It is perhaps the strongest contender (at present) for Best Picture and other recognition at the Oscars, come March 2006.
Anyone else reading this as a hopeful sign? Maybe, at long last, anti-gay bigotry has overshot its mark in America? Maybe America is ready to take a few steps toward a place of human decency and acceptance, and not rack up so much demonization, damage, abuse and pain on the backs of gays?
I've been waiting, longing, donating, and working hard for a sign like this, like crowds lining up to see Brokeback and to come out of it deeply moved... maybe even some straight viewers feeling a new-found sense of compassion where they'd had none before.
Tell me it's looking possible here. Please!