Brokeback Mountain, 2005.

Directed by Ang Lee.
Starring Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Linda Cardellini, Anna Faris, Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams, and Randy Quaid.

SYNOPSIS:

Ang Lee’s 2005 classic Brokeback Mountain arrives on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD from Kino Lorber, which commissioned a sparkling new 4K scan of the original camera negative. The company also ported over the previously available bonus features while adding a new commentary track that gives this movie a well-deserved in-depth discussion.

When I was a kid, I was told that my Uncle Don had a roommate named Alan. I was probably around ten years old at the time, so I didn’t think anything of it, beyond ᴀssuming it must be cool to basically have a sleepover every night.

A few years later, however, the realization dawned on me: my Uncle Don was gay, and his “roommate” was his partner (or boyfriend; I never asked him how he referred to Alan). In my family, like many others of that time (the 1970s and 80s), we didn’t really talk about his Sєxual orientation, which was an open secret, in a way.

And I think that’s a shame. I’m glad gay couples are better able to live openly today, and even get legally married in the United States, but I wish our society had come further by now. There’s still plenty of rampant homophobia, unfortunately.

Which brings me to Ang Lee’s classic movie, Brokeback Mountain, out now in new Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD editions from Kino Lorber. The company commissioned a new high-definition master from a 4K scan of the original camera negative. I received the Blu-ray for this review, and I can say it looks stellar, so I imagine the 4K Ultra HD disc is similar in quality.

Taking place between 1963 and 1983, Brokeback Mountain charts the ups and downs of the relationship between Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal), a pair of cowboys who, thankfully, don’t fit the stereotype of gay men. Yes, it would have been nice if gay actors had been cast in the roles, but I think this movie’s wide release in 2005 was nothing short of a miracle, given the rhetoric around gay marriage at that time.

Ennis and Jack have a volatile relationship, which isn’t a surprise given the amount of societal pressure they were under to keep the situation a secret. Both of them marry women and have kids, but they disconnect and reconnect multiple times over the years.

I won’t spoil anything that happens, but suffice it to say that their relationship causes internal turmoil for both men, which spills over into their marriages and other friendships. If only they could simply live the way they want to, but one of them is well aware of what could happen to a cowboy suspected of being gay.

In the end, Brokeback Mountain is an epic movie full of sweep and grandeur against which director Ang Lee sets this relationship between two men. Based on a short story by Annie Proulx, with the screenplay adaption credited to Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, this is the kind of film that requires some contemplation as the end credits roll.

Kino Lorber’s new edition of the film, which was nominated for eight Oscars and won three of them (and, yes, it should have captured Best Picture too), includes one new bonus feature as well as several legacy extras. I only have the previous two-DVD set, so I’m not sure if anything from any previous Blu-ray releases is missing here.

The new extra is a commentary track by film historian and writer Julie Kirgo, who gives the movie the kind of in-depth discussion it has needed for nearly twenty years. Kirgo’s approach is of the “film class on a disc” variety, and if that’s the kind of thing you enjoy (I definitely do), then you’ll want to set aside the time to listen to her well-researched conversation about the movie.

The rest of the legacy extras are as follows:

• Sharing the Story: The Making of Brokeback Mountain (20:47): I’ve long wished for an in-depth documentary about this movie, but I suppose Julie Kirgo’s new commentary track will have to do. Sharing the Story isn’t a bad featurette, but since it was created for the LGBT-themed network Logo, it veers into marketing territory more often than I’d like.

• From Script to Screen: Interviews with Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana (10:53): A basic chat with the writers who adapted Annie Proulx’s story.

• Directing from the Heart: Ang Lee (7:27): The director gets his turn to chat about the movie.

• On Being a Cowboy (5:44): A quick look at the preparation Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal did to portray their characters as guys who were very comfortable riding horses and doing other cowboy-related activities.

• A Groundbreaking Success (17:13): Produced later than the previously described extras, this featurette is a nice look back on the film’s success and its legacy, although it doesn’t pay as much attention to the way it influenced the fight for gay rights as I would have liked.

• Music from the Mountain (11:18): Gustavo Santaolalla won an Oscar for his music, so it makes sense to add a featurette focusing on his work. It doesn’t hurt that he’s fun to watch as he animatedly talks about the music.

A pH๏τo slideshow, the trailer, and some TV commercials round out the platter.

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★

Brad Cook

A Farmer’s Misplaced Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain

Hoxne Hoard treasures. Photo by Helen Simonsson CC by SA-2.0

November 16, 1992 was the day which changed Suffolk-resident Eric Lawes’ life in a huge way. What he thought would have been an innocent search for a hammer he had misplaced on his farm in Hoxne Village, Suffolk, England ended up bringing him much more than he had bargained for — namely, uncovering the hiding spot of a long-hidden treasure. Based on the Guardian’s coverage of the story, Eric Lawes had been previously gifted a metal detector upon his retirement as a parting token. He decided to put his retirement gift to good use in order to locate the hammer which he had had some trouble finding. According to a 2018 Smithsonian Magazine article, when the device started recording that there was a strong signal coming from the earth, he knew that he was about to discover something big. As he started digging, it soon became clear to him that he had unearthed a treasure trove.

Hoxne Village. Photo by Duncan Grey CC BY-SA 2.0

The Guardian reports that, when Lawes saw that his preliminary digging had yielded a few gold coins and silver spoons, he immediately contacted both the local archaeological society and the police department. Archaeologists came to the property the following day and had the area of earth holding the treasure carefully sectioned-off and removed. Their hope was that at a later stage, in their laboratory, they could examined the items in order to identify both their age and how they were stored.

Hoxne Hoard: Display case at the British Museum showing a reconstruction of the arrangement of the hoard treasure when excavated in 1992. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

When all was said and done, close to 60 pounds of items made from silver and gold were found on the site. These included more than 15,000 Roman coins, 200 gold objects, and several silver spoons. For archaeologists, this find — which later became labeled as the Hoxne Hoard — was an incredible discovery. AP News reported that archaeologist Judith Plouviez was over-the-moon about the discovery, saying that it was “an incredibly exciting and amazing find.” What’s more, another archaeologist, Rachel Wilkinson, told Smithsonian Magazine that this discovery was “the largest and latest ever found in Britain.”

Hoxne Hoard: Coins. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

Ordinarily, archaeologists would use radiocarbon dating as a means of identifying the age of ancient relics. However, they couldn’t locate any suitable material from the haul. Consequently, they determined the age by examining writing on the coins, as well as the ruler carved into them, estimating that the treasure was probably buried in either 408 or 409 AD.

The silver “Hoxne Tigress” – the broken-off handle from an unknown object – is the best known single piece out of some 15,000 in the hoard. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

Roman-era archaeologist Peter Guest told Smithsonian Magazine that “if you look at them a little more carefully, then they should be dated to the period after the separation of Britain from the Roman Empire.” He offers as part of his evidence the fact that almost all of the coins found in the Hoxne Hoard were clipped – in other words, small chunks of their edges had been taken off. These clippings would have been used to create coins which were similar to the Roman coins of that era.

A silver-gilt spoon with a marine beast from the Hoxne Hoard. Currently in the British Museum. Photo by JMiall CC BY-SA 3.0

Guest has a logical reason for this, arguing that “The Roman Empire wasn’t supplying Britain with new gold and silver coins, and in light of that, the population tried to get over this sudden cutoff in the supply of their precious metals by making the existing supplies go further.”

Reconstruction of the Hoxne treasure chest. Photo by Mike Peel CC-BY-SA-4.0

Archaeologists also believe that the treasure belonged to a Romano-British family. During that time, considering that there was so much societal discord and upheaval, it was common for Romans who had settled in Britain to bury their most prized possessions.

Two gold bracelets from the Hoxne Hoard, in the British Museum. Photo by Fæ CC BY-SA 3.0

That said, one archaeologist is of the belief that the hoard had a lot of sentimental value for the Romano-British family to whom it is believed to have belonged. In her book The Hoxne Late Roman Treasure: Gold Jewellery and Silver Plate, Catherine Johns claims that the manner in which the treasure was kept supported this claim. Some of the items which were recovered had been packaged in small, wooden boxes which were lined with leather. What’s more, pieces of wood, locks, and nails, among other things, surrounded the gold and silver pieces. This leads Catherine to assert that the package was carefully buried and not simply chucked away in a rush.

Three silver-gilt Roman piperatoria or pepper pots from the Hoxne Hoard on display at the British Museum

Interestingly enough, the items unearthed might shed some light on the identity of the family who owned them. They cite a gold bracelet bearing the inscription “UTERE FELIX DOMINA IULIANE,” which roughly translates to “use this happily Lady Juliane”. A second name “Aurelius Ursicinus” has also been discovered. This has consequently led some to believe that Juliane and Aurelius were the couple and the original owners of the treasure. That said, that has yet to be confirmed.

Two toiletry items, one in the shape of a crane-like bird; the other with an empty socket, probably for bristles for a makeup brush. Photo by Fæ CC BY-SA 3.0

All in all, the discovery was a real treasure for archaeologists, and by extension, for Lawes. According to Smithsonian Magazine, in recognition of his discovery and willingness to contact authorities, the British government rewarded him with over £1.7 million, an amount which he shared with the farmer whose land was dug out in order to get the treasure. Funnily enough, apart from the treasure, Lawes also found his lost hammer — which now resides in the British Museum.

Work To World

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

A Farmer’s Misplaced Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain

A Farmer’s Misplaced Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain

Related Posts

Where the West Actually Meets the East—The Tarim Mummies

Debate about extraterrestrial life exploded after suddenly witnessing a strange UFO in Spain

This hair, still attached to its original skull, measures 2.80 meters in length and is estimated to be around 2,200 years old, dating back to approximately 200 BCE.

Women in Ancient Egypt

I Can’t Think Straight (2008)

INVINCIBLE (2025) | Henry Cavill, Timothée Chalamet