According to many reports, the DVD of Brokeback Mountain sold over 1.4 million copies Tuesday, April 4th (its opening day). This, despite predictions that Americans wouldn’t want to own it, and despite protests, threatened boycotts, and harassment of Wal-Mart and other major retailers.
The American Family Association (AFA) began flooding major retailers with complaints in advance of Tuesday’s roll out of the DVD. By trying to clog the phone lines of major chains such as Wal-Mart, the AFA attempted to give them the impression that the entire country was up in arms and outraged that anyone would think of “selling such filth!”
The spokesman who appeared on CNN even admitted that he hadn’t seen the movie or DVD.
Wal-Mart, it’s said, was targeted in particular because the Chronicles of Narnia came out the same day and the chain decided on posters of Brokeback Mountain instead. The AFA implies Wal-Mart had caved to a "homosexual agenda" with posters of Brokeback Mountain at their front doors and that it exposes young children to what they think is obscene (the poster of the movie is the same one already seen everywhere and on the covers of the DVDs).
Wal-mart seems to be taking the stand of ignoring them, and well they should; after all, the AFA is the same group that tried to get Christians to boycott Disney, of all companies, for holding sold-out “gay days” at their theme parks in an effort to make gay couples feel more welcome. Additionally, the AFA doesn’t like that Disney doesn’t discriminate in hiring.
The AFA has, and still is, attempting to get Christians to boycott Ford Motor Company for advertising in gay-related news magazines such as The Advocate and other “non-porn” publications. They have also attempted a boycott of Kraft Foods because they sponsored the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago.
In each case, the companies involved shrugged off these threats and have claimed the boycotts had almost negligible effects on their bottom lines.
This, in my opinion, is just another case of the Christian Right attempting to tell adults what they are allowed to think, do, and buy. If you haven’t yet, I recommend you pick up a copy of Brokeback Mountain either online, by clicking one of the icons below, or heading right out to Wal-mart to see if we can outbuy “Chronicles.”
But of course that’s only my opinion
PS. click --HERE--, to go to my review of the BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN DVD. Thanks, and enjoy.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Jet in Columbus
Posted April Six, all comments welcome
2 - RedTard
I think the protests are silly and counterproductive. I know I wouldn't have watched it if not for the controversy.
3 - Aaman
Well-written article.
BTW, you don't need to 'ask for comments' - you'll get them if they happen:)
4 - Jet in Columbus
Thanks Red & Aaman, I'm still new to this. I appreciate the encouragment, and I promise I'll get the hang of this eventually.
Thanks again
Jet
5 - MCH
My son is gay, and I was interested in seeing "Brokeback" to get a perspective of that lifestyle. I thought it was a good movie, and I came away with a new understanding of the obstacles of gay relationships.
Although as a Montanan, I didn't understand why they had someone (Heath Ledger) supposedly from neighboring Wyoming speaking with a southern accent.
6 - anon
Not a personal attack -- but you have a typo in your title.
7 - Scott Butki
I was just about to email an editor about that.
8 - SteveS
This, in my opinion, is just another case of the Christian Right attempting to tell adults what they are allowed to think, do, and buy.
It's very frustrating. Being gay is not illegal in this country. Yet the Christian Right continually attacks anything that is tolerant and accepting or indifferent towards different orientations. I can understand if they said 'it's not right for me personally', but they don't stop there. It's like they want gay people and gay families, including the children, to grow up in a world where there is NOTHING positive for us.
Nothing could be more evil and opposed to the principles of Jesus. I only hope I live to see the day when the true followers of Jesus (he was a liberal, you know..hung out with sinners and rejected the hoarding of wealth and all that) stand up and say 'quit oppressing people in the name of my religion'. I hope to see that day.
9 - Jet in Columbus
Thank you Anon and Scott for watching out for me, I appreciate that!
Jet
10 - Jet in Columbus
Steve, thank you sir. That got me right in the heart. Sometimes I wish I had the "choice" they keep saying I made, but I don't, and never will.
The only thing different about me is who I sleep with, I hurt, I bleed, I care, I cuss out traffic, and worship just like everyone else.
I try not to let it hurt me when people who don't know me just assume the moment they "find out" that I'm some perverted, child molester, who can't think of anything else but sex.
Thanks again.
Jet
11 - Ryan
The AFA are a mean spirited group who want to harm gay people and discriminate against them.
No one accused the makers of "Memoirs of A Gesiha" of promoting the "asian agenda" or the "prostitute agenda" becuase it would be proposterous.
Brokeback Mountain shows you what can happen to gay people who are relentlessly hounded, attacked and belittled by bigots like the ones running the AFA. All this group are really doing is giving the film more publicity.
12 - Jet in Columbus
Thank Ryan, I touched on that in my review of the DVD on another string here.
I appreciate your input
Jet
13 - Sheham Reaal
Just rented brakefagette hill. Me sun now wish he-be gayo. Him watch dad in camel barn. Him ass what me do. say milking se camels. Thaen he se can me fucken chicken. Se nada. go two goat barn. menny fine goat butts. him liken big bules also. me tink me sun became goat. NADA me meen him no goat me sun want fuck them goat. Me nut sure. GOOde vediedo move.
[Funny guy, sr, funny guy. Comments Editor]]
14 - Jet in Columbus
I always suspected that arabs were into bestiality, I guess this confirms it.
15 - Arch Conservative
Jet never misses an oppourtunity ot take a shot at Christians.
Jet claims that Christians are trying to tell everyone what they are allowed to think.
How is this any different from leftists telling parents that thier children must be exposed to classes that teach about the homosexual lifestyle in the public school system wether the parents desire this or not?
Your side is no better Jet. You insist that everyone must believe homosexuality is normal, acceptable and must be celebrated.
Your side slanders anyone who doesn't want to see this movie regardless of wether or not they have tried to keep others from seeing this movie.
Your side seems to think they can tell people what they are allowed to think just as much as the Christians you despise so much.
16 - Jet in Columbus
Tell me something Arch, when will you ever learn how to spell the word "Their"?
You need to read my latest attack on christian fundamentalists, it's a doozie, and I be you can't wait to call me a liberal!!!!
OOOO call me a leftist pig too!!!
Love Jet
17 - NR Davis
Don't get sucked in, Mr. Jet. You know that #15 is all BS. Many won't fall for those ridiculous generalizations. Most of us know that there ARE Christians with brains and that people have every right not to see a film they don't wish to see. Smart and tasteful people are on all sides of the divide. Most realize that the left isn't trying to force anyone to see or think anything and that the left isn't the side that wants to hurt other people under law. That side would be the right - and not all on the right want to hurt other people under law or, if they saw BBM, necessarily hated it. And even if they hated or disapproved of it and spoke against it, most people consider that more than cool. We know people are allowed to chose not to see it and, whatever Mr. ArchConservative spews, we are OK with people having the right to decide for themselves. In fact, we insist that having people decide for themselves is the best way to go.
So please don't allow Mr. ArchConservative turn your review into a pointless argument. Ignore #15 and reserve your energy for pursuits that have a hope of productivity, that's my sincere advice to you. If you decide that you want to take on Mr. ArchConservative's rantings, I wish you all the best, but I'll be rooting for you from a safe distance.
18 - Arch Conservative
Leftist pig?
I prefer moonbat, or Kool-aid drinking commie.
You may find it hard to believe but I actually agree with you about the Bareback Mountain DVD. Although I have no interest in seeing it, I do not believe that it should be banned and think that the people calling for it to be banned are dumbasses.
However you whole post had a "third grade see I told you so mentality." "See I told you all Chrisitans are whack jobs and most AMericans don't share their beliefs and this 1.5 Mill figure proves it."
Buttf(*K mountain sold 1.5 million copies... So what? Does that mean something significant? It tanked at the box office. Passion of the Christ sold 4 million copies in it's first day. So what?
I like bacon in my potato salad bitch.........
So what?
19 - Jet in Columbus
At the moment Brokeback Mountain has done 189 Million worldwide, and growing as it's hitting theaters in Europe and South America.
For a movie made on $14 million, I'd hardly call it tanking.
I love it when you call me names, it just proves you don't have any sensible things to say.
I write you off often as a punkish 5 year old who's gained a talent for saying something cute every so often, but usually is just annoying.
...but of course that's only my opinion
20 - Margaret Romao Toigo
Don't worry too much about the AFA and the rest of the "religious right." They have been losing the so-called "culture war" for decades and they know it, which is the most likely reason why so many of them appear to be so hostile, outraged and angry.
1.4 million copies of the Brokeback Mountain DVD being sold on the very first day of release, despite the efforts of the AFA and similar organizations, means that the religious right has been defeated in yet another culture war skirmish.
21 - Jet in Columbus
That's true Margaret, but everyone has their own slant on things and filters they look through.
the Arch Con artist is one of them.
...but that's only my opinion
22 - NR Davis
FACT: BBM grossed nearly $83 million domestic as of 2 April 2006. Overseas receipts so far amount to $87.5M
TOTAL: $170,356,991
Production costs totaled $14M.
Yes, that is less than The Passion of the Christ's total two-year take of $611,899,420, but so what? Yes, the Passion earned what BBM earned over five months during its first weekend (an extended period that ran from wednesday through sunday and was filled with special "church" screenings where buses transported thousands and thousands of "the faithful" to theaters so that they could worship Mel Gibson's vision and show the power of Christian moviegoeers - and let's not forget that much of the film's advertising was provided gratis by pulput pounders from sea to shining sea to crowds of obedient sheep; I know someone who said her pastor told her congregation that they had a duty to support Gibson's film and make it successful - and she said most, including herself, obeyed). With all that help and promotion and I guess some help from the deity upstairs, Gibson's flick ought to have performed better, IMO.
One hundred and seventy million dollars: If that's a flop, I want one of those. Anyone who uses the word "tanked" to describe BBM's box-office performance is either stupid, misinformed or a liar - and likely is part of the plot to reclaim America for Christ.
23 - John Steven Lasher
As a gay film maker I was interested in the various comments. However, I live in Australia, where a distinct majority of our populace are not the slightest bit interested in one's sexual orientation. There won't be any protests at Big W or Target, I can assure you.
24 - Jet in Columbus
Dear John 23
If I didn't love America as much as I do, even though it doesn't appear to love me back, I'd move to Australia.
Bravo to your Country
But rather than do that, and take the coward's way out, I'll sit here writing blogs and hope I've changed a few minds.
You might like the other string I just published about bigotry and Fundamentalists.
Thanks so much for caring to put your thoughts down here.
Jet
25 - Arch Conservative
Bigot: noun A conservative winning an argument with a liberal.