Letter: ‘Brokeback’ awards are well-deserved

Saturday, Jan. 21, 2006 | 8:15 a.m.

It is quite obvious that Timothy R. Carroll -- in his Jan. 19 letter, "Hollywood continues to shun biblical themes" -- knows very little about both film awards and film-making.

To begin with, the Golden Globe Awards are selected by the Foreign Press Association, a group of 80 or so international journalists; the Critics Circle Awards are presented by a select group of leading motion picture newspaper and magazine critics throughout the United States. Neither award is influenced by the Hollywood culture. "Brokeback Mountain" won prestigious awards -- best drama from the Golden Globe Awards and best film from the Critics Circle Awards.

Secondly, "King Kong" and "The Chronicles of Narnia" are typical of the overblown, overbudgeted, overhyped digitally conceived films Hollywood thrives on because the film magnates know the masses flock to see this type of production. Nothing wrong with this. It's good business.

On the other hand, "Brokeback Mountain" is a beautifully structured, low-budget (by comparison) motion picture -- sensitively directed, acted and produced -- a love story in which the two protagonists happen to be homosexual cowboys. It is a gut-wrenching account of how two human beings are faced with a problem, which they both try to resolve with despair and dignity.

I notice that, probably to Mr. Carroll's chagrin, "Brokeback Mountain" is building momentum at the box office with each passing week, due, no doubt, to its recent important awards and to favorable word-of-mouth among discriminating moviegoers. Chances are it will continue to gain strength with its worldwide distribution and when it also wins the Oscar in a few weeks.

Joseph Rogers

Las Vegas