Brokeback Then & Now – It’s Been a While!

We do them out of fun and for that alone these “then and now” posts are sadly the first ones to be put on hold should other projects come up. It frustrates us, but we have little choice. The last was published in 2018 (yikes!) but here we (cautiously) announce you should be seeing more of them in the coming months. We’ve shot some in the interim and have others planned, so now we just have to find the time to fit them in. Here’s the first in quite a while, touching on a favourite subject, taking captures from a movie and duplicating the angle and framing of the shot.

Here it’s a scene from Brokeback Mountain (2005), starring Jake Gyllenhaal and the late Heath Ledger, a love story of a different kind and a most enjoyable film. We’ve shot many Brokeback Then and Nows – enter that in the search bar up top – most some time ago and done rather sloppily when compared to today. Still we’re no where close to being good…but we so enjoy doing them. Lots of scenes from the film were shot in our general area and here’s one, captured in Kananaskis Country Alberta. Not much has changed.

The setting here is the “You been to Mexico Jack Twist?” – “I wish I knew how to quit you!” scene, the time is the early 1980s in the story and the location is near the fictional Brokeback Mountain*, back there, overlooking a most picturesque lake, in what is supposedly Wyoming. There’s a sad and angry exchange between the two pivotal characters, and soon after they part ways never to meet again.

*Interestingly, several different mountains double for Brokeback in the movie. Moose Mountain, we’ve been up, and Mount Lougheed, we’ve not been up but did its outlier Windtower, are two that feature prominently. And there’s Mount Lyautey the mountain referenced in this scene, left of frame.

These shots were captured at Upper Kananaskis Lake in Peter Loughheed Provincial Park (@ “Upper” Day Use Area). The lake is damned and as you can see is subject to fluctuations in water level. The area is a recreation paradise. Hiking, mountain climbing, kayaking/canoeing, fishing and camping are just some of the things one can do in and around here. There’s an most scenic trail that circles the lake (here: Upper Kananaskis Lake Loop) which we so love that we’ve done it easily a half dozen times or more.

Peaks seen include Mount Lyautey, spoken of earlier and the prominent mass on the left, pointed at briefly by Jack during the dialogue in reference to it being Brokeback Mountain. Then left centre, far in back, it’s steep sided Mount Putnik and to the right, the north ridge of Hermione Peak (we think). Finally, to the far right, the shoulder of, and seen more clearly in the second photo, it’s Mount Indefatigable. All these peaks (and others in the area) were named circa World War One and commemorate notable military figures, battles or famous ships from that conflict.

What looks to be an island in back is actually a long spit of land extending out into the lake.

There’s a Lower Kananaskis Lake just a click or so away, but it’s not as photogenic. Additional Brokeback scenes were shot in the “Kananaskis Lakes” area and some day we’ll maybe get to them. Most are minor to the story.

Just recently Brokeback Mountain was listed as being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” by the United States National Film Registry.

Flaws and errors: it looks like we were a little high and too far forward when composing our “now” shot but side to side was darn good however. And our aspect ratio was a tad off too. But hey, we’ll never be perfect…and we never want to be.

Images from the movie are copyright Focus Features.

Places from the film…
Brokeback Mountain then and now – Twist Ranch.
Brokeback Mountain then and now – Brokeback Meadows.

If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!

Date: July, 2018.
Location: Upper Kananaskis Lake, Peter Lougheed Park, Alberta.
Article references and thanks: Movie: Brokeback Mountain, FindingBrokeback.com.

The location: Upper Kananaskis Lake.

The scene: Water & Mountains & Jack.