Brokeback Mountain
The new film Brokeback Mountain looks set to be highly influential in changing attitudes towards homosexuality. Already I am hearing the sort of glowing reviews and tributes that have come to signal danger for Christians. In this case the danger for Christians is in their stand against same sex marriage and the acceptance of homosexuality as a valid lifestyle choice deserving of full support from our society. (Is it any coincidence that such a film is being released now?)
One review describes the film as “the rape of the Marlboro man”, suggesting that the marketing success of this new film will be even more profound than the success the Marlbaro man campaign achieved for a tobacco company 50 years ago:
[The Marlboro man campaign] was all part of the modern marketing revolution, which meant that, instead of touting a product's actual benefits, marketers instead would psychologically manipulate the public by associating their product with the fulfillment of people's deepest, unconscious needs and desires ... The ‘Marlboro Man’ campaign launched 50 years ago. Today, the powerful cowboy image is being used to sell us on another self-destructive product: homosexual sex and ‘gay’ marriage.
It is a strong and challenging review, and, whilst I don't necessarily agree with his views about our “God-given consciences” that supposedly know intuitively that homosexuality is wrong, it is worth a read for its analysis of how the story and the manipulative cinematic techniques can so powerfully “change” people's attitudes.