Where's the commentary?

If the initial media reaction to Ang Lee's "Brokeback Mountain" was any indication, you'd think homosexuality was as foreign a concept in 2005 Los Angeles as it was in early-1960s Wyoming. Tune out the faux-horror gasps at the story of two part-time cowboys finding unspoken affection on the range and what you get is an essential human drama where the oft-clichéd concept of forbidden love is updated for a new era. \nAnchoring the film is Heath Ledger in a relatively fearless performance as Ennis del Mar, a sometimes ranch hand often painfully lost for words. Strong supporting roles are afforded Michelle Williams, as Ennis' bewildered wife, Anne Hathaway, as a rodeo-performing spitfire turned bitter spouse, and Jake Gyllenhaal as Jack Twist, the emotive yin to Ennis' inward yang. \nIn retrospect, "Brokeback Mountain" hasn't been forgotten a year later, however, little time has passed since its awards-season buzz machine was silenced. Unfortunately, the reason for this release amounts to little more than a hodgepodge of featurettes and a snazzy package with postcards. While loyal proponents of the film will enjoy mini-docs on everything from Ang Lee's dedication to the project to a peek into the composition of Gustavo Santaolalla's beautiful guitar score, there's only so much affirmation of "Brokeback's" speaking to the harsh nature of love, regardless of sexual orientation, that one needs. \nWhile roughly hewn featurettes on pre-production, screenwriting and filming are of interest to some, they don't make up for this set's most glaring omission: The lack of Ang Lee feature commentary. Insisting on one of the docs that "Brokeback" speaks for itself, it's hard to disagree with Mr. Lee, but his Spielbergian aversion to DVD commentary tracks remains frustrating. \nRevisiting "Brokeback Mountain" nearly a year after its controversial Oscar loss, I'm reminded of why its failure to win Best Picture was so shocking then. The hype surrounding Ennis and Jack's homosexual courtship was effective only at shifting the spotlight from a piece of pure, peerless filmmaking rarely seen these days. Conservative pundits had their time in the sun, and their film won, but its director/screenwriter's persistent, gratuitous moral ejaculations and white guilt keeps nudging it ever closer to the $7.50 bin. "Brokeback"is a great film because it doesn't let us off the hook so easily.