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[News] Mel Gibson's Apocalypto butchers Maya culture

Started by JongWK, December 09, 2006, 11:17:42 AM

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RPGObjects_chuck

Quote from: Dominus NoxNever saw "the passion" and never intend to. Never seen "Apacolypto" and never intend to.
 
I think "Signs" will be the last gibson movie I ever see. He shoulda stuck to mad max.

I thought Passion was a brilliant movie, and Im not religious at all. In fact Id say Im pretty seriously inclined against organized religion.

But as a student of drama, when I realized about halfway through that Gibson had made an old fashioned passion play and done well enough, with enough cinematic flair to make it a hit movie, I realized it was a special work of art.

He basically took a 600 year-old art form and reinvented it for a modern audience.

KenHR

Quote from: RPGObjects_chuckI thought Passion was a brilliant movie, and Im not religious at all. In fact Id say Im pretty seriously inclined against organized religion.

But as a student of drama, when I realized about halfway through that Gibson had made an old fashioned passion play and done well enough, with enough cinematic flair to make it a hit movie, I realized it was a special work of art.

He basically took a 600 year-old art form and reinvented it for a modern audience.

But as David R said, that ending...

My girlfriend and I saw the Passion on its opening night.  When the final scenes were being played, she quipped, "They might as well have a billboard saying CHRIST - 1, SATAN - 0!!!!!"
For fuck\'s sake, these are games, people.

And no one gives a fuck about your ignore list.


Gompan
band - other music

JongWK

Apocalypto opens in January here, or so it seems. Guess I'll have to wait...
"I give the gift of endless imagination."
~~Gary Gygax (1938 - 2008)


Dr Rotwang!

If nothing else, it's got the Maya a little screen time on History Channel between Egypt and Rome.
Dr Rotwang!
...never blogs faster than he can see.
FONZITUDE RATING: 1985
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RPGObjects_chuck

Quote from: Dr Rotwang!If nothing else, it's got the Maya a little screen time on History Channel between Egypt and Rome.

Yeah but it's no Iraqi Ghandi.

Mel should make a movie about HIM.

Chuck

Dr Rotwang!

Quote from: RPGObjects_chuckYeah but it's no Iraqi Ghandi.

Mel should give you the money to make a movie about HIM.

Chuck
Why, yes, Chuck, your slightly-altered comment is 100% correct.
Dr Rotwang!
...never blogs faster than he can see.
FONZITUDE RATING: 1985
[/font]

JongWK

Ok, I saw it on Monday.

It's actually an entertaining movie, as long as one keeps in mind that "historical realism" is not what this movie is about. For some reason, I thought "hey, it's Predator with Mayas in it!" ;)
"I give the gift of endless imagination."
~~Gary Gygax (1938 - 2008)


flyingmice

Quote from: JongWKOk, I saw it on Monday.

It's actually an entertaining movie, as long as one keeps in mind that "historical realism" is not what this movie is about. For some reason, I thought "hey, it's Predator with Mayas in it!" ;)

Told ya! The chase scene through the jungle is cool. I also thought of Home Alone as well... :D

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Balbinus

Quote from: Dominus NoxNever saw "the passion" and never intend to. Never seen "Apacolypto" and never intend to.
 
I think "Signs" will be the last gibson movie I ever see. He shoulda stuck to mad max.

M Night Shalayaman (spelling?) was actually the director responsible for that particular atrocity.  Be glad you only paid $10, I bought Signs on DVD without realising how it was in fact one of the worst movies in recent years.

Oh, this isn't to Nox particularly, more a general comment, there is an argument that flower wars and human sacrifice was a more humane system than what we had in Europe.  In our system of mass warfare huge numbers died, in theirs not so many.  I don't know if I agree, but it's a point for consideration.  Also, our main source on how terrible they were comes from Spanish conquerors who may not have been wholly reliable in all respects.

That said, as far as I'm concerned the concept of the noble savage is inherently patronising and racist.  I'm a believer in the fucked up human school of thought, with some fucked up humans having better tech or a more adaptable social structure than others just.

Balbinus

Quote from: SethwickUh, Signs was just him starring. Passion, Braveheart, and Apocalypto are Gibson directing. The star really doesn't have a lot to say about a movie. Gibson isn't even acting in Apocalypto...

I thought Apocalypto started good and then god worse. And worse. And then I realized I was watching a Mayan remake of First Blood. Well acted, with some brilliant sets, but realy they skipped the city scene far too quickly.

Really, I liked the Patriot better. More interesting characters and altogether better paced. Also, the Patriot is hilarious in its ridiculousness, whereas Apocalypto was just maddening.

Patriot annoyed me because it is in part my history, he took incidents recorded as perpetrated by the Nazis in world war 2 and inserted them as British incidents in the revolutionary war (we call it the American revolution in Britain, I understand it's called something like the War of Independence in America.  Interestingly, the Great Mutiny of 1857 is I learned recently known as the First War of Independence in India.  Perspectives matter).  

That said, Braveheart is my history too and I rather liked that, but I see it as a good fantasy movie, not as a historical movie at all.

U571 is the really objectionable Hollywood history changer, where a very real British WW2 achievement is recast with Americans.  Tut tut.

James McMurray

I liked Apocalypto, but didn't think I would. I expected it to be a lot more about their culture. Instead it was hunting, outwitting, and killing the evil fuckers that mucked with your village and family. Good times. :)

Although, I could have done completely without the wife in the flooding hole. "Mommy, I'm hungry" (monkey falls from sky) Huh?

Dominus Nox

What can you say about poor old Mel? nHis friends told him he hads a problem and should join AA, instead he ended up joining the SS.

But I hear they have him in a nice 12 goose step program now...
RPGPundit is a fucking fascist asshole and a hypocritial megadouche.

jcfiala

Quote from: BalbinusPatriot annoyed me because it is in part my history, he took incidents recorded as perpetrated by the Nazis in world war 2 and inserted them as British incidents in the revolutionary war (we call it the American revolution in Britain, I understand it's called something like the War of Independence in America.  

Actually, "American Revolution" is pretty much what we call it here too.
 


Balbinus

Quote from: James McMurrayOr just "The Revolution" since we've only had one.

Hm, fair enough.

Come to think of it, you chaps probably just call the American Civil War the Civil War.

In Britain curiously the English Civil War is called just that, possibly because it predates Britain (as a political entity), possibly to avoid confusion with the American Civil War which many people here are still very interested in (though not to the degree in the US obviously, at the end of the day it's not actually our history after all).