[nero]

Mel Gibson is going to make a movie called Apocalypto set in precontact Mayan civilization.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'G')ibson said the story would be told through the eyes of a Mayan man, his family and village, and would touch on universal themes about "civilizations and what undermines them," but he declined to go into details about the plot.

[Colorado-Valley]

"Mad Mayan Beyond Thunderdome?"

"The Passion of the Pre-Columbian?"

[aldente]

Mel Gibson looks like a complete idiot with a beard.


Never mind his FAT belly...

[bobcousins]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('nero', 'I') got to wonder if Mel has a copy of Collapse on his bedside table.

[Aaron]

Sure are some interesting possibilities here.

Fascinating history with some really interesting current thinking/understanding surrounding the entire region/era.

Such a big topic though, one hopes they pick a specific area or theme, as opposed to boiling the ocean.

[Coolman]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'M')el Gibson looks like a complete idiot with a beard.

[BabyPeanut]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Coolman', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'M')el Gibson looks like a complete idiot with a beard.

[BabyPeanut]

[trendal]

Is he playing Saddam in some upcoming movie or something?

[uNkNowN ElEmEnt]

If he hadn't been happily married to the same woman for all these years, I'd say he could park his boots under my bed any day.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', ' ')Bearded men such as myself face a lot of discrimination in the USA. Do you know how hard it is to get a job as a bearded man? It took me forever to find a job.

[rogerhb]

Osama Bin Gibson.

Presumably the next dance craze will be the Apocalypso.

Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi-Oi!

Oh-vay.

[GrizzAdams]

Yes, the beard will help keep you warm.

[DesertBear2]

With the beard, he better resembles his real life status- a religious fanatic possessed by sadomasochistic obsessions.

[aldente]

He never was my boytoy. I just recogized his existence while entering the Western hemisphere again after years of traveling thoughout countries on this planet, mostly beyond the common sphere way back East... I am not an American and you should not think that all of us poster here are!

[skiwi]

Little enlightenment from a drunken bum like Gibson I guess, despite his movie talents.

By Mitch Battros - ECM/ECTV


$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '[')There are generally two distinct perspectives of the Mayan culture. One is a culture of an astronomically advanced society with a bewildering understanding of the sky and universe. Also of a spiritually focused community with a passion of stewardship to “Gaia” or Mother Earth…as with many indigenous tribes.

The second view of the Mayan culture is of a savage backward people. A society of evil worship and human sacrifice. This view also believes the Maya were wasteful stupid people quickly devouring their surroundings and leading to their demise.

Mel Gibson has gone full throttle into the second view of the Maya. So much so, towards the end of the movie we see the Spanish ships docking on the shores of perhaps Guatemala or Belize. The Spanish Inquisition had begun its toll on the Yucatan.

This movie is filled with blood, and guts, and beheadings, and cutting out hearts, and torture, and everything for those who love this stuff will just have to see. Okay fine; go see it---But please remember this is HOLLYWOOD, not fact. I fear people will come away from this filth thinking they have an accurate depiction of history.

Gibson’s disdain for anything other than his slant on Christianity comes blasting through with a conscious intent to sabotage all spiritual beliefs----except his own of course. At one time I felt sorry for this knucklehead when he was charged with a DUI and jailed. And who could forget his spewing of anti-Semite Jew hating babble. Now I realize he just doesn’t hate Jews, he hates everybody who isn’t Christian. Not just Christian, but “his kind of Christian”.

This movie put a sour taste in my mouth, and sadness in my heart. Those who are less educated about this culture will actually “cheer” when they see the Spanish vessels arrive off shore. Of course the movie ends there not giving the story of what happened next.

The Spanish Inquisition was led by Diego de Landa Calderon (1524 – 1579) and was Bishop of Yucatan. Landa's Inquisition showered a level of physical abuse upon the indigenous Maya that many viewed as excessive, and was at the very least unusual. Scores of Maya nobles were jailed pending interrogation, and large numbers of Maya nobles and commoners were subjected to examination under "hoisting." During hoisting, a victim's hands were bound and looped over an extended line that was then raised until the victim's entire body was suspended in the air. Often, stone weights were added to the ankles or lashes applied to the back during interrogation.

Some contemporary observers were troubled by this widespread use of torture. Crown fiat had earlier exempted indigenous peoples from the authority of the Inquisition, on the grounds that their understanding of Christianity was "too childish" to be held culpable for heresies. Additionally, Landa dispensed with much of the extensive formal procedure and documentation that accompanied Spanish torture and interrogation.

Landa defended his actions by arguing that in the process of rooting out idolatry, he had discovered evidence of human sacrifice. One of the alleged victims, Mani encomendero Dasbates, was even found later to be alive.

Landa was sent back to Spain by Bishop Toral, to stand trial for conducting an illegal Inquisition. His actions were strongly condemned before the Council of the Indies. This resulted in a "committee of doctors" being commissioned to investigate Landa's alleged crimes. In 1569 the committee absolved Landa of his crimes. Bishop Toral died in Mexico in 1571, allowing King Phillip II of Spain to appoint Landa as the fourth-appointed bishop of Yucatan.

Mel Gibson you should be ashamed of yourself. Maybe this is why you went on a binder after some years of sobriety. Living a lie, and worse yet, fueling the flames of prejudice, I can better understand why the taste and effect of beer and liquor was just too tempting.

[frankthetank]

Went and saw the movie yesterday afternoon. I would say that it was more about a group of head hunters chasing "Jaguar Paw" through the woods more then about anything else. A few little things here and there that whispers to this generation that we are screwed (the part about the old one armed man telling a story about humans around the fire).

Personally, i probably would take my $10 back and buy some beans! instead of seeing it knowing now what the move is like.

my recommendation: Watch the "Planeten" series (its a torrent out there)....

[Laughs_Last]

It is uncanny.

[Novus]

The Mayan civilization collapsed 400 years before the Spanish set foot in the Americas. Mel Gibson needs to do some research instead of just making things up.

[Zardoz]

Mixed reviews. Apparently it is seriously gory:

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/apocalypto/