Mel Gibson as a director (3 Viewers)

[Uthred]

Reading through the threads, I couldn't help but notice lots of people don't like some of Mel Gibson's movies as a director. Even though I doubt there's a single member on this forum that doen't love Braveheart, his other movies, The Passion of Christ and Apocalypto are far from being liked by the majoriy. The problem, I believe, is that they were suposed to be too violent.

Now, I don't want to start a debate about violence in Hollywood. That's beyond the scope of my post. What I really want to point out is that even though The Passion of Christ and Apocalypto are extremely violent, with torture, murder and gore all over, Braveheart is also a violent movie, and those that hate Mr. Gibson's other movies didn't mind at all the violence, gore, murder and torture in Braveheart.

Maybe life is violent and Mr. Gibson's movies only reflect that. I have no doubt the Maya did commit human sacrifice and Chirst was really tortured by the Romans. Why would it be wrong to show it to an adult audience? I can think of many worst things to watch on a DVD player, really.

Just my two cents on the subject, since I am a HUGE fan of Mr. Gibson's work as an actor and director.

Cheers...

Uthred

 

[Rob]

I have no problem with the violence in his films at all.'Passion' was hard watching but a good film,and i understand why he made it so violent.There is no doubt that some of the classic paintings of the Passion make it a very serene looking experience when it was in fact a long drawn out hideous death.I have issues with Gibson about Historical accuracy in his films (especially his anti British slant)and also his personal views which i understand were shown during his drink driving arrest.But i won't sidetrack this thread.

Rob

 

[cantinetozzo]

When i watched for the first time Braveheart (i was really young) i believed it was the best movie i've ever watched, in the time i've changed opinion but i confess some scenes are really moving for me even today and you can say what you want but they are well filmed and really convey emotions.Watching "The Passion " for the first time i nearly cried, i think it was one of the most emotional movies i've ever watched, but it's hard to watch more than one time..it's an experience ..i don't agered at the time on the accusations of anti semitism on the movie , after all who materially "killed" Jesus were the roman soldiers of the X Legion "Fretensis" recruited in the zone of the strict of Rhegion (Calabria) ,so near where i live, if i can move a little critic to the film is the heavy "Bulgarian or Slavic"accent of Pontius Pilate, it seems to me to hear talking Ivan Drago of the Rocky movies.. .Apocalypto was a good action movie masked by the fact it was filmed in Maya language..on the complex i judge Gibson a very good director, and very indipendent minded, i don't know if that's a fault in Hollywood nowadays.

 

[Uthred]

Hi, Rob!

By anti-British slant you are probably refering to Braveheart and The Patriot, right? I fully agree with you. I wonder how to make a William Wallace or American Revolution movie without it, however.


Cheers...

Uthred

 

[Rob]

Yes there would be an anti Brit slant and one would expect this.But there are also suspicions he was behind the ending of 'Gallipoli',which not being anti Brit enough was changed accordingly.

Now some might say 'its just a film',but sadly there are many people who believe everything they see at the movies.I have had direct experience of this from an Australian couple i met in London,however i have posted this on the forum before and again i don't want to sidetrack your thread.

Rob

 

[Uthred]

Yes there would be an anti Brit slant and one would expect this.But there are also suspicions he was behind the ending of 'Gallipoli',which not being anti Brit enough was changed accordingly.

Now some might say 'its just a film',but sadly there are many people who believe everything they see at the movies.I have had direct experience of this from an Australian couple i met in London,however i have posted this on the forum before and again i don't want to sidetrack your thread.

Rob

Rob,

Braveheart is as ficctional a movie as medieval movies can get! One may compare it to Robin Hood or The 13th Warrior. The facts about William Wallace are scarce and very different from what one sees in the movie. I guess not everyone understands movies are usually about having fun, not learning history. Too bad for them.

Cheers...

Uthred

 

[maddadicus]

I love Braveheart and will watch it anytime..It also forced me to read about William Wallace and his life and the actual battles. Do I notice the lack of a bridge in the battle ofStirling Bridge? DOH,YEA! But, I felt the essance of the rebellion was represented, and you have to admit, King Ed ,of England was not Mother Theresa...The Patriot is totally unwatchable for me, as it is 75% historically bogus. I understand what he did..Imagine Francis Marion (Swampfox ), Col. Tarleton ( a real bast..), the real AWI guerilla war of the time and the battle of Cowpens, all told with a broad Hollywood brush, and that is Patriot......As for it being anti-British, this theatre of war was not for the boyscouts..Tarleton's quarter was a phrase of the day, for his method of allowing his men to kill surrendering americans..Cornwallis, sensing defeat, did fire on his own men, to hold off the American pursuiy..The guerilla war was particularly violent as it was between family members, taking opposite sides. No quarter was the rule ,rather than the exception. That is why the dead to wounded ratio seemed awlfully high in this part of the country..The only real anti-British part that could be presented as evidence was the churchburning scene. I have yet found any reference to a similar deed in the war...I liked the Mayan movie..Would not buy it..Loved and it might be my favorite Gibson..WE WERE SOLDIERS..Both sides of the conflict were handled well, great acting, great action, a true story, made with deference to the real book of an heroic stand, forgotton till he made us remember it..And guess what, no British involved..Michael

 

[Combat]

Just read he is about to lose $500 million in his divorce. So maybe we shouldn't be too tough on him. Frankly, I liked Mad Max and Road Warrior, but not much else he has been involved with. Have to give him credit for taking on some controversial subjects.

 

[Rob]

Just read he is about to lose $500 million in his divorce. So maybe we shouldn't be too tough on him. Frankly, I liked Mad Max and Road Warrior, but not much else he has been involved with. Have to give him credit for taking on some controversial subjects.

$500 million!.Wow,thats some hit.

 

[Ragnar]

I think he is a great Movie Maker and don't have a problem with him at all.
Apocalypto should have one something but i geuss the powers that be in Hollywood don't like him to much these days

 

[Rob]

I think he is a great Movie Maker and don't have a problem with him at all.
Apocalypto should have one something but i geuss the powers that be in Hollywood don't like him to much these days

Can't blame them either.

Rob

 

[Uthred]

Just read he is about to lose $500 million in his divorce. So maybe we shouldn't be too tough on him. Frankly, I liked Mad Max and Road Warrior, but not much else he has been involved with. Have to give him credit for taking on some controversial subjects.

Now that's some SERIOUS divorce!


Mad Max is ok, I loved it at the time, but I think it is outdated, really.

Cheers

Uthred

 

[VIRIATO]

His movies are quite watchable, but he is not one of my favorite actors/directors. Gallipoli is another story though, got it on DVD, to me it's an excellent movie, and yes the British don't look at their best in the movie, but I wonder who did in muddy WWI. I thought it was a very good movie about the lost generations of WWI (they might be Germans, French or indeed British or Portuguese) and the drama of using outdated tactics, runners/chargers against machine guns...
Braveheart, yes it is a nice movie, but to me John Boorman's Excalibur (from what I can remember) was a much better Medieval movie.
I do prefer to watch Misters Eastwood, Scorsese, Lucas, Spielberg, W. Allen, F.F. Coppolla, Herzog, Eisenstein or Murnau (remember Nosferatu...), or Cimino (The Deer Hunter) or the Cohen brothers anytime...


Paulo

P.S.
Oh yes, and Michael Mann, I just love his movies...

 

[Spitfrnd]

Historical accuracy my old friend, I have come to talk with you again....

Every time poor Mel is mentioned we seem to have the same discussion. If there ever was a need for an example of entrenched attitudes that ignore reason, this might qualify. No need (for me anyway) to say what I have said before about the purpose of a movie and the fact that the actions of one intended "bad guy" are not a legitimate example of national stereotyping but I will say again that I like the Patriot and I AM NOT ANTI BRITISH NOR DO I SEE ANY MORE ANTI BRITISH message in that film than I do in ZULU or National Velvet, two other favorites. Maybe we should start a thread on anti-American films for comparison.

 

[Rob]

Historical accuracy my old friend, I have come to talk with you again...

Every time poor Mel is mentioned we seem to have the same discussion. If there ever was a need for an example of entrenched attitudes that ignore reason, this might qualify. No need (for me anyway) to say what I have said before about the purpose of a movie and the fact that the actions of one intended "bad guy" are not a legitimate example of national stereotyping but I will say again that I like the Patriot and I AM NOT ANTI BRITISH NOR DO I SEE ANY MORE ANTI BRITISH message in that film than I do in ZULU or National Velvet, two other favorites. Maybe we should start a thread on anti-American films for comparison.

Why Bill my friend,have we been here before?!!

Love your use of Simon and Garfunkel lyrics.But i'm afraid i have clear and factual evidence of Mr Gibsons anti Britness.Did you know that actually Braveheart was going to be called 'I really really hate all the Brits and they are wholly responsible for all evils in this world,they ran an evil Empire and it always rains over there too'!....i swear this on every London Bus,Cockney Criminal,sausage sandwhich thats ever appeared in a Hollywood movie.Cor Blimey strike me down guv,i love Mary Poppins,volley fire at the whites of their eyes chaps etc etc.

Rob

 

[Spitfrnd]

....Did you know that actually Braveheart was going to be called 'I really really hate all the Brits and they are wholly responsible for all evils in this world,they ran an evil Empire and it always rains over there too'!........

LOL Rob, I certainly didn't know that. Now if you can just give me your credible source for this amazing new revelation, we're indeed done. BTW, he wouldn't be the first Aussie to hate Brits, would he?

I must say I am impressed you can tear yourself away from the Dispatches watch to comment on this however.

 

[Spitfrnd]

Funnily enough it came from Mrs Gibson!

Nope, i like to think i have some Aussie friends on this here forum,but i know a lot of Aussies don't like us at all.But then a lot of Brits don't like the Aussies so go figure!

Rob

Well not to put to fine a point on it but isn't that why some of those Brits sent some of those Aussies downunder in the first place?

 

[Uthred]

One could really make an argument James Bond's movies are anti-British. After all Mr. Bond is a trigger happy murderer sponsored by the British government, an irresponsible womanizer, and has gambling and drinking problems as well!


But let's not take that road, please. I don't think Mr. Gibson's movies are more anti-British than James Bond's, really. One could not make a William Wallace or American Revolution movie without some anti-British message.

The same goes for the Alamo, or are we going to start calling all those Alamo movies anti-Mexican?


Cheers...

Uthred

 

[Rob]

One could really make an argument James Bond's movies are anti-British. After all Mr. Bond is a trigger happy murderer sponsored by the British government, an irresponsible womanizer, and has gambling and drinking problems as well!


But let's not take that road, please. I don't think Mr. Gibson's movies are more anti-British than James Bond's, really. One could not make a William Wallace or American Revolution movie without some anti-British message.

The same goes for the Alamo, or are we going to start calling all those Alamo movies anti-Mexican?


Cheers...

Uthred

I think we had better agree to disagree on this one.I'm sure however if your country was constantly slighted or History changed regarding it,you may have something to say about it.

Rob

 

[Spitfrnd]

I think we had better agree to disagree on this one.I'm sure however if your country was constantly slighted or History changed regarding it,you may have something to say about it.

Rob

Well I assume you don't mean my country since the phrase "anti-American" is a real cliché. I am sympathetic Rob but I still can't get by the notion that "THESE ARE MOVIES", not textbooks or even documentaries. How about we pop over to the Pub for a few pints to discuss this with a better perspective.