Gibson
Posted on 07/25/2005 5:20:32 PM PDT by Liz
Gibson
When production chiefs from selected studios trooped to Icon Prods. headquarters after an invite to read the film Mel Gibson planned for summer 2006, they were surprised at the very first page of the script. "The dialogue you are about to read will not be spoken in English."
Gibson, who last made the most successful Aramaic-language film ever, is at it again.
"Apocalypto" hardly fits the traditional definition of a summer film. Set 500 years ago, pic will be filmed in an obscure Mayan dialect, presumably with the same kind of subtitles Gibson reluctantly added to "The Passion of the Christ." It will star a neophyte cast indigenous to the region of Mexico where Gibson will shoot in October. And it likely will carry an R rating, unless Gibson tempers the onscreen depiction of violent scenes he wrote in his script.
Since Gibson's bankrolling his pic and will sell foreign himself, studios were offered only a rent-a-system deal, such as George Lucas had with 20th Century Fox for his last three "Star Wars" films. And because "Apocalypto" is not a religious pic, there's no guarantee of an encore turnout of the church groups and hardcore Catholics who made "The Passion of the Christ" a nearly $1 billion box office/DVD bonanza.
'Passion' prediction
At least three studios passed on the project before Disney bought it. Nevertheless, the fact that more than one studio bid for the project shows Gibson's viability and makes laughable last year's prediction by the New York Times that Gibson would be blackballed by Jewish executives after the "Passion" controversy.
That charge never really had much traction, said sources within Gibson's agency, ICM. There was a post-"Passion" pile of scripts with $20 million-plus offers for Gibson's acting services. While that paper piled up on ICM co-prexy Ed Limato's desk, Gibson was accumulating pages of his own, scribbling "Apocalypto" in his office and becoming so passionate about it that he changed his plans to star in the Icon-produced drama "Under and Alone" for Warner Bros.
Even though studios including Paramount and Universal walked away from "Apocalypto" either for creative reasons or because Gibson's asking price of a high P&A commitment was too high, Disney's agreement to step up shows how much things have changed for Gibson since he struggled to get backing for "Braveheart." Gibson felt he was too old to play William Wallace, preferring to cast Jason Patric, but he was hard-pressed to raise coin even when he agreed to star.
Paramount wouldn't make "Braveheart" without a partner, and before Fox (which passed on "Passion") stepped up, Gibson had a demoralizing meeting with his longtime haunt Warner Bros., which wanted another "Lethal Weapon" as a condition of the deal. Gibson made "Braveheart" on a shoestring, won picture and director Oscars and made money for both Paramount and Fox.
Happy with Disney
Now content to bankroll his vision and armed with his own overseas distribution and sales company, Gibson no longer goes hat in hand. Sources said at least two studios wanted the pic, but Gibson liked Disney, where he has a good relationship with Dick Cook, chairman of the Walt Disney Studios. For its part, Disney agreed to Gibson's tough deal terms.
Already, there is talk that Disney will program "Apocalypto" against the Warner Bros. film "Lady in the Water," which just happens to be the first M. Night Shyamalan-directed film Disney hasn't financed since the filmmaker's breakthrough, "The Sixth Sense."
For his part, Cook said he was confident "Apocalypto" fits the summer bill.
"We couldn't be more excited about working again with Mel and his team," said Cook. "This is one of the most original and unique scripts we've had the opportunity to read recently, and we plan for this to be an anchor of our summer schedule."
Your husband will like "Decipher"
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0312280750/002-8906041-6016818?v=glance
Wow! Go, Mel!!
Actually, that scene was spoken in 70s era jive, which is totally different than today's Ebonics.
That post needed some subtitles.
I don't see this as being anywhere near as successful a film as "Passion."
Mel's worldwide audience for the mega-successful Passion consisted of billions of Christians all over the globe.
There is going to be an actual, orginal, stimulating movie made here. I can't wait.
You don't make a billion dollars selling to church groups and hardcore catholics. You make a billion by making a movie that doesn't treat the audience with contempt, and actually treats them as if they have more than half a brain. Putting Monica Belucci in it doesn't hurt either.
Monica ..... in another film, of course.
From "Decipher:"
"From this point, the plot machinations are revved into overdrive with all the subtlety of an avalanche. Solar flares, Atlantis, ancient Mayan prophecies, the Book of Revelations, and unexplained worldwide cataclysms are tossed into the mix, creating enough fringe ideas to make an Art Bell radio show listener drool."
Oh, Brother! That would be right up his alley, LOL! :)
Absolutely. I don't see them turning out for this film.
Maybe, maybe not....Mel sure knows who his audience is, and he won't want to diappoint. So let's wait and see.
Spanish conquest of the Maya kingdoms was finished about 1697 - after the "500 year ago" period mentioned. However, the Maya had an interesting civil war about then... Or was it the Inca?
Keep forgettin' that stuff. Oh, well. Memory is the second thing that goes, and I forget the first.
See post 16...
I won't be interested, and I doubt my hubby will be either.
It might be clearer what the dialogue is if you remember two things:
1) Leo Getz (Joe Pesci) said it--about a drive thru
2) Using the 'f' word on FR is normally not something that's done.
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