Mel campaigns for new movie, against war in Iraq

REUTERS ^ | 9/24/06 | REUTERS

[paltz]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Mel Gibson has returned to the spotlight to promote his upcoming movie "Apocalypto," and to criticize the war in Iraq, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Almost two months after he railed against Jews when he was arrested for driving drunk in Malibu, the actor made a surprise appearance Friday at Fantastic Fest, an event in Austin, Texas, devoted to new science fiction, horror and fantasy films, the trade paper said in its Monday edition.

He presented a work-in-progress screening of his Mayan adventure tale, and then took questions. About one-third of the full house gathered for the film gave him a standing ovation. The film is scheduled for a December 8 release via Disney.

In describing its portrait of a civilization in decline, Gibson said, "The precursors to a civilization that's going under are the same, time and time again," drawing parallels between the Mayan civilization on the brink of collapse and America's present situation. "What's human sacrifice," he asked, "if not sending guys off to Iraq for no reason?"

Appearing alongside Rudy Youngblood, one of the film's actors who hails from the Austin area, Gibson said he plans to make further trims in the film, which ran more than two hours. The print shown did not include sound effects and score, and some visual effects have not yet been added.

Gibson's appearance at the festival, co-founded by Harry Knowles, was reminiscent of a similar appearance he made at Knowles' Butt-Numb-a-Thon, which offered one of the first public previews of "The Passion of the Christ."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

[Wormwood]

The movie looks extremely interesting. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on it.

[joebuck]

"He has to do something to restore himself with Hollywood."

My thoughts exactly. Nothing will restore your bona fides in Hollywood better than coming out against the war and Bush.

[Caipirabob]

I'm looking forward to seeing the movie. OTOH, did Mel attend the "Natalie Maines" school of public speaking? He graduated with honors.

[weegee]

In the interest of accurate reporting, Austin is full of barking moonbats and the geeks at Ain't It Cool News have plenty of Kool-aid drinkers among the Tallbackers.

Also Harry Knowles acknowledged that Fahrenheit 9/11 was pure propaganda and he loved every minute of it (and seems to believe a lot of fantasy fiction about the Bush administration).

Take any "applause" for this film with a big grain of salt.

Maybe Gibson had to out "himself" as an anti-semite to win over the Left to turn out for his new film.

[Miss Marple]

You know, there are plenty of Indian cultures to make movies about. Why choose one which practiced human sacrifice? I am Euro-centric and Catholic enough to say that I don't think the world is worse off for the demise of the Mayan culture (and the Aztecs as well).

I am beginning to wonder if the attraction of William Wallace to Gibson wasn't that he was a freedom fighter, but the manner of his death (hung, drawn, and quartered).

I have come to the conclusion that Gibson has a bizarre fascination with torture and violent death, and that was a big attraction of his making of "The Passion of the Christ."

I realize this isn't very charitable of me, but there you have it.

[familyop]

LZ_Bayonet wrote:
"I was wondering how he was going to get back into the good graces of the Hollywood crowd. A good career move, but I thought he was made of better stuff."

That's a good question, LZ_Bayonet, but sadly, the answer is no. I offer the following information for you and for others who mentioned that thought. Notice the date.

Apocalypto Now (Mel's next film)
timeonline ^ | 3/27/2006 Issue | TIM PADGETT
Posted on 03/20/2006 5:30:25 AM PST by Dark Skies

Excerpt:
"Gibson, who insists ideology matters less to him than stories of 'penitential hardship' like his Oscar-winning Braveheart, puts it more bluntly: 'The fearmongering we depict in this film reminds me a little of President Bush and his guys.'"

[MaryFromMichigan]

"When you first entered the restaurant, I thought you were handsome... and then, of course, you spoke."

"If there's a mental health organization that raises money for people like you, be sure to let me know."

"Judging from your eyes, I'd say you were kind, so so much for eyes."

Just watched "As Good as It Gets" again.
Seems to apply to Mel.

[Perdogg]

I am not shocked. When did he ever say he was in favor with the Iraq war? Mel's a smuck no matter how he feels about Iraq.

[DungeonMaster]

Mel campaigns for new movie, against war in Iraq

I kept saying he is an idiot but the Passion caused people to want to give him the benefit of the doubt.

[prairiebreeze]

"What's human sacrifice," he asked, "if not sending guys off to Iraq for no reason?"

Mel, Mel, Mel......

[4yearlurker]

Screw you Mel! Now go crawl back in your bottle of vodka. You can have your opinion and I can keep my money.

[goldstategop]

Mel Gibson has been on a deep bender for some time. I don't think he appreciated what is at stake in Iraq. Oh I know - its those neo-cons. They start all the wars.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[LIConFem]

Looks like Mel is trying to get back into Hollywood's good graces.

[bmwcyle]

Mel feels alone and with good reason.

[Scotswife]

"First the Jews, now Bush and Iraq. Has Mel been channeling Pat Buchanan?"

Actually...there may be something to this statement, but I haven't figured it out yet.

Pat Buchanon tends to lean toward the "radical traditionalist" branch of catholicism. I don't know if he has gone over the edge like Mel and become schismatic, but his attitude towards the jews belies that tendency.

I have also noticed that the radtrads are very much against the war too. I doubt it is because they are anti-war peace mongers, but I'm still not sure why they take this stance. My cynical side tells me they feel it is a waste of American lives to help a bunch of muslims, but I could be wrong.

so...it is no surprise to me that Mel and Pat share a similar stance here.

[RasterMaster]

He's an actor, he makes movies....Anyone who relies on an actor's view of world politics is a damn moron.

[omega4179]

I urge no forgiveness for any of the mentioned remarks. He can go back to Australia.

[advance_copy]

Somebody needs to remind Mr. Gibson that the reason he can make millions off of movies is because decent Americans are willing to go fight for freedom. They don't need him or the rest of the Michael-Moore hate-America-firsters in Hollywood trying to undermine them when they're trying to win a war.

There are two sides to a war. Mel Gibson is on the enemy's side.

[George W. Bush]

Actually, his publicist is shrewd. Saying anything to draw attention to him on any subject except Jews is a Good Thing for him right now.

He needs to change the subject from (that well-known anti-Semite) Mel Gibson.

Also, going against the Iraq war probably buys him some immunity from the Hollyweird media crowd who is still salivating over his anti-Jewish remark in light of their opinions of The Passion.

Clearly, there's blood in the water and I see the FR sharks circling Mel now that he's trading antiwar rhetoric to cancel out his anti-Semitism and help him promote his new movie.

[George W. Bush]

Somehow I can't understand how a man who fought the Axis in WWII (Gibson's father) can be an anti-semite; but he was in the Pacific, not Europe...

The general public was never aware of the Holocaust until well after the war was over. There was some airings of concentration camp footage and some info came out of Nuremburg but the scale of the atrocity didn't sink in for a long time.

America's WW II vets didn't fight to end a Holocaust. They fought to keep Hitler from world domination in the Atlantic sphere and to keep Japan from becoming the Asian superpower.

Strangely, due to television's endless stream of Nazi-Jew movies and docudrama bilge, the average American thinks that WW II was fought entirely over the Holocaust. In fact, what information about it that did surface during the war was generally kept from the American public.