Posted on 09/24/2006 8:40:30 PM PDT by 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
I think we both know that for isolationists such as Gibson and Pat Buchanan, there is no reason that would justify the U.S. sending its troops anywhere. Frankly, I'm not sure if they would want us to defend our own soil. After all, in the opinion of guys like Gibson, our country is so degenerate, it may not be worthy of defending.
MUch like Hillary lurching right to appeal to moderate voters (and moderate money), Mel lurches left for money, distribution, and re-acceptance into the Hollywood elite.
I think that the "radtrads" blame the west for the attacks of the Islamists. They think that we are to blame for the fact that the Muslims hate us. Our culture is degenerate and Muslims are afraid it will contanimate their own culture. The ultra trads also think that our foreign policy, e.g. the Iraq war and our support for Israel, has given Muslims legitimate political grievances against us. What they fail to see is that radical Muslims just use these things as excuses to commit acts of violence against the west. They fail to see that the root of Islamic violence against the west lies in Islam itself, in its call for jihad and forced conversion. They don't realize that even if the U.S. pulled out of Iraq, abandoned Israel as an ally, and became an overtly Christian nation, that the Islamists would still hate us. Deep down, maybe Gibson and Buchanan hate America, too.
I argued months ago that being drunk had nothing to do with it. Of course the Jew hate’n f@k hates the war in Iraq. They all do. Why would anyone expect anything less?
sounds like he's had a few sips of save career punch hollywood style
He came out against the war long ago, and has spent time with Michael Moore providing defense for the propagandist.
Anti-war I can tolerate.
pro-Moore? I wrote his opinions off after that.
Yup. Gibson was making comments about the war in Iraq during the filming of Apocalypto -- long before the drunk driving thing.
Wow. Imagine that. A basically conservative American who isn't wild about this war and who is wondering if it was a good idea. Pretty rare. Not.
The trailer to the movie looks spectacular. Many of Gibson's great movies have had things to say about power and oppression of governments. This one has the added element of a civilization corrupting itself and dying from within, and I look forward to seeing its portrayal.
Like he cares. I kinda feel bad for all the suckers who lined his pockets by falling for his version of the last days of Christ, but Mel's a Hollywood huckster first and foremost. No doubt he's a paleo-con anti-semite too. An odious man IMO.
Unfortunately he was born an American citizen, so we're stuck with him.
The man is a movie star--pretty much says it all. That he is lapping after Mikey Moore shows how desperately he believes his fever dream version of Christianity. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up the next Jim Jones, with his followers in that church he had built. Scary dude.
I think he'd be happier with a drink, a smoke, and ranting on that island he owns by himself. At least this way he doesn't poison the rest of us.
Another movie to add to the Will Not See list. God it is long.
Someone is sending off boys to Iraq for no reason?
Yes..good point.
Very eloquent post. Excellant points.
Well, it's official. He jumped the shark.
BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Funniest and most accurate 'parallelism' Ive seen in years concerning Hollywierd types and their sell-by date. ;-)
Freedom for the Iraqis must be a different matter.
STHU Mel, you fake.
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