And there's the magic message word: "primitive." Several reviewers picked up on that one. One characterized the Maya as the "most brutal of human civilizations," with "false religion" and "false gods."
Most of the "primitive" movements came directly from Gibson's head (or bottle, or both).
During his post-rehab apology tour, he appeared on Disney/ABC's "20/20" in an interview that showed location footage of Gibson teaching the actors and extras to dance a "Maya" dance. He flailed and threw himself around in an ungraceful fit of "religious" ecstasy, as his astonished cast attempted to duplicate his movements. It was primitive, all right.

13 comments:
Writerfella here --
Very odd review, in writerfella's opinion. The reviewer regrets that APOCALYPTO isn't STAR WARS. He didn't look quite carefully enough. Whimsically enough, as in STAR WARS, the old republic of trade federations that is the Mayan civilization is about to be conquered, destroyed, and displaced by the arrival of forces from the empire. In APOCALYPTO's case, it is the Empire of Spain...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
Are you willing to suit up to be the Jar Jar of such a film, Writerfella?
Writerfella here --
And you reveal yourself NOT to have seen much of the two STAR WARS trilogies, else you would know that the fall of the Old Republic happens in STAR WARS EP. 6 - A NEW HOPE, to which writerfella refers. And that the racist and stereotypical Step'n'Fetchum Jar-Jar Binks character occurs principally in STAR WARS EP. 1 - THE PHANTOM MENACE. And no, writerfella is quite sure that he would not fit anonymouse's Jar-Jar costume from last Hallowe'en.
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
I think he admitted that he took up the bottle again during the making of Apocalypto. I guess it was bound to show up in the film in some ways.
First, you are confusing "trade federation" with the old Republic. According to www.starwars.com: "The Trade Federation was a consortium of merchants and transportation providers that effectively controlled shipping". It is not to be confused with the Republic itself.
Secondly, you are getting your episodes and numbers quite wrong when you refer to "STAR WARS EP. 6 - A NEW HOPE". "A New Hope", the first released "Star Wars" film, was designated Episode 4, not Episode 6. I hope you don't similarly think that there is a Peter Jackson movie called "The Return of the Towers".
The "fall of the Old Republic" you refer to happens in Ep. 3 which is not called "A New Hope".
The only films about the trade federation were Ep. 1, 2, 3. All three films featured Jar Jar Binks. The old Republic was overthrown in Ep. 3 ("Revenge of the Sith") and it appears that the trade federation ceased to exist then as well.
The only Republic-related event in Ep. 4 was the abolishment of the old Senate. However, at this time it was an "Imperial Senate", and it was a formality within a long-established Empire.
Perhaps the only fact you got correct in your statement was whether or not you could fit into Jar Jar's costume. I'll have to take your word on that.
Sorry writer fella, wrong anonymous, it wasn't me that wrote the Jar Jar crack. It seems we have another anonymous among us. I have been signing off with "anonymouse" so no one will confuse us.
And beside, I would never write about Star Wars, not that important to me.
Post script; oops! forgot to sign my name "Anonymouse".
Just so there is no confusion, I'm the one who posts as "anonymouse" but signs off as "anonymous". Only when I don't forget to.
Writerfella here --
Indeed, Ep. 4 it was. As in DUNE, the 'politics' of the background story derive from Medieval and Renaissance Europe. But in Ep. 4, A NEW HOPE, Grand Moff Tarkin says, "Now the last vestiges of the Old Republic have been swept away." writerfella knows because he is one of the few George Lucas ever allowed to read all 18 handwritten stories in that infamous little binder. Guess what would have happened in STAR WARS, EPISODE 7: INTO THE CHARYBDIS SYSTEM?
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
Apologies, anonymouse; your clone has a lean and hungry look.
Episode 4 was referring to a past event that happened in Episode 3.
FYI, I wrote about Star Wars and Jar Jar Binks in Indian Comics Irregular #11: "Stereotypes: Phantom Menace."
Writerfella here --
Oh, wow! That's why Jar Jar Binks speaks so well of you, Rob! He said that you and he have a 'brotherhood of the tongue'.
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
Since ICI #11 (June 1999) isn't online, here's what I concluded about Jar Jar:
Must Jar Jar die? Perhaps not, but these stereotypes should. Is it possible to have a story where the hero isn’t a tall, handsome (Jedi) knight and the heroine isn’t a beautiful young princess?
Writerfella here --
George Lucas got a severe and scathing letter from the NAACP about the character, Jar Jar Binks, as being a 'Step N' Fetchum' throwback. Lucas apologized in the major media and the character was reduced to a few seconds' presence in later films. At this point, LucasFilms is in hiatus and if there will be future STAR WARS films, Jar Jar Binks WILL NOT be a character in any of those.
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
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