APOCALYPTO --- Mel Gibson's Latest - Page 6

MikeRS · 12-19-2006, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirk Tsai

Grain was not the issue that made me feel it was distinctly unfilm-like. Superman Returns and Apocalypto both felt pretty "clean" to me, but here many shots with motion reminded me of DV. I'm not technically savy enough to describe the issue.

Motion blur....or lack thereof. And that's an aesthetic/artistic choice by Mel. Not all moving shots lacked motion blur in the film, but Mel obviously loved the extremely sharp clarity for many of those fast moving chase shots. I guess you could describe the sharp clarity of these specific moving images as being more "video-like" than filmic. Personally, I think these shots were very effective.

As for the rest of the film's look.....

I agree with Todd McCarthy regarding this feature being the most film-like, HD digital 24p has ever looked. And I didn't view it in a digital theater. Picture held up beautifully on the large screen.

___________________

Btw, I can see left leaning academics hating what this picture chooses to focus on and express.

I'll leave it at that.

Russell G · 12-19-2006, 09:22 AM

I had no idea this film was shot HD. After watching it, we were commenting on how it looked like they didn't use much CGI. I think that alone shows how well done this film is.

David Brown Eyes · 12-23-2006, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quentin

Well, I'm no expert in Mayan civilization, so feel free to share something if you've got something!

I do know that it is unlikely they had mass graves - more likely they burned the bodies from sacrifice. However, I also know that no one is sure what wiped them out and disease/plague is a viable theory. An extension of that theory could/would be their limited understanding of sanitation - particularly around human sacrifice.

So, I have no doubt the film takes liberties, but the theory is solid. AND, it is clearly what the film is trying to show - that the bodies are the cause of the plague. Did it happen that way? No one knows.

Another theory I've read is that they didn't turn their soil and basically farmed it out. The dead corn and crops could have been indicative of this.

The only real discrepancy in the film I am sure of is that there is no way the eclipse freaked them out. They had a calendar, knew astronomy, and their Gods were based on astronomy. They would have understood an eclipse.

Please do me and all other Native people a favor and not take this film literally. There were no mass graves, and as far as I know no images of mass funeral pyres. Yes the Mayans sacrificed people but there is absolutely no evidence that they committed carnage at anywhere close to the level displayed in Apocalypto.

If the Mayans did burn all their dead, not only would the plague never happen there would still be mass graves of bones and images depicting such an act. There also were no plagues on this soil until transported here by Europeans, not even the cold and flu.

Yes they understood eclipses, they also understood horticulture better than the Europeans. Mayans are also not "wiped out" anymore than Egyptians are wiped out.

This is a prime example of why I generally dislike movies about Indian people. Those that have no other frame of reference use them as fact. They extend the images beyond the film and superimpose those images onto real people real cultures.

"It must be true I saw it on TV!"

Eric Carl · 12-27-2006, 08:04 PM

The point COULD be made that not all Mayans knew what an eclipse was...

I mean, those in charge could have known what was coming and hoped that things were going to change....remember that in all points of history there are always people in charge who do not want to lose power; it is easier to blame a god that may or may not exist than to say they didn't know what was happening.

For us to now say that the world was unnaturally heating up - or some other thing - and that they did understand it is very, for a lack of a better word, imposing.

It is kind of like saying Sir Francis Galton should have known that his theories on eugenics would bring about a genocide.

I would continue on about what the film COULD be saying about religion, but I don't want to be banned.

-Eric

RyanTSI · 02-14-2007, 12:14 AM

To bring this back from the dead.

I thought it was pretty obvious what happened with the eclipse. More than likely not all mayan's would have known what an eclipse was etc. It would have been the responsibility of the priest to know the charts of the moon and sun etc.

From the depiction in the movie it seemed obvious to me that the priests knew there was going to be an eclipse within a certain time period. So they held the sacrifices then they could claim that it was the sacrifices that pleased the gods (the eclipse) and keep the lower classes in check.

My take anyways.

And i loved the movie. Cant wait for it on dvd

Nathan V · 02-14-2007, 01:03 PM

That's exactly how I interpreted it. From the way the main speaker guy nodded knowingly at the big chief guy, it seemed obvious that they both knew what was happening and how to fully take advantage of it.

I sure hope this gets a good dvd.

Ronald Epstein · 03-07-2007, 02:14 PM

Just finished watching this film after I avoided seeing it for weeks.

WoW!

You can call Mel Gibson all sorts of things these days, but please
give him recognition for being a masterful director.

This was indeed one of the best films I have seen over the
past year. It's a real shame this received no nomination for
Best Picture, because it's that good!

This is one that must be bought upon release to DVD!

Tim Glover · 03-07-2007, 05:15 PM

I agree Ron and it's in my top 10 for 2006. Very original and bizarre...graphic as heck..but also extremely captivating. The final 45 minutes or so was the most fierce and stunning cinema I've seen in a long time.

I don't think Mel takes second fiddle to other action directing giants such as Cameron or Spielberg. Mel can shoot the best action...meaningful action, with the best of them. He's also a genius in terms of capturing nuances...great camera work.

Glad you got to see it Ron.

RyanTSI · 03-07-2007, 05:19 PM

I did not find it all that graphic really. A lot of the worst stuff wasn't actually shown. And the stuff that was, was at least there for a reason.

Very good film. Im looking forward to whatever he does next