Gibson's "Apocalypto" one-sheet

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This one-sheet for Mel Gibson's Apocalypto (Disney, 12.8) really puts the zap on my head...something like that. Handsome, striking, quietly haunting...an image that sticks and stays. Reactions?

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on May 31, 2006 at 10:39 AM

comment #1

Nicol D says ...

Gibson is emerging as a real talent and this one sheet shows that he wants to do stuff with class.

I have no idea what the economic prospects of this film will be at Christmastime but Gibson is proving to be a real iconoclast.

That he received no nomination for Passion in a way keeps him as the underdog and in the past two years since its release it has not diminished in stature. It has become a sort of touchtone reference film now.

I look forward to this eagerly.

Posted by Nicol D at May 31, 2006 10:57 AM

comment #2

Alexander says ...

This looks intense.

Query: if liberals see parallels between what destroyed Gibson's civilization in his film and what may be destroying our country today--as Gibson said months ago, there is a parallel to be seen--will they turn around and actually give Gibson awards love? It is coming out in December, which makes it a whole lot harder to ignore at Oscar-time than a February release...

Posted by Alexander at May 31, 2006 11:13 AM

comment #3

Paul H. says ...

"Gibson is emerging as a real talent here..."

Umm. I think he has emerged.

Posted by Paul H. at May 31, 2006 11:15 AM

comment #4

Tim C. says ...

I just can't get over the bad grammar in the tagline: "No one can outrun their destiny". That should be: "No one can outrun his destiny", or "... her destiny" or "... his or her destiny". Or, simplest of all: "No one can outrun destiny".

Posted by Tim C. at May 31, 2006 11:24 AM

comment #5

Nick says ...

The stricken pose looks kind of like "The Chronicles of Riddick" to me.

Posted by Nick at May 31, 2006 11:29 AM

comment #6

Daniel Zelter says ...

Though will this really sell at X-mas? If New World couldn't, I doubt this will have a chance. Plus the fundies like Jesus when he's white, not brown.

Nicol: The Academy already gave him Oscars for Braveheart.

Alexander: If Gibson covers the same ground as Gore-the Mayans apparently screwed up their environment too-it'll at least be nice to know that someone recognizes that global warming isn't a conservative/liberal issue, but a global issue.
He's still hypocritical for putting a restraining order on a bum who just wanted to pray with him. I'm sure Jesus would be proud.

Tim: It's grammatically correct. I know a few writers who wrote essays about traditional substitution of "their" for "he" and/or "she" in the English anguage, because their readers were questioning the legitimacy of usage of that word within that context. But I have seen a few ads which butchered the language.

Posted by Daniel Zelter at May 31, 2006 11:56 AM

comment #7

Anonymous says ...

"Gibson is emerging as a real talent"
"Umm. I think he has emerged."

I think I get Nicol D's point, it's not the word "emerge" you should have keyed off of, but "real." Do we need to list the names of directors who followed up their well regarded first films with poor or mediocre ones?

As to the eventual box office outcome, I have a feeling we will be reading numerous media group-think stories when the dust settles that APOCALYPTO signals that the Hispanic audience's time has "really" arrived as they become a huge part of the film's success. Gibson would have to be a complete moron not to follow his own marketing success with PASSION by pushing this any way he can in the Latino community.

Posted by Anonymous at May 31, 2006 12:04 PM

comment #8

Eric says ...

Tim, I was thinking the same thing.

Nick, I hadn't thought of that, but you're totally right.

Posted by Eric at May 31, 2006 1:25 PM

comment #9

delbomber says ...

Glad to see the non-stop "psycho-lunatic-fundamentalist-sadist" bashing of Mel has given way to respectful and amiable anticipation...well, at least until Wells screens the movie. What did the trick? Mel's trailer prank? His political dissension?

Posted by delbomber at May 31, 2006 1:32 PM

comment #10

Knox Bronson says ...

should be his destiny

or none can outrun their destinies ...

whatever.

Posted by Knox Bronson at May 31, 2006 1:38 PM

comment #11

the king says ...

the film will still be "pyscho-lunatic-fundamentalist-and most of all sadistic!

But it will look great.

Posted by the king at May 31, 2006 1:42 PM

comment #12

Anonymous says ...

The grammar thing infuriated me, too. It is NOT correct.

Posted by Anonymous at May 31, 2006 2:35 PM

comment #13

Nicol D says ...

What I meant was emphasis on the 'real'. He is not a one trick pony and his films are consistently top class unlike many actor/directors or just directors.

He has the ability to be one of the great directors to be studied as opposed to a popular actor who just made a few hits.

Posted by Nicol D at May 31, 2006 3:30 PM

comment #14

zoey says ...

The grammar is grating, but isn't the use of "their" with the singular no one these days used as shorthand for "his/her?" Of course he could avoid the jarring syntax by killing this too-long, generic, formulaic tagline and opting for something short, swift and clean to fit the image on the poster.

Posted by zoey at May 31, 2006 5:11 PM

comment #15

Daniel Zelter says ...

del: Even the South Park guys bashed Mel. And they're more right-leaning than most celebrities.

Posted by Daniel Zelter at May 31, 2006 7:50 PM

comment #16

Daniel Zelter says ...

del: Even the South Park guys bashed Mel. And they're more right-leaning than most celebrities.

Posted by Daniel Zelter at May 31, 2006 7:55 PM

comment #17

Anonymous says ...

the South Park guys bash everybody, so that doesn't signify anything.

Posted by Anonymous at May 31, 2006 8:44 PM

comment #18

Dan R% says ...

It's a beautiful poster. The grammar thing was something I'd picked up on, but I also know that a lot of everyday folks use the word "their" in improper ways when they speak. I think that more often than not, people won't even consider it a grammatical error.

Posted by Dan R% at May 31, 2006 9:15 PM

comment #19

Adam says ...

Maybe I should be embarrassed, but I didn't even think of it as a grammatical error - and I consider myself a writer...

I love the poster, the mood and emotion it strikes up right away. Glad to see a movie poster with some thought and effort put into it.

Posted by Adam at May 31, 2006 11:44 PM

comment #20

Greg says ...

The one-sheet looks pretty sharp.

I can't wait to Mel's curious Book of Mormon Code movie. Hope it's as good as his Bible one.

GSR

Posted by Greg at June 1, 2006 1:59 AM

comment #21

Rich says ...

Maybe the his/her-their thing is translated from the Mayan....

Posted by Rich at June 1, 2006 4:48 AM

comment #22

delbomber says ...

Dan...yeah, I was commenting more about how it is nice to see Wells pull a 180 and actually praise someone whom he has formerly spent much time and effort bashing than any deserved Mel mockery...I can see how it came across as if I didn't find humor in his escapades the past few years.

Cheers.

Posted by delbomber at June 1, 2006 5:45 AM

comment #23