Untitled Mel Gibson "Judah" Project

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/09/mel-gibson-takes-on-judah-maccabee/
http://movies.yahoo.com/news/gibsons-judah-maccabee-film-stirs-jewish-leaders-ire-160003342.html

Mel Gibson is supposedly set to produce (and possibly direct) a historical epic about the Jewish icon of Judah, written by Joe Eszterhas (SHOWGIRLS, BASIC INSTINCT).

Personally, I'm pretty glad that Gibson is hoping to start directing again. I think he's a very talented director with great potential. This project, however, I'm not too keen on. It seems like it's another controversy waiting to happen, and Gibson himself is already catching hell for this. Plus, he's already directed a film similar to this in BRAVEHEART.

Thoughts?

He should tell the Anti-Defamation League to go fuck themselves and have Brett Ratner direct it.

Despite what many may think about his personal life, he's still one of the best directors working today. And, obviously, he's trying to redeem himself, or something.

This offers plenty of fodder for GIbson's tiresome fascination with extreme violence.

I'd argue his fascination is no less valid thank Park Chan-wook's. Both are through a Catholic lens of grace and sin

The Lion of Judah 2?

Harmsway wrote:

This offers plenty of fodder for GIbson's tiresome fascination with extreme violence.

Given the subject matter of his films, I'd say that the extreme violence is warranted.

Though, he could have adapted THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST from a children's Bible.

Sharky wrote:

I'd argue his fascination is no less valid thank Park Chan-wook's. Both are through a Catholic lens of grace and sin

That is true of THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, but significantly less true of BRAVEHEART and APOCALYPTO.

Harmsway wrote:

This offers plenty of fodder for GIbson's tiresome fascination with extreme violence.

It's funny, you watch Braveheart and think, "Okay, this is really violent. But, y'know, it needed to be. That was how battle really was."

Then you watch The Passion of the Christ and think,"Wow, this is really, really graphic. But, y'know, that makes sense. Jesus was supposed to have taken on the punishment for all of man's sin. It makes it more meaningful."

Then you watch Apocalypto and finally think, "Huh. I think this guy might be kinda crazy."

00Twelve wrote:

It's funny, you watch Braveheart and think, "Okay, this is really violent. But, y'know, it needed to be. That was how battle really was."
Then you watch Apocalypto and finally think, "Huh. I think this guy might be kinda crazy."

Yep the ritual sacrifice in Apocalypto was pretty graphic. Speaking of graphic battle scenes. Neal Marshalls's Centurion, released last year,( with Olga, Fassbender, and Dominic West) requires a strong stomach. Marshall makes it clear the graphic-effects violence was important to the film. The horror of battle and all. The blu-ray's even got a special feature on the movie's various cinematic limb-severing techniques.
Oscar might make a special life-time achievement category for both Gibby and Neal.

I'm actually looking forward to this. Nothing wrong with an epic about Jews taking no shit. Indeed Judah Maccabee was the antithesis of the aforementioned "Jewish leaders", i.e. the whiny Oy Gevalts who think being Jewish is about spruiking Democrat causes. Yeah Gibson said some silly stuff when he was drunk... Who seriously gives a fuck anymore?

People say lots of crap when they are babbling incoherent drunk, especially when it comes to playing up societal stereotypes. I'd be more concerned about what they say and do when sobre. Although cutting back on the drunken ramblings is always a good thing :drunken:
Mel though is probably the perfect guy to make a big-budget epic violent film about the exploits of Judah the Hammer.:shock:
This movie could be quite spectacular. Not to mention awesome.

From wiki
"Judah Maccabee (or Judas Maccabeus,... Judah the Hammer) was a Kohen and a son of the Jewish priest Mattathias. He led the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Empire (167–160 BC) and is acclaimed as one of the greatest warriors in Jewish history alongside Joshua, Gideon and David.
The Jewish feast of Hanukkah ("Dedication") commemorates the restoration of Jewish worship at the temple in Jerusalem in 165 BC, after Judah Maccabee removed the pagan statuary."

Harmsway wrote:

Sharky wrote:

I'd argue his fascination is no less valid thank Park Chan-wook's. Both are through a Catholic lens of grace and sin

That is true of THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, but significantly less true of BRAVEHEART and APOCALYPTO.

I'd probably agree, particularly with BRAVEHEART. Though I think APOCALYPTO (sounds like a lollypop) does have an identifiable Christian narrative (what with it being an overblown Sodom and Gomorrah parable), though not a uniquely Catholic one.

JUDAH might be Gibson's chance to finally mend bridges with the Jewish community.

Sharky wrote:

JUDAH might be Gibson's chance to finally mend bridges with the Jewish community.

I think that probably entered into his thinking. He probably felt like a real schmuck after embarassing himself with his booze-fueled wacko ramblings.

Glad to see it though. This film could be epic. Maybe in the tradition of the The Robe, Ben Hur, and the Ten
Commandments. Too bad Heston wasn't still in fighting trim.

Sharky wrote:

Though I think APOCALYPTO (sounds like a lollypop) does have an identifiable Christian narrative (what with it being an overblown Sodom and Gomorrah parable), though not a uniquely Catholic one.

Yes. But it doesn't do a great job of tying the violence directly into that narrative. Not only are APOCALYPTO's ideas fairly simplistic (more simplistic than the Old Testament judgment narratives ever end up being), the second half descends into a PREDATOR-esque chase sequence that has more to do with entertainment value than it does with anything else.

Sharky wrote:

JUDAH might be Gibson's chance to finally mend bridges with the Jewish community.

It certainly came to my mind. Though, at least partially, he thinks of this story as a way to explore his desire for reform in the Catholic church.

Harmsway wrote:

Sharky wrote:

Though I think APOCALYPTO (sounds like a lollypop) does have an identifiable Christian narrative (what with it being an overblown Sodom and Gomorrah parable), though not a uniquely Catholic one.

Yes. But it doesn't do a great job of tying the violence directly into that narrative. Not only are APOCALYPTO's ideas fairly simplistic (more simplistic than the Old Testament judgment narratives ever end up being), the second half descends into a PREDATOR-esque chase sequence that has more to do with entertainment value than it does with anything else.

It all falls apart in the last hour and a half or so. I'm not sure how much Farhad Safinia had an influence there. At least THE PASSION is relatively consistent.

Harmsway wrote:

Sharky wrote:

JUDAH might be Gibson's chance to finally mend bridges with the Jewish community.

It certainly came to my mind. Though, at least partially, he thinks of this story as a way to explore his desire for reform in the Catholic church.

It's an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, at least, or maybe three if we count bloodlust.

Who should play Judas Maccabeusr? Eli Roth?

*Ducks for cover*

As long as they steer clear of Adrien Brody. If they want a badass Jewish actor, Steven Seagal is the natural choice.

Jeff Goldblum or Fred Melamed.

I've got the theme music:





That's Penderecki conducting, BTW.