Once Upon A Time, There Was This Mel Gibson

[OmahaBlueDog]

Once upon a time, there was a Mel Gibson who was actually a really good actor, and doing work in some really interesting Australian films. That same Mel Gibson went on to direct and produce some films that had their share of critical acclaim ("Braveheart") and commercial success ("The Passion of the Christ").

Can you separate the work he has done on screen from his abhorrent off-screen behavior?

[rrneck]

1. Mel is overexposed. In a bad way. nt

[MajorChode]

2. I'm reminded of something Cary Grant said one time

"Everyone wants to be Cary Grant. Even I want to be Cary Grant."

[soleft]

21. Hmmmmm. How very Cary Grant of him to say

[NewJeffCT]

3. I can usually separate on screen & off screen

I have no problem watching Arnold in his better movies - Terminator, T-2, etc.

However, this is just atrocious and I'm not sure I can even watch one of his movies again.

[OmahaBlueDog]

6. I don't think it will impact my view of films he did 20 years ago

..but I doubt I'll ever see any new movies he might make.

Seriously, I think he's mentally ill. I truly hope he gets help.

[jp11]

17. +1

I try not to let who people 'are' affect the work they do/did, some things cross a line and I can't permit myself to support a person who is working against people or doing things that hurt others.

I'll enjoy the work he's done and probably avoid anything in the future unless he gets help.

[w8liftinglady]

4. The year of Living Dangerously .will always be one of my fav movies

can't help it

[OmahaBlueDog]

5. Linda Hunt gives an incredible performance in that film

..and Gibson and Weaver turn in very good performances. This will also remain one of my all time favorites.

[Arugula Latte]

9. Oops. wrong place.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. I love that movie.

Even though Mel has turned out to be a total butthole, it will always be one of my favorites. Same goes for Gallipoli.

[Fire Walk With Me]

11. Absolutely. Mel and Sigourney find real heat in their roles.

Chemistry on-screen is rare, and IIRC they had it. And to defintitely agree with OmahaBlueDog, Lynda Hunt was indeed wonderful. :thumbsup:

I of course don't approve of Mel's antics, but having had severe foibles of my own, I have to grant a minimum of compassion. Hoping it gets better for him and those near him...

[femmocrat]

7. He was People Magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1985...

and one of the "World's Most Beautiful People" in 1990, 1991, and 1996.

Maybe it all went to his head?

[Iggo]

8. I don't watch The Road Warrior 'cause it's a Mel Gibson movie.

I watch it because it's The Road Warrior.

Nothing has changed.

[Mojambo]

12. Sure.

His behavior will not affect my enjoyment of his past work.

That being said, I don't anticipate supporting any future work he might produce. But you never know.

[MrSlayer]

13. I never even heard of those three movies.

Road Warrior, Lethal Weapon, Braveheart and Patriot. That's Mel Gibson to me.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

14. The Year of Living Dangerously and Gallipoli were both Australian films

by Peter Weir in the early '80s. Both are first-rate. Linda Hunt won an Oscar for TYOLD, which was about the overthrow of Sukarno in Indonesia in the early '60s. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Year_of_Living_Dangerously Gallipoli was about two young men who enlisted in the Australian army in WWI and wound up fighting the Turks in the notorious bloodbath on the Gallipoli Peninsula. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallipoli_%281981_film%29 . Mel Gibson was excellent in both movies.

[LibDemAlways]

15. To me it would be like no longer enjoying "Chinatown" or

"Rosemary's Baby" because they were directed by Roman Polanski. Just because someone behaved very badly, there is no reason to condemn their prior work.

[gvstn]

16. For me

It is not the content of his rants that makes it unforgivable. It is the seething anger just below the surface. I've know a few people who had that kind of anger and it is repellent. Once you feel that kind of anger directed at you, you can never look at the person the same way again.

Mel Gibson never said anything to me but hearing those tapes hits me at a visceral level. I won't be able to listen to his voice without feeling repelled.

Many people say he needs medication but I really believe he does need medication or at least medical attention. He has no control.

[Iggo]

18. Like most bullies, he needs a smack in the face.

Probably several.

[TK421]

19. I'm really starting to believe there is a serious mental problem there

I've heard some fucked-up rants, but this was nothing like them

I'm not excusing his behavior, but maybe he really has no control over this?

anyone?

[Scout]

22. i almost hope, for his sake, he has a brain tumor or something!

someone else posted that he's been diagnosed bi-polar? could it be brain damage from years of alcohol abuse?

hate to think he is just that much of a fucking prick!

[TK421]

24. After listening to all the rants, brain tumor may be a good guess

and I've met plenty of pricks in my day, and nobody could be this much of a prick consciously...unless they have little control over what comes out of their mouths

I really think something is mentally, physically wrong with Mel Gibson and I hope the guy seeks help for it...after listening to his panting in between rants he is clearly trying to catch his breath before spouting off another obscenity....he is not all there

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

26. That was my impression. I've heard people go off on uncontrolled rants,

but nothing like that -- not with all that panting. It's not just that he was saying awful, hateful, racist, and more than anything misogynistic things, which would have been bad enough -- it was that he was completely off the rails, like he was so angry that he strung together all the most offensive stuff he could think of and just panted and screamed. This was way beyond ordinary assholery -- it was pathological. There is something very wrong with him besides just being a dick.

As awful as it is, it's also kind of sad. For all his fundie craziness he was a pretty good actor, and at least in the early days did not have a bad reputation; in fact he was said to be very pleasant to work with. Maybe it's alcoholism or a brain tumor or both, but he's really gone off the deep end.

[TK421]

27. agreed....I used to respect him a great deal as an actor and person

his politics and rantings about Vatican 2 aside ( that was a very strange interview )and his anti-Semitic remarks which I can only attribute to upbringing or experiences he has had with Jewish people. I gave him credit for building his career into what it was. As far as the alcoholism goes the responsibility for dealing with that lies strictly with him, but if this is what you and I suspect then these rants may not be the real Mel Gibson many of us are used to seeing

just my thoughts

[Brickbat]

20. Gallipoli was fucking awesome. It's pretty much the onlyl Mel Gibson film I'd view again.

But then, I don't rewatch a lot of movies.

[Skittles]

23. I've always known is is a very ugly person

I think I saw Mad Max and that was IT

[kimi]

25. Maybe I'm the only one who hasn't heard the tapes

Honestly, I'm sort of scared to. I grew up with an alcoholic, abusive father. Heard rants and witnessed crap no one should, and I've heard the descriptions of the tapes, and just don't want to hear more of the same.

No, I can't view Mel Gibson in the same way again. I wish I could, but it's just gone for me, and I really did admire him for a long time.

[TK421]

28. Most of it is unintelligible psychobabble....I could post a link

but you probably wouldn't even hear what he was screaming, and I DO mean screaming

[InvisibleTouch]

29. I can still enjoy his older stuff.

I love the "Mad Max" movies, for instance.

Not so sure I'd go see anything new from him.

[glinda]

30. I never liked him. Still don't like him.