Gibson Calls Oscars "Ludicrous"

[Jon Lyrik]

Mel Gibson has denounced the Oscar ceremonies as "a celebration of mediocrity" and accused academy members of treating his The Passion of the Christ as a political football. "My film is not right-wing or political, but they made it so," he told an interviewer on the Catholic cable channel EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network). Gibson, who won an Oscar for his direction of Braveheart in 1995, remarked: "The whole notion of these awards ceremonies is ludicrous. ... It's really a marketing exercise." He said he decided not to promote the film for Oscar consideration because he realized that doing so would be futile. "I knew exactly what was going to happen. I didn't try to market the film. People are spending 15 or 20 million dollars to market their films. That's a lot of money for a little gold statue."

--Source: IMDb

Oh, shut up and quite whining. Go back to your $15 million Polynesian island.

[Buck Turgidson]

I so appreciate him coming out and making these pronouncements, proving on a nearly daily basis what a colossal fucking asshole he really is.

They really, really, really should consider making a new precedent and reposessing that ill-gotten statuette he got for that bloated colostomy bag of a movie.

[James Logan]

I love Mel's movies. I love him as a director and as an actor -- BRAVEHEART is one of my favorite movies, the LETHAL WEAPON movies are one of my favorite TV franchises, the MAD MAX movies are always a fun ride, and so on. And even THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST I feel is a beautiful, moving, gut-wrenching movie, and it was a very special experience to me and everyone I know who watched it.

But I used to dig him as a human being, too. You know, when you'd hear about the Mel Gibson who burped and farted on set, who'd always goof around, who never took anything seriously, who'd always make jokes about everything, who gave up drinking but still smoked Cuban cigars, who'd fight with the director when he was also producer of a flick and wanted to show himself in a good light, and so on and so forth. But since THE PASSION (again, a movie I highly appreciate and respect Gibson for having the balls to make) came out, it seems he's become extremely preachy and tight, and the commercial success of the flick hasn't helped.

C'mon, Mel. Go back to old you. Old you was a nice, fun old guy -- new you is just an annoying pain in the ass.

[A.J. Hakari]

Actually, what he meant is that this man should get an Oscar:

http://www.basementtapes.com/jpegs/interviews/ludacris.jpg



:D

[wyodebbie]

Actually I kind of agree with Mel Gibson, that last few years the creative and artistic films have not been picked for Oscar awards.

[jeo4]

Mediocrity?

BIRD ON A WIRE
LETHAL WEAPON 3 & 4
CHICKEN RUN
THE MAN WITHOUT A FACE
PAYBACK
FOREVER YOUNG
TEQUILA SUNRISE
THE PATRIOT
WHAT WOMEN WANT

I'd say you're a sure Oscar contender, then, Mr. Gibson. Nothing against some of your better work, but you have little right to slam the Oscars when you have a sketchy filmography yourself.

[B1rd_Po0p]

Originally posted by jeo4
CHICKEN RUN.

Awww c'mon!! That was a high quality bit of family entertainment!!! "But I don't want to be a pie!" :D

[Donnie_Darko]

Well, Mel's view is two fold...

1) He's 100% right. The Oscars are a fucking joke. Bottom line.

and

2) Sour grapes. He's got a naked man, and I bet it's on prominent display. This was his "passion" film, and he's pissed that it got no recognition.

Let's see what Mel has to say in a few years, when he finally does a good movie for a change, and gets Oscar consideration... acting or directing. Mel's on a run of crap right now, so let's sit back, and see what happens.

[Jon Lyrik]

Originally posted by jeo4
Mediocrity?

BIRD ON A WIRE
LETHAL WEAPON 3 & 4
CHICKEN RUN
THE MAN WITHOUT A FACE
PAYBACK
FOREVER YOUNG
TEQUILA SUNRISE
THE PATRIOT
WHAT WOMEN WANT

I'd say you're a sure Oscar contender, then, Mr. Gibson. Nothing against some of your better work, but you have little right to slam the Oscars when you have a sketchy filmography yourself.

Hey, MWAF and Chicken Run are pretty good!

But really, Mel got his Oscars with Braveheart. Can he stop bitching? And was he EXPECTING Oscars for this? It's a controversial, ultra-violent movie that polarized the people who saw it. The Oscars avoid these movies like the plague.

[Shockwave]

Mel Gibson has denounced the Oscar ceremonies as "a celebration of mediocrity"

I gotta agree with him, but i never thought id hear him saying it.

[Jamesadin]

This is coming from the man who is RE RELEASING his movie within a year of it coming out origonally.

[Digifruitella]

you guys are all against Mel it looks like. Well I'm not, whatever he says I don't care, The Passion was a poerful film, I'm Christian, and I'm glad he didn't promote the movie for an Oscar, even though it got some noms..The Passion was not meant to be "entertainment" and Oscar nominated films are just that. Entertainment.

[bob]

Originally posted by .Digifruitella.
you guys are all against Mel it looks like. Well I'm not, whatever he says I don't care, The Passion was a poerful film, I'm Christian, and I'm glad he didn't promote the movie for an Oscar, even though it got some noms..The Passion was not meant to be "entertainment" and Oscar nominated films are just that. Entertainment.

That's basically exactly the opposite of what Mel was saying.

[Patrick Bateman]

Originally posted by James Logan
I love Mel's movies. I love him as a director and as an actor -- BRAVEHEART is one of my favorite movies, the LETHAL WEAPON movies are one of my favorite TV franchises, the MAD MAX movies are always a fun ride, and so on. And even THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST I feel is a beautiful, moving, gut-wrenching movie, and it was a very special experience to me and everyone I know who watched it.

But I used to dig him as a human being, too. You know, when you'd hear about the Mel Gibson who burped and farted on set, who'd always goof around, who never took anything seriously, who'd always make jokes about everything, who gave up drinking but still smoked Cuban cigars, who'd fight with the director when he was also producer of a flick and wanted to show himself in a good light, and so on and so forth. But since THE PASSION (again, a movie I highly appreciate and respect Gibson for having the balls to make) came out, it seems he's become extremely preachy and tight, and the commercial success of the flick hasn't helped.

C'mon, Mel. Go back to old you. Old you was a nice, fun old guy -- new you is just an annoying pain in the ass.

My thoughts exactly.

[Briare Rabbit]

Gibson has just flipped his lid. He's gone mad.

And besides being insane, he's also a complete hypocrite. He accepted his awards for Braveheart, and the second he gives those awards back, then he has the right to say they celebrated "mediocrity".

The Passion was a piece of shit. A total piece of shit. Every other movie at the academy awards -Lemony Snicket, Ray and Harry Potter included- was ten times the film The Passion was, so he should just shut the fuck up, and be glad that his step-away-from-a-snuff-film shit got nominated for any god damn award.

[ilovemovies]

Originally posted by Briare Rabbit


he's also a complete hypocrite. He accepted his awards for Braveheart, and the second he gives those awards back, then he has the right to say they celebrated "mediocrity".




I actually thought The Passion of the Christ deserved more nominations but I agree with this statement.

[James Logan]

Originally posted by jeo4

LETHAL WEAPON 3
CHICKEN RUN
PAYBACK
THE PATRIOT
WHAT WOMEN WANT


I actually enjoy all of these. Not the greatest films cinema has ever made, but I got 'em on DVD and I'm proud I do. :)

And I loved THE PASSION too. Thought it was a very courageous, artistically impressive, moving film about faith. But still, like I said, making a great movie about Jesus doesn't give you a right to continually, and somewhat hypocritically, preach -- even if said movie is good, and even if you made a shitload of money off it.

[Strider]

Personally, I thought The Passion of the Christ was easily the best film of last year. Haunting, powerful, heartbreaking, beautiful, thought-provoking, and unforgettable. And I admire Mel Gibson for deciding to take a huge risk, and make the film. Gibson is a great actor and a great director. With that said, I can't help but think this is a huge contradiction. If Gibson really believes the Oscars are "ludicrous," then exactly what does he think of the awards he received for Braveheart? If he doesn't care for those awards anymore, perhaps he should give them back.

Strider

[Grim H.]

Man, if my movies were making the kind of money Pssion made, I would not be complaining.

[thedudeman69]

Originally posted by Grim H.
Man, if my movies were making the kind of money Pssion made, I would not be complaining.

You would be on a 15 millon dollar island too? :D

also, The Passion got screwed by the political lyrcany that is called The Oscars. He deserves a right to bitch. but calling Oscars ludiacris really makes me think he wants to give back his Oscars for Braveheart.

[someguy]

Originally posted by thedudeman69
You would be on a 15 millon dollar island too? :D

also, The Passion got screwed by the political lyrcany that is called The Oscars. He deserves a right to bitch. but calling Oscars ludiacris really makes me think he wants to give back his Oscars for Braveheart.

He has no right to complain. He just has sour grapes over his film not getting nominated. He can go on his whole "made it political" bullshit, but deep down he wanted to get those Oscars. And I am glad he did not.

[Pumpkin Smeller]

Mel Gibson has won an Oscar. I believe mel Gibson is not wrong in what he is complaining about, but I don't think he should be so open about it because it does make him come off as hypocritical.

And yes, The Passion was a good movie, and not just to Christians. From an objective standpoint, it is a superb cinematic achievement that is uncompromising in its depiction of a PROVEN HISTORICAL EVENT!

Yes, I am a Christian, but I saw it with my non-Christian fans and they found it just as superb and as powerful as I did.

[Shockwave]

From an objective standpoint, it is a superb cinematic achievement that is uncompromising in its depiction of a PROVEN HISTORICAL EVENT!

Kinda/sorta.

Im a Christian as well, but i dont think there is anyone living who can say exactly how things went down way back when.

..just rubs me the wrong way when people think this is EXACTLY how it happend.:)

[jeo4]

Originally posted by James Logan
I actually enjoy all of these. Not the greatest films cinema has ever made, but I got 'em on DVD and I'm proud I do. :)

That's all fine and good. I'm not here to pick a fight about movies, but I did say they were mediocre (not bad). And I stand beside that.

And I loved THE PATRIOT too. Thought it was a very courageous, artistically impressive, moving film about faith. But still, like I said, making a great movie about Jesus doesn't give you a right to continually, and somewhat hypocritically, preach -- even if said movie is good, and even if you made a shitload of money off it.

I thought THE PATRIOT was just average. I expected nothing of the film and got it.

THE PASSION was pretty much identical to the Biblical account, but it's been done for decades now. So why cry about it? He made mad cash off of it, Oscar or not. His complaints about the Academy, however accurate they may be, come off as hypocritical. This was my point. Who is he to criticize?

[Jon Lyrik]

Originally posted by Pumpkin Smeller
And yes, The Passion was a good movie, and not just to Christians. From an objective standpoint, it is a superb cinematic achievement that is uncompromising in its depiction of a PROVEN HISTORICAL EVENT!

http://clear.msu.edu:16080/dennie/clipart/laugh.gif

[James Logan]

Originally posted by jeo4


I thought THE PATRIOT was just average. I expected nothing of the film and got it.

Actually, it's good you noticed that. That's a typo -- meant to put in THE PASSION. :D Didn't you think it was weird putting PATRIOT, faith, and Jesus together in the same paragraph? :)

My bad. I'll edit it right now, makes me look stoopid. ;)

[James Logan]

Originally posted by Pumpkin Smeller

And yes, The Passion was a good movie, and not just to Christians. From an objective standpoint, it is a superb cinematic achievement that is uncompromising in its depiction of a PROVEN HISTORICAL EVENT!

Well, the only proven historical events is pretty much this: Jesus did exist, he was a political leader of some sort, and he probably got nailed on a cross.

But that wasn't even the interesting part to me. To me, the thing that was moving about the movie, and I feel for Christians and non-Christians (I saw it with a couple of Muslim friends, a Jewish friends, and two atheists, that was part of the fun for us, and they mostly enjoyed it), was to show what this man did for others and for faith, what he went through based on simply believing, and how believing carried him through and beyond it. The fact that it's Jesus does make it a Christian story, but I think anyone who believes in something could be moved by that.

[Shockwave]

was to show what this man did for others and for faith, what he went through based on simply believing, and how believing carried him through and beyond it. The fact that it's Jesus does make it a Christian story, but I think anyone who believes in something could be moved by that.

Yeppers. :)

I also thought the Patriot kicked ass, i actualy find it more entertaining then Braveheart, even if it does butcher the history of some of the characters.

[Nachokoolaid]

I agree with Mel. I think he's a great actor/director. Sure, the Academy is political. Do we even question this? I saw an interview with Morgan Freeman during Oscar week where his discussed and agreed with this statement.
How many of us haven't already discussed the politics of the Academy in another thread already. This just seems a little like a self-serving statement when Mel's talking about his own film in the process. I think Mel just knows that he had to do a little advertising for BRAVEHEART back in the day. But he felt that PASSION was his masterpiece, and he didn't need to advertise to the Academy members because the strength of the film would be enough. Obviously, he failed to realize that politics rules all, even the Academy.

That being said, this is one of the first years in Oscar history where I totally agree with all the major winners.

[Mr-Blonde]

And besides being insane, he's also a complete hypocrite. He accepted his awards for Braveheart, and the second he gives those awards back, then he has the right to say they celebrated "mediocrity".

He's about as insane as most of the other kooks in Hollywood.

And here's nothing at all hypocritical about a group of west coast elitlists dolling out awards only for films that were appreciated by their inner sanctum. I know that you're gonna say "Well they're the Academy and they get to make the decision who gets awards." Fine and good, but I think that some recognition should be given to movies that a lot of people have actually watched too.

Really though-- the Oscars don't mean shit to most people outside the industry anyway.

[Jess]

So he's saying the Oscars are no good, but milking Jesus for more money is? Sign me up for the Church of Mel!

[moose1132]

I agree with what he said about the Oscars, but I think if the Passion did get a ton of noms and won that he'd say something else. He's hypocritical. I haven't seen the Passion- I'm not religous at all so I don't care to, but I can't help but think that he just made the movie because he knew it'd make a shit load of money. Why else would he re-release it in theatres like that now?