Gibson to speak ancient tongue at Oscars (preview of ancient language in "Apocalypto")

AP on Yahoo ^ | 3/4/06 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

NEW YORK (AP) -- Mel Gibson will give audiences a preview of the ancient language spoken in his upcoming movie, "Apocalypto."

During a brief appearance on the Academy Awards on Sunday, Gibson will speak Maya, the only language in the film. His last movie, "The Passion of the Christ," was performed in Latin and Aramaic.

"I wanted to shake up the stale action-adventure genre," Gibson told Time for a story on the magazine's Web site. "So I think we almost had to come up with something utterly different like this."

"Apocalypto" is set in pre-Columbian Mexico and is being shot on the fringe of southern Mexico's rain forests. It addresses the end of civilizations and contains warnings about environmental degradation and political fear-mongering.

[NormsRevenge]

Actor and director Mel Gibson, pulls on his beard during a news conference held in Veracruz, Mexico, Friday, Oct. 28, 2005 where he announced the shooting of his new film called Apocalypto spoken in an obscure mayan dialect and set 500 years ago in Central America. (AP Photo/David Hernandez)

[tet68]

Cutting edge, I wonder how this will be received in latin and south america?

[Popman]

Nice picture yahoo put up with the article.

I bet you can't find a more loonier psycho looking picture of him if you tried.

[mystery-ak]

Oh my...lose the beard Mel, you look like Rasputin....

[Popman]

It addresses the end of civilizations and contains warnings about environmental degradation and political fear-mongering.

I'm sure the ancient Mayas had their own version of Al Gore to deal with

< / sarcasm >

[mystery-ak]

or Hussein.



That's more accurate...

[BallyBill]

To the Hollywood lefties Mel Gibson speaks like he is from another planet anyway.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

IT WAS PROBABLY DUE TO MAYAN SUV'S?

[tbird5]

he did shave it off

[Riley]

I bet you can't find a more loonier psycho looking picture of him if you tried.

I have no doubt that they did try.

The media does that all the time to people they don't like. They'll have a photographer blaze away at a Bush press conference with an autowinder, then sift through the contact sheets until they find a shot where he's trying to stifle a sneeze or something and looks goofy, and they'll run that picture.

[I got the rope]

Last time I was in the Yucatan I met many Mayan Indians. Most of them were bilingual. They spoke to me in Spanish, but when they didn't want us to understand them they spoke Mayan.

It sounds like Chinese to me.

[uglybiker]

I'm sure the ancient Mayas had their own version of Al Gore to deal with

And most likely dealt with him by sacrificing him to the Sun God.

[Gordongekko909]

[Popman]

They spoke to me in Spanish, but when they didn't want us to understand them they spoke Mayan.

Sounds like many Hispanics I know. They speak Spanish if they are speaking to each other while I was part of the conversation and exclude me. Then when it suits them, they speak English when they need something.

Was it an English language epiphany

I work with many Hispanics, and I swear one day I'm going to learn Spanish and not tell a soul.

[Popman]

And most likely dealt with him by sacrificing him to the Sun God.

LOL

Probably, first beat him with a stick just for the pleasure of hearing him promise to shut up

[Revolting cat!]

Elaine: "You speak Burmese?"

"Oh, Elaine. That was gibberish!"

[Screamname]

Doesn`t he have the beard because of movie he is working on or is that his new look?

[Screamname]