Unfair criticism of Mel Gibson, movie

Re “Gibson’s blood lust,” Opinion, Dec. 13

I believe Richard Schickel missed the point of Mel Gibson’s movie, “Apocalypto.”

Schickel objects to the very specific and staged Mayan human sacrifice scene, the still-beating heart and the bouncy-bounce of the tumbling, falling head. To him, this is horrid pornography. It would be better if it were more like “on-the-fly” mindless violence that we too often see inserted into other movies.

The Mayans are lauded for their high culture and civilization. Their pyramids were built at great effort, and with huge resources, specifically for human sacrifice. This always disturbed me; it still does. I am sure this is the unstated point of Gibson’s movie.

JOSEPH SCRANDIS

Westbury, N.Y.

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Schickel’s article smacks of bias. Had Gibson not delivered a thoroughly repugnant anti-Semitic rant in Malibu, I doubt Schickel would be writing of Gibson’s “pornography” and intimating that Gibson is a closet sadomasochist. Gibson’s subject matter is disturbing, and he takes creative liberties. So what’s new in Hollywood? The Mayan civilization did exist, people were tortured and their hearts were ripped out. This is human history, this sort of incomprehensible violence.

Whatever drives Gibson to examine the worst sort of factual human behavior is his business. At a time when we Americans live in obscene comfort while the world burns around us, maybe we need to see blood and guts graphically spilled, as our sons and daughters are seeing in Iraq and Afghanistan. Maybe we’ll get off the couch and do more to solve our problems less violently.

Reducing Gibson’s output to the realm of the “immature” and the “sadomasochistic” is hogwash. Clearly Schickel’s feelings were hurt that night in Malibu, and he is lashing out in an inappropriate forum.

ERIC BECK

Reseda