EPiSODE 69.
Hosts John Cribbs & Christopher Funderburg are joined by filmmaker, podcaster & critic Martin Kessler to discuss his new book, Maya Non Grata: An Apocalypto Commentary. An exploration of Apocalyto’s bizarre relationship to history, historicism and art, Kessler’s authorial debut is available for only $2 via our Patreon:
The group discusses this a deeply strange Hollywood action flick set at the dawn of European conquest of the Yucatan peninsula, a vanity project by disreputable actor-turned-director Mel Gibson. Maya Non Grata is Martin Kessler's engaging, meticulously researched odyssey into the controversies surrounding Gibson's representation of historic Mesoamerica, diving deep into the film's idiosyncratic approach to period drama and addressing the charges of inaccuracy leveled at its depiction of a nearly-vanquished culture.
Kessler takes an inquisitive approach to Apocalypto's peculiar relationship to the spotty historical record concerning the post-Classic Maya, attempting to unravel the elusive historical truth and exploring the film's frequent whimsical reliance on the idea that "there's no reason this couldn't have happened." In 138 captivating pages, the author examines his own relationship to the movie - Kessler's deeply personal, colloquial, unpredictable book considers the question, "What does art owe to history?"
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