Apocalypto: sacrificial practices, temples, and Mayan writing and math
Description
Criticisms and controversy
So yeah, Mel Gibson is bad. But then the movies are… really good? Trying to get past his framing. The tug of war between historical accuracy and entertainment. Anthropological criticism.
Deciphering history
The problem with burning nearly the entire written history of a people. Deciphering scant ancient texts. The remaining resources: art, stelae. Mayan hieroglyphic writing.
Periods
The Maya pre-classic, classic, and post-cassic periods. The scale of the height of Mayan civilization. The abruptness of its fall. The period in which the film takes place and the ways in which it is not actually entirely apparent. Classic-period pyramids in the post-classic era.
Science and math
The mixing of astronomy and astrology in the Mayan tracking of the heavenly bodies for religious purposes. The Mayan written mathematical system. “Inventing” zero. Extensive calendaring and that whole 2012 kerfuffle.
Civilizational decline
The factors that may have contributed to the Mayan collapse. Plaster and mortar production. Deforestation for fuel.
Aztec/Maya
The possibility for cultural confusion in the film. Aztec and Maya sacrificial practices.
Production
Costly! The costs of vising the wreck twelve times for research and footage, not to mention the cost of the film production overall. The extreme profitability of this film and James Cameron in general.
Classism
First, second, and third class on the same ship. Titans of industry....
Published 09/01/20
The movie
It was really good! One-shot gimmicks of the past and appreciating the technical complexity of what was done here.
People
The demographic makeup of the British military. Young average infantryman age. “Pals battalions” and serving alongside your friends.
The Great War
The...
Published 03/24/20