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TagsBY BOB HOLT
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
Mel Gibson has called the accusations of Hollywood screenwriter Joe Eszterhas “utter fabrications,” but Eszterhas said another tape of Gibson exists.
Gibson and Eszterhas have been engaged in a war of words since Warner Brothers turned down the script for “The Maccabees,” a film about the life of Jewish warrior Judah Maccabee, whose victory is celebrated by Hanukkah. Eszterhas wrote a nine-page letter to Gibson earlier this week.
Eszterhas said, according to The Wrap, “We have a recording of Gibson’s actions and statements that my son Nick made in Costa Rica. There were at least four other people present when he exploded in that rage. My wife Naomi also witnessed things he said about killing his ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva, and his constant anti-Semitic remarks. He should be very careful.”
He continued, “Nick’s digital tape shows Gibson throwing a cell phone, running around the side of the house, and screaming all the way through. He destroys the totem pole in the billiard room, and screams again about Oksana. Nick had the iPod in his pocket, and he was frightened. For the moment, I'm holding on to it.”
The Los Angeles Times reports Eszterhas’ letter is full of vulgarities, and depicts Gibson as unstable, cursing at staff and house guests, and using anti-Semitic slurs. And Mail Online reported that Gibson has denied Eszterhas’ claims he said John Lennon deserved to die. Gibson’s friends have said he is a big Beatles fan and plays their music all the time.
The screenwriter claimed in his letter that he found out in mid-March about the rejection, and Gibson never contacted him to discuss the film. Eszterhas concluded that Gibson had only announced the project to save his career and reputation. Gibson claims to have been working on the film for 10 years.
Gibson, 56, responded in his own letter, according to GMA News Online, saying, "I absolutely want to make this movie. It's just that neither Warner Brothers nor I want to make this movie based on your script. He called the Eszterhas script the most "substandard" he had seen in 25 years, and a "waste of time."
