Letter From The Editor

"Why do I say stuff like that? It just gets me in trouble."

Actor, icon, controversy-magnet. Mel Gibson was on the cover of Total Film's first issue and as the magazine enters its tenth year, he's the natural choice for the latest issue - a star who can still command $25 million a movie, but chooses instead to be Hollywood's most successful independent filmmaker. With his latest idiosyncratic epic Apocalypto opening in Britain on 5 January, we spent a few hours with Gibson at his Santa Monica production offices, eating coronary-inducing sandwiches and contemplating getting punched. He's not known as Sane Max or Mildly Wounding Weapon, after all. For the full interview, you'll need to grab the new Total Film from your nearest newsagent (and either run or, you know, pay for it), but start him chatting about movies and he barely stops, so for more on filmmakers he admires - from Christopher Nolan to DW Griffith - click here. You can also read the first UK review of the eye-gouging Apocalypto by clicking here.

Elsewhere in the issue another action star is on the comeback trail, with Sylvester Stallone sitting down for the Total Film Interview: covering everything from his eating habits to getting back into the ring for the upcoming Rocky Balboa. Stallone's isn't the only dollar-snatching franchise still going strong and we look at the history of Blockbusters, from Jaws to Spider-Man, and cast a collective eye over the must-see movies (in good and bad ways) that made up 2006. Plus, there's the little matter of doling out the Total Film Readers' Awards, and the usual smart reviews, smart-arsed comments and a free 2007 preview poster-pack.

As the cold bites and the lights sparkle and the world celebrates the birth of Jesus and his promise of redemption/gets spectacularly hammered and wakes up regretting everything the next morning, remember. Movie magazines aren't just for Christmas - you can take out a subscription and get us for the whole year! (Seriously, click here for great subscription offers and remember, subscribers get their copies a good five days before they hit the shops...).

Have a great Christmas and New Year,

Nev
Editor - Total Film

FREE PREVIEW POSTER PACK!

The Simpsons Movie, The Science Of Sleep, Dreamgirls, The Last King Of Scotland, Shrek The Third and The Fountain   

SCREEN

Films. Lots of films. We sort, sift and star rate ’em...

• Apocalypto
• Babel
• Black Book
• Black Christmas
• Blood Diamond
• The Covenant
• Deck The Halls
• Deja Vu
• Employee Of The Month
• Fragments Of Iraq
• Ghosts
• Grounded
• Happy Feet
• The Heart Of The Game
• The Holiday
• Infamous
• Into Great Silence
• It’s A Boy Girl Thing
• The Last King Of Scotland
• Miss Potter
• The Nativity Story
• Night At The Museum
• Play
• A Prairie Home Companion
• The Pursuit Of Happyness
• The Return
• Rocky Balboa
• Santa Clause 3
• Suburban Mayhem
• Smokin’ Aces

BUZZ

The best monthly movie preview section in the world... Amazing pics, hot gossip, cold facts. News editor welcomes all praise, thanks and daughters/sisters.

IS THAT PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 3?
Aye. Now... must... resist... typing... Jack’s back!! (Oh, sod it.)

WILL PETER JACKSON DIRECT THE HOBBIT?
Elijah Wood reveals the inside word on the in crisis Lord Of The Rings prequel. (Plus, see Scarlett’s boobs.)

IS TOM CRUISE GROWING?
And other vital issues relating to the Cruiser’s wedding. (Plus, his and Scorsese’s lust for Hollywood power.)

ARE THOSE LADIES NAKED?
Pretty much. And one of them is Sophia Loren. (Plus, she’s in her 70s.)

FEATURES

BLOCKBUSTERS
From Jaws to Spidey 3, Die Hard to, er, Die Hard 4: Total Film puts together all the busted blocks. It’s the biggest, boldest, ballistic-est feature ever!

MEL GIBSON
The cover star of our first ever issue is back to usher in our 10th year. We relax in the sanity of his pristine LA office to discuss the jungle madness of Apocalypto.

JENNIFER CONNELLY
Bettany’s missus tells us that she’s really good looking... But still didn’t get to snog DiCaprio.

DREAMGIRLS
A big Hollywood musical about three little songstresses being moulded into a hit-factory Motown band. Not based on The Supremes, obviously.

SYLVESTER STALLONE
Back in the ring and still a contender with Rocky Balboa, Sly comes out swinging, punches his weight, etc, etc in the Total Film Interview.

DOUBLE ACT
Two thesps, one role. We call in a RADA acting coach to tell us which Hitler, Dracula, whatever, is best.

BOBBY
Emilio Estevez brings us the death of RFK, Altman-style. Well, it was this or Mighty Ducks 4.

REVIEW OF THE YEAR
All you need to know about 2006. Like why Snakes On A Plane tanked. Like why we put it on the cover...

PERFUME
How a German director adapted the book that beat Kubrick. He wrote a script, hired actors, pointed a camera...

FOREST WHITAKER
No more Mr Nice Guy: Forest plays a monster in The Last King Of Scotland and looks set to take home Oscar.

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE
It’s 35 years young and more relevant (read: dangerous) than ever. Malcolm McDowell looks back in anger.

.

.

LOUNGE

Can’t be arsed to leave the house? Then say hello to these leetle friends...

NEW
We got funny (Talladega Nights), furious (Crank), feelgood (Little Miss Sunshine), frantic (Keane), fucked-up (A Scanner Darkly) and more!

ARCHIVE
Kurosawa, Bergman and, just to lighten the mood, Gaspar Noé’s Irreversible. Enjoy.

LOVES
Funny looking man Stephen Merchant casts a skewed eye over Scorsese’s After Hours.

LEGENDS
Brad Pitt’s 10-pack. It’s worth ooh-ing and aah-ing over.

STUFF
Games, books, TV and soundtracks, plus all the flash tech to splash that Christmas cash on...

ALSO SHOWING

The best of the rest...

LETTERS
Two pages of you! God, you’re fabulous.

ALSO RELEASED
Curse you, inflexible deadlines!

SUBSCRIBE
Total Film without the middle man.

THE TOTAL FILM QUIZ
Four pages of brain taxers.

UP FOR GRABS
Crazy loads of stuff to be won.

THE ABRIDGED SCRIPT
The guns! The girls! The gadgets! Total Film goes back to basics with Casino Royale.