A Chopper Read clip has resurfaced - do we still think he's a hero?

Violent Australian criminal Mark ‘Chopper’ Read was revered in Australian culture for years.

His crime spree spanned the 70s to the 90s. In interviews, and in his books, Read was often direct, inappropriate, and misunderstood social norms; traits that endeared him to many as being truly ‘Aussie’. 

He was raised to icon status - despite being a violent psychopath - so much so that he was affectionately known to the public by the nickname, Chopper.

But a resurfaced clip is making people question whether Read, who died in 2013, still deserves that status.

Chopper Read video of assaulting ‘mum’ and girlfriend

The 2000 film Chopper told Read's story of gangster life.

Beloved Australian actor Eric Bana played him perfectly and memorably, balancing Read's brutality with his ‘unique’ personality.

The movie has been open about being a fictionalised version of Read's accounts in his books, but the criminal criticised one scene in particular for being totally fabricated.

It's where Read assaults his girlfriend and her mother, and says, “Now look what gone and done” to the woman laying on the floor.

Warning: this is hard to watch.

@clipsandstuff94 Mark “chopper” Reid 🤣🤣 #fyp #trending #viral #aussie #chopper ♬ original sound - clipsandstuff94

The comments highlight a crucial change in attitude. Here are just two examples:

- “It’s not that us Aussies think Chopper is a legend. It’s that this movie is a fking masterpiece.”

- “Weird how people watch this and think he's a legend and a hero.”

Many of the comments are about Bana, such as this one. “Great film... Eric Bana is one of most underrated actors of his generation.”

Plot twist: Chopper Read appears in anti-DV ad

In 2006, Read featured in an ad against domestic violence. 

Media outlet Scope Red said in 2010: 

"We approached Mark 'Chopper' Read regarding this project after reading about his angry response to the fictitious scene added into the movie 'Chopper' where Read beats up his girlfriend. 

"This was a chance for Chopper to speak about violence against women in his own words. 

"Chopper's appearance in the TVC caused controversy and heated debates which led to open discussions on the topic of domestic violence itself. 

“It continues to provoke discussion online. It had a run on television for three weeks before it was banned for being too confronting.”
 

Do we believe Read's insistence that the scene in the movie never happened? 

Does this entirely discredit the scene in the movie? 

Does Read's participation in the anti-DV ad contribute to negating his violent life?

Going by the social media comments, the answer is ‘No, No and No.’

Times have changed.

‘Chopper’ is no longer the man he once was to many. We can appreciate Bana's remarkable performance without revering the criminal he's portraying.