The Passion of the Christ
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| Thu, 02-26-2004 - 12:58am |
I knew it would be opening big, but I was surprised to find out this morning that one of the local 20-plexes was showing it to sold out crowds on every screen from 6:30 this morning to around 11:00 when their usual lineup started and The Passion only continued on a few screens.
I've been reading incredibly moving reactions to it like this one in National Review--
"THE PASSION IN HARLEM
I just got out of a screening at the Magic Johnson Theatres up at 123rd and Frederick Douglass in Harlem. The theatre was packed, with an audience that was about 85 percent black, and included many seniors (of course: daytime). The response to the film was just about universal: Loud applause at the end, and vocal endorsements of the movie as we exited. One sweet elderly lady, I’d say about 80 years old, was shaking her head on the way out, saying: “If you read the Bible, that’s exactly what happened.†Another woman, in her 30s, was brushing away tears. “It’s not the movie,†she said,†it’s the reality of the thing.†During the screening, the man I set next to—a guy in his 20s, tall, strong, and vigorous-looking, nobody’s wimp—gasped at some of the cruelties inflicted on Jesus. (When Jesus’ cross is turned over on its face so He can be nailed to it more securely, this man blurted out, “Oh, s***, that’s too much.â€) Before the movie started, there was a little film in which Magic Johnson explained the rules for his theatres: “No talking. . . . No hats or colors . . . . If you have a problem on the street, don’t bring it inside.†I couldn’t help thinking: There is a problem on the street, every street, and this movie is about the solution."
I wanted to see it this weekend, but now the local news is reporting that virtually every showing in Dallas through the weekend is already sold out, so now I have to wait til next Saturday.

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BTW many first time filmmakers or those who can’t get studio financing, finance their own films – M. Night Shyamalan, the writer and director of The Sixth Sense, is one who started that way. Although, not many have the financial resources that Gibson has to put three million dollars into a film.
C
Actually, I believe that its intended audience is the audience for most of his films, that group of predominately young men who may be lost but who have definitely become so jaded by violence that Gibson felt the need to push his violence over the top in order to shock them. IMO this was a mistake on his part – the excessive violence, not trying to reach the lost - but I respect his artistic decision.
BTW, you've made the wrong assumption about me again.
C
If that is what you are referring to, then I made a flat out mistake, because I thought you had said that you were not one. Perhaps it was someone else. Sorry.
Renee
If you plan to see this film, plan to see it TWICE. The blood, gore and horror are disturbing factors. The "message", however, is there.
See the film the first time to allow yourself (and to prepare yourself) to be horrified, angered, sickened.
See the film the second time to absorb what Gibson was trying to impart as the "message".
Yes, Gibson is an astute business man. But I do not think that his business sense is what was completely behind his wanting make, and subsequently making, this movie.
I think Gibson wanted to depict the Scriptures as told in the Bible - and to depict them as closely as he could, taking into consideration the "sensibilities" of the people who would and will see this movie, but attempting to be true to the culture of the people in those days as is known through reading historical accounts of that era.
The film IS horrifying and stark - over-the-top and true to Gibson's ideas as a film-maker - joyous and sad - raw and real-feeling - but above all, it is a well-written, well-cast, and well-thought out endeavor.
I don't think anyone should make ANY judgement calls regarding this film until they HAVE seen it.....twice. And, yes, I have seen it twice - for the reasons I've stated. One cannot make an honest judgement about this film when they haven't seen it, or have only seen it once and only absorbed the gore and horror. I believe that what Gibson set out to do when he began making this film is something Gibson managed to accomplish.
L.
Hi Themummy
Again, I felt it was aimed more at the 'God is talking to me' perception and was very tongue-in-cheek.
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