The Passion of the Christ

[Pagan]

Everyone has been talking about this movie and I figured I'll start a thread on it.

This movie is walking a thin line between religous and blasphemous. My friend, who happens to be part Jewish, has called it sacrilegious and doesn't want to go see it with me and some others. I'm going to see it mostly out of curiousity of what the big deal is over. I saw on the news that the Catholic Church was going to jump in to defend the Jweish people because the moive could be giving them a unfair prospective. Anyhow it I'm curious to see how good of a director Mel Gibson is who happens to be a devote Catholic.

[wrist cutter]

[QUOTE=Hells Fire]
This movie is walking a thin line between religous and blasphemous.[/QUOTE]

How can you tell if you haven't seen it?

[Pagan]

Good point. I guess I kinda jumped the gun on that one. I'll save my comments on the subject for later.

Anyhow there is alot of hype out about this movie so we do see alot of sneak peaks and previews. I'm drawing most of my information from the commercials and they give me very little over all content of the movie, but from what I've seen I can draw some conclusion about the movie. It looked well made and had alot of work put into its fake Jesus carrying his fake cross down the streets of the Hollywood Jerusleum(sp?). I just hate seeing people trying to act out the story of Jesus. Even if it happens to be quite accurate.

[Haze]

I, too, would like to see this movie. As a person that really doesn't belong to any religeon, but was brought up Baptist, I think it would be interesting. I have read the bible when it talks about Jesus and his life down here. (What Baptist hasn't?) And I think that in all of the movies I have seen that show Jesus' life, this one might just be closest to what the bible says is truth. I mean, in all the other movies, everyone graciously accepts Jesus, and they all line up to convert and love him. But in the bible, this was not the case. Jesus was persecuted. He was hurt even more by Jews and Romans and whoever else when he stated he is the son of God. Who wouldn't freak out if someone said that? The miracles didn't help much either.

So if this movie shows the truth of what Jesus went through, why wouldn't the Jews be upset? For christ sakes (pardon the expression x__x) they [i]wanted[/i] him to be crucified. Pontious Pilate left the decision to the crowd. And who was in the crowd? Jews, Romans, and everyone else. So in essence they actually chose to crucify him. I would be upset too if I were told that my ancestors had crucified Jesus. It should not just offend Jews. Shouldn't the people of Roman decent be upset too? Shouldn't those people whose ancestors also lived in Jeruselum feel upset?

Please keep in mind, I have not actually seen the movie. I intend to. I have read lots and lots about it on the internet, and feel that I have gotten the gist of what it is/will be about. Also I am sorry to anyone who feels offended by anything I said.

E D I T: May I also add a bit. Mel Gibson is an awesome director. I watched his interpretation of Hamlet by Shakespeare, and it rocked. His interpretation of this should be pretty interesting.

[Transtic Nerve]

I wanna go see it just because it's supposed to be really blunt and shocking and I just like it when religious people get upset OVER AN F-ING MOVIE! Get a life.

[Semjaza]

I've been looking forward to seeing this for several months now. Well before the trailer and well before most people started complaining about it.

My main interest in the beginning was mostly because Gibson had chosen to leave subtitles out of it altogether. I thought this was a really cool route to take. I suppose the idea was that what was happening onscreen would be universally understood. Last I heard, he was stuck having to have subtitles added to the film though.

Should be good, I expect. Gibson is someone who has proven is directorial abilities in the past.

I don't really get some of the complaints. From all I've read and heard the movie and the actual death of Christ are no different than what is written in the Bible itself. Why a movie would suddenly make a random person hate the various sects of people involved in it, I really don't know. If that were the case, they have a book that's thousands of years old to use as fodder in the first place.

There was someone on that special they did saying that he doesn't feel the movie does anything it shouldn't... but that some people would jump to conclusions and create some sort of hatred against the groups in the movie. I don't really know what could be done about that, as some people are just crazy.

[JCBaggee]

[color=red][size=1]Yes, I'm very much looking foward to this movie ^_^

In fact, I have been for some time. The only real movie about Christ we've had was that 2000 telefilm with Casper van Dien as Jesus and Debra Messing as Mary. Uhm...no thanks.

And if anyone tells you they feel this will be too controversial, show them Martin Scorsese's 88 flick "The Last Temptation of Christ", a look at the days surrounding the Crucifixtion as Christ deals with his own mortality, faced with an image of a peaceful, loving life with Mary Magdalene while on the cross as his final temptation. Its amazing, and Willem Dafoe is at his best.

And, yes, I am a Christian.

--Chris[/color][/size]

[Maully]

[color=green]I have been really excited to see this movie for quite some time. I just am not exactly sure what to expect from it. I, too, was disappointed to hear that he ahd settled for subtitles. Gibson is a skillful director, as he has proven with projects like BraveHeart.

There has been controversy surrounding this film for a really long time now. I think that part of that is to drum up some word of mouth. I am kind of excited to see how much of a stir it may or may not actually make.

The Story of Jesus is one that Hollywood has been doing for a really long time. Each is the same, or barrely different. I am anxious to see what may sset this one apart.[/color]

[NorykoAngelcry]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=darkred]I had a talk about this with my mother, and she is a big Christian who was able to explain some of the contraversy and why it was around at all. I had heard about this long ago, like Semjaza, before any trailors or any talk from the masses of the movie goers.

Basically, anything that puts the truth out there, people are always going to have problems with. Thus, why people like movies, tv, wrestling. . they are all fake! (Ya, I put the wrestling in there on purpose ^_^). I can remember a while back when Willem Dafoe starred in The Last Temptation of Christ (1988?) - There was a lot of contraversy surrounding that movie as well. . and it turned out to be a great movie! People are going to over-react on anything when it is different then what they want to see. . especially movies about religion. It's just the way it is.

I really enjoy Mel Gibson from a directing standpoint, and think this movie will be one of his finest to date. I also think that James Caviezel is a pretty good actor who will do really well. However, you won't truly know till it comes out and you can make your own decision on if you liked it or not. . [/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Guest cloricus]

I wonder if they will, in the movie, point out how rich Jesus and his family was; or that he did not carry a cross but in fact the cross beam that was nailed into a smallish tree; or maybe that his mother was close to being killed because she had sex before marriage? Oh wait; made by a devote catholic, bye bye reality!

[Charles]

[QUOTE=Semjaza Azazel]I don't really get some of the complaints. From all I've read and heard the movie and the actual death of Christ are no different than what is written in the Bible itself. Why a movie would suddenly make a random person hate the various sects of people involved in it, I really don't know. If that were the case, they have a book that's thousands of years old to use as fodder in the first place.

There was someone on that special they did saying that he doesn't feel the movie does anything it shouldn't... but that some people would jump to conclusions and create some sort of hatred against the groups in the movie. I don't really know what could be done about that, as some people are just crazy.[/QUOTE]

It's only natural that people are offended by the film; you really can't do anything about it. There's nothing arbitrary about the audience it offends either; it's clearly going to affect the Jews, as all the clamoring of anti-Semitic overtones illustrates. There are a number of factors here that are important. The film is a traditionalist Catholic vision of the crucifixion. As nearly everyone knows, the Jews have a sharply different viewpoint on the historical details of this event (they don't even believe their people killed the messiah). But, they weren't consulted at all here. They can't be happy with that at all. The organized Jewish community probably won't welcome the fact the dialogue includes "Passion" either.

Am I insisting that people [i]should[/i] be offended by the movie? Not at all. Likewise, it's hardly a pervasive effect. Especially considering the Jewish don't accept the New Testament, which you cite as a reason the film shouldn't offend anyone. It's not like they don't have a problem with that document to begin with. A modern movie based on it [i]has[/i] to spark uneasiness simply because of how the Jewish are portrayed.

I've read that the Protestant and Eastern Orthodox traditions were also left on the front doorstep in this movie, as well. The limited scope of [i]The Passion of the Christ[/i] alone is bound to irritate some. I'm not even saying it's possible to satisfy everyone's beliefs but this is the case.

[quote name='NorykoAngelcry][SIZE=1][COLOR=darkred]Basically, anything that puts the truth out there, people are always going to have problems with [/SIZE'][/COLOR][/quote]

I just had to quote you because of how utterly silly and unfounded this comment was. Any point you were trying to make with your entire post was defeated right there. Better luck next time.

[quote name='cloricus']I wonder if they will, in the movie, point out how rich Jesus and his family was; or that he did not carry a cross but in fact the cross beam that was nailed into a smallish tree; or maybe that his mother was close to being killed because she had sex before marriage? Oh wait; made by a devote catholic, bye bye reality![/quote]

Why would a film that attempts to realize Gibsons' own traditionalist Catholic vision of the Gospel story mention these things?

[Brasil]

[quote name='Semjaza Azazel']My main interest in the beginning was mostly because Gibson had chosen to leave subtitles out of it altogether. I thought this was a really cool route to take. I suppose the idea was that what was happening onscreen would be universally understood. Last I heard, he was stuck having to have subtitles added to the film though.[/quote]

It'd be interesting to see, indeed. A total absence of subtitles, leaving the viewer to be...conscious during it. Hmm...

As neat as that sounds, it sounds more like a film that Gibson wants to make. From what I've heard of it, and how many people are not supportive of it, I don't think it will do very well commercially. But somehow, I don't think Gibson intended for a commercial success here.


Oh, for whoever mentioned Gibson in Hamlet. It wasn't really [i]his[/i] interpretation or film. That film was directed by Franco Zeffirelli. I do agree with you, though; it was an amazing film adaptation. While it cut considerable portions of Hamlet, it shows the humanity of the play, as opposed to Ken Branaugh's version, which is utterly pretentious and long-winded. Branaugh's version borders on what, 4 hours? 5?

[Semjaza]

[quote name='Charles']It's only natural that people are offended by the film; you really can't do anything about it. There's nothing arbitrary about the audience it offends either; it's clearly going to affect the Jews, as all the clamoring of anti-Semitic overtones illustrates. There are a number of factors here that are important. The film is a traditionalist Catholic vision of the crucifixion. As nearly everyone knows, the Jews have a sharply different viewpoint on the historical details of this event (they don't even believe their people killed the messiah). But, they weren't consulted at all here. They can't be happy with that at all. The organized Jewish community probably won't welcome the fact the dialogue includes "Passion" either.[/quote]

The point I'm making is simply that if this is something "everyone knows", as you claim... why would it suddenly make such a massive difference when the Catholic version of the New Testament has been available for years and years? Obviously people are going to be offended by something if they don't believe that's how it happened... but I fail to see how this is somehow going to create some new breed of hatred between groups who have always thought differently about the subject in the first place. It's not as if some holy war between Catholics and Jews would start up after this movie is released.

[Boba Fett]

[quote name='Semjaza Azazel'] It's not as if some holy war between Catholics and Jews would start up after this movie is released.[/quote]

[color=green]Depends on if you listen to those random Rabbis that the news channels dig up.

I honestly don?t see why people are so offended by the movie of a religious text that?s been around for hundreds of years. If minority groups have issues with this text, they should have taken issue with the Church long before now.

In any case, it?s just a movie. I doubt anyone will see it and then go join some random anti-Semitic hate group.

Much to do about nothing, if you ask me.[/color]

[NorykoAngelcry]

[quote name='Charles']I just had to quote you because of how utterly silly and unfounded this comment was. Any point you were trying to make with your entire post was defeated right there. Better luck next time.[/quote]


[color=darkred][SIZE=1]Well. . to an extent you are correct. It was very foolish of me to put that in this particular post. I have no right to try and throw my own personal beliefs on people. Something especially silly of me, since I haven't even seen this movie, nor am I anything close to an expert on religion. . I appologize for my comment:

[QUOTE][SIZE=1][COLOR=darkred] "Basically, anything that puts the truth out there, people are always going to have problems with..." [/SIZE][/COLOR][/QUOTE]

I think it was coming from someplace that I thought was right. . but being way too tired, I didn't think about it before I wrote it. However, unrelated to 'this' particular topic, in all my dealings with life, no one likes to hear the truth! Everyone is too big of a hurry to listen to whatever it is that they hear first with out considering what that is. . so I suppose, in my experience, I was right and wrong for different reasons with that statement.

I suppose that I let myself get a little swept up in the curiously silly nature of the argument. I have no grief with Jewish people or any other religion. And I am not really Catholic (I am non-denomination Christian), so I was just looking at it as a movie first, and contraversy second maybe. .Just wanted to put my two cents in, and I ended up getting change back. . lol! As for the whole anti-Semitic groups spawning up. . sure, why not? I mean, as long as there is anything to fight about, people are going to fight about it

On a side note, are any churches in anyone's areas buying up viewings in the theater? What I mean, is that we have many churches around Tennessee where I live that are buying up three or four viewings at a time to show their congregation. It's pretty big news around the church belt area that I live in. . front page and all. . perhaps that might be because nothing big is happening around here though? [/SIZE][/color]

[Transtic Nerve]

[quote name='Boba Fett][color=green']In any case, it?s just a movie. I doubt anyone will see it and then go join some random anti-Semitic hate group.[/color][/quote]

I dunno, you put a movie out about when Matthew Sheperd was murdered and all sorts of religious and bigotted people come out the woodworks to "protest" it.

You never know how people will react now-a-days.... no one thinks with their brain anymore, they all think with what they think they SHOULD feel based on either religion or some other ridiulous moral(s) they may or may not have..... 'cause they are all complete morons.