Violent film lovers suddenly sensitive

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Wednesday, February 25, 2004

[JohnHuang2]

'THE PASSION': JUDGMENT DAY
Violent film lovers
suddenly sensitive
Critics who praised decapitations
in 'Gladiator' blast Gibson movie

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Posted: February 25, 2004
1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com

Many reviewers of Mel Gibson's film are displaying a "New Puritanism," condemning "The Passion of the Christ" for being too violent while lauding other violent films, charged a Catholic leader.

"Having failed to tag the movie as anti-Semitic, those who hate everything about Mel's masterpiece are trying to convince the public not to see it because it's too violent," says Catholic League president William Donohue.

"Alas, there is a New Puritanism in the land," he said. "Violence has now joined cigarettes as the new taboo."

Jim Caviezel portrays Jesus in 'The Passion of The Christ' (courtesy Icon Distribution)

Gibson's controversial film about the last 12 hours of Jesus' life opens today.

Donohue points to New York Daily News reporter Jami Bernard, who voted the "super-violent" film "Gladiator" the best picture of 2000, but brands Gibson's film "a compendium of tortures that would horrify the regulars at an S&M club."

Yet, Donahue says, Bernard is a big fan of the Marquis de Sade – the pervert who wrote the book on S&M – and that is why she liked 'Quills.'"

Reviewer Peter Rainer, the Catholic leader noted, also condemns "Passion" for delving into "the realm of sadomasochism," yet commended director Steven Spielberg for the "gentleness" he brought to the bloody war hit "Saving Private Ryan."

Richard Corliss of Time, he noted, thinks the only people who will be drawn to Gibson's film are those "who can stand to be grossed out as they are edified."

Yet, said Donahue, Corliss called the "body halvings, decapitations, [and] unhandings" of "Gladiator" a "pleasure that we get to watch."

Critics praised violence by 'Gladiator' Russell Crowe (courtesy Universal Studios)

Newsweek's David Ansen says "The Passion" will "inspire nightmares," though he hails as "a must-see" movie a film about incest, "The Dreamers."

David Denby of the New Yorker cites "The Passion" as being so violent it "falls into the danger of altering Jesus' message of love into one of hate."

Says Donahue: "This is the same guy who said of 'Schindler's List' that 'the violence [is] neither exaggerated nor minimized."

"The New Puritans will not win this one," Donahue said. "The public does not share their deep-seated aversion to religion nor their phony pacifism."

A New York Times review today by A.O. Scott says Gibson "has constructed an unnerving and painful spectacle that is also, in the end, a depressing one."

The review says, "It is disheartening to see a film made with evident and abundant religious conviction that is at the same time so utterly lacking in grace."

"What makes the movie so grim and ugly is Gibson's inability to think beyond the conventional logic of movie narrative," charges the critique.

In a scathing review in the Boston Globe, James Carroll says the subject of the film is the "sick love of physical abuse, engaged in for power."

"'The Passion of the Christ' by Mel Gibson is an obscene movie," says Carroll to open his critique. "It will incite contempt for Jews. It is a blasphemous insult to the memory of Jesus Christ. It is an icon of religious violence."

In contrast to these reviews, the many Protestant and Catholic leaders who have screened rough cuts of the film over the past several months have praised it as the most powerful cinematic treatment of the subject they have ever seen.

[JohnHuang2]

Wednesday, February 25, 2004

Quote of the Day by LadyX

[Unam Sanctam]

Wasn't Quentin Torentino lauded by the critics?

[Porterville]

They stole the idea of this article from ... me!!! I did the same thing earlier today. However, it is much better to compare their positive reviews of Kill Bill to their negative reviews of The Passion.... the contradiction is a rebel to their word.

[GeronL]

It shows just how the media hates christians: with a passion!

[patj]

bump

[Darheel]

It will be interesting when "The Life of Muhammad" or such is made, for comparisons' sake. Probably win an Oscar. sarcasm(?) off.

[SkyPilot]

Christ said He was Truth itself.

The Truth bled.

The Truth hurts.

[KneelBeforeZod]

well if they are going to be so nit picky, then they should at least get it right about The Dreamers. Its not about incest, and doesn't have any incest, although there are some WEIRD things going on.

Very insightful article though. I'm going over to worldnetdaily anyway, and see if they have any articles on the earth being round or the sky being blue.

[kaylar]

There was a Life of Muhammed made back in the early 1970s, by a Muslem jealous of Jesus Christ, Superstar and the other movies about Jesus. Because Muslems aren't allowed to depict Muhammed (making a film about him quite problematic) he had to make the film about Muhammed's uncle, an early convert and general. Every now and then the camera would have the uncle talking to Muhammed-who was never seen or heard in return. The film-Muhammed, Messenger of God-was NOT a commercial or critical success. Go figure!

[Fury]

They stole the idea of this article from ... me!!! I did the same thing earlier today. However, it is much better to compare their positive reviews of Kill Bill to their negative reviews of The Passion.... the contradiction is a rebel to their word.

Thanks to you and the writer from WND. You both show the apparent hypocrisy when it comes to movies which include violence.

Many people I suppose have an image of Jesus Christ that is offended by this movie. I think back of the images I have seen posted on FR of a Jesus playing football with a small child, or a life-size Jesus smiling and giving a big thumbs up. That is the way some folks want to portray Jesus, and the torture and crucifixation of Christ get in the way of that tidy, neat, football 'playin image of Christ.

[MrB]

These folks are just terrified that people will come to understand the real message.

All this suffering was undertaken voluntarily because of our sins.

Enough to break everyone's hearts.

[Centaur]

Perhaps if Mel had marketed it as a teen video game the violence would have been more acceptable </sarcasm>.

[Kenton]

Ya know, I bet this movie will motivate a LOT of people to go out and read the Book. I know I will.

Maybe that's what Mel had in mind.

[bluegrass]

I readily admit I don't want to see this movie because of the violence. Although I've seen violent movies like Gladiator and Braveheart in the past, this is personal I guess. This is Christ, not a fictitious character.
Okay yes William Wallace was a real person(I couldn't watch the end where he was tortured), but William Wallace isn't anyone's personal savior. Maybe that is it, I don't want to see Jesus being tortured.

[MissAmericanPie]

Christ cannot be denied, his existance, his message, his rise from the dead. You could say it is rather important to you personally to come to a decision about those facts.

Please do read the Book.

[quack]

Hey these folks haven't seen anything yet.The Bible is quite an interesting read.From murder and lust to love and forgiveness.They haven't cornered the market on this stuff.It's all been done before.They just can't deal with it when Christians are "supposed" to be so meek and they find out we're not.
The Bible would make one heck of a mini series or a trilogy(?)

[Jaded]

And it's not like it should have come as any surprise to the Jewish population of Jerusalem. OT Verses

[Uncle Hal]

The mainstream media does not get it. There are a lot of people in the USA that are god fearing and Christian. In fact probably 80% of the country is Christian in one form or another. The liberal media is afraid that there could be an up surge in morality and religion in this country that could sink them politically. Leftists want to destroy our traditional values any way they can.

[savedbygrace]

How 'about some links to your posts?

[Old Professer]

I did it yesterday:

I take it he didn't much like the film.

Maybe it should have had a few worms crawling out of the eyes or maybe a couple of chainsaws grinding gristle and bone into cinematic hamburger with a dressing of wasted seed cast from a height of roughly seven inches above a pronated prepubescent prostitute plying the placard-strewn streets of a post-parade San Francisco in the dying light of a late June sunset.

The critic doesn't so much dislike the dog, it's the arena in which he fights that repulses him.

260 posted on 02/24/2004 1:16:34 PM CST by Old Professer