"Passion" Changes Everything

National Review Online ^ | Feb. 25, 2004 | Ralph Winter & Mark Joseph

[Antiwar Republican]

We are hearing anecdotal evidence from around the country that a massive audience is developing for The Passion of the Christ consisting of, in some cases, traditionalist Christians who have not been to a theater in decades.

In the suburbs of Seattle, Washington, an 85-year old retired aerospace worker who rarely attends movies and whose last foray to the Cineplex was to watch the Omega Code five years ago is ready for a return visit.

In Dallas, a 78-year-old social worker who last visited a movie theater in 1985 is also eagerly anticipating her return to her local theater.

And in the suburbs of St. Louis a 70-year-old teacher who has never — never — been inside of a movie theater is making her plans to attend her first movie ever — Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ.

Why? Because for the first time in history and in a manner and scale only hinted at by films like The Omega Code and Jonah: A Veggie Tales Movie, a film has finally emerged that has five key ingredients: Star power, mainstream credibility, controversy, wide simultaneous release and deep resonance with traditionalist Christians.

When the dust settles after March 1, many of the rules of the filmmaking business may need revisions. For the first time, the industry will realize the profits that have been forfeited over the years by creating films that were out of sync with the interests of the citizens of the red states. In a post-Passion world, whoever figures out as Gibson apparently has, how to consistently tell stories that appeal to the heartland will be the beneficiary of the wellspring of affection Gibson's film has generated among people traditionally hostile to Hollywood.

Some felt that the 1988 film The Last Temptation Of Christ taught the filmmaking community that controversial and divisive topics shouldn't be addressed by filmmakers, but the opposite appears to be true. As the response to Gibson's film is proving, controversy alone sells a certain number of tickets, but the nature of the controversy and the quality of the film itself is crucial to widespread success. Scorsese's film was so deeply offensive to the values of the heartland that one Christian leader tried to buy the print so he could destroy it. Gibson's is so widely lauded by the same groups that it may be difficult to buy a ticket opening week.

The film business will continue with or without the evangelical Christian audience that will be coming out in massive numbers this week, but if the desire is for profits, this constituency which makes up roughly 40 percent of the U.S. population is ignored at the film business's own peril.

While early box-office estimates have predicted a $30 million opening, these surveys are misleading for they focus on traditional filmgoers. What the surveyors have missed is a massive tidal wave of fundamentalist and evangelical Christians and traditionalist Catholics, some of whom don't ordinarily attend films. It is quite possible that rather than a $30 million opening that is forecasted, we may instead be looking at a five-day opening weekend north of $70 million.

This would of course be uncharted territory and an opening of the magnitude that we are seeing may fundamentally reshape the nature of the movie business when the final numbers come in. When and if that happens, the rush will be on to find out how to keep this audience coming back.

— Ralph Winter is the producer of X-Men I & II, The Planet of the Apes, and Hangman's Curse. Mark Joseph is the author of the forthcoming The Passion of Mel Gibson: The Story Behind the Most Controversial Film In Hollywood History.

[sam_paine]

God bless the free market?

[ClearCase_guy]

I'm eagerly awaiting. I will see it as soon as I can. I think many, many people will see it.

Having said all that, there is a guarantee (!) that the media will report that turnout was less than expected.

I can see it now, "The Passion did $100M business on its opening weekend, placing it 2nd for all-time top opening. This was disappointing to many in the industry who were expecting it to be a bigger hit, blah, blah, blah ..."

[DainBramage]

And the Oscar goes to...... Jesus.

"I'd like to thank my Father in Heaven....Uhm ...Hallowed be his name....."

[Dr. Scarpetta]

For the first time, the industry will realize the profits that have been forfeited over the years by creating films that were out of sync with the interests of the citizens of the red states.

I spoke to a woman at church who's going. She asked me for info about local theaters because she NEVER goes. Hollywood is in for a massive financial shock with this movie, and I will be contributing to that shock.

[mollynme]

And the Oscar goes to...

Don't hold your breath on that one.

[SolutionsOnly]

The irony of this is striking - the market, pursuit of profits, love of money, or whatever you want to call it may actually revive morality in Hollywood. That would be interesting. Admittedly, It's wishful thinking at this point. I'll beleive it when I see it

[kenth]

And at the same time snidely insuinating that Mel Gibson did it only for the money.

[ConservativeDude]

be sure, everyone, to buy popcorn...for theatre owners, this is where the $$$ is. if you don't buy popcorn, they will take it out of the theatres even if the theatres are full...in fact, I'll probably buy all kinds of things just to make sure i put my money in the "offering plate", as it were.

[dawn53]

Okay, my Dad is 77 years old and he's another example of what this writer is talking about. The last movie he saw in a theatre was "The Sound of Music", we went as a family when I was a kid (I'm now in my 50's)

He is going to see The Passion.

Tonight there are multiple theaters reserved in each multiplex at the same starting time. That didn't even happen with The Lord of the Rings. That opening they showed the film every half hour or so.

In one multiplex The Passion will be showing in four theaters at 7 o'clock. Then again about a half hour later in 2 theaters at the same multiplex, along with the later showings, I think I counted 15 showings today alone, and that's one theater. It is showing at every theater in the entire area.

My 20 year old niece is away at university and she saw it last night. She said it was awesome and profound! She thought it was the best movie she had ever seen.

[Cicero]

Undoubtedly the media and the usual suspects will downplay the numbers. But a few Hollywood producers MAY take note that they have been chasing away billions of dollars in profits.

There will still be many, such as Michael Eisner, who would rather trash Christianity than make money. But hopefully there will be others who will be interested in this new source of money. The writer of this article is a pro. It's early days yet, but he knows what he's talking about.

My chief fear is that we will be seeing "Passion II" and "Passion III," and that Hollywood will use its talents for what it does best: turning great stories into schlock. But if Gibson makes another movie, which he is said to be planning, it won't be schlock. And maybe they'll find another director or two who really know what they are doing.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Props to the G-Dawg upstairs, yo.

[Tree of Liberty]

But if Gibson makes another movie, which he is said to be planning, it won't be schlock

Where'd you hear this?

[jonboy]

Hollywood won't make movies based upon faith that will sell well to a Christian audience. I truly believe that they are INCAPABLE of making such movies. They have a bastardized version of faith and will only portray that which will offend EVEN IF they try to do otherwise. It would be much like if Satan himself was trying to produce a spiritual film. They don't have a frame of reference from which to work.

Also, such movies go against their core beliefs. They will try to make some movies using their core beliefs as guide, thinking that they will appeal to a Christian audience and those movies will flop. It wouldn't surprise me after they try if they don't then conclude that The Passion was a freak occurrence and then go back to what they do best, filth.

[Agnes Heep]

I'd love to see a good movie about the Jewish revolt of 66 a.d. It would be an epic. Let Gibson do it: he could wring enough blood and gore out of it to last a lifetime.

[Koblenz]

This movie will probably do well in the United States. However, outside of the United States, I expect that it won't have as big of a draw. While the United States is a fairly religious country, most European countries are not. Church attendance is almost non-existent in Scandinavia, for instance. And this movie won't have much of an audience in most Asian or Mideast countries. It will probably do well in Latin America, but they don't pay much for movies down there.

The American box office is just one source of income for movie makers. Merchandising and foreign box office receipts are also a source, as are DVD sales. DVD and VHS sales will probably be high. Hopefully there'll be no merchandising tie ins.

This movie was not expected to make money, and Mel Gibson fronted the costs. But now it looks like it'll do quite well, and thus some more religious movies will be made. But I just wonder if this guy is overstating things just a bit.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

And the Oscar goes to...

I really wonder how the elitists in Hollywood are going to 'handle' "Passion." Artistically, Mel Gibson has created a masterful work. Will it receive its due at nomination time? I doubt it.

[js1138]

I wonder what the Oscar show will make of this on Sunday. Mel has sucked all the oxygen out ot the industry air. No one is talking about anything else.

[Lady Heron]

I really wonder how the elitists in Hollywood are going to 'handle' "Passion." Artistically, Mel Gibson has created a masterful work. Will it receive its due at nomination time? I doubt it.

It is a materful work for those who understand or have somebody helping them to understand, but reading non-believers comments they have no concept as to what they are watching and see it nothing more than a painful movie. "Passion" will win no awards from Hollywood.

[Semaphore Heathcliffe]

LOL!