Posted on 02/25/2004 12:57:50 PM PST by Liz
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Mel Gibson's controversial movie "The Passion of the Christ" opened in cinemas across the United States on Wednesday as Jewish groups decried it as anti-Semitic and New York's Catholic cardinal stressed Jews did not kill Jesus.
Manhattan cinemas opened doors early for people eager to see a film that has been harshly criticized by some prominent film reviewers ahead of its release in 2,800 theaters nationwide -- an opening more normally reserved for blockbusters like Gibson's "Lethal Weapon" series.
"I thought it was a great movie," said Elsie Figueroa after an early showing at an Upper East Side theater. "People are being too sensitive about it. The Romans are the ones who nailed him to the cross and the Jews helped. It was everyone."
Jewish and other religious groups planned protests later in the day. Among them Amcha, The Coalition for Jewish Concerns, planned to protest wearing concentration camp uniforms at one New York theater to liken the film's portrayal of Jews as akin to the Nazi Holocaust.
New York's Cardinal Edward Egan wrote to parishes to stress that Jews were not responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus.
"He gave His Life for us," Egan wrote in a column to appear in next month's issue of Catholic New York. "No one took it from Him. This is, and has always been, Catholic doctrine."
The film produced spirited debate outside the East Side theater as the audience left.
"Give us a chance to see the movie," Exodus Nicholas shouted at a Jewish woman who was complaining about the film.
"Jews should give us a chance to know who Jesus was, to know our history. If we really believe in Jesus and what he stood for we come out of this movie loving people," Nicholas said.
Rabbi Avi Weiss, president of Amcha, saw the same screening. "I care deeply about Jewish-Christian relations," he said. "This is a tremendous, tremendous setback. I hope this will not be accepted by Christians in this country. It is this lie, the lie that Jews were responsible for the murder of Jesus, which planted the seeds of the Holocaust."
Thousands also turned out in suburban Dallas, Texas, to view it and flocked through the predawn darkness for a free mass screening at a Cineplex in Plano, where it was being shown on all 20 screens throughout the day.
Baptist businessman Arch Bonnema bought 6,000 movie tickets and distributed them to groups in the area, including the Prestonwood Baptist Church, one of the largest in the region.
"I am overwhelmed by the turnout. I did not think that we would have enough people to fill one screen for a movie shown at 6:30 a.m.," Bonnema said.
"The movie is not anti-Semitic," he said. "There are a group of people out there who just hate and will do anything to fuel hate."
In recent days, the movie's producers have manufactured a frenzied buzz around the opening by arranging advance screenings in U.S. cities for church groups. But the official opening was orchestrated for Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent -- the Christian season of penance before Easter.
BREAKFAST TIME VIEWING
While moviegoers enjoyed their breakfast time viewing of the blood-soaked movie -- many of them with their foreheads dabbed with ash from earlier church services -- critics continued to complain that Gibson had lost the plot.
The New York Times said the film was half "horror movie" and half "slasher film" and likened its cruelty, brutality and violence to that of Quentin Tarantino, best known for directing "Pulp Fiction" and the more recent "Kill Bill."
The newspaper played down accusations of anti-Semitism that has been leveled against Gibson's directorial work, saying the villainous portrayal of Jews in the film "does not seem to exceed what can be found in the source material."
"To condemn 'The Passion of the Christ' for its supposed bigotry is to miss its point and to misstate its problems," A.O. Scott wrote in The Times.
"'The Passion of the Christ' never provides a clear sense of what all the bloodshed was for, an inconclusiveness that is Mr. Gibson's most serious artistic flaw," he added.
Not all critics saw the film in a negative light. Some praised it, including Roger Ebert who it "a very great film."
Retired physician Maria Kempf, who is Greek Orthodox, said the movie "brings a sense of hope because the message was love. The blame was not on one ethnic group. The blame was across the board. This movie should not have caused so much controversy."
(Additional reporting by Jon Herskovitz in Plano, Texas)
A consummate artist, Mel used masterful production values here. The point is if, for some reason, you don't know, if you have a modicum of intellectual curiosity, you are inclined to find out after seeing the film.
While I could write a long review to illustrate how intelligently I developed my opinion about this move, I'll just cut to the chase: The Passion of the Christ is the greatest move I've ever seen. My wife feels the same way.
Mel Gibson is a genius. I've never seen a movie so well put together.
There's not an ounce of anti-semitism in this move, and the so-called "violence" isn't violence at all. It's simply a powerful illustration of Christ's love.
We were lucky to have attended Ash Wednesday Mass before seeing the movie. It made the movie even more meaningful (if that's possible).
I'm curious. Did the New York Times criticize these two films for their violence ?
Liz, you need to put some keywords in for searches to be effective.
I'm curious as to when over 50% of the threads started on FR will be about "Passion."
I'm not joking. We're headed there.
I suggest a counter protest by individuals wearing white coats and carrying large butterfly nets...
I am so sick of this. Of course the Jews of the time killed Him (or had him killed by the Romans).
Who do these "critics" think killed him, the Chinese?
It was the Jews, stupid. The Jews of that time. Does that mean that every modern Jew is responsible?
What a bunch of morons....
We just returned from the local matinee showing here in western Massachusetts. The usually empty theater was packed out. One Pm on a Wednesday deep in the blue zone.
The cultural elements currently shrieking in the presence of this truth are represented in the film as the mindless but powerful Herod and his court, along with the established power of the day. The demonic shriek at the death of Christ continues on to CNN crossfire this evening as I understand it as they seek a new nail to drive (why are they all white !!??).
It's not the anti-semitism (there is none) or the violence (present but not gratuitous)that elicits the demon shriek current in the media. Rather, it is the same as it ever was. This film puts the Truth of Christ and his sacrifice on display and the devil can't stand for it.
The BLAME cannot be laid at the feet of one group. Even his closest disciples would not speak up. Had even one person spoken up, he would not have had to be crucified.
But, it was the plan of God that was being executed, if you will. God knew then and knows now, the heart and mind of man.
We have learned about the crucifixion with our minds. This movie will let you learn about it with your heart. I don't think anyone who sees it will be the same afterward. I pray for those that don't change.
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