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I have to agree with what you say.

There has been buzz about this movie since it's conception in Mel's mind. Virtually every film goes through dismisal by many people and organizations including funding, distribution, studios and other backers. Yet every setback fo this made it become something of a "celebrity cause". It creatd buzz. It's almost as if the the trials and tribulations of this movie were scripted and promoted and hyped and worse huckstered. Every misfortune has been capitalized on. There has been a very sucessful marketing campaign since day one. Believe me.

I read an article in my morning paper that discussed the stuff now for sale in stores that are liscensed by this movie. Nails for the cross and picture books of scenes from the movie and other collectable items. Funny, for a movie going against the odds, it certainly seems ironic that all the same stuff that was available for mainstream movies like Disney films and other co-merchandised opportunities are in place like other well orchestrated marketing campaigns. For something that was against all the fundamentals of our culture, this one seems to have all the right things in place at the right time to capitalize on the market. Why would this merchandise stuff be ready to market and why would mainstream stores have it in place if this was a movie that had expectations so low and the miracle was the masses that have seen it. How did the stores get this all in place BEFORE they knew it's marketing potential? Doesn't anyone see this?

I haven't seen the movie. I will next week. If it's a powerful and factual portral of Christ's last days and the meaning of the representation, then it is worthy or our praise and support.

And what happens after all the churches exhaust their flocks ability to fill the seats, (which is largely where the ticket sales are coming from)?

I don't mean to sound cynical, but for all the pushback from Hollywood there seems to be an offsetting marketing campaign. And marketing is based on the puffery of fact.

This is a much about marketing as it is a Passion movie about the ressurection of Christ.

"There has been a very sucessful marketing campaign since day one. Believe me."

Oh I do believe you. Mel Gibson may be a saint or a heretic, a creative genius or an imbecile, but he is beyond doubt the marketing marvel of our lifetimes.

I was amazed to see TV ads for this, like it was any other movie. The guy is a professional show biz guy, that is for sure.

You might be interested to read James Bowman's negative review on the film. I'm sure you can find at jamesbowman.net, or go to the American Spectator website spectator.org, I'm sure it's still on their front page. He complains that not only is the film in Aramaic and Latin, it's also written in "hollywoodese".

Emmet Tyrrell, the editor of American Spectator also wrote a pretty thumbs-down article about it. If you do go to that site make sure you read the letters to the editor, one fellow wrote Tyrrell a pretty powerful letter about his piece on it, saying that Tyrrell sounded more afraid than anything else.

But you know, for what it's worth, this is America, and when you sink $25 mil into a risky project you've got to try and recoup your money as you can.

And, according to my daughter and others who have actually seen it, as good and as powerful as it is you wouldn't want to watch it again and again. That was basically how I felt after I read "1984". I said, that was a great book, and I'd rather kill myself than read it ever, ever, again. Just too brutal.

And my kid said that about "The Passion", yet she thought "1984" was great and quickly said she'd read it again. So how brutal is "The Passion", and how loopy is my kid, or maybe it's me!

But will it lead to mass conversions? Probably not although a few may be touched. Will it lead to lasting conversions? Probably not. Will it lead to a definable shift in our culture that we will be able to see for years to come? Probably not.

That's not our job. Our job is to tell people the conversions are handled at a much higher paygrade.

Will it lead to a definable shift in our culture that we will be able to see for years to come?

< Little miss mary sunshine>
It may very well cause a shift. These shifts have to start somewhere.
< /Little miss mary sunshine>

How did the stores get this all in place BEFORE they knew it's marketing potential? Doesn't anyone see this?

Here's my guess. It's being made and distributed by the same Christian companies that fill up Christian book stores. And with many previews by Christians during the making of the movie (for critiques and accuracy,) I'm sure they considered and negotiated deals much ahead of time. SOP, even for Christian companies, as far as I'm concerned.

The thing that gets me is too many people don't realize things like crosses made of nails, etc., have been out there for many years and make the mistake of claiming it's all new. Well, it's not. I have the Nail on a red ribbon which is a Christmas tree ornament that hangs deep in my tree each year. It's symbolic of the moment I realized the depth of Jesus' sacrifice for me and my sins, torture and all. I had just gone through a terrible testing where I was seriously considered checking out, and realized what I went through was nothing compared to what Jesus went through on the cross. After years of atheism, just holding the point of that Nail to my own palm led to many revelations, another powerful and emotional moment for me. (Tears still well up when I consider it.)

Joe offered, "This is a much about marketing as it is a Passion movie about the resurrection of Christ." It is my understanding that this is a film about the betrayal and cruxificion, rather than the Resurrection. And friend, Salvation is all about 'marketing', as done by the still small voice of God's Spirit in the human heart. But have you forgotten how God will take something that has negative all over it (or even bland) and turn it to something He uses for good? My only concern over the film is 'how did Mel deal with the Resurrection' ... Jesus died on that cross, but God raised Him up so that He IS (not was) our redeemer. In ancient Jewish tradition, the near kinsman may stand for another (read Ruth, OT), to redeemer them from debt. The Resurrection is the pinnacle of the Cruxificion, the ascension the transformation of God's world sojourn in Christ. ... But that may be more than a movie can portray; perhaps Mel would be wise to only 'speak of the Resurrection', instead of filming it.