"The Passion" Actor Calls EIB Network

Rush Limbaugh web site ^ | February 27, 2004 | Rush Limbaugh

[RayChuang88]

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT 2:40 PM EST

RUSH: Ladies and gentlemen, this is an exciting moment. We have the star of the movie "The Passion of the Christ." Jim Caviezel is on the phone, has given us (a call). Jim, this is a surprise. It's a thrill to talk to you. Welcome to the EIB Network.

CAVIEZEL: Oh, well, thank you very much, Rush.

RUSH: Jim, I have to tell you something. I... where are you calling from, by the way?

CAVIEZEL: I'm calling you from Los Angeles.

RUSH: Los Angeles. Are you surprised by what's happened?

CAVIEZEL: You know, I guess a little bit, but the subject itself is very controversial and I don't think much has changed in 2,000 years.

RUSH: Well one of the things that has -- one of the things I've noticed and I would be remiss if I didn't mention this to you is that in all of the -- and I saw the movie back in July, and all of the talk about the movie since then and especially since the opening, you have really, you know, not gotten a whole lot of discussion because of the controversy surrounding Mel Gibson. But your work in this movie, the makeup alone. How long did it take you to get made up every day for this? I mean, this has to be one of the most physically laborious roles that you could ever have.

CAVIEZEL: Yes. Rush, during the (shooting) we'd start makeup for the crucifixion scenes at two in the morning, and I'd go till ten, and about two hours of maintenance on it during the day, in freezing temperatures, and then they took two hours to take it off at night. And then at the same time I separated my shoulder. so I was dealing with hypothermia, and I got very sick up there.

[Skip Ripley]

I'm worried for this kid. Hollywood isn't going to like this. They can't touch Mel Gibson because he's too big. James could be the one the little piggies take it out on.

[Paul Atreides]

I was thinking the same thing. His only hope may be making movies for Mel.

[mylife]

Best dialog in that movie was when Richard Harris (in the role of another prisoner in an adjoining cell) tunneled up into his cell. He asked of Caviezel , "So, how long have been here."

Caviezel: "Long enough to count all the stones in my cell."

Harris: "Ah yes. But have you named them yet?"


This was Richard Harris's last film. Im glad it was a doozie.

[Future Snake Eater]

"Frequency" was a terrific movie! I thoroughly enjoyed it. "Count of Monte Cristo" was also very good.

[general_re]

I disagree. The best line in that movie was at the end when Count Mondego asks Dantes why he's doing this, Caviezel gives a thin little smile and says "It's complicated..." Perfect way to play it, IMO - not over the top, but understated in order to give a sense of final satisfaction at his revenge, by way of referring to an earlier part of the movie. ;)

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I wanted to see the movie, but was uneasy about it, considering how Follywood desecrates classic literature.

Do not hesitate. It will not disappoint you. There are some outstanding performances in it. Jim C's and in particular Guy Pearce as Dantes's friend and betrayer.

There are some things that are left out from the novel, naturally and the language/dialog has been updated somewhat...but it is a very entertaining film and true to the story. You can catch it on HBO and Starz occasionally.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Mel Gibson said he had seen Caviezel in The The Red Line and liked what he saw.

[Young Werther]

The movie did not do justice to the book. Where was Haydee? As a devotee of 19th Century novels, the Count is one of the Great ones, along with "The Red and the Black" by Stendahl. I liked the older Count, made in the 30s or 40s. It stayed true to the plot line and didn't transfer the young mans geneology to an assignation between Dantes and his fiancee before Dantes is sent to Chateau D'If!

If you read the book, you don't appreciate the rewrite in the screenplay!

[Paul Atreides]

All of the great recommendations here have convinced me! Actually, I had never heard of Jim, before The Passion. Ever since, I saw his name on The Count, and wanted to see it after that. I'm glad to hear that The Count hasn't be politically-corrected.

[mylife]

View monte cristo trailer here

View Passion of Christ trailer here

[ECM]

He had a good turn in there, but that movie was entirely too philosophical for my tastes.

[SkyPilot]

I love this guy.

[Sabertooth]

I bought the novel, with a cover that is a tie-in to to movie. I wanted to see the movie, but was uneasy about it, considering how Follywood desecrates classic literature.

Then let me put in a recommendation for "The Last Temptation of Christ" ... the book.

Scorcese butchered it. One can no more assess Nikos Kazantzakis' novel by Scorsese's cinematic filth than one can judge Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" by Scorcese's travesty of that book.

Not everyone will like the depictions of Jesus and Judas -- they are deliberately controversial -- but there is no sex scene with Mary Magdalene. The "last temptation" is speculative, but takes a profound exploration of what Jesus the man sacrificed personally to be fully realized as Jesus, the Son of Man.

[SevenofNine]

COOL Ray rack itttttt

Alright rack the actor who play Jesus on this interview

I hope to God that dude doesn't get blackball in Hollywood

That what I hoping

Hollywood don't you dare

[LibKill]

I was listening. Jim Canviezel was (in my opinion) workmanlike, humble, and factual. He made light of being struck by lightning, but was very serious about being (accidentally) struck by the whip. I only hope that he does not become 'typecast'.

[SevenofNine]

OH COOL Julie London oh yeah best know as Nurse Dixie from Emergency

And Second Mrs Joe Friday ERR I mean Jack Webb and second husband Bobby Troup

Hell of good singer

Rack Julie

[Hildy]

I'm in love with this man. You think he'd convert to Judaism for me??? (ONLY KIDDING GUYS).

[bluebunny]

I saw on Entertainment Tonight that Caviezel will be on "Hour of Power" with Robert Schuyler(sp?) Sunday. I normally don't watch Hour of Power but I will make an exception. I'm just fascinated with the guy. He seems almost "angelic". Yes, Terrence Mallick is devout. That's why he essentially withdrew from Hollywood. Too uncomfortable with the scene. He made "Days of Heaven" with Richard Gere then did not make another movie for 30 years until "Thin Red Line". I think he greatly admired Caviezel for being openly religious and unafraid to show it. Something he could not bring himself to do. I tell you what, if you combined the "softer touch" of Mallick and the power of Gibson to make religious movies, wow that would be great.

[Criminal Number 18F]

Thanks for the reviews. I have not seen The Count of Monte Cristo although I've watched a bit of it over a friend's shoulder. The book is one of my all-time favourite books, ever since my teens, and I feared that no movie could do the tale justice.

I have a lot of reasons to identify with the Count. I will certainly go get the DVD on the recommendation of my friends.

The Thin Red Line was, I thought, a set of fantastic performances (even by the boorish Sean Penn), photographed in an achingly beautiful way. But the director's haphazard approach really shows. It winds up being a bunch of vignettes without any meaning deeper than war is a drag, which really misses most of the points made in Jones's book. I keep wondering when they will figure out in Hollywood that war is bad is not a really profound thought. Never, probably.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[commish]

Jim was fantastic in Frequency. One of my favorite movies. He also was great in Count.

But, the one role that hasn't been mentioned (other than his refusal to do a nude seen) is "High Crimes". He was fantastic in this movie, totally convincing in his loving gentle husband role, and then exuding pure evil in his "Secret" persona.

I would recommend "High Crimes" to anyone who hasn't seen it.