Riding "The Passion" Coattails: ABC's "Judas" (my title)

AP ^ | 02/29/04

[Kieri]

RADNOR, Pa. (AP) - The task given to Johnathon Schaech wasn't the easiest: Present a well-balanced portrayal of one of the most demonized figures in religion.

Although Schaech said his lead role in the upcoming ABC biopic "Judas" has been a challenge, it has also taught him a thing or two.

"A lot of religious individuals won't accept him as anything more than just a betrayer of Christ," Schaech told TV Guide. "When you give him a heart and say he's misunderstood, they don't want to hear that."

The television movie, scheduled to air March 8, tells the story of betrayal from Judas' point of view.

"We were trying to construct a psychological profile so you could see why he was doing what he was doing," said the Rev. Frank Desiderio, a Catholic priest who was the film's executive producer. "I hope it reveals Judas' humanity."

The movie should also benefit from being televised shortly after the release of Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" in theaters.

"They're riding its coattails," Schaech said.

[small voice in the wilderness]

I can hardly wait to see the reasons they give for Judas' betrayal. He needed the money. He recently lost his home due to Bush's distant relative, Bushus Pilate, seizing it for back taxes. Dick Cheneyus Caesar wanted Judas' family land to expand the Halliburton empire.

[Uncle Hal]

Well, it will be interesting to see how the liberal media handles this movie. If the movie plays Judas out to be the good guy, then I am sure it will get rave reviews from the mainstream press.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Ben K Traven, who wrote the story TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE also wrote a short story of a Mexican peon who looked to Judas as his patron saint. I can't remember the name of the story though.
He takes the statues of the Apostles out of the local church for cleaning, falls asleap, dogs fight and knock over the statue of the Virgin whose hand is burnt off in a fire, replaces the statues in the church, Lightning strikes the church, people rush to the church see the statue with the burnt off hand and proclaim a miracle, (She caught the lightning!), as a result a large Basilica is built over the spot where the old adobe church was. and the Pope visits.
The peon keeps quiet and thanks St. Judas.
End of story. It's much better fleshed out with Traven's storytelling.

[Paul Atreides]

It will probably be because Judas wanted to marry another man and Christ wouldn't let him.

[shaggy eel]

that poor misunderstood female, Jezebel.

,,, a legend can be built to make crap look raspberry jelly for anyone. What an industry.

[Brett66]

Here's one of the next releases on the big screen involving religion due out April 23rd:

Comedy "Good girl" Mary (Jena Malone) and her popular, influential best friend, Hilary Faye (Mandy Moore), are starting their senior year at the top of the social structure at American Christian High School. But when Mary finds out she’s pregnant, Hilary Faye and her devoted "disciples" turn against Mary and the school labels her an outcast.

It's as an outsider, however, that Mary finds true friends – other students the school doesn't quite know what to do with.

In this sweetly subversive comedy, a group of strangers band together to navigate the treacherous halls of high school and make it to graduation, ultimately learning more about themselves and finding out what it truly means to be Saved!

Typical hit piece on Christians.

Saved!

[Snuffington]

Wow, Hollyweird's attempted jump onto Mel's coattails is happening sooner than I thought!

And solidly demonstrating that they just do not understand why Mel's movie is doing so well.

[I still care]

Isn't it amazing how clueless they are? I actually heard a movie critic the other day disparaging "The Passion" and saying people should go see "The Last Temptation of Christ" which was a "much better movie about Jesus".

Earth to the Secular Press: The Jesus movie is successful BECAUSE it is biblical, and it is NOT the liberal intelligentsia giving us a nice little lecture on how the bible isn't true and Jesus isn't God.

[My2Cents]

Why am I not surprised that Hollywood's first effort to cash-in on the coattails of a blockbuster movie of a Biblical theme would be about the guy who betrayed Jesus?

[My2Cents]

I guess ABC figured that most of Hollywood and the media at large would identify more with Judas than any other Biblical figure (other than Satan).

[My2Cents]

ABC could acquire the TV rights to "The Passion of The Christ"

Right, and they'd switch to a commercial about room deodorizers just as Jesus is about to give up his spirit.

[small voice in the wilderness]

Yup. Maybe because Judas Had Two Mommies. And he was made fun of because of it.

[My2Cents]

Judas: "Mistakes were made."

[My2Cents]

Followed by the CBS Movie, "Herod: The Weight of Leadership," a sympathetic story of how King Herod (circa 4 B.C - around 1 A.D.) has the courage to make the hard decision to defend his nation and his people from a potential usuper by killing all children in and around Bethlehem under the age of three.

[xJones]

Johnathon Schaech is a former male model, now a hot-looking actor. Judas, the boy toy

Can't you hear the TV movie dialogue already?

Judas:
"Like, dude, Jesus really let me down. Like, dude, he was no saint if you know what I mean..."

Some days TV and Hollywood producers are more obvious than on other days. This TV was scheduled to air shortly after "The Passion of the Christ".

[small voice in the wilderness]

...Or the most heroic of the liberal heroes: Judas Iscariot: Whistleblower.

[freeangel]

You were reading my mind. The hollywood left will not ant-Christ every time they can--By trying to portray Judas and Satan as poor misguided creatures who had no free will.

[My2Cents]

LOL....Right, and remember, it was Judas who wanted to sell the perfume Mary used to anoint Jesus and give the money to the poor. Jesus was clearly into self-aggrandizement, while Judas wanted to help the needy.

[cyncooper]

Anybody here familiar with books by the late Taylor Caldwell? Catholic, she was a prolific novel writer who took to writing historical fiction in her latter days, including two of my favorites:

"Dear and Glorious Physician" about St. Luke

and "I, Judas" about you-know-who.

It is not a horrible thing to present a story about Judas. It depends on how ABC handles it.

[KarlInOhio]

"A lot of religious individuals won't accept him as anything more than just a betrayer of Christ,"

Well that depends on the meaning of the word "betrayer".