Mel Gibson's 'Passion' ascends to blockbuster status $117.5 million

Boston Globe ^ | March 1, 2004 | David Germain, AP

[Cincinatus' Wife]

LOS ANGELES (AP) Mel Gibson's gamble on ''The Passion of the Christ'' paid off enormously, riding a storm of religious debate to a $117.5 million haul in its first five days, according to studio estimates Sunday.

''The Passion,'' which debuted on Ash Wednesday, rocketed to the No. 1 box-office slot for the weekend with $76.2 million from Friday to Sunday.

[Huber]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-passion29.html

From the Sunday Telegraph:

French theaters won't show 'Passion'

February 29, 2004

BY KIM WILLSHER

PARIS -- French cinema chains are refusing to distribute or screen Mel Gibson's controversial film "The Passion of the Christ" because of fears it will spark a new outbreak of anti- Semitism.

France is the only European country where there is still no distribution deal for the film, which depicts the last days of Jesus Christ in graphic detail and is accused by critics of stoking anti-Jewish sentiment.

The film was released in America last week, but French distributors are wary of its impact on audiences and want to gauge its reception elsewhere in Europe, where it is due to open next month.

"We don't want to be on the side of those who support such anti-Semitism," a veteran film industry figure said. "When we distributed 'It's a Beautiful Life' by [Roberto] Benigni, we were worried about the risk of making a comedy about the Holocaust, but that was different. There's enough anti-Semitic stuff circulating here already without us throwing oil on the fire."

The debate over the film is highly sensitive in France, where a spate of firebombings of synagogues and Jewish schools and attacks on rabbis over the last year has led Israel to denounce it as the most anti-Semitic country in Europe.

Anger with Israel among France's large and growing Muslim population, combined with the strength of right-wing parties in some French districts, have contributed to an atmosphere that has alarmed political and Jewish leaders.

Last year, Paris police were forced to set up a dedicated unit to deal with anti- Semitic crimes. Schoolteachers complain they face a hostile reaction among Muslim students when trying to teach the history of the Holocaust, which some equate with Israel's actions against Palestinians in the occupied territories.

Many in France fear "The Passion" will stir up angry reaction of a different kind. The newspaper Liberation described Gibson's faith as "a Shiite version of Christianity . . . imbibed with blood and pain" which "reduces the message of Christ to his death by torture."

Sunday Telegraph

[Caipirabob]

This is simply stunning if you consider that most parents would not consider allowing young children to see the film. For a "niche group", it's phenominal.

[onyx]

France is suddenly concerned about anti-Semitism?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

PARIS -- French cinema chains are refusing to distribute or screen Mel Gibson's controversial film "The Passion of the Christ" because of fears it will spark a new outbreak of anti- Semitism.

They have fostered this atmosphere, so now they can't allow this movie. What a cess-pool Paris floats in.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

This is simply stunning if you consider that most parents would not consider allowing young children to see the film. For a "niche group", it's phenominal.

Bump!

I wonder, how many from the younger set, over 18, will go on their own to see The Passion?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The Passion of the Christ opens in the UK on 26 March.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The Passion of the Christ opens in the UK on 26 March.

[AlbionGirl]

All you have to do is pay attention to the names of the movies listed following The Passion to understand just how intellectually vapid, stupefyingly boring and imagination free the executive producers, producers and writers in Hollywood really are. They don't have a veritable intellectual clue.

[dennisw]

France is suddenly concerned about anti-Semitism? .....

Yet they "go nuts" over Jerry Lewis movies

[FreedomGuru]

This is simply stunning if you consider that most parents would not consider allowing young children to see the film. For a "niche group", it's phenominal. Bump! I wonder, how many from the younger set, over 18, will go on their own to see The Passion?

And think how many pop culture driven teens that would've flooded the theatres for movies such as LOTR and Spiderman. Or at least Parents that would've taken a group of kids to those movies, that didn't take them to The Passion. So The Passion did extrememly good. Take that Hollywood :-)

[Cincinatus' Wife]

They don't have a veritable intellectual clue.

But they want to dictate morality by defining morality down.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Take that Hollywood :-)

Bump!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

***'''The Passion' is the most unlikely blockbuster I've ever seen. I don't have enough adjectives in my repertoire to describe it,'' said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations. ''Even nonbelievers probably felt the need to see this film because it's undeniably about one of the most important events in history, and everybody is talking about it.'' ***

[CDHart]

"The figure would be much higher, if everyone who wanted to get in could have."

True. We have reserved tickets for next Sunday, Mar. 7 -- we can't go during the week as we both work.

Carolyn

[William McKinley]

Once considered a niche film that would appeal mainly to conservative Christians,

Conservative Christians are a huge niche-- probably 1/4th to 1/5th of the country fits that category.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

LOL!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I've noticed a drop in headline coverage now that the box office receipts have been counted.

[Qwinn]

"'The Passion' is the most unlikely blockbuster I've ever seen."

Funny. They should hire me in Hollywood then, cause I've been predicting ever since I heard about this movie that it would be huge, considering that Hollywood has absolutely starved this country for any sort of truly religious film for decades.

Only one problem with that. You couldn't pay me enough to work in Hollywood, unless you also gave me the right to -fire- half the cretins who live there first.

Qwinn

[Cincinatus' Wife]

***Once considered a niche film that would appeal mainly to conservative Christians,....***

Hollywood, the Sodom and Gomorrah niche.

[longtermmemmory]

Could it be they don't want to offend they very large moslem population? too.

It is however funny, is France srendering to Mel Gibson's movie?