Mel Gibson Responds to Passion Question - What's Up With the Ugly Baby?

Christianity Today ^ | March 3, 2004 | Mark Moring

[Aquinasfan]

It is weird, it is shocking, it's almost too much—just like turning Jesus over to continue scourging him on his chest is shocking and almost too much, which is the exact moment when this appearance of the Devil and the baby takes place."

I needed that "too-muchness." I let my emotional defenses down, and the act of turning Jesus over broke right through them. It hit me right in the heart. It hit me at a very visceral level, and it was very necessary. I'll never forget that scene. It has forever changed my mental image of the scourging.

[Arthur McGowan]

No wonder Andrew Sullivan HATES this movie. Androgyny is a particularly suitable way of depicting evil? What a proposition for our culture to digest!

[ItsOurTimeNow]

What's Up With the Ugly Baby?

I didn't know Helen Thomas had a cameo in this movie??!

[smokeyb]

(Hillary was the ugly, hairy-backed baby who was along for the ride...)

Another photo-op for the evil pair !

[AFPhys]

I bet The Stations of the Cross will get more close attention this year than any year in the past 100.

[BibChr]

It'd be silly to argue with Gibson about his own meaning, but I took it to refer to the seed of the serpent in Genesis 3;15 (to which the film's opening scenes already alluded), as Satan mockingly watches the Seed of the woman.

Dan

[fella]

That's what evil is about, taking something that's good and twisting it a little bit."

A perfect description of the queer-marriage thing.

[upchuck]

Gibson: "... That's what evil is about, taking something that's good and twisting it a little bit."

I don't know about twisted, but does swollen with evil count?

[nutmeg]

ping!

[SpyGuy]

he portrayed Satan [as] androgynous ... Evil is alluring, attractive. It looks almost normal, almost good—but not quite ... That's what evil is about, taking something that's good and twisting it a little bit.

A fitting description of the homosexual lobby

[Dataman]

I took it to refer to the seed of the serpent in Genesis 3;15 (to which the film's opening scenes already alluded), as Satan mockingly watches the Seed of the woman.

That's what I thought, a sort of premature declaration of victory while adding to the pain with mockery. I'm not sure Gibson's comment rules us out.

BTW, it was great to see the devil in this movie because it testifies -against its own will- to the importance and deity of Christ. In the same way, the critics who are seething mad, who manufacture charges against the movie, and who decry the violence are also testifying -against their own will- to the importance and deity of the Central Figure.

[talleyman]

Good post - thanks!

[Dataman]

swollen with evil

Good pic, good description.

[ninenot]

You may want to look at the FR thread entitled "Gibson's Passion" posted by yours truly this AM. Your take is similar to the thought of the reviewer(s) in that article.

[MrConfettiMan]

When asked why he portrayed Satan—an androgynous, almost beautiful being played by Rosalinda Celentano...

Hmmm, Rosalinda Celentano...Celentano...I always enjoyed their cheese raviolis when I was growing up in NJ...

[LibertyLight]

Thank you for this exquisite image ...

[pankot]

Revelation 13:11-18. The Spawn of Satan

[FourtySeven]

Bump......to stop any urban legends cropping up .....which I'm sure many are already.

[pankot]

And Ellsworth Toohey?

[Homer_J_Simpson]

I have a question of my own about the movie. What is the point or significance of Mary and Mary Magdalene sopping up Christ's blood after the scourging?