Gibson's flick is a hit (in UK--highest ever opening for a foreign language film)

The Sun (UK) ^ | 3-29-04 | THOMAS WHITAKER

[truthandlife]

'Passion' ping

[wooden nickel]

I know American English is a little bit different from the Queen's English but to call it a foreign language is just not cricket.

[GeronL]

BUMP

[GeronL]

Its not in english. Its in Aramaic and ? hebrew?

[breakem]

If it's not a foreign language film, what would you call it?

[jackbill]

Actually, it is a foreign language film here in the U.S.. The diagogue is in Aramaic and Latin - not English or American English.

[McGavin999]

It's going to be quite interesting to see how this film does around the world. Perhaps it will wake up some latent Christian memories.

[prairiebreeze]

These criminal confessions that are coming out are interesting. I would never have predicted that response to the film.

BTW, I hadn't heard about the neo-Nazi arsonist/bomber of Norwegian squatters incident before.

Prairie

[Victoria Delsoul]

I just realized that Mel Gibson's last name is "Controversial Film." Every article about the Passion says… Mel Gibson's controversial film... not a very exciting time for movie critics, LOL.

[I still care]

I can't imagine China showing it, but it would be wonderful if it did. They have a huge underground church there.

Do you suppose we will hear about people being jailed after unauthorized viewing of the Passion?

[sarasmom]

In China?
No.

[per loin]

I've uploaded a timeline of the events in the movie here. It's not out on DVD yet, so the timeline is a bit rough, particularly in pegging the exact location of the musical score. I had to rely on my notes made at the movie.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

*Ping

[Unam Sanctam]

When I lived in Beijing a couple of years ago, there was a HUGE market in pirated DVDs. Unless they've cleaned up their act, I wouldn't be surprised if there isn't already some pirated copies floating around China.

[cinnathepoet]

But wasn't there a recent confession by a small-time convenience store robber who admitted to 6 or 7 robberies after his mom took him to see the Passion? Somewhere in the South or Midwest?

[rwfromkansas]

It's already on the internet.

[KQQL]

In the U.K. The Passion, when the final numbers came in grabbed the top spot, ahead of fellow opener Dawn of the Dead and holdover Starsky & Hutch. The film grabbed a stunning $3.6m on 322 prints including $568,000 in sneak previews bringing its U.K./Ireland tally to $5m. After somewhat disappointing starts in Ireland and Germany exhibitors weren't expecting a whole lot from Passion, but just as in the United States the Mel Gibson epic surprised. In Norway, The Passion of the Christ also grabbed pole position with a $232,871 debut on 30 screens. The film has an estimated $58.7m to date.
-----http://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/weekend/2004/13.htm
+ BIG HIT in LATIN AMerica (NOT Mexico) , and big hit in Aussie land/new zealand......Poland.....Norway....Portugal
However, it's doing so-so in in Germany !

[Northern Yankee]

Thanks for the ping!

Victoria, you read my thoughts. Never have I seen a film written so much about that always has a disclaimer regarding its controversy.

I guess that means the Gospels must be contoversial?

You have to wonder where we as a society is/are(?) headed when a film about The Passion of Christ is deemed dangerous?!

In any event I reckon we're ready to do battle with those other realms that seek to destroy this film, and its followers.

Got your armour?