"I SAW [Mel Gibson's] THE PASSION" [the attacks are pretty much demonic]

Act One: Writing for Hollywood | 6/26/03 | Barbara Nicolosi

[Polycarp]

I SAW THE PASSION

Barbara Nicolosi

6/26/03

So I was at a private screening at Icon Productions yesterday, and got to see a rough cut of The Passion. There were about twelve people in the room, including Mel Gibson, his producing partner Steve and four or five other Icon staffers. After the screening, we talked to Mel and friends for about an hour. (As cool as that was, the quality of the film was such that the celebrity stuff was completely gone from the moment. I can't explain it really, except that it would be like standing in the Sistine Chapel next to, well, someone like Mel Gibson. Great art is a great leveler....) The rough cut we saw obviously didn't have the final score or special effects, and there were many more sub-titles than they will have in the finished film.

So, here's my take...

The Passion is a stunning work of art. It is a devout, act of worship from Mel and his collaborators - in the way that Handel's Messiah and Notre Dame were artistic acts of worship in previous times.

Let's get the controversy out of the way right at the top. The film is faithful to the Gospel, particularly St. John. It is no more anti-Semitic than is the Gospel. There are at least two members of the Sanhedrin who come forward to protest on Jesus' behalf during the sham trial. The Romans are just as guilty of cruelty and hatred against Jesus in the film. And best of all is a final look right into the camera of Mary, holding her dead Son. She is looking at all of us with a kind of , "Look what you've done"/This is for you" expression. A cinematic Pieta worthy of Michelangelo.

Having seen the film now, I can only marvel that the attacks are pretty much demonic. Hopefully, the devil will end up spitefully biting his own tail on this one-- as he does in The Passion by inciting on the executioners of Christ, and thus being complicit in his own ultimate defeat. The Passion is high art. It is the greatest movie about Jesus ever made. In the discussion following the film, Mel and co. were asking us how mainstream theater audiences would react to the film. I told them, "Who cares? What you have here is so much more than just a product to sell. It will live forever, regardless of whether it is a commercial success for you or not."

For those of us who love Jesus, The Passion is devastating to watch. It is so good, I almost couldn't stand it. There is one moment on the way of the cross sequence, in which the whole tragedy unfolding devolves into a vicious riot of hatred between Romans and Jews with the Savior on the ground in the middle of it getting it from both sides. It was so frenzied and terrible, I wanted to run from the room. But then, the film again finds Mary, Jesus's Mother on the sidelines, and her presence gets us through it. Kind of like how Mary's presence helped Jesus get through it, it seemed to me.

The film is lovingly Marian. Mary is perfectly portrayed here. She is contrasted repeatedly with the really super creepy Satan character, who is also a woman (something for the feminist theologians here? heh heh...).

The film is strongly Eucharistic. There is a beautiful juxtaposition of images that cuts from the stripping on Calvary to the unwrapping of the bread to be used at the last Supper. Fabulous stuff.

Every Christian needs to see this film at least once. Just to remember, in our current comfort zones while evil is closing in, the price that was paid for us. On my way home from the screening, I found myself praying in the car, "Jesus, I'm so sorry, I forgot..." How many films have led you to compunction lately? The Passion is a miracle.

[dsutah]

Not to mention the writings by other authors of that time, a few of them being pagans like Tacitus(sp?). In it, he makes a mention of "the followers of the Christus". He also makes mention of the persecutions under Emperor Nero. Some of the ugly torture and execution that those followers were subjected to!

[honeygrl]

"How do you suppose the Pentecostals will respond. I was watching the 700 Club the other day and Pat Robertson made it clear he's not a fan of the Catholic Church. "

My dad is a pentecostal preacher. While he's not particularly a fan of the catholic church, I'm sure he would enjoy watching this movie from the description above. As long as it follows the bible accurately, I don't see why any christian would be upset over it. Now, if it makes controversial interpetations of parts of the bible there may be some upset with just about any non-catholic christian sect, but it sounds like it's worth seeing to me and worth recommending to my dad to see when it hits the theaters.

[honeygrl]

He may have been referring to the evil female character in the scene... thought i'm not well versed enough to know for sure.

[whoozit]

How could it be? Catholic doctrine stands in direct opposition to Scripture. This guy has done his homework. Catholics won't like it, but the erroneous teachings are blatant.

[honeygrl]

"I detect jealousy in your comments. "

I didn't detect what you seem to in his comments. I don't think that the love between mother and son are even an issue, it's a given. Some just see one person in the relationship as more important than than the other I think. I'm not going to start bashing religions though because that's not what I like to do. Religion to me is a personal thing and as long as you have it right in your heart, it doesn't matter what brand of church you go to.

[honeygrl]

hah! incoming... :)

[RinaseaofDs]

I agree with you, and I also think that maybe the awards may come.

Some may draw the same parallels the reviewer did with Michaelangelo and Handel. Some of the greatest art in the world has been inspired by God, even to the point where pagans can't help but to gaze in amazed, dumbstruck fascination.

[honeygrl]

"Which do you prefer: Lethal Weapon 1, 2 or 3?"

Personally, I enjoyed all three. But works of fiction rarely offend me, violent or not.

[DPB101]

I hope Pentecostals like this movie. Read there are over 400 million of your Dad's faith now--the majority south of the equator in the developing world. If the growth continues, there will be a billion Pentecostals in 15 years. Best thing possible to bring up the developing world is the spread of the Christian faith. Doesn't matter to me who promotes this film--Protestants or Catholics. Just as long as billions see it.

[patriciaruth]

I'm a sci-fi geek. My favorite fix lately is Stargate SG-1 on SciFi channel Fridays at 6 PM PDT on satellite, 9 on cable.

Best scifi book I've read this year is Manifold: Time and I'm reading Manifold: Space now.

When I was in college I once shaved off half my eyebrows and put scotch tape on my ears and went to a party as a Vulcan.

[honeygrl]

" My favorite fix lately is Stargate SG-1 on SciFi channel Fridays "

My hubby is into that show too. I usually don't go for those types of shows but I can get into that one myself. 99% of the time when they make a TV show from a movie it sucks. I was pleasantly surprised that they did such a good job with this one though. I think I even like the actors in the show better than in the movie. I can't remember which were in the movie and which were changed, but the ones in the show seem to fit together much better.

[patriciaruth]

The Kurt Russell character, Col. Jack O'Neill was taken over by Richard Dean Anderson, who changed the character so that he can be irreverent and crack jokes. It's the major change that makes the TV series work.

The geeky archeologist character stayed pretty much the same.

They added two characters, a Jaafa? (warrior for a Gaould god) named Teal'c that switched loyalties and helped defeat his "god" and joined the SG team. The other character new not in the movie is Capt. Samantha Carter, who is an astrophysicist as well as an Air Force pilot, who adds brains and eyecandy with her character. She and Col. O'Neill are secretly sweet on each other.

[.45MAN]

One last candle in the massive darkness of humanity...

[.45MAN]

Main stream hollywood is of no consern to a christian believer. These are the things that put them in their place, at the very bottom of acceptability...

[Thorondir]

wHat earth oN going language WITH you unCLEAR again once?

[.45MAN]

I do not go to the movies. I have not been in a theater for a couple of years and I do not rent movies, maybe one or two a year and I have never purchased a movie. If this movie went on sale tomorrow sight unseen I would buy it, and I think that everyone should buy it if nor no other reason than to tell the movie industry how we feel about them and what is going on the the world....

[.45MAN]

There was it was a best seller, "The Bible"

[.45MAN]

((((PING))))

[egomeimihi]

Benedicat vos omnipotens Deus, Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus Santus, et Mel Gibson!

I guess we should all refer to Mel now as the fourth person of the Blessed Quadrinity.< /sarcasm>