[Agnes Heep]

Latin dominated the era in which Jesus lived because it was the language of the Romans whose empire...

I think it was koine Greek, but what the heck.

[mlmr]

As a former West Hartfordite, I just love the name of Radio-Free West Hartford.

[friendly]

I have been tracking this movie carefully. It is completely benign and utterly powerful. For a trailer preview, see Quicktime clip at

http://www.passion-movie.com/images/ThePassion_hi.mov

The trailer has two spoken phrases: one in Latin by Pilate, and one in Aramaic by Jesus. It is much more powerful without distracting subtitles. BTW, The mysterious dark-eyed woman with accopanying snake is Lucifer, I found after some researching.

[Rennes Templar]

The author seems to say it won't matter if the film appears anti-semetic, only a few ADL members will really be upset.
My take is that a film like this demonstrates that evil (there's that word) exists in man, and such evil is not confined to one group or race, just as goodness is not. The message of Christ was to overcome evil in ourselves and challenge it in others, and self-sacrifice in doing this is the Christian way.

[MaryFromMichigan]

Read the book. Can't wait to see the movie.

[muir_redwoods]

Where are all those first amendments fanatics now that Mel's movie is about to be released? How come Michael Moore can lie and get an academy award but if Mel tells the truth he's accused of stirring up anti-semitism?

Doesn't a person in this country have the right to make a movie without a permit?

[ultima ratio]

"Jesus will be speaking English by the time it hits the big screen."

The writer is thinking in the box about this movie. One of the reasons for the film's impact, according to those who have seen the film, is that it uses Aramaic and Latin, ancient languages which powerfully transmit the illusion that what is happening is real. This was Gibson's whole point in making The Passion--a spiritually motivated one. It is not a commercial enterprise in the usual sense and there will be no compromises on this for the sake of better box office.