by Catholic.net
Posted on 02/07/2004 6:53:03 AM PST by Diago
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The Latest on The Passion of the Christ by Catholic.net
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| February 05, 2004 / The Passion of the Christ will premiere on 2,000 screens in the United States on Feb. 25—Ash Wednesday—from Mel Gibson´s Icon Productions, partnered with Newmarket Films. For Advanced and Group ticket sales call 1-888-269-8460.  Please make sure to see it by SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28th. When you go to a movie opening weekend, it´s as if you´re casting a vote for that movie. And the ballot box closes on Saturday night. If you wait a week or two to avoid lines, you are throwing away your vote. Hollywood will already have decided whether that movie is a hit or a flop by the time they count the Saturday night grosses. And later business will not change the first impression. Television Previews Diane Sawyer’s Exclusive Interview With Mel Gibson Airs On A Special Edition Of "Primetime,” Monday, February 16 (10:00-11:00 P.M., Et), On The ABC Television Network. PAX TV announced that it will broadcast a one hour special in advance of the worldwide premiere of Mel Gibson´s "The Passion of The Christ" on Sunday, February 22 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT and on Tuesday, February 24, at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. "The Making of ´The Passion of The Christ´" is a behind-the scenes look at this bold motion picture, which is a vivid depiction of the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus Christ. Catholic.net would like to share with its readers a collection of news articles, interviews and testimonies taken from EWTN, The ZENIT News Service, The National Catholic Register and other sources about the upcoming movie by Mel Gibson, The Passion of the Christ. EWTN Audio Interviews You will need to fast forward to 8 minutes to hear the interview. Raymond Arroyo interviews Mel Gibson on the EWTN program The World Over from 3/14/2003. You will need to fast forward to 13 minutes to hear the interview. Raymond Arroyo interviews Jim Caviezel on the EWTN program The World Over from 4/25/2003. Other News Articles and Testimonies NASCAR driver Bobby Labonte will race in the Daytona 500 on February 15th in a car that´s being repainted to advertise Mel Gibson´s "The Passion of the Christ." Dobson: Liberal media can´t stomach ´Passion´. (WorldNetDaily.com) Real problem is the audacity to show Christ as Savior of mankind. Co-star Defends Mel Gibson Film. (Miami.com) The woman who plays Mary in Mel Gibson´s passion-stirring biblical epic "The Passion of the Christ" says her parents were Holocaust survivors but she does not consider the film anti-Semitic. If there is a message, it´s more about how people can be manipulated by their leaders, Maia Morgenstern said Tuesday. A News Anchor´s Perspective on "The Passion of the Christ". (CrossWalk.com) I want you to know that I started in broadcasting when I was 13-years-old. I have been in the business of writing, performing, production and broadcasting for a long time. I have been a part of movies, radio, television, stage and other productions - so I know how things are done … But there is nothing in my existence - nothing I could have read, seen, heard, thought or known - that could have prepared me for what I saw on screen last night. Gibson´s right to his ´Passion´. (CSMonitor.com) All the debate about allegedly anti-Semitic overtones misses the point: The organized Jewish community and its allies in interfaith dialogue may not welcome "Passion," but overreaction will provoke far more anti-Semitism than the movie itself. Gibson’s ‘The Passion of the Christ’ Faithfully Presents the Gospels. (ChristianExaminer.com and SeeThePassion.com) If you haven’t been to your knees lately to thank Him, this movie will help you assume that posture. Every scourging lash of the whip, every blow of fist and club, every piercing nail, every excruciating breath drawn during His suffering is graphically and ultra-realistically portrayed... Passion Attacks: Poison Pens; Unscholarly Conduct; Piracy; Virtual Hate. (NewsMax.com and SeeThePassion.com) The cinematic launch will occur despite unprecedented attempts to alter its content and thwart its release. The Left Coast Report presents some of the lowlights of the past year in hopes that the heroic resolve and artistic vision of the film’s creators can be fully appreciated. "The Passion of the Christ" has already generated the kind of hype usually reserved for secular blockbusters and is stirring emotions nationwide. (MyrtleBeachOnline.com) Online ticketing agency Fandango reports "The Passion of the Christ" as its No. 1 selling movie last week - beating out flicks that are actually playing in theaters. Gibson on Passion, Faith, and the Holocaust . (NewsMax.com) For the March issue of Reader´s Digest, Peggy Noonan interviewed Mel Gibson. They spoke about his movie "The Passion of Christ," among other things. Churches buy thousands of tickets to ´Passion´. (SunTimes.com) Mel Gibson´s film "The Passion of the Christ" doesn´t open in the theaters for almost a month, but a growing number of Chicago area churches already are buying thousands of tickets to ensure that their members get to see it. DEMAND FOR “THE PASSION” TICKETS EXPLODES. (CatholicLeague.org) “People are calling all day long, beginning as soon as I arrive in the office. I’ve never seen anything like it …” Maligning Mel Gibson. (CatholicLeague.org) The following quotes represent some of the most unfair statements on Mel Gibson and his film, "The Passion of the Christ …” Fanning The Passion. (BeliefNet.com) Through websites, e-mail, tracts, and even lapel pins, Catholic and Protestant groups are galvanizing churches to support Mel Gibson´s film Changes in the Passion?. (WorldNetDaily.com) At the end of the screening, Mr. Gibson humbly asked if we felt the film could incite anti-Semitism and, if so, what could be done to avoid it Another Source Verifies Gibson´s ´Passion´ Account. (NewsMax.com) That source is the Holy Shroud of Turin, an artifact that has been subjected to much of the same kind of treatment Mel Gibson is now enduring. Bringing Passion to Christianity . (illinoisleader.com) It is so refreshing to see a "real" man courageously standing up unashamedly professing his faith. Muslims do it, Jews do it, but Christians are the only ones these days who take the heat for it With gratitude — A Priest Views The Passion. REV. JOHN HORGAN (catholiceducation.org) I have been a strong supporter of the film since I first learned of Gibson´s project; and late last summer, I had the opportunity to spend a long evening with Jim Caviezel and hear firsthand how the impact of the film and Gibson´s purpose had affected him. Mel Gibson´s ´Christ´ Reveals Crucifixion In his first media interview anywhere about his starring role in Mel Gibson´s much-anticipated film "The Passion of Christ," James Caviezel - Gibson´s Jesus - detailed on Friday the ordeal of filming the Crucifixion scenes, noting that the overall experience prompted many in the crew to convert to Catholicism. Mel Gibson´s ´Passion´ Mel Gibson is the bravest man in Hollywood … He´s under fire for his life and beliefs, his morality and for his religion. It´s not often, in this day and age, that anyone faces that kind of challenge. When it happens, it´s often a private hell. Gibson´s hell has been very public. Assorted Praise for "The Passion". Several notable personalities who have seen the film offer candid remarks in favor of it. Gibson´s "Passion of The Christ" Has Power to Change Culture . GREAT FALLS, VIRGINIA Jan. 14, 2004 – (SeeThePassion.com) There was an organic, sacramental quality about the movie. The movie was a prayer. It was a conduit of grace and love... Mel Gibson says He Won´t be Deterred from Passion of the Christ Even Though it Might Kill His Career. IRONDALE, January 14, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In a sneak preview of the interview, EWTN reveals that commenting on the controversy surrounding the film Gibson said … Their complete conversation will air on Friday, January 23 at 8 PM EDT, Saturday, January 24 at 1 AM EDT, Sunday, January 25 at 5 PM EDT, and Monday, January 26 at 10 AM EDT and 11 PM EDT on EWTN. "The Passion of the Christ," will be released in the U.S. and Canada on Ash Wednesday, February 25th, 2004. From The National Catholic Register Three Nails, a Camera and a Cross On the Set of Mel Gibson´s The Passion. March 16, 2003 / Raymond Cleaveland (National Catholic Register) ROME - "Okay, cameras are rolling! Silence, please!" shouts the production assistant. Mel Gibson is staring intensely at the monitors in front of his director´s chair at Rome´s Cinecittà Film Studios.Actor Jim Caviezel (High Crimes, Count of Monte Cristo, The Thin Red Line) is dressed only in a loincloth. His arms are shackled to a low, granite pillar and he is dancing about in his bare feet on the cold pavement in order to keep warm between shots. "The Scourging at the Pillar!" comes the voice again. "Scene 2! Take 3!" Bishops Apologize to Mel Gibson Over The Passion. June 22, 2003 / ANDREW WALTHER (National Catholic Register) HOLLYWOOD - Even before the production crew finished packing up their equipment in Italy, where they filmed The Passion earlier this year, a drama of a different sort had begun. A group of scholars reportedly affiliated with the Anti-Defamation League claimed to also be affiliated with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. After spiriting away an early version of the film´s script, they called it potentially anti-Semitic. How The Passion Changed Him DECEMBER 21, 2003 / INPERSON INTERVIEW BY TIM DRAKE (National Catholic Register) Jim Caviezel was already a devout Catholic when he got the role of Christ in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of The Christ. But after acting out Christ’s harrowing death in the movie he says his faith is stronger still. From ZENIT Papal Praise for "The Passion" . NEW YORK, DEC. 18, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Mel Gibson´s "The Passion of the Christ" gains a new admirer: the Holy Father. According to various news sources, John Paul II is the latest to see Gibson´s movie on Christ´s passion the weekend before last, in the Vatican, apparently in his private rooms, on a... Mel Gibson´s Ultimate Hero Movie . ...Elizabeth Lev ROME, DEC. 10, 2003 (Zenit.org).- For a fortunate few of us Rome dwellers, the most exciting event of this week was the advance screening of Mel Gibson´s "The Passion of the Christ." In a small basement cinema of Rome´s Prati district, producer Steve McEveety tersely introduced the... Mel Gibson´s "Passion": On Review at the Vatican. VATICAN CITY, DEC. 8, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Several high-ranking Vatican officials who attended a private screening of Mel Gibson´s "The Passion of the Christ" this past weekend in Rome came away impressed. Members from the Vatican Secretariat of State, the Pontifical Council for Social Communications,... Mel Gibson Aiming to Finish "The Passion" by New Year. VATICAN CITY, DEC. 2, 2003 (Zenit.org).- The cardinals, bishops and theologians who had hoped to see Mel Gibson´s film on Jesus´ last hours on earth will still have to wait. Participants in the 7th Congress on the Church and the Cinema, organized by the pontifical councils for culture and for social... Jewish Actress Defends Mel Gibson´s Film. ROME, NOV. 4, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Jewish actress Maia Morgenstern, who plays the role of the Virgin Mary in Mel Gibson´s "The Passion," has defended the film in an interview. In the latest issue of The Jewish Journal, Morgenstern, 41, says that the film is not "anti-Semitic." "Yes, the villain is the... Archbishop Chaput on Women and the Culture of Life. ...about men -- not because they´re more important than women, but because they´re not. Back in June I had the pleasure of viewing an early version of Mel Gibson´s new movie, "The Passion of Christ." It´s really a wonderful film. I hope all of you will see it and bring others to see it -- although I... Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos on Mel Gibson´s "The Passion". VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 18, 2003 (Zenit.org).- A cardinal urged the public to see Mel Gibson´s film "The Passion," which depicts the suffering and death of Jesus. After seeing an unfinished version of the film, which will be released next year, Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos, prefect of the... German Mystic Anna Katharina Emmerick to Be Raised to the Altar. ...she says is brief, simple, consistent, and at the same time full of profundity, love, and life." The script of the film "The Passion," to be released in the United States at the beginning of next year, is inspired in the visions of this religious, just as the film´s director, Mel Gibson, has... Mel Gibson Says "The Passion" Is Meant to Inspire, Not Offend. LOS ANGELES, JUNE 15, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Film director and actor Mel Gibson says his movie "The Passion," on the last 12 hours of Jesus´ life, is meant to "inspire, not offend." In a statement released to the trade publication Daily Variety, Gibson said: "To be certain, neither I nor my film is... Controversy Swirls Around Mel Gibson´s ´Passion´. DENVER, Colorado, MAY 30, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Though Mel Gibson´s latest film "The Passion" isn´t scheduled to appear in theaters for another eight months, it is already arousing heated debate. This week Archbishop Charles Chaput devoted his column in the Denver Catholic Register to defending... Mel Gibson´s Great Passion. ROME, MARCH 6, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Oscar winning actor-director Mel Gibson is in Rome these days, working on a film on the passion of Christ at the Cinecittà studios. The movie focuses on the last hours of Christ´s life and stars Jim Caviezel ("The Thin Red Line," "Angel Eyes," "The Count of Monte... How the Church Is Doing in Publishing (Part 2). ...to as grand as producing world-class movies. Again, we are now making strides. It will be very interesting to see how the media powers respond to Mel Gibson´s forthcoming movie, "Passion," which is being produced on a grand scale. It is very possible that this may start a small renaissance. There is... Mel Gibson Film to Rely on Latin, Aramaic and Images. ROME, NOV. 19, 2002 (Zenit.org).- Mel Gibson knows he´s taking a chance in his forthcoming film on Jesus -- including the dubbing in ancient Latin and Aramaic. Gibson also wants "Passion" to be a sort of mute film where the images say it all. "I would like to be able to transcend the barriers of... Mel Gibson to Produce Film on Christ´s Passion. ROME, SEPT. 6, 2002 (Zenit.org).- Mel Gibson is in Italy to finalize details for the filming of a movie on the passion and death of Jesus, a Hollywood trade publication reports. Variety magazine said the Australian actor-producer sought advice from Vatican experts for "Passion," which will be... ….. Would you like to see what you get each week as a Register subscriber? Click here for more information. If you would like to subscribe to the National Catholic Register and get four weeks free please click here. |
Those numbers, if they hold, would be striking because "Passion" distributor Newmarket Films has yet to run conventional print or television ads. What's more, on Friday, the ticket-selling group Fandango reported that advance sales for the film comprised 43% of its total sales this week — remarkable for an R-rated religious-themed movie employing unconventional marketing techniques.
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