Posted on 02/14/2009 12:07:51 PM PST by GonzoII
According to an AFP report Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese plans to adapt the 1966 novel “Silence” by Shusaku Endo for the screen.
The book tells the story of a young Jesuit priest from Portugal who lands in southern Japan, and of Japan’s brutal persecution of Catholics during the 17th century.
(Excerpt) Read more at ncregister.com ...
Great book. I hope Scorcese doesn’t ruin it.
Will Hollywood be able to actually portray persecutions of *Christians*???
And if so, will Scorsese ever work in Hollywood again?
Either that or Hollywood is getting nervous about those falling reciepts and bad press.
In the fifties Hollywood cranked out Biblical film after biblical film to prove their patriotism and religious beliefs that the people who paid their bills believed.
To those with short memories, Scorsese directed that trash “The Last Temptation of Christ”.
Flame away guys, but i was one of the furious Christians when “Temptation” was released. Of course, I counted on other people to tell me what was in it.
I stumbled across it on cable last year. It was not an anti-Christian movie whatsoever. If you accept the concept that Jesus was both, fully a man, and fully Devine, this movie makes the forgotten point that was glossed over in my sunday school, that the man on the cross gave up a lot, and simply could have chosen not to.
As he is dying, in this novel, Christ is tempted by Satan. He shows him the easy and happy life he could choose instead. With a family, loving wife, children. etc. All he had to do was come down off the Cross.
“Temptation” made you realize in a very real sense, that Christ sacrificed everything a man takes as granted. Beautifully told. My clue back then should have been that Scorsese is a lifelong Catholic. He wasnt attacking Christ or the Church.
Yes, but though it was not at all compatible with scripture or orthodox Christianity, it was a faithful adaptation of Nikos Kazantzakis' book. I remember Scorsese saying he would like to do a film about Christ with a more formal type of presentation, like George Stevens' Greatest Story Ever Told. Scorsese has said he likes all the cinematic approaches to the life of Christ.
Also, Scorsese is a talented filmmaker who is familiar with all the great films. I expect he will do a great job of adapting this story.
I wonder if DeNiro, Pesci, Sharon Stone and Pacino will be in this movie.
“Youse Japanese oughta leave us alone. We are only here to convert your youts.” Fr. Pesci
And there is a long tradition of trying to understand and explain our faith through works of literature and art. CS Lewis,,Dante,,Da Vinci, Michelangelo and many others.
It was an uplifting movie. Made you rethink some things, and think about exactly what the savior did for us.
Agreed Desert Rhino. I thought it was a very well made, thoughtful film...
My only problem with it really was the casting of Harvey Keitel as Peter... his very thick Bronx accent just ripped you out of the film, especially the “temptation” scene when Christ is dying of old age and Peter is berating him for not accepting his death on the Cross.
Yancy
That would be Divine, slick. If your defense of the movie is as competent as your spelling, then I rest my case.
Ok sport. Anyway, the point still stands, independent of my spelling. The famous anti-christian group called “promise keepers” says it’s ok too.
I just heard you whine, but offer no facts. (Like me)
LOL,, true about Harvey Kietel. I’m looking forward to this next movie, hope the casting is good. As an aside, i like casting unknowns. Sometimes a face i’ve never seen really keeps me “in the movie” better. A massive star always manages to pull me out of the moment.
Jim Cavizel in The passion. Works for me :)
Yep, another amazing movie.
And good tagline. They’d call it good old common sense in any other area up for debate.
“My only problem with it really was the casting of Harvey Keitel as Peter”
Kinda like John Wayne as a roman soldier in The Greatest Story Ever Told.
Does anyone know if Kazantzakis was ex-communicated from the Orthodox Church for writing the Last Temptation Of Christ?
He then gathers some sympathetic fellow Jesuits around him and decides to fight back against the Japanese persecution. The film's bloody climax involves the Jesuit and his accomplices taking revenge for Japanese brutality by ambushing and triumphantly slitting the throats of scores of Japanese soldiers as blood spurts everywhere in the oriental version of the "St. Valentines's Day Massacre."
Perhaps ... just once ... he'll do something right.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.