8 Things You Didn't Know About ‘The Passion of the Christ’

http://movies.yahoo.com ^ | February 24, 2014 | Bryan Enk

[NKP_Vet]

Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" opened on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2004, immediately sparking the biggest religious-based movie controversy since ... well, since Martin Scorsese's "The Last Temptation of Christ" (1988).

An all-consuming labor of love for director/co-writer Gibson (to say the least), "Passion" chronicles the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus Christ (Jim Caviezel), from the Agony in the Garden through his death on the cross, with a brief epilogue focussed on the Resurrection. The film was a huge box office success, earning an astonishing $370,782,930 at the domestic box office, making it the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time and the highest-grossing foreign language film released in the U.S.

Still, its release was met with a hailstorm of criticism; fierce debate raged around the violent recreation of the torture of Jesus, allegations that the film contained anti-Semitic passages (which, to quote James Southall of Movie Wave, is "kind of like saying 'Patton' is anti-German") and its depiction of King Herod as a fey fop holding a fool's court of decadent misfits.

Upon the 10-year anniversary of its release, here are 8 things you might not know about Gibson's moving, challenging masterpiece.

[NKP_Vet]

I watch it every year on Easter Sunday.

[Salvation]

The article should read Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich

Pope to Beatify Mel Gibson's 'Passion' Muse

Mystic Who Helped Inspire "The Passion" to Be Beatified in October [Anna Katharina Emmerick]
Ven. Anne Catherine Emmerich
Do Yo Weep for Catholic Liberals / Dissidents or Mock Them?
Powrful Quotes By Anne Catherine Emmerich
The Dreams of Pilate's Wife Claudia, etc. (Gibson, Passion)
The Passion of The Christ and Anne Catherine Emmerich and Mary of Agreda
The Passion of the Christ & Anne Catherine Emmerich, Mary of Agreda
Anne Catherine Emmerich: Sign for Our Time
Ven. Anne Catherine Emmerich SAID TO HAVE INSPIRED NEW GIBSON MOVIE- PROPHESIED GREAT CHURCH CRISES
Catholic Caucus - A Venerable - Anne Catherine Emmerich

[Salvation]

Most powerful film ever.

[steve8714]

Herod is almost always portrayed thus in films, although usually with a hint of the schemer.

[Slyfox]

The article mentions that Anne Emmerich did not write it. She could not write it as she was bedridden and in a near constant state of having visions. Brentano happened to visit her, just to meet her, when he observed her in "ecstasy" and realized that her visions needed to be written down. So, he relinquished his career as a very famous poet and spent the rest of his life essentially taking down her dictation. This he did for five years. After she died he spent the last fifteen years of his life trying to put all the dictation in order.

To say she didn't write it and then infer that he made it up is not at all what happened.

[thesearethetimes...]

BookMark

[RedMDer]

BUMP

[Sans-Culotte]

I am glad Gibson relented on the subtitle issue. I think a 2 hour + film in dead languages with no subtitles would have meant death for the film. I had resolved not to see the film when it was first announced there would be no subtitles.

[Tenacious 1]

To check back later.

[G Larry]

BUMP!
Can’t see “8 things” from the office.

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

...and I think it destroyed Gibson making it. Yes he made a lot of money but the criticism drove him over the edge.

[erod]

ping

[autumnraine]

4 things in my experience on this movie.

1) Supported for two years for this movie.

2) Mary’s flashback of Jesus stumbling as a toddler and then as Christ stopped my heart as a mother and made Him more real and made me love Mary more than ever.

3) Never saw so many solemn faces comeout of a theater

4) I imagine napkin orders increased by 100% through this period.

[onedoug]

I wasn’t crazy about the treatment of the Pharasees.

Jesus himself was one of them hence the term “rabbi” being constantly used to identify him throughout the gospels. He was ordained through “semikhah”, or the laying on of hands. The Pharissees were the only Jewish sect practicing this, and went on to become the founders of modern Judaism.

[onedoug]

Spelling cops?

[autumnraine]

P.S. shame for thinking Jesus (Jim) was super handsome.

[Ol' Sox]

The first time I saw this movie, I was affected for days, even though I am a lifelong follower of Christ. The second time I saw the movie, I rose to my feet at the beginning and stood through the entire showing (at the back of the theater). Since then, I have seen it many times but I will never again sit through this movie - knees or feet, but never sit.

[Jeff Chandler]

I saw it the day it came out: Ash Wednesday ten years ago. I haven’t watched it in years, but I think I may watch it again this year.

[circlecity]

On the “Director’s Cut” DVD of the movie there is a commentary soundtrack with Gibson and two Catholic theologins giving commentary to the movie. It was very interesting and informative. It pointed out lots of little nuances which most would otherwise miss. For example, when Jesus is first taken to Pilate, Pilate speacks to Jesus in Aramaic to be understood and Jesus answers in Latin, prompting a very surpsied look on Pilate’s face. But for the commentary I never would have understood why the surprised look on Pilate’s face. Many such easily missed subtleties are pointed out. It’s really worth listening to.

[circlecity]

"The first time I saw this movie, I was affected for days, even though I am a lifelong follower of Christ."

When I saw the movie in the theater (which was packed), when the movie ended and the closing credits were on the screen you could have heard a pin drop in that theater as people were leaving. They were just stunned silent, as was I. Many had tears streaming down their faces. It was VERY powerful.