French theater chain: 'Passion' 'fascist' (chain refuses to show Passion)

Hollywood Reporter ^

[LiveFreeOrDie_NY]

PARIS, France (Hollywood Reporter) -- One of France's leading independent cinema groups has refused to program Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ," which it has branded "fascist propaganda."

"I refused to program the film in my network of theaters," MK2 president Marin Karmitz said in a written statement forwarded to The Hollywood Reporter. "I have always fought against fascism, notably through my exhibition activity. For me, 'Passion' is a film of fascist propaganda."

[LiveFreeOrDie_NY]

PAssion wordwide recepits according to BOM:

United States and Canada $295,507,244
Mexico $5,000,000
Brazil $1,800,000
Central America $997,737
Chile $709,000
Colombia $698,000
Peru $496,000
Ecuador $101,000
Jamaica $121,000
Trinidad and Tobago $110,000
Germany $2,300,000
Poland $5,000,000
Australia $8,200,000
Overseas Total $32,300,000

Worldwide Total $327,807,244

[LiveFreeOrDie_NY]

Biggest February Release : $83,848,082
6th Biggest Opening : $83,848,082
3rd-Biggest Non-Sequel Opening : $83,848,082
Biggest Per-Print Opening Average : $17,494
First 2004 $100m Film : February 29th
First 2004 $200m Film : March 7th
First 2004 $250m Film : March 13th
8th Biggest Day (Sat) : $33,077,939
20th Biggest Day (Sun) : $27,860,195
3rd Biggest Wednesday : $26,556,573
9th Biggest Opening Day : $26,556,573
5th Biggest Saturday : $33,077,939
2nd Biggest Sunday : $27,860,195
3rd Biggest 5-Day Gross/Opening : $125,185,971
Biggest R-Rated Film : $295,507,259
Biggest Religious Film : $295,507,259
Biggest Subtitled Film : $295,507,259
Biggest Independent Film : $295,507,259
Biggest Mel Gibson-directed Film : $295,507,259
Biggest Mel Gibson Film : $295,507,259
Mel Gibson's Eleventh $100m Film : $295,507,259
Mel Gibson's 13th Number One Opener : $83,848,082
3rd Biggest 2nd Wknd : $53,246,801
Biggest March Wknd : $53,246,801
Biggest March Day : $21,929,043
4th Biggest 3rd Wknd : $32,130,978
9th Biggest 4th Weekend : $19,414,377
Only Current Film with Biggest WKnd for 2 months : Feb. And March
Days to $100m : 5
Days to $200m : 12
Days to $250m : 18
Days above $30m : 1
Days above $25m : 3
Days above $20m : 5
Days above $15m : 6
Days above $10m : 11
Days above $5m : 16



2nd Highest Opening Mexico $5,200,000
Biggest Fox Opening-Mexico $5,200,000
7th Highest Opening Brazil $1.8-1.9m
Biggest Fox Opening-Brazil $1.8-1.9m
Biggest Opening-Chile $688,000
3rd Biggest Opening-Colombia $606,000
Biggest Fox Opening-Colombia $606,000
Peru-2nd Biggest Opening $468,412
Biggest Fox Opening-Peru $468,412
Ecuador- Biggest Drama Weekend $101,000
Biggest Fox Opening-Ecuador $101,000
Biggest Opening Day-Jamaica Wednesday
Trinidad-2nd Biggest Fox Opening $121,000

[LiveFreeOrDie_NY]

Summary:

Passion #1 R-rated domestic all-time
Passion #18 domestic all-time
Passion #86 domestic all-time inflation adjusted
Passion #106 worldwide all-time

Passion #1 all 2004 domestic
Passion - 3 weekends at #1 domestic
Passion - 24 days at #1 domestic

[LiveFreeOrDie_NY]

Forgot the link for stats source:

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/

[Moby Grape]

Now the French have found a new way to show their cowardace...afraid to show a movie.

[End Times Sentinel]

When did the word "Fascism" evolve from a system of government loosely related to Marxism and advanced by Mussolini to anything a leftist dislikes? 

Owl_Eagle

" WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
DIVERSITY IS STRENGTH"

[stanley windrush]

Familiarity breeds contempt.

[per loin]

For me, 'Passion' is a film of fascist propaganda."

The rhetoric of the Christ-haters grows more vile as the movie becomes more and more successful. By Easter, these bozos will be running naked through the streets screaming that Gibson is an alien pod distributor.

[familyofman]

This theater chain must have been taking notes from the 'dixie chicks' revolt - if you don't like it, don't support it.

[TopQuark]

My thoughts exactly. When did the fascist ever used Christianity for propaganda? Second in their ferver only to Jews and Gypsies, was it not the Christian leaders that these socialist thugs went after?

[Fiddlstix]

Now the French have found a new way to show their cowardace...afraid to show a movie.

Sure looks like it..........

[thoughtomator]

Further confirmation of my theory of the inverse relationship between the popularity of Passion and the level of anti-semitism. A Jewish center was attacked in southern France not 24 hours ago.

[AmishDude]

Well, the French would know about fascism.

But Pilate is a Vichy-type character, you'd think the guy would identify with him.

[AmishDude]

Familiarity breeds contempt.

Hee hee.

[AmishDude]

A Jewish center was attacked in southern France not 24 hours ago.

[Always Right]

Funny how the leftist view Christianity = Fascism

[philosofy123]

I love, and support Mel Gibson, and his movie, but also have no reason to dump on the French because some theaters are owned by communists/liberal/Godless! The movie will be shown in France. Please save your venom for the Islamic jihadists and get off the France's case!

[elbucko]

"Lastly, given the representation of the Jews, anti-Semitism is the third element of this fascist ideology (?) (in the film)," Karmitz said. "But in America, the Jewish lobbies made a mistake by basing the debate solely on this point."

Ah, Christianity, a "fascist ideology". That's a new one on me. I wonder if Stalin and Hitler considered themselves "Christian".

FWIW, the film depicts the first anti-Christian act in history, the crucification of the first Christian.

Me thinks Karmitz doth protest too much.