Gibson '08
Posted on 03/07/2005 6:03:45 PM PST by wagglebee
Mel Gibson says he cut scenes from his soon-to-be-re-released blockbuster film, "Passion of the Christ," to tone down the violence that earned it an R rating and kept some people from seeing it.
Gibson said he received "truckloads of cards and letters” when the original film was released.
"What came up again and again was that a lot of people were turned away because of the brutality in the film and were afraid to watch," he told Raymond Arroyo on EWTN’s "World Over Live" Friday night.
"So I thought if I softened it up a bit, I could have a wider audience. Essentially it’s the same film, but what I’ve done is to excise some of the aspects of it,” he explained. "The trick was to excise or imply some of the aspects of it that were pretty much in your face, without actually showing them."
Gibson said he edited the film by reducing its length by about five or six minutes.
Gibson said among the changes he made was the scene showing the crowning of Christ with the crown of thorns.
"You see it, but it’s farther away," he said, adding that viewers no longer see the nails being driven into Christ’s hands.
Despite the changes, Gibson said, "it still works." Gibson spoke about his recent visit to meet Sister Lucia, the Fatima visionary, as first revealed by NewsMax.com in January. [See: Mel Gibson's Secret Meeting With Fatima Visionary]
Calling her "incredibly childlike," Gibson described her convent as "pretty austere and spartan."
Noting that he believes that the full contents of the famed Third Secret have not been revealed, he said, "I still don’t think we got all it," but said he did not raise the subject with her.
"You can’t go in there and say, 'So, what’s the Third Secret?'" he explained. "But I still want to know."
Sister Lucia passed away last month, renewing interest in the subject of her visions of the Virgin Mary. London's Daily Mail reported this weekend that Gibson is considering a movie about Fatima.
Commenting on the recent Oscar awards ceremonies, where Hollywood turned its back on "The Passion," Gibson said that he made none of the usual Hollywood moves to promote his film.
"The whole notion of these awards ceremonies is ludicrous. ... It’s really a marketing exercise."
The awards ceremonies, he added, are "a celebration of mediocrity."
"My film is not right wing or political, but they made it so," he said.
He noted that he was delighted that his film won the People’s Choice award.
As for the Oscar, Gibson said: "I didn’t expect one. I knew exactly what was going to happen. I didn’t try to market the film. People are spending 15 or 20 million dollars to market their films. That’s a lot of money for a little gold statue." Gibson also revealed that he will be going back to acting in a couple of upcoming films.
I wish that were true, but it's all about the money. Why else remove the R rating, that could have been done beforehand. This opens up another audience. That opens up more purse strings in the dvd market.
Money is power and people get lost in both very quickly.
When Gibson tried to give credibility to the People's Choice Awards ( see my comment above}, I saw some real PR at work!
So, is he saying that Braveheart was mediocre?
LOL! That's so true. We live in a world were mediocrity is celebrated and so often glamorized. Looking forward to seeing his next movie.
Gibson '08
His move to remove the R rating is a shrewd business move that corrects for what in hindsight was a poor business move (so much violence that it carried an R rating at the theaters), and makes the film more accessible. He initially underestimated how many people would get scared away by the R rating AND the MSM's hypoctritical criticism of the violence (while the "Kill Bills" get a pass-zheesh). If he had somehow made it PG-13 from the start he might have had the #1 box office move of all time.
Why shouldn't he be congratulated for a midcourse correction?
I should also add that I trust Gibson to do something productive and meaningful with the money instead of, say, sending it up his nose, or wasting it on ostentatious living.
If you watched the interview, you would have heard that he said, "the Oscar awards, THIS YEAR, were a celebration of mediocrity!
Kill Bill did get an R, and every review I saw did mention the violence. Not that anyone should have been surprised by violence in a Gibson or Tarantino film. The fact that The Passion was such a lightning rod to begin with had a lot to do with this. Not to mention Kill Bill's violence became over the top in a hurry.
Plans and considering are not equivalent terms.
Fatima movie will be great!
It's one of the few examples of cinematic violence that's justified in the name of art in order to convey the severity and extent of Christ's sacrifice.
A film about the Maccabees or Fatima would be nice (though the 1952 Fatima film is great). But what I would love to see would be "Vatican II: The Movie -- by Mel Gibson." That would be fantastic!!!!
I dread a Mad Max 4. There was so much wrong with MM3 -- especially the loss of input from Byron Kennedy (may he rest in peace). Too much potential for disaster in a MM4.
Hey guys I think there was Fatima movie back in da day Maybe I am wrong
COOL rack Mel
What i hear that he currently working on script for Macbeeres I think maybe Fatima script is probably next
There been rumor in Hollywood trade paper that Mel both working on Macbrees probably Fatima this not first time I hear he working on that project
Thank you for the clarification. Now, it makes sense!
" they are trying to make money " and push their agendas.
"I would love to see a Fatima movie done by Mel, although he should be careful to not bring up too much conspiracy about the Third Secret as that would distract from the main message of Fatima."
At this juncture in history I am not sure if that is possible. Unless one simply does an exact remake of the 1952 movie......which while it was nice was far from cinematic excellance. It also carefully avoided......oh what is it called?........truth!
The Fatima apparitions & Miracle of the Sun occured in 1917. They warned of the imminant advance of Soviet Marxism - which would spread its influence over the world. Our lady predicted WWII would ensue, if her message were not heeded and acted upon.
Churchmen ignored it. WWII happened - millions and millions of souls perished, as Mary fortold. She fortold even worse subsequent disaster for the Church adn the world, lest Church men heed her.
They - by and large - ignored her, relagating the Fatima message & devotion as the province of little old ladies.
Once again - in 1960 - Mary was snubbed......her directions, and message from God ignored. Fatima was an either/or proposition. Pope John XXII chose "or". That is why the Church and the world are in the state it is in in 2005.
Our Lady's message at Fatima was not about bunnies and rainbows. Nor was it just another pretty devotion......or pious spiritual excercise.
It was about a warning to mankind from its Maker. Nearly a century has passed since Mary gave her messages & warnings. Because they were ignored, we have been through a century of unparalled evil and slaughter.
In essense Mary said "turn back, O man - forswear thy foolish ways". Priest and bishop alike ignored Fatima - even ridiculed it. As the world grew more secular, so did the hearts of the laity.
Fatima - at its heart - is both religious AND geopolitical. The two are hopelessly intertwined in it. there is no escaping this.
Based upon seeing the compleat, original version of The Passion of the Christ, I would find it hard to believe that Mel Gibson would go to the effort of making a film about Fatima which did not show it as it is - warts & all.
It would be my guess that he will lay open the facts - as known.......and indicate a "trail of breadcrumbs" regarding that which is controversial - at the very least.
True, but even pushing the agendas is amiss from their artistic role.
You truly are blessed to know such faith, and have it laid out before the eyes of your children.
But Fatima...AH! My girls would LOVE that. They love the Blessed Virgin, and are fascinated that Mary has appeared to children so often. It makes them feel special to know such a thing.
I strongly believe that our goal as parents is to get our loved ones to Heaven. By showing and living that faith it brings to us all many blessings.
God Bless you and your family.
I saw Hotel Rwanda, and it was the most powerful film I have seen in a long time.
The most powerful film to have come out in the past year was The Passion of the Christ. For the Oscars to completely ignore it shows just how out of touch they are.
You're absolutely right... Gibson just said it like it is.
Good Morning, all!
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