[ex-Texan]

* ping *

[LibKill]

Mel Gibson is set to direct a movie about Christ's last 12 hours played out entirely in two ancient tongues - Latin and Aramaic - with no subtitles.

I don't see how this will work. It may be the greatest film ever made, but most of the world won't know what is being said.

[fineright]

Bump for Mel Gibson seems to be a real stand-up guy.

[Fred Mertz]

No subtitles? I need to take an immersion course in Latin soonest.

[meowmeow]

O tempora, O mores!

Latin??? Why not Greek?

Salve!

[cyncooper]

I tend to think the final product will not be as envisioned by Gibson, but I found this article very interesting.

[jwfiv]

I think it's a good idea.

I already know the story, would love to hear it in the languages of the day.

I never understand what they are saying in opera, and only half of what's said in rock, so...I'm open to it.

I expect Mel will throw a little Greek in the mix, as it also was a language of commerce in the Holy Land.

He's a ballsy fellow, that Mel.

[LibWhacker]

"Many people have told the story but ... it's like looking at it from the wrong end of the telescope, I mean Jesus either suffers from bad hair or it's inaccurate or you don't believe it,"

Very interesting, and potentially brilliant. Sure sounds like he's bending over backward to avoid the cliches -- both spoken and visual -- Hollywood usually uses to deaden the story of Christ. I'll gladly pay to see it, no matter what the critics say. A visionary deserves his reward.

[Pompah]

Good for Mel. He's one of my all time favorites.(BraveHeart) But I think that the "Bean Counters" might have a say in how this motion picture will be released.
The Ol'Bottom Line is seldom a friend of the Arts.

[syriacus]

Very interesting. Thanks for posting it.

[PoorMuttly]

Should be cheap to shoot...all scenes being local, technology simple then. He's a rich and powerful guy...and wants to make a document for a change, perhaps. It's his hobby, his quarter. If there isn't Greek in it...I think it'll be another movie fraud. I don't know if he's on a self-indulgent jaunt...or really doing what director Emir Kusturica does...which is only work in the original languages. Subtitles there, though. Then again....lots of us have the original script around! Some of us even read it.

[alnick]

I think it would be fascinating. I'd love to see it. Some things transcend words.

[Dumb_Ox]

And people laughed at me when I suggested that Gladiator would have made a better film in Latin.

[Malesherbes]

I think it is a brilliant idea - and further increases my respect for Mel Gibson which was already high.

I believe no one is sure exactly how Latin sounded in ancient times, but Church Latin is probably as close as we can get. It will be very interesting to hear it spoken in this film - as well as Aramaic. And, yes, Christians know the story well enough to follow the action without sub-title.

[discostu]

CENTURION: What's this, then? 'Romanes Eunt Domus'? 'People called Romanes they go the house'?
BRIAN:It-- it says, 'Romans, go home'.
CENTURION:No, it doesn't. What's Latin for 'Roman'? Come on!
BRIAN:Aah!
CENTURION:Come on!
BRIAN:'R-- Romanus'?
CENTURION:Goes like...?
BRIAN:'Annus'?
CENTURION:Vocative plural of 'annus' is...?
BRIAN:Eh. 'Anni'?
CENTURION:'Romani'. 'Eunt'? What is 'eunt'?
BRIAN:'Go'. Let--
CENTURION:Conjugate the verb 'to go'.
BRIAN:Uh. 'Ire'. Uh, 'eo'. 'Is'. 'It'. 'Imus'. 'Itis'. 'Eunt'.
CENTURION:So 'eunt' is...?
BRIAN:Ah, huh, third person plural, uh, present indicative. Uh, 'they go'.
CENTURION:But 'Romans, go home' is an order, so you must use the...?
BRIAN:The... imperative!
CENTURION:Which is...?
BRIAN:Umm! Oh. Oh. Um, 'i'. 'I'!
CENTURION:How many Romans?
BRIAN:Ah! 'I'-- Plural. Plural. 'Ite'. 'Ite'.
CENTURION:'Ite'.
BRIAN:Ah. Eh.
CENTURION:'Domus'?
BRIAN:Eh.
CENTURION:Nominative?
BRIAN:Oh.
CENTURION:'Go home'? This is motion towards. Isn't it, boy?
BRIAN:Ah. Ah, dative, sir! Ahh! No, not dative! Not the dative, sir! No! Ah! Oh, the... accusative! Accusative! Ah! 'Domum', sir! 'Ad domum'! Ah! Oooh! Ah!
CENTURION:Except that 'domus' takes the...?
BRIAN:The locative, sir!
CENTURION:Which is...?!
BRIAN:'Domum'.
CENTURION:'Domum'.
BRIAN:Aaah! Ah.
CENTURION:'Um'. Understand?
BRIAN:Yes, sir.
CENTURION:Now, write it out a hundred times.
BRIAN:Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. Hail Caesar, sir.
CENTURION:Hail Caesar. If it's not done by sunrise, I'll cut your balls off.
BRIAN:Oh, thank you, sir. Thank you, sir. Hail Caesar and everything, sir! Oh. Mmm!

[Dajjal]

Mirabilis notio!!!