Wall Street Journal: "The Greatest Story, Newly Told" Mel Gibson on "The Passion"

The Wall Street Journal ^ | Friday March 7th, 2003 | Raymond Arroyo

[kstewskis]

The Greatest Story, Newly Told Mel Gibson on "The Passion," and the passion behind it.

ROME--Bounding around Studio 5 on the Cinecitt

[lorrainer]

finally an article that is in a favorable light, as opposed to the NYTrash article.

I agree totally.

[abigail2]

Hi Ronnie! Can't wait to see this movie...I knew it wouldn't be anti-semetic, he's just telling the story. What a hero he is!! (How are you? What's new?)

[TheAngryClam]

It's too bad there are so few of us who speak Latin these days.

Then again, I'm the odd one- I have Latin and Ancient Greek down, and I'm one of the younger Freepers (I'm 21).

But it just gets weirder- I earned my undergraduate degree at Berkeley.

[Terridan]

Fantastic! I am proud of you, and your quest for knowlege will pay off. I am going to run out to the nearest JC and brush up on my Latin. Even thinking about enrolling the kids! They sure aren't going to get it before college if I don't! Best wishes, and God bless.
PS. Do you think that maybe, just maybe, there will be a transulation on DVD? One could only hope, so that the unfortunate, un-Latinized, could understand it.

[kayak]

"There have been a lot of obstacles thrown in the way of this picture; it's full of discomfort," Mr. Gibson confides. "And I understand it's the other realm warring. So I have taken steps to put on armor."

Heavenly Father, we ask Your blessings on this project that it may glorify You and get Your truth out in a powerful way. Bind the hands of satan that the movie will be completed and released.

And, Father, forgive us for our part in causing the anguish of Your beloved Son. Revive and renew us that we may serve You and serve our fellow man. Amen.

[rwfromkansas]

I wonder how many theaters will show it; I am not sure what the end means when it says "no distribution deal," but it sounds like it means perhaps we will not find out who will get it until it is finished.

[rwfromkansas]

I don't often do this, but I want to stand up and applaud a Catholic.....:)

Amen!

[rwfromkansas]

That is, if we can get any companies to put it in the theaters.

But anyway, I think being in Aramaic will make it interesting, though it will probably take me awhile to get used to not beng able to hear what they are saying.

[rwfromkansas]

I will say it again.......Amen. When Good Friday comes and I will have no classes that day here at college, I hope I will meditate upon my culpability in his sacrifice.

[TheAngryClam]

If you can find a JC that offers it, I'm impressed. It's a sad state of affairs these days.

Also, I don't know about the DVD version. I suspect there might be optional subtitles, but with Mel's resistance to them as even an option with the theatrical release, who knows?

A similar thing occurs with fans of foreign films in general, and particularly those who are fans of Japanese animation (I went to a college that's nearly 50% asian, and almost 100% dork, of course I know about anime)- they often prefer subtitled versions, whereas most mass-released films are dubbed, sometimes with big name actors e.g. Princess Mononoke (Claire Danes, Gillian Anderson, Billy Bob Thornton, among others). However, the DVD version, to the delight of many, also includes the original with subtitles.

So who knows?

My suspicion is that, if there aren't subtitles, we'll see at least a few translated scripts on the internet, and probably some pioneering pirate will borrow another page from anime and make a "fansub" (pirated copy with amateur translations in subtitles).

I'd be willing to do a script translation for people. On a side note, I'm disappointed that there seems to be no mention of Greek being used in this film, since it was the lingua franca of the eastern provinces at the time, and the New Testament was written in it (I'll also do short translations of that (Greek NT, or the Vulgate, I have copies of both) for people who are interested in what it really says. I've noticed that meanings can get obscured in most new versions- the New American Bible is fairly good, and the NKJV is a little off).

If anyone is interested, Freepmail me, but understand that I'm a law student, so turnaround time will vary from a few hours to a week or more.

[8mmMauser]

Dziekuja bardzo

Great way to start the morning. Great topic for Lent.

Only pure thoughts for today ;)

[8mmMauser]

Hi again after a long while, my bad. We are great fans of Mel Gibson.

[Northern Yankee]

Thanks.

Not everyday you get a chance to see Mel sharing a cup of coffee with Christ.

I can see some dreamy eyes out there...

[Northern Yankee]

I don't often do this, but I want to stand up and applaud a Catholic.

Aw c'mon... us Catholics aren't that bad, are we?

[Clintons a commie]

Thanks for the ping!

[Claire Voyant]

It is a pleasure to have such a young, intelligent person with a strong religious leaning as a Freeper.......but LAW STUDENT????? :) What type of law are you studying?

Good Luck...really!

Question to Catholics: Have they changed your Mass to standing the entire time til everyone receives Communion?

[truthandlife]

FIRST-PERSON: Mel Gibson's 'Passion'
By Kelly Boggs
Jan 17, 2003

McMINNVILLE, Ore. (BP)--Undertake the ambitious task of shooting a film that concentrates on the last few hours in the life of a history-altering religious figure, as accurately as possible, and you might anticipate kudos from Hollywood's elite. Do so entirely in the dominant languages of the period without subtitles and you might expect to hear critics using the term "groundbreaking" and "genius" in the same breath.

Attempt the aforementioned effort and overflowing adulation is yours, unless your subject is Jesus Christ. Just ask Mel Gibson.

The popular film star, best known for his dual role as actor/director in the movie "Braveheart" (for which he won an Oscar and Golden Globe for best director), is seeking to portray the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus Christ as accurately as possible. Gibson's script is based entirely on gospel accounts of Christ's ordeal that culminate in his crucifixion. In an effort to be historically accurate, he had all the dialogue translated into Aramaic and/or Latin. At this point he has no plan for subtitles. In an interview with ABC News, Gibson said, "For me, that's more real, and hopefully I'll be able to transcend language barriers with filmic storytelling." The chosen title for the forthcoming film is "The Passion."

If nothing else, Gibson's new film is an innovative attempt to tell an epic story in a fresh way. The attempt at accuracy alone is novel considering the way Christ has been depicted by Hollywood in recent years. If Gibson's subject were any figure other than Jesus Christ, he would probably be the talk of the filmmaking world. However, since he has chosen a subject that has become increasing controversial in our politically correct world -- and is seeking to portray Christ in a positive light -- his effort has garnered mostly silence and some interesting scrutiny.

Appearing on Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor," Gibson revealed that a reporter from a "reputable" but unnamed publication had been dispatched to "dig up dirt" on him. Asked if he believed there is a link between the investigation and his new film, he replied, "I think there is.... Whenever you take up a subject like this [Jesus Christ], it does bring out a lot of enemies." Gibson added that his private life, his banking records, charities he supports, friends, business associates and family members -- including his 85-year-old father -- have all been scrutinized in this investigation.

Depict Christ as self-doubting, fallible and fallen as did Martin Scorsese in his 1988 film "The Last Temptation of Christ," and you are the toast of Tinsel Town.

Portray Jesus as homosexual as does Terrance McNally in his play "Corpus Christi," or in a jar of urine as did Andres Serrano in his 1989 work titled "Pi-- Christ," and critics will laud your bold imagination.

Give three college students a story about a fake witch, a hand-held camera, and let them run around in the woods cursing and shooting herky-jerky film footage -- ala "The Blair Witch Project" -- and you have introduced an innovation that will change the medium.

Depict Christ's last 12 hours that culminate in his crucifixion and do so in ancient languages for the sake of authenticity and, at best, you will be ignored by media movers and shakers and at worst someone will try to discredit you.

It is interesting that someone would try to find something in Gibson's past in an effort to somehow depict his effort in portraying Christ's last hours as hypocritical. And if someone managed to dredge up some decades-old dirt, would it detract from the movie? The film is about Jesus Christ not Mel Gibson. "This is a movie about love, faith and forgiveness. He [Jesus] died for all mankind. He suffered for all of us. It's time to get back to that basic message," Gibson said of the film.

To date, there is no distributor for "The Passion." A deranged, deluded or homosexual Christ has no problem being accepted, even embraced, by the media elite. However, a Jesus Christ beaten and bloody hanging on the cross with no editorial comment or social commentary -- even if his words can't be understood -- is very challenging. Challenging enough for some to try to thwart its being placed in theaters, even if it means a personal attack on the director. Another reason to rethink, "Hooray for Hollywood!"
--30--
Boggs is pastor of Valley Baptist Church in McMinnville, Ore.

[Judith Anne]

Great post and thank you. We'll be buying many copies of this film.

[mtngrl@vrwc]

"For Mel and Jim, their belief is their whole lives, and they are committed to telling this story," Steve McEveety, Mr. Gibson's producer and partner, observes.

An I-can't-wait-to-see-this-movie BUMP!