Posted on 06/27/2003 1:46:48 PM PDT by DPB101
Actor Used Personal Fortune To Finance Filming
COLORADO SPRINGS -- Actor Mel Gibson won rave reviews from religious leaders here this week after asking them to make sure his upcoming film, "The Passion," accurately depicts the Gospel.
The star of the "Lethal Weapon" series said his Christian faith inspired the movie, which depicts the final 12 hours in the life of Jesus Christ (pictured, left). Gibson is still looking for a distributor.
The script, which Mel Gibson co-wrote, is based on the diaries of St. Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824) that are collected in the book "The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ", on Mary of Agreda's "The City of God" and on the New Testament Gospels by Luke, John, Matthew and Mark.
"I'm not a preacher, and I'm not a pastor," Gibson said Thursday. "But I really feel my career was leading me to make this. The Holy Ghost was working through me on this film, and I was just directing traffic. I hope the film has the power to evangelize."
Gibson visited New Life Church and Focus on the Family. Among those who watched clips of the film was Ted Haggard, New Life's pastor and president of the National Evangelical Association.
"It conveys, more accurately than any other film, who Jesus was," Haggard said.
"I was very impressed," added Don Hodel, president of Focus on the Family. "The movie is historically and theologically accurate."
Gibson financed the $25 million film, co-wrote the script and directed and produced the movie, which stars James Caviezel as Christ. The film was shot in the Aramaic language of the time, but subtitles were in place during Thursday's showing.
Gibson said he attended Mass every morning during filming because "we had to be squeaky clean just working on this."
"It was a strange mixture of the most difficult thing I've ever done, along with this incredible ease," Gibson said. "Everyone who worked on this movie was changed. There were agnostics and Muslims on set converting to Christianity."
That is hopeful... I have heard in other articles there wouldn't be any subtitles.... That was a real head scratcher for me, and my only worry about the marketability of film.
An endorsement by The National Evangelical Association will bring the Assemblies of God and other evangelical Christian groups on board to see the film. Focus on the Family has a radio show that is widely listened to by born-again Christians. For instance, if you're the type of person who would wear a T-shirt saying "Jesus Saves", then you probably listen to Christian radio and TV and will be open to hearing a story about Gibson's movie.
In other words, this was a VERY smart move by Mr. Gibson, because the above-named organizations will give positive feedback on the movie that will energize their home base to see the film.
I saw him on an interview on EWTN and he looked like he'd make a fantastic Jesus: beautiful features, long dark eyelashes, soft, expressive eyes, gentle but masculine voice. Thought he was great in "Count of Monte Cristo" too.
He also has the correct initials: JC -- hehehe.
You could be talking about my grandparents! (except if they were still alive, they'd be in their 90's). I'm sure it was a bit difficult for your friend, as well as my grandfather who brought home a "shiksa" (apologies if I destroyed the spelling of that word) for Mom to meet!
We are all in the business of Salvation through God, together. The more we heed His advice of "Love one another," the better off we'll all be.
...btw, thanks for the google tip! ;o)
He was also age...33...when he filmed the movie-- :D
LOL!...you better copyright that line today because every conservative pundit is going to be stealing it.
There are plenty of state representatives and state attorney generals who want good publicity. What better for an elected official in, say Utah or Alabama, than to demand an investigation into why a film his or her constituents want cannot find a distributor?
"I'm not a preacher, and I'm not a pastor," Gibson said Thursday. "But I really feel my career was leading me to make this. The Holy Ghost was working through me on this film, and I was just directing traffic. I hope the film has the power to evangelize."
If the pre-release buzz on this movie, instigated mostly by it's detractors, is any indication, nobody will be able to stop this film from evangelizing. The Holy Spirit probably was working on Gibson, and I'd just suspect the Holy Spirit has been working on those contemplating going to see it as well. I don't think the Holy Spirit will stop working on people after they've seen it either.
When I go see a big sci-fi flick like Close Encounters, Star Wars, Star Trek, etc, I never observe an offering in this genre without thinking that the one true Conflict of the Ages has never been depicted using today's cinema magic. Now there's a flick I could sink my teeth into.
One more thing came to mind as I considered this topic and what might result from renewed emphasis on religion in this nation.
Many faiths have somewhat lost their ways over the years. What with the likes of Bill and Hillary Clinton and other "what seem to be in name only religious observers", attending churches these days, it is of concern to me which way an awakening could lead the transformation.
When pseudo Christians get a fire in the belly, they are capable of doing some pretty devastating things in the name of religion. I just suspect the same folks who have denigrated this nation almost beyond recognition would be some of the same people leading out in the revival. I shudder to contemplate the results.
That could have an impact of truly Biblical proportions.
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