BERIGAN Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 (edited) Kind of surprised by that, but then again, I don't imagine many on this board seeing this film....I know I won't, just seeing Jesus slowly, painfully beaten to death is not my cup of tea.....interesting reviews so far..... http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ThePassion...Christ-1129941/ Edited February 26, 2004 by BERIGAN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Rat Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 One the front page of the NYT arts section yesterday. Quarter page. Got in an argument with a couple of people in a bar about whether he is "flayed" or not. --eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 (edited) I'm actually torn about whether or not to see this. On the one hand, I don't want to give Mel Gibson my money, mainly because I think his reasons for making "The Passion" are far from pure. From what I've read, Gibson has made some crucial omissions that play up the complicity of the Jews in Christ's death (failing to show the same hesitation on the part of the priests that he depicts in Pilate, for example). Given that the film is basically one long guilt trip for Christians (look at the agony of Christ! In full color! And in slow motion!) it's kind of hard to imagine that people aren't MEANT to become angry with the Jews for putting someone through all that. On the other hand, I'm kind of eager to prove that it's possible to sit through it and NOT be religiously moved (just grossed out). I'd also like to heckle it! During the sermon on the mount I could shout: "Did he just say "blessed are the cheesemakers?"" "Blessed are the Greek?" And then sing "Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life" from "Life of Brian" during the crucifixion.... Edited February 26, 2004 by Alexander Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 There's no sermon, Alex. It deals almost exclusively with the last hours of his life. But I might join you in singing "Always Look On The Bright Side of Life" during the last 90 minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 This film is so bound to be over the top - I'm not sure i could stomach it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 There's no sermon, Alex. It deals almost exclusively with the last hours of his life. But I might join you in singing "Always Look On The Bright Side of Life" during the last 90 minutes. I read that there are flashbacks to the sermon. In fact, the actor playing Jesus was reportedly struck by lightening while shooting the sermon on the mount! If that's not a criticism, I don't know what is... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son-of-a-Weizen Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 Movie critics are a totally irrelevant species. I can't remember the last time I saw so many of them line up and use the same variation of 'gratuitous violence & gore' -- were talking points handed out or something? I guess I need to go back and see how they reviewed Pulp Fiction, Scarface, Goodfellas and the other 10,000 or so bloody films out there to see if those movies rated that same "gratuitous violence" -- or is it just Gibson who had the target on his back, so they might as well pile on? But if this is the start of a wave of moralizing by the critics --- that violence on screen begets violence and thus the movie industry needs to know what part it plays in causing violence in our society......wait!! what am I saying?! Of course they can't say that. In fact Hollywood goes to extra lengths to deny that their product influences any children or adults to do terrible untoward things. So what's it gonna be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 One the front page of the NYT arts section yesterday. Quarter page. Got in an argument with a couple of people in a bar about whether he is "flayed" or not. --eric And no tits on the BABE thread! I'd rather see tits than this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Rat Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 (picture excerpted--twice is enough, even for me!) One the front page of the NYT arts section yesterday. Quarter page. Got in an argument with a couple of people in a bar about whether he is "flayed" or not. --eric And no tits on the BABE thread! I'd rather see tits than this! Sorry. I had to look at it in my paper yesterday, so I figured it was OK to inflict it on you all. --eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 I'm not planning to go see it. I don't believe the accuracy of the source material, and I don't think I'll want to see it graphically displayed as the cat's meow. . . . It's an interesting conflict, and it sure is interesting to think of medieval morality plays in a time of Bushian imperialism, but I'm not planning on being a part of the spectacle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Rat Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 I'm not planning to go see it. I don't believe the accuracy of the source material, and I don't think I'll want to see it graphically displayed as the cat's meow. . . . It's an interesting conflict, and it sure is interesting to think of medieval morality plays in a time of Bushian imperialism, but I'm not planning on being a part of the spectacle. Instead of seeing the film, read "Who Wrote the Gospels," a fine book on the complex provenance of the Good Book. --eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BERIGAN Posted February 26, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 I'm not planning to go see it. I don't believe the accuracy of the source material, and I don't think I'll want to see it graphically displayed as the cat's meow. . . . It's an interesting conflict, and it sure is interesting to think of medieval morality plays in a time of Bushian imperialism, but I'm not planning on being a part of the spectacle. Wow, you are getting as good as Chris at turning every thread into a Bush Bash! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILLYQ Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 It's too bad that Gibson decided only to look at the suffering and torture. I haven't seen the flick(& I don't plan to), but by many accounts it is mostly a gorefest(not Al!), with chunks of flying flesh, slo-mo whippings, etc. It seems a shame that Gibson didn't do a movie about the LIFE of Christ, to show him preaching love and peace, etc. I'd love to see the miracles and so on with today's special effects technology- to my mind, that would be a whiz-bang movie, but with a great potentail to be little more than an elaborate cartoon. Gibson is laughing all the way to the bank on this one... . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 Gibson's stated purpose is to show Christ's suffering. That is apparently the basis of his faith and its all he wants to concentrate on, so why make a movie about his sermons and his message? The whole message is "How Christ Suffered for YOU" Wiz Bang special effects of miracles isn't what Gibson cares about. I don't even think it has a lot to do with what he believes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 (edited) Berigan, that is what is happening, US imperialism. I open my eyes, that is what I see. If I call it that it's because that is what I see. If you don't see that fine. But I wonder where you're looking! And honestly this film IS a morality play, popular back when Christian imperialism was taking over the Old World and the New Frontiers of Africa and Asia. The similarities are something I see as well. Edited February 26, 2004 by jazzbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 W, I have read many such books. I spent a good decade of my private life reading about the origins of Christianity, and about mystery religions, Judaism, the fascinating religious beliefs of Egypt, gnosticism, various Christian heresies such as Marcianism and Manichean religious belief, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Rat Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 W, I have read many such books. I spent a good decade of my private life reading about the origins of Christianity, and about mystery religions, Judaism, the fascinating religious beliefs of Egypt, gnosticism, various Christian heresies such as Marcianism and Manichean religious belief, etc. Yes, Egypt did seem to be quite a hotbead of religious dark alleys (meaning, religious thought that more or less went underground in later years.) The book I mentioned goes a little bit into the Egyptian origins of the gospel of John . . . I was curious to find out more about some of the different versions of Christianity floating around in Egypt. --eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 There's a lot of scholarship out there. One can spend years and years reading and evaluating if you choose and have the drive and the interest. I've done so, and I don't necessarily recommend it. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son-of-a-Weizen Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 It's too bad that Gibson decided only to look at the suffering and torture. I haven't seen the flick(& I don't plan to), but by many accounts it is mostly a gorefest(not Al!), with chunks of flying flesh, slo-mo whippings, etc. It seems a shame that Gibson didn't do a movie about the LIFE of Christ, to show him preaching love and peace, etc. I'd love to see the miracles and so on with today's special effects technology- to my mind, that would be a whiz-bang movie, but with a great potentail to be little more than an elaborate cartoon. Gibson is laughing all the way to the bank on this one... . Yeah sure Philly, maybe you can send a note off to him and see if he can't axe all the unrealistic gore from that kinder & gentler period in human history http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/romestat.htm when the Scythians weren't really drinking blood from the skulls of victims, etc......and see if he'll produce a 'sing-a-long' version like this: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 The film sounds like a revival of the whole passion play trope from the middle ages. One wonders what the effect on Jews will be this time. The other night I heard this headline blare out from CNN as I was cooking: "See the passion of Jesus on Paula Zahn later tonight". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son-of-a-Weizen Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 One wonders what the effect on Jews will be this time. Well, the Jewish owner (Ms. Bernstein) of a D.C. theater doesn't seem to happy about all the threatening phone calls she has received for allowing the film to be shown. Obviously, it ain't Christians doing that --- could it be a renegade member of Alex's Jewish-Atheist Club gone berserk?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catesta Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 "Did he just say "blessed are the cheesemakers?" Classic line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AfricaBrass Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 My wife really wants to see the film, but I'm not really excited to see it. I really think I'd rather go to the dentist instead. I think it would just be painful to watch. I've been having a really hard time with my faith lately and I'm a little concerned how I will react to the movie. Maybe I'm afraid I won't feel anything. As for the criticism of the film, I really believe that Gibson made this film as an expression of his own faith. I feel for those who are afraid of any negative reactions toward Jewish people. I hope nothing comes of these fears. I figure any person who claims to "know" Jesus will know that anti-sematism is wrong in every way. Jesus was a jew himself. The truth is he broke the law of Moses when he claimed to be God himself. It's a bit of an irony to me. Have you seen any interviews of Mel Gibson lately? He looks like he's been out in the wilderness feeding on locusts. All this criticism seems like it has been tough on him. I think he's turning into that crazy character he played in the Lethal Weapon films. I feel bad for him, I don't think he meant any harm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connoisseur series500 Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 I'm no fan of movies in general, nor of Mel Gibson. I use TV time to read books and listen to jazz. No time for these films. No interest at all. I blame Clinton! (Thought I would squeeze than one in.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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