"Temptation" director "disturbed" by Gibson film ("They are two totally different movies"

Reuters ^ | March 23, 2004 | Laith Abou-Ragheb

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

LONDON (Reuters) - The Hollywood screenwriter behind the last controversial film about Christ says Mel Gibson's new film on the crucifixion is violent and disturbing.

"It's a well-made movie but it's very violent and infused with a great sense of self-flagellation," Paul Schrader, screenwriter for "The Last Temptation of Christ," told Reuters.

Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ," to be released with an adults-only certificate in Britain on Friday, has been heavily criticised for its bloody portrayal of Christ's final hours.

A 56-year-old woman died of a heart attack in Wichita, Kansas, last month while watching the film's climactic crucifixion scene.

Some Jewish groups even branded the film anti-Semitic, arguing that it revives old accusations that Jews bear collective responsibility for killing the Son of God.

Schrader's Last Temptation, released in 1988 and directed by Martin Scorsese, was attacked by Christian groups for a brief scene in which Jesus is seen having sex with Mary Magdalene.

But the screenwriter, who penned such cinematic classics as "Taxi Driver" and "Raging Bull", distanced his film from Gibson's.

"They are two totally different movies," he said after giving a talk in London about his acclaimed career.

"My film was essentially a humanist story about the struggle to find God in which Christ is used as a metaphor," said Schrader, who was raised in a strict Calvinist household and studied theology.

"But screenings of Gibson's film have been more like evangelical meetings. The audience comes into the film with such a powerful belief system that they think they have a religious experience. It's quite an interesting and disturbing phenomenon," he said.

Gibson's film has been a huge success in the United States. According to studio estimates, it has earned more than $250 million (135 million pounds) since its February 25 U.S. opening.

Schrader said the film would never have been made without the backing of a big star like Gibson.

"This is not the sort of film Hollywood likes," he said. "But Gibson was uniquely positioned to make it and he successfully tapped into a ready-made audience made up of conservative religious groups."

Gibson, who reportedly spent $25 million of his own money on the film, is a follower of a small traditionalist Catholic church that denies the legitimacy of Vatican decrees made since the mid-1960s.

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

So many problems, so little time.

[thoughtomator]

Fascism at work.

[TommyDale]

Yeah, they were different all right. "The Last Temptation of Christ" was heresy.

[LiveFreeOrDie_NY]

Passion #1 R-rated domestic all-time
Passion #18 domestic all-time
Passion #86 domestic all-time inflation adjusted
Passion #106 worldwide all-time
Passion #1 all 2004 domestic
Passion - 3 weekends at #1 domestic
Passion - 24 days at #1 domestic

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/

PASSION wordwide recepits according to BOM:

United States and Canada $295,507,244
Mexico $5,000,000
Brazil $1,800,000
Central America $997,737
Chile $709,000
Colombia $698,000
Peru $496,000
Ecuador $101,000
Jamaica $121,000
Trinidad and Tobago $110,000
Germany $2,300,000
Poland $5,000,000
Australia $8,200,000
Overseas Total $32,300,000

Worldwide Total $327,807,244

Biggest February Release : $83,848,082
6th Biggest Opening : $83,848,082
3rd-Biggest Non-Sequel Opening : $83,848,082
Biggest Per-Print Opening Average : $17,494
First 2004 $100m Film : February 29th
First 2004 $200m Film : March 7th
First 2004 $250m Film : March 13th
8th Biggest Day (Sat) : $33,077,939
20th Biggest Day (Sun) : $27,860,195
3rd Biggest Wednesday : $26,556,573
9th Biggest Opening Day : $26,556,573
5th Biggest Saturday : $33,077,939
2nd Biggest Sunday : $27,860,195
3rd Biggest 5-Day Gross/Opening : $125,185,971
Biggest R-Rated Film : $295,507,259
Biggest Religious Film : $295,507,259
Biggest Subtitled Film : $295,507,259
Biggest Independent Film : $295,507,259
Biggest Mel Gibson-directed Film : $295,507,259
Biggest Mel Gibson Film : $295,507,259
Mel Gibson's Eleventh $100m Film : $295,507,259
Mel Gibson's 13th Number One Opener : $83,848,082
3rd Biggest 2nd Wknd : $53,246,801
Biggest March Wknd : $53,246,801
Biggest March Day : $21,929,043
4th Biggest 3rd Wknd : $32,130,978
9th Biggest 4th Weekend : $19,414,377
Only Current Film with Biggest WKnd for 2 months : Feb. And March
Days to $100m : 5
Days to $200m : 12
Days to $250m : 18
Days above $30m : 1
Days above $25m : 3
Days above $20m : 5
Days above $15m : 6
Days above $10m : 11
Days above $5m : 16

2nd Highest Opening Mexico $5,200,000
Biggest Fox Opening-Mexico $5,200,000
7th Highest Opening Brazil $1.8-1.9m
Biggest Fox Opening-Brazil $1.8-1.9m
Biggest Opening-Chile $688,000
3rd Biggest Opening-Colombia $606,000
Biggest Fox Opening-Colombia $606,000
Peru-2nd Biggest Opening $468,412
Biggest Fox Opening-Peru $468,412
Ecuador- Biggest Drama Weekend $101,000
Biggest Fox Opening-Ecuador $101,000
Biggest Opening Day-Jamaica Wednesday
Trinidad-2nd Biggest Fox Opening $121,000

[Believe_In_The_Singularity]

...It's quite an interesting and disturbing phenomenon...

Disturbing?

I don't even know what to write. What a complete jerk.

BITS

[ClearCase_guy]

a ready-made audience made up of conservative religious groups

Translation: Normal people aren't seeing Mel Gibson's movie. Only loonies are seeing it. Millions and millions of loonies.

[lonevoice]

There's an excellent discussion taking place about this article here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1103630/posts

[Always Right]

"This is not the sort of film Hollywood likes," he said. "But Gibson was uniquely positioned to make it and he successfully tapped into a ready-made audience made up of conservative religious groups." LOL, one of the biggest box office hit of all time and he makes it sounds like it only appeals to some fringe group.

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

that's odd, I did a keyword search and didn't find it. (I also didn't find my own posting)

[aruanan]

"My film was essentially a humanist story about the struggle to find God in which Christ is used as a metaphor," said Schrader, who was raised in a strict Calvinist household and studied theology.

The sold-out modernist trying to escape the guilt of a strict, conservative upbringing by turning Jesus into a humanist fairy tale.

"But screenings of Gibson's film have been more like evangelical meetings. The audience comes into the film with such a powerful belief system that they think they have a religious experience. It's quite an interesting and disturbing phenomenon," he said.

As though he doesn't have a powerful belief system. The main difference between modern humanists who use Jesus as a metaphor and traditional Christians is that the latter are quite aware that they have a belief system and that it runs counter to that of the world. The modern humanists simply (and mistakenly) believe that their perceptions are a reflection of reality. Because of this, the reactions of "evangelicals" to this movie described above are at best "interesting," but also "disturbing". To the humanists, this doesn't indicate that perhaps their own worldview may be aberrant, but that Christians of all stripes, well, those who would accept The Passion as a more or less accurate portrayal of of actual history, are dangerous wackos.

[jojodamofo]

I think the liberal humanists in Hollywood are doing us a favor. They provide an easy way to identify our enemies.

The more an American person or a American movement opposes the humanists in Hollywood, the more valuable that person or movement is. If someone is attacked by the Hollywood humanists, that is a sure sign of his virtue. Anyone who is not persecuted by the humanists, or who is praised by them, is useless and dangerous.

[philosofy123]

God bless Mel Gibson.

[aodell]

This would be like Howard Stern claiming to be disturbed by the actions of the late Mother Teresa.

[Cooter]

Why does the headline say director when the story is quoting the screenwriter?

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

Why does the headline say director when the story is quoting the screenwriter?

Be nice to Reuter's, its their first venture into discussing Christianity so they are out of their element. :-)

[ValerieUSA]

Schrader is a SNOB.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

The modern humanists simply (and mistakenly) believe that their perceptions are a reflection of reality.

Or desperating NEEDING it to be thought of as reality. After all, there is no reality to these folks. Its obvious in the fact that he is compelled to comment on this movie to the press, so extensively at that, and being so critical of the audience of it. There are so many great questions that a competent journalist could have asked this guy, like; "Why did your movie flop with such great studio support?"

Anybody else that makes a bomb on any subject, and then someone else makes a run away hit would be shamed into only giving praise to the hit work.

This guy's bitterness is so palpable, I actually feel sorry for him.

[I still care]

"My film was essentially a humanist story about the struggle to find God in which Christ is used as a metaphor," said Schrader, who was raised in a strict Calvinist household and studied theology.

"But screenings of Gibson's film have been more like evangelical meetings. The audience comes into the film with such a powerful belief system that they think they have a religious experience. It's quite an interesting and disturbing phenomenon," he said.

This guy is right on - although he doesn't agree with religion that transforms, and the pilgrimage nature of the Passion disturbs him, his perceptions of the difference in the two films are correct.

The humanists are finding out faith is real and powerful, and it is terrifying them. They thought they were well on the way to wiping out "old religion".

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

This guy is right on - although he doesn't agree with religion that transforms, and the pilgrimage nature of the Passion disturbs him, his perceptions of the difference in the two films are correct. The humanists are finding out faith is real and powerful, and it is terrifying them. They thought they were well on the way to wiping out "old religion".

Yes yes, that same irony struck me clearly as well. Its kind of like he hasn't gotten the memo to not be proud of the hedonistic, shallow interpretation he made, and does indeed correctly show the contrast to his trite film and this dangerous one. I agree, this movie is dangerous, dangerous to 5th Columnist Theology Professors across the world. From now on they are going to be asked alot of uncomfortable, trapping questions. The use of Christianity as a Marxist metaphore for Social Action is soooo 20th Century.