"My own viewing of the film" + "Mel does a Tarantino job on Christ"

My own viewing of the film ^ | 2004 | 2 authors

[RFT1]

Dennis, I have been on the Catholic blogs since the summer of 2002, Bill Cork started out as fairly conservative(though his support for elemnets of Liberation theology should have provided a few clues), when the first scripts of the Passion were leaked out to a comittie of Catholic "scholars", a group that included well known dissenting Call To Action Sr. Mary Boys, along with a priest who was part of the Bernadin Institute, that in itself should have set off red flags. Bill Cork himself has been involved deeply in ecumenical efforts since he became a Catholic, and sadly those ecumenical efforts has distorted his own view of the faith. Read his blog, go in the archives to see how crazed his crusade against this film has become.

[Dr. Frank fan]

And it does exaggerate the role of the Jews. There are many examples that could be cited. Jesus is beaten to a bloody pulp by the temple guards (and thrown off a bridge) before he ever gets to Caiaphas. Jews are present in the Praetorium for the scourging of Jesus--and only Romans express concerns about the excesses inflicted by both their own guards and the Jews. There are no sympathetic figures on the via dolorosa, except for figures from Scripture and tradition, such as Simon and Veronica, who have generally been seen as people who came to believe in Jesus--Gibson inexplicably left out Jesus greeting the women of Jerusalem. Caiaphas leads the procession to Calvary on a donkey, and presides over the execution as if he were in charge.

All of these cited examples are portrayals of actions undertaken (or not) by a few individual people, and not one of them has anything to do with "the role of the Jews", whatever that means.

The only person here so far equating the actions of the individuals described above with "the role the Jews" is the author of this piece.

This movie needs to be evaluated in terms of the objective criteria provided by the US Catholic Bishops, and in the context of the history of passion plays.

It does? Personally I'll be evaluating it (or trying to anyway) based on something resembling these criteria, which I think are darned good criteria by which to judge films. I will not be told by this author how I am required to evaluate a film.

But the reaction to this film (and questioning of it) does underscore the question of how well Catholic theologians and leaders are communicating contemporary Catholic teaching on the Passion and on relations with the Jews

A small group of people raise an artificial stink over a movie (which no one would have batted an eye at otherwise) to get publicity, and this proves that Catholic leaders need to communicate better. Got it!

[mr.pink]

The point here is this film will use modern film technique to make this film very bloody and realisticly so..

You mean exactly like Spielberg did with "Saving Private Ryan"?

Quentin Tarantino techniques to send it over the top.

Pretty disingenous to use Tarantino as a comparative, when Spielberg's "SPR" draws a much more honest parallel. Both Spielberg and Gibson deal with historical situations and don't hesitate using painfully realistic violence to bring the gory truth to light...Tarantino OTOH, makes no qualms about producing anything more than "pulp" films.

[Swede Girl]

From seeing the previews, it seems to me that the beatings were depicted as much more violent than what the Bible states. I guess there will be much discussion about this after the movie comes out.

[mr.pink]

That's pretty pitiful.

Beyond pitiful....it's disqualifying for review of anything more challenging than Disney or TV sitcoms.

[Dialup Llama]

>In the Scriptural account, Jesus is snatched quietly, at night, to avoid the crowds. Jesus is willing to go quietly, and keeps the disciples from fighting back. He is held while the high priest gathers his council. During it, there is some physical abuse by the guards and some taunting and one slapping of his face, but the Evangelists don't elaborate on this or draw it out. ... Then he is delivered to Pilate. Gibson changes the tenor of all these scenes, making them more dramatic, more violent, more frightening.

I wish this guy would learn to read. 'Few words' does not equate with 'not much happened.'

A detachment of Roman legionnaires and temple guards all armored and carrying swords came to arrest Jesus. He then was delivered to somone who was the Hitler of that region, whose word alone could condemn someone to death. Dramatic, frightening, violent...yes. Peaceful and quiet, no.

[Clintons a commie]

From seeing the previews, it seems to me that the beatings were depicted as much more violent than what the Bible states

Not really. The Bible simply says "Jesus was scourged" or "They scourged Him" and leaves it at that. But people who read the Bible at the time of its composition knew with horror what a Roman scourging meant. They didn't need the bloody details, they were all too well aware of it from having to live with the brutality of the times in their every day life.

Modern people, on the other hand, have no clue what a scourging with a Roman flagellum(a cat-o-nine tails with wood and glass on the end of it) entailed, and have no idea what Jesus had to suffer when that scourging occurred. It was a horror, and a filmmaker is finally using all the tools of his craft to show us what Our Lord had to endure in order to obtain our Redemption.

I won't be enjoying this film when I watch it, but I hope to be moved to greater love and appreciation of Christ because of it.

[stands2reason]

I will admit I agreed with what he said, from what little I know (same as you) about the film

You agree with a film review of a movie you haven't seen? ROFLMAO!!!!

[stands2reason]

Because of your screenname, I imagine your posts narrated by Steve Buscemi. :-)

[dennisw]

The point here is this film will use modern film technique to make this film very bloody and realisticly so..

You mean exactly like Spielberg did with "Saving Private Ryan"?

That film isn't doing any testifying or preaching. Is not about the life and death of a (the?) central figure in Western Civilization.

[dennisw]

You agree with a film review of a movie you haven't seen? ROFLMAO!!!! ....

All the time my friend, though this film falls outside my usual ability to judge Hollywood productions.

[mr.pink]

That film isn't doing any testifying or preaching.

Please state some instances where Tarantino "preaches or testifies"?....unless of course you're prepared to admit your comparative was intentionally inflamatory.

I'll not back away from my Spielberg-Gibson comparison relative to your initial shrill comment.

[Dialup Llama]

>Were you this passionate defending the Gospel against the play, Corpus Christe, or say, The Last Temptation of Christ?

Of course they weren't. I remember the left was all enthralled with The Last Temptation, telling us this was a good opportunity to explore the historical Jesus.

[Pagey]

On a trip in 1990 to Oberammergau Germany, I was able to see "The Passion Play". The horror of the crucifixion (and we were about the 20th row back in a place that seats around 5,000)was quite serious and totally believeable. The stage and sets were enormous.They only do it every 10 years. I recommend that trek to anyone who believes Jesus died so that we may live. IMO The way society is going, Mel Gibson is doing a great service to the world. What makes it even better, is Mel's movie dialogue is in the Latin and Aramaic, therefore anyone that doesn't speak either one will be totally engrossed in the visuals, which is why Hollywood makes movies, right?. Jesus didn't die a painless death, and that's something certain segments of society (in general) haven't thought about for years.

[normy]

From seeing the previews, it seems to me that the beatings were depicted as much more violent than what the Bible states

Isaiah 52;13-14 prophesies of Jesus saying "Behold my servant shal deal prudently; He shal be exalted and extoled and be very high. As many as were astonished at you, his appearence was marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men;

There are also prophesys saying all his bones were out of joint and that they looked and stared upon him. As Christians we were rarely told of what our sins did to the Lords body, but it was bloody.

[Trinity_Tx]

I love Mel, but...

I think the problem is the direction the "historical blunders" and/or his artistic license seems to consistently take.

And does the scriptural account really need embellishing? Wouldn't a graphic depiction maintaining scriptural integrity be enough? ...in fact, more effective and credible?

Our church will be viewing it as a group, and I'll wait til afterward to draw any firm conclusions, but I am just as, if not more, bothered by the knee-jerk (not very Christ-like) defense of it as I am by the protesters...

Some Christians sure don't seem to consider (or care?) how their behavior alienates those who might otherwise be more open to the message.

[kimoajax]

Now I get it! How could I have been so dumb?

Mel should have cast the drama as having occured somewhere other than where it actually occured in time and space.

Let's see now....perhaps if he had cast it as having occured on a space ship or other planet way into the future where Jesus and those who crusified him were aliens of some sort, then he would have been able to more credibly tell the gospel story in such a way no one would take offense.

Gee, cause the way Mel cast his movie made the gospel story such a rock of offense to some.

[Celtic Conservative]

"As you can see, he has a vendetta against the Passion and uses quite hetrodox sources to justify his own misgivings about the film."

Agree. I like to think of this type of article as a "stealth" hit piece. It gets you thinking that the author is doing a reasoned, rational review, and then subtly through the text switches gears until at the end the author is really slamming Mel. All while appearing to be "impartial".

CC

[repub32]

So you have turned from your faith one day a christian the next not!!!!!!!! sounds like you have no faith in "The word" or it's you who doesnt who know's not what he reads. That is the biggest slap to christ. The truth is in there learn it. Jesus suffered suffered anyway Mel puts it for you and me something Im sure you could never endure.... and the truth is there for everyone to learn Mel Gibson is a soldier and is being attacked by the usual kenite scum....

[Dialup Llama]

>Some Christians sure don't seem to consider (or care?) how their behavior alienates those who might otherwise be more open to the message.

Christian behavior would no longer alienate many people when Christians give up most foundational doctrines of Christianity and believe like the liberal, postmodern theologians.