[sam_paine]

God bless the free market?

[ClearCase_guy]

I'm eagerly awaiting. I will see it as soon as I can. I think many, many people will see it.

Having said all that, there is a guarantee (!) that the media will report that turnout was less than expected.

I can see it now, "The Passion did $100M business on its opening weekend, placing it 2nd for all-time top opening. This was disappointing to many in the industry who were expecting it to be a bigger hit, blah, blah, blah ..."

[DainBramage]

And the Oscar goes to...... Jesus.

"I'd like to thank my Father in Heaven....Uhm ...Hallowed be his name....."

[Dr. Scarpetta]

For the first time, the industry will realize the profits that have been forfeited over the years by creating films that were out of sync with the interests of the citizens of the red states.

I spoke to a woman at church who's going. She asked me for info about local theaters because she NEVER goes. Hollywood is in for a massive financial shock with this movie, and I will be contributing to that shock.

[ConservativeDude]

be sure, everyone, to buy popcorn...for theatre owners, this is where the $$$ is. if you don't buy popcorn, they will take it out of the theatres even if the theatres are full...in fact, I'll probably buy all kinds of things just to make sure i put my money in the "offering plate", as it were.

[dawn53]

Okay, my Dad is 77 years old and he's another example of what this writer is talking about. The last movie he saw in a theatre was "The Sound of Music", we went as a family when I was a kid (I'm now in my 50's)

He is going to see The Passion.

Tonight there are multiple theaters reserved in each multiplex at the same starting time. That didn't even happen with The Lord of the Rings. That opening they showed the film every half hour or so.

In one multiplex The Passion will be showing in four theaters at 7 o'clock. Then again about a half hour later in 2 theaters at the same multiplex, along with the later showings, I think I counted 15 showings today alone, and that's one theater. It is showing at every theater in the entire area.

My 20 year old niece is away at university and she saw it last night. She said it was awesome and profound! She thought it was the best movie she had ever seen.

[Cicero]

Undoubtedly the media and the usual suspects will downplay the numbers. But a few Hollywood producers MAY take note that they have been chasing away billions of dollars in profits.

There will still be many, such as Michael Eisner, who would rather trash Christianity than make money. But hopefully there will be others who will be interested in this new source of money. The writer of this article is a pro. It's early days yet, but he knows what he's talking about.

My chief fear is that we will be seeing "Passion II" and "Passion III," and that Hollywood will use its talents for what it does best: turning great stories into schlock. But if Gibson makes another movie, which he is said to be planning, it won't be schlock. And maybe they'll find another director or two who really know what they are doing.

[jonboy]

Hollywood won't make movies based upon faith that will sell well to a Christian audience. I truly believe that they are INCAPABLE of making such movies. They have a bastardized version of faith and will only portray that which will offend EVEN IF they try to do otherwise. It would be much like if Satan himself was trying to produce a spiritual film. They don't have a frame of reference from which to work.

Also, such movies go against their core beliefs. They will try to make some movies using their core beliefs as guide, thinking that they will appeal to a Christian audience and those movies will flop. It wouldn't surprise me after they try if they don't then conclude that The Passion was a freak occurrence and then go back to what they do best, filth.

[Agnes Heep]

I'd love to see a good movie about the Jewish revolt of 66 a.d. It would be an epic. Let Gibson do it: he could wring enough blood and gore out of it to last a lifetime.

[Koblenz]

This movie will probably do well in the United States. However, outside of the United States, I expect that it won't have as big of a draw. While the United States is a fairly religious country, most European countries are not. Church attendance is almost non-existent in Scandinavia, for instance. And this movie won't have much of an audience in most Asian or Mideast countries. It will probably do well in Latin America, but they don't pay much for movies down there.

The American box office is just one source of income for movie makers. Merchandising and foreign box office receipts are also a source, as are DVD sales. DVD and VHS sales will probably be high. Hopefully there'll be no merchandising tie ins.

This movie was not expected to make money, and Mel Gibson fronted the costs. But now it looks like it'll do quite well, and thus some more religious movies will be made. But I just wonder if this guy is overstating things just a bit.

[js1138]

I wonder what the Oscar show will make of this on Sunday. Mel has sucked all the oxygen out ot the industry air. No one is talking about anything else.

[LiteKeeper]

SPOTREP - THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST

[Hurricane]

My wife and I haven't been to the movies in 15 years. We have tickets to see Passion this afternoon

[oyez]

I wonder if there was a big outcry when the "Ten Commandments" or "The Greatest Story ever Told" was released. I was rather of a pup back then so I don't remember.

[hosepipe]

Gibson <<- the most important talent in Hollywood bar none..
Looking forward to Mel Gibson's direction and production OF:
"TREASON" by Ann Coulter....(or even "SLANDER")

This boys got a way of bringing the TRUTH out in a story..
Oh! My God the uproar in the wake of that film..
riots MAYBE EVEN..

[Pahuanui]

"Passion" Changes Everything

The Passion changes nothing. It's a movie. Get over it.

That is all.

[ServesURight]

Actually, what's going to happen now is that Hollywood is going to reluctantly produce some Christian movies that patronizes and condescendingly put down Christian audiences.

Passions is truly a once in a lifetime epic. There'll never be another movie like this for another generation. Hollywood will throw their feces at the wall to see what sticks but Christian audiences won't buy it.