Hollywood’s Bias

townhall.com ^ | 3/01/04 | Joel Mowbray

[kattracks]

With a five-day opening weekend gross of well over $100 million, Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” is shocking Hollywood in becoming a certified blockbuster.  Even as recently as this past week, the “experts” were predicting a total opening weekend take of $30 million—slightly more than it made on just the first day.

  Thus continues the strange odyssey of “The Passion.”

  Easily one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood was planning to write and direct a movie about the most famous and revered figure in history.  And the budget would be nothing: $25 million.  The average movie—not the average blockbuster, mind you—has a <I>marketing</I> budget north of $25 million.

  No one bit.

  Gibson had to personally finance “The Passion,” and then he had to contract with relatively obscure arthouse indie Newmarket Films to handle the distribution.

  Sure, Gibson was behind the camera and not in front of it.  But it was clear that the devout Catholic was pouring his heart and soul into the film, and any contract could have required Gibson to plug on the usual array of TV and print media outlets.

  And how could you not get media attention about a movie showing the death of Jesus?  Controversy sells tickets, certainly enough to cover a skimpy $25 million budget.

  Taking a broader view, “The Passion” was not just a smart business bet because of the specifics of the film—Gibson, the low cost, the inevitable controversy—but because religious films make money.

  Not that Hollywood has first-hand experience with religious movies.  Without the truly deep pockets of the major studios, the only overtly Christian movies to come out in the past few years have been low-budget cheapies with minimal star wattage. 

  The flicks may not have won critics’ hearts, but deprived Christian audiences made both “The Omega Code” and “Left Behind: The Movie” profitable.  The $8 million-budgeted “Omega” raked in $13 million at theaters (plus a bundle more in video rentals and sales), and though it was a dud at theaters, the $17-million “Left Behind” sold more than 3 million copies on DVD and VHS—a threshold even many hit films don’t reach.

  Another interesting case study comes from early 2002 with two non-religious movies, though one did explicitly keep it clean.  One starred PG-rated pop singer Mandy Moore, the other was the debut of Madonna’s protégé, Britney Spears.  Most industry analysts predicted “Crossroads,” boasting a scene where negligee-clad Spears jumps in excitement, would out-gross Moore’s family-friendly “A Walk to Remember.”  The experts were wrong.

  To see that there is an audience for entertainment that wears its Christianity on its sleeve, network television probably provides better examples.  Not that there are many, though.

  It seems only CBS has been willing to take the risk of airing overtly religious-themed programs.

  In a world where roughly 80 percent of new shows don’t get renewed to a second season, CBS scored a long-running success with Touched by an Angel and this season has an unlikely hit with Joan of Arcadia. 

  Touched, which outlasted even most hit shows by staying on for nine years, was CBS’s highest-rated drama for much of that time.  And Joan, a quirky show that most critics predicted would flop, has thrived despite being dumped into what is normally a deadly timeslot, Fridays at 8pm EST. 

  Religion is such a fringe element in entertainment that it’s easy to forget that Hollywood wasn’t always afraid to embrace faith. 

  Consider that two of the greatest Tinseltown classics are big-budget religious epics, one of which was “ripped from” the Bible.  “The Ten Commandments” raked in a then-staggering $65.5 million back in 1956—and nearly a half-century later, it still garners heavenly ratings for ABC every year on Easter Sunday.  Making slightly more at the box office was “Ben-Hur,” which grossed $74 million in 1959.

  In today’s dollars, ticket sales like that would translate to roughly $400 million apiece.  Given the graphic violence making it unsuitable for children (or even for repeat viewing for most adults), “The Passion” faces an uphill climb to reach such lofty heights.

  Already, though, Gibson’s gamble has been vindicated.  The $25 million budget was covered in the first-day gross of $26.6 million.

  Only the “experts” should be surprised.

©2003 Joel Mowbray

Contact Joel Mowbray | Read Mowbray's biography

[kattracks]

'PASSION' IS HEADED FOR HOLY $UNDAY ($100 million in its first five days)

[onyx]

I am loving this!

[onyx]

I know WE hold the same opinion and share the same joy.

[goldstategop]

Hollywood liberals prize their secular liberalism more than they prize the profit potential from a huge religious audience out there.

[Elkiejg]

Hollyweird just doesn't get it.........since 9/11, they have become totally unimportant.

[onyx]

You're right and I hope Mel makes enough money to buy Hollywood.

[little jeremiah]

Yeah, Hollywierd really stands on principle < sarcasm > .

I mean, they'll even give up money as long as they stick to their principle of polluting the collective mind of the world with sick, twisted pornographic, meaningless cr*p.

[Liz]

What were Hollywood's sinister reasons for demeaning The Passion of The Christ, making ridiculous claims that it it was anti-Semitic and too violent? The same Hollywood---the self-avowed adversary of Christianity---that produced an avalanche of films, TV and music demeaning Christians and trivializing Christian beliefs.

The answer is Hollywood is paranoid that it will lose its chokehold on American culture. It might even have to make films for Christians---the very people Hollywood disdains.

Let's be clear. Any and all attacks on The Passion film are attacks against Christians and will have important ramifications and serious repercussions.

America has learned to its grief that a culture devoid of Christian values is a dangerous wasteland of school killings, disturbed one-parent kids, crime waves of titanic proportions, schools teaching the destructive, terroristic NEA--PP'hood agenda, sexual license, younger and younger teen pregnancies, throw-away babies, abortion on demand including infanticide, and the homosexual takeover.

Fortunately for the welfare of America, Christians are finding renewed strength and spirit under the organizing influence of Mel Gibson's blockbuster film.

Americans voted with their tickets in atounding numbers. The take from the Passion's opening---Ash Wednesday thru the weekend---is nearing $120M. That's $120 million all-American Christian dollars.

The whole world knows now that Christians have the power. What they have not yet seen is what we will do with it.

[onyx]

BTTT. God has blessed us and Mel Gibson.

Liz, you know Hollywood already hated Mel because he's a Republican.

Next year's Oscar nominations --- I predict they'll either ignore Mel and his film or nominate Mel and his film in every category and then make sure he and his film do not win one Oscar.

[Elkiejg]

America has learned to its grief that a culture devoid of Christian values is a dangerous wasteland of school killings, disturbed one-parent kids, crime waves of titanic proportions, schools teaching the destructive, terroristic NEA--PP'hood agenda, sexual license, younger and younger teen pregnancies, throw-away babies, abortion on demand including infanticide, and the homosexual takeover.

Well said!!! THIS is the legacy of the RATS and Clintons.

[Always Right]

Already, though, Gibson’s gamble has been vindicated. The $25 million budget was covered in the first-day gross of $26.6 million.

That's a bit misleading. Theaters get to keep about half of the gross and another ten percent goes for distribution. So Gibson sees about forty percent. Needless to say, after DVD sales and everything, Gibson will stand to make a few hundred million from this movie.

[Liz]

Pass the word. Christians will no longer tolerate the corrupt Dim culture of the Clintons.

[Liz]

Hollywood ignores this film at their extreme peril. Speaking of Oscars, here's my nominations:

Best Film: The Passion of The Christ,

Best actor: James Cazeveil as Jesus, Maia Morganstern as Mary,

Best Supporting Actors: Pilate, Simon of Cyrene, Claudia, Veronica, Mary Magdalene

Best Director Mel Gibson

Best adaption from the original

Best screenplay

Best costumes

Best lighting

Best original score

Best art direction

Best sound

Best film editing

Best cinematography

Best special visual effects

Best makeup

And as another FReeper suggested: Lifetime Achievement award for Mel Gibson for single handedly bringing faith to the hearts and minds of millions of people who may experience this message for the first time, or may experience a new 'awakening' of the spirit.

[dennisw]

Only problem being that you are not a Christian.

[garylmoore]

I know WE hold the same opinion and share the same joy.

"Ditto"

[anoldafvet]

"throw-away babies, abortion on demand including infanticide".

Amen to that. On Friday, one of the front page headlines in the Louisville "Communist" Journal was: "Fetal Homocide Bill Threatens Abortion Rights".

[Rennes Templar]

Only problem being that you are not a Christian.

And you just exposed the problem non-Christians have with Christians.

[Liz]

Nominated for Quote of the Day:

What the ungodly seem to be most upset about is people are going to see this movie even though the dividers and gossip-mongers amongst us loudly proclaimed doom should any see it. What upsets them seems to be that a more accurate vision of Christ has been produced by Mel Gibson - than their queer Christ -- and people can actually discern the real--from the story - the good from the wicked -- and the good is prevailing without the help from Hollyweirds Oscar.

[Liz]

On Friday, one of the front page headlines in the Louisville "Communist" Journal was: "Fetal Homocide Bill Threatens Abortion Rights".

They use homicide and abortion in the same sentence and don't see the implications. Mind-boggling.

[Liz]

..... What the ungodly seem to be most upset about is people are going to see (The Passion) even though the dividers and gossip-mongers amongst us loudly proclaimed doom should any see it...

Clearly, in the current (and future) post-Passion era, the ungodly "dividers" and "gossip-mongers" are tearing off their disguises, daring to publicly revile Christians. Their small voices pipe up every now and then, oozing words of derision and criticism. Their biggest fear has come true--Christians are taking back the culture.

Seems the only way they "tolerate" Christians is if we let them walk all over us. To that end the "dividers" have fomented a climate of Christian intolerance and created corrupt laws of discrimination and exclusion to marginalize and trivialize Christians.