Tale Tied to Hanukkah Holiday Stirs Gibson Vision

Reuters vi Yahoo ^ | March 17, 2004 | Larry Fine

[rmlew]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Mel Gibson (news), whose hit film "The Passion of the Christ" was attacked as anti-Semitic by some critics, says he is now intrigued by the revolt of the Maccabees -- the story behind the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.

"The story that's always fired my imagination ... is the Book of Maccabees," the actor and director told ABC Radio talk show host Sean Hannity on Tuesday.

"The Maccabees family stood up, and they made war. They stuck by their guns and they came out winning," he said. "It's like a Western."

The Maccabees led a three-year war, some 200 years before the birth of Jesus, against Antiochus, a king who forced the Jews to worship false gods. The war led to the liberation of Jerusalem and rededication of the Temple that is celebrated in the Hanukkah holiday.

Gibson's "The Passion," which depicts the last hours of the life of Jesus, has been a huge box office hit, making $264 million since its Feb. 25 opening.

But several critics and religious leaders have blasted the film, saying Gibson made an unflattering portrayal of Jews and blamed them in the movie for the crucifiction of Christ.

Anti-Defamation League National Director Abe Foxman was not pleased with Gibson's interest in Jewish history.

"My answer would be 'thanks but no thanks,"' Foxman said on Wednesday. "The last thing we need in Jewish history is to convert our history into a Western."

"In his hands we may wind up losing," he joked.

Gibson did not say he was planning another biblical film.

[rmlew]

I would love to see this movie.
If Gibson is serious, I hope that other conservative Jews get in from the start.

[jmstein7]

BUMP!

[Alouette]

Anti-Defamation League National Director Abe Foxman was not pleased with Gibson's interest in Jewish history.

Abe Foxman, Please Shut Up!

[billorites]

How about the Jewish War as chronicled by Josephus?

Great action scenes, a cast of thousands.

[rmlew]

You want to be the later day Phineas?

[Alouette]

Who do you think should play Yehudit?

[Mich0127]

I would go to see that!

BTW..how are things?

[sheik yerbouty]

I agree. Foxman is a major shonde.

[rmlew]

Let see if Gibson is serious before we deal with casting.

[tx_eggman]

Anti-Defamation League National Director Abe Foxman was not pleased with Gibson's interest in Jewish history

I'm not pleased with Abe's lack of understanding of Jewish history.

[TheGeezer]

I and II Maccabees, included for about 1200 years in the Bible, was excluded by Protestants in their version of the Bible published in the 1500's. That Gibson might spark interest in the story - which still is in Catholic Bibles - is interesting.

[Jim_Curtis]

This Abe Cnnman believes it is horrible for a Christian to make a movie based on Christian scripture and he feels that it is horrible for a Christian to make a movie based on Jewish scripture.

What kind of movie is it ok for a Christian to make, Abe?

[arly]

this guy abe foxman sounds like a real closed minded bigot.

[per loin]

I'd rather see Mel go back a bit farther for his next movie. No one has ever done Akhenaton well, and as much of what is known as Judaism today likely came through the monotheistic movement in Egypt, best evidenced in Akhenaton, it would be a natural for Mel. But whatever next movie he does, if any, I doubt that it can rise to the level of "The Passion".

[catonsville]

Foxman thinks he is a major player in the culture wars, when he is just another card in the reporter's "Jews who will say nasty things about Mel Gibson" Roledex file.

I also wish he would just shut up about Mel and get back to criticizing those who REALLY are harming Jews.

[MarcoPolo]

I would love to see a movie about the Jewish War, but man oh man would that REALLY rankle the Jewish population! There is no way that it could possibly be accurate and yet simultaneously depict the Jewish nation in a positive light. The decadence and wickedness of many of the Jews at that time (especially the leadership) were astounding. Imagine the account that Josephus recorded of the woman eating her own child being depicted! Christ prophesied of the devastation of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation in the gospels, a fact which is largely overlooked (sometimes purposely so I think).

I would like to see this largely forgotten period brought back to the public consciousness, but the PC, chip-on-their-shoulders brand of Jews (this of course does not entail all Jews) would pitch a REAL hissy. It'd make their attacks on "The Passion" movie look mild by comparison.

[Lucky2]

IMHO, Abe Foxman has no clue of what the history of the Jews is. He needs to STFU and let Mel alone.