The Passion Of The Christ

[modage]

Mel Gibson to Delete a Scene in The Passion
Source: The New York Times Tuesday, February 3, 2004

According to The New York Times, director Mel Gibson will delete a controversial scene from The Passion of the Christ before it hits theaters on February 25.

Mel Gibson, responding to focus groups as much as to protests by Jewish critics, has decided to delete a controversial scene about Jews from his film, "The Passion of the Christ," a close associate said today.

A scene in the film, in which the Jewish high priest Caiaphas calls down a kind of curse on the Jewish people by declaring of the Crucifixion, "His blood be on us and on our children," will not be in the movie's final version, said the Gibson associate, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The passage had been included in some versions of the film that were shown before select groups, mostly of priests and ministers.

"It didn't work in the focus screenings," the associate said. "Maybe it was thought to be too hurtful, or taken not in the way it was intended. It has been used terribly over the years."

Jewish leaders had warned that the passage from Matthew 27:25 was the historic source for many of the charges of deicide and Jews' collective guilt in the death of Jesus.

James Caviezel and Monica Bellucci star in the film, which chronicles the final 12 hours in the life of Jesus Christ.

[Henry Hill]

-- a movie I consider to be the most important "Christian" film of all time.

.....until now  

[SoNowThen]

That will remain to be seen.

[Finn]

A lot of my local churches are buying tickets right now to see this. I know some people who want to start rallies to promote the movie, but I told them to first see the movie. You can't have an opinion on something until you've seen it.

Everybody's been talking about this movie like they're counting down to the end of the world. Almost everybody I know wants to see it really badly. I don't really know why because I know it's gonna be very tough to sit through. It's almost like they can't wait only to run out of the theatres with tears in the eyes.

My uncle saw this movie several months ago. He was invited to a special screening, and they asked for him to show ID and he was sworn to secrecy not to say anything about what he saw on screen. But because we're family, he told me some things about it. He said it was fascinating and very well done, but it was brutal and unrelenting. There's one sequence in particular that seems like it just doesn't end. He's gonna try to find a rough cut of it though and send it to me.

[puddnanners]

at the theater i work at, several churches and religious groups have all ready rented out entire auditoriums (which is about one thousand dollars) to view the film together as a group.  I am actually looking forward to working on these days because when a religious group goes to the movies, they do funny things like stand out in the lobby until the previews are over (they think they might accidentally seem some innuendo or a nipple or something) and they also don't undrstand simple things like how to order concessions or where to wait in line at.  Also, all of the girls wear these long skirt/dress things that are just funny to look at.  

I would guess that Mel is going to pocket at least 100 million on the coin of religious groups alone.

[ono]

I really don't get why this film stands to be so controversial, or even so "important."  I mean, it's just a reenactment, and it's even a rehashing of what's been done so many times before.  What really irks me, though, is the dramatic flare the media gives it (as they always do), and the fact that they're making Gibson out to be some sort of auteur, sitting down with Diane Sawyer, of all people, and postulating, acting like he's stumbled on and created something profound.

I guess I'll have to see it to be sure, but I don't know if I even want to.  It looks so boring for it to be this controversial.

[Ghostboy]

From what I've read, the film takes a strong Marian approach, so it's kinda funny that so many protestant churches are so eager to support what is so inherently a Catholic movie. Shouldn't they have bought tickets en masse to the Gospel Of John last fall (did anyone see that, btw? I heard it was actually good, but I've got a big stigma against films produced by religious organizations, although Meggido was freakin' awesome because it was so astoundingly bad)?

[Pubrick]

it's just violent is all.

u know how u freaks love that shit.

[pete]

some kid in my class mentioned that Mel said the Pope "is not Catholic enough", has anyone else heard about this?

[puddnanners]

i watched the Gospel of John, and it was not horribly produced, just agonizingly dull and boring.  Over three hours (a few minutes longer than ROTK actually), and about 60% of it was narration.  Example: Jesus leaves a room on the screen, followed by a narrator saying "jesus left..." whatever.   Also a shit score and there were obviously A LOT of non actors hired.    Also half of the beards were fake (I'm talking Cannibal the Musical fake), so I guess it has that going for it.  It tanked in my city, but then again, it came out only a few weeks ago and was completely unadvertised.  I also just recently saw an add on tv for the DVD (50 bucks...and a bonus disc!) so that might have been part of the reason for the poor ticket sales.

[Finn]

One thing that I do think is interesting is that Mel Gibson's hand appears in the film. In the scene where they're nailing Jesus onto the cross, Gibson said that he wanted to be the one to hold the nail steady while they hammer. So he's taking it personally that Jesus did this for him.

[Pwaybloe]

One thing that I do think is interesting is that Mel Gibson's hand appears in the film. In the scene where they're nailing Jesus onto the cross, Gibson said that he wanted to be the one to hold the nail steady while they hammer. So he's taking it personally that Jesus did this for him.

Yeah, but it's going into Jim Cazaviel's (the actor) wrist... not Christ's.

Anyway, that sounds a little pretentious.  Yay symbolism.

[metroshane]

I'm jumping on this thread a little late, but I can't wait to see this film.  To me this is what film making is all about.  You may not agree with the theme or the much else, but damn it sure is taking a stand.  

I'm so sick of filmmakers afraid of offending anyone so they make this one deminsional, pc, flat, emotionless, forgettable drivel that just doesn't carry any emotional or artistic wieght.  This is true art...not worrying about box office gross or oscar nods.

[Ghostboy]

I'm so sick of filmmakers afraid of offending anyone so they make this one deminsional, pc, flat, emotionless, forgettable drivel that just doesn't carry any emotional or artistic wieght.  This is true art...not worrying about box office gross or oscar nods.

I agree with you and I'm supporting this movie (and hope that it's worthy of my support), but they unfortunately do care about box office grosses, since they're pushing the film so hard with evangelicals (especially here in the bible belt). And this picture here just makes me sick:

[metroshane]

Yeah, that is sad, Ghostboy.  I had not seen that.  Well, we may not be there yet...but at least it's a step in the right direction.