Everyone has seen it. Cardinal Pell has seen it and warmly recommends it’s age-old message: flagellation is more redemptive than wearing a hair-shirt any day. The Holy Father has seen it and may – or may not – have observed that “it is, as it was.’ Brian Henderson used to say something similar at the end of Channel 9 news but with significantly less authenticity
Stephen Crittenden has seen it and is concerned that Gibson failed to understand that Greek – not Latin – was the lingua franca of the eastern Roman empire. Of course, Pilate himself – a provincial functionary – may have used the Greek tongue, and what about that terrible slip-up where they spliced some Hebrew into the soundtrack instead of Aramaic? Priceless!
Margaret and David have seen it and only gave it about 3 and a half stars between them; violence and a failure to fully explore the movie’s subversive film noir potential was the problem. Not – as some have alleged – the absence of a Cannes freebie. A slur on our well-loved icons if ever there was one. Speaking of well-loved icons, James Russell has seen it and gives it a qualified thumbs up. Rob Corr hasn’t seen it but, perhaps surprisingly, he’s read Miranda Devine’s review of same. From what Rob can work out, it’s not entirely clear that Jesus was a Revolutionary per se, but he shapes promisingly as the sort of guy who would be a reliable Left faction vote in a tight corner.
Yes. It’s The Passion of The Christ . Mel Gibson’s epochal act of cinematic, and – reputedly – personal, testament. It’s been a difficult gestation: leaked scripts, claims of anti-Semitism, Mel’s dad occasionally scampering naughtily away from his carers to share his views on Vatican II – it was a communist plot, and Auschwitz (just a pumpernickel bread factory apparently) – with The New York Times. It’s all been very problematic – and hence, a marketing dream. It’s going to be the biggest Latin/Aramaic movie with subtitles, in history and by Xmas the Latin/Aramaic dance remix will be all over MTV.
Do I want to see it? I dunno. I did Stations of the Cross on Good Fridays throughout my childhood and though the flogging aspect was often lacking, one of the Brothers would usually be only too happy to oblige at the least transgression. What do you think?
Hmm, I don’t think I’ve ever been called a well-loved icon before :)
Much as I’d like to read the rest of the post, unfortunately clicking on the “continue reading” link just produces a “not found on this server” message…
Jesus will never make prime-minister if he’s in the left. Although after Judas ratted on his faction and switched to the right it seemed all over for his leadership hopes. That was until Jude’s leadership prospects plummeted when it was discovered he pocketed 10 silver coins, which allegedly motivated his decision to cross the floor and support Herod’s stick-them-on-sticks act. This leaves the right looking for a new candidate, maybe they’ll lock in Mary Magadalene to pick up the womens vote.
Mind you Jesus’s curing lepers policy is getting some resonance among the community. However, this hasn’t stopped the left favouring the installation of Matthew for his tax-and-spend policies. Whether they’ll be able to knock Pilate of in the polls (despite his unpopularity) is still uncertain, there seems to have been some tension at the last supper.
Jesus will never make prime-minister if he’s in the left. Although after Judas ratted on his faction and switched to the right it seemed all over for his leadership hopes. That was until Jude’s leadership prospects plummeted when it was discovered he pocketed 10 silver coins, which allegedly motivated his decision to cross the floor and support Herod’s stick-them-on-sticks act. This leaves the right looking for a new candidate, maybe they’ll lock in Mary Magadalene to pick up the womens vote.
Mind you Jesus’s curing lepers policy is getting some resonance among the community. However, this hasn’t stopped the left favouring the installation of Matthew for his tax-and-spend policies. Whether they’ll be able to knock Pilate of in the polls (despite his unpopularity) is still uncertain, there seems to have been some tension at the last supper.
Ah, there it is now…
In answer to your question: yes, you probably should see it if only to see what the fuss has been about. I’m surprised David and Margaret gave it such a low rating (and there’s one howler in the review–
I read the following opinion of “The Passion Of The Christ” on aus.films:
It’s pornography. Which isn’t a bad thing necessarily, but it is bad when it pretends to be more than that, and this openly pretends to be the greatest and most important movie of all time. It’s very saddening that there will be Christian people so disturbed by Gibson’s raging-hard-on fuelled violence that they’ll be hoodwinked into thinking that THAT qualifies as some kind of
spiritual experience.
What a gigantic load of wank.
Even based on the limited footage I saw on The Movie Show, I tend to agree.
A god botherers film saturated in bloody violence. I pass.
I’m with Sheil. More for the violence than the god-bothering, though.
I was turned of by biblical epics when (way back when) my whole (government) country school was dragged off to see “The Story of Ruth”. Further such excursions followed.
Haven’t and won’t see it (on the cs criteria), but I’d give Mel a 5 for marketing.
Reminds me, must dig out the video of “Much Ado about Nothing”.
when it was discovered he pocketed 10 silver coins,
What happened to the other twenty?
The text mentions 30 pieces of silver.
Did Luke the tax-collector get his GST on it?
Well I am not going to see it.
Even a cursory reading of the gospels would show the writers mentioned little violence concerning Jesus and were concerned why he was being sacrificed.
In this ares I agree with Stephen C.
Pilate would have spoken latin, the Religious leaders would have spoken hebrew in the Temple and Aramaic outside and both would have spoken greek when conversing with each other.
As for the blame for Jesus’s death. Technically Pilate had the responsibility for the decision. The Religious leaders pushed him into it yet we are those leaders as we would have been sharing the responsibility if we were there.
Geoff, the stations of the cross is historically inaccurate as any visitor to Israel could tell you.
Well, there’s the flogging. And the crucifixion. And… um… carrying the cross? Okay, I’m done. Though he did heal a bloke after Peter thoughtlessly cut his ear off (this is why we don’t run with scissors, kiddies).
I’ve been suspicious of it ever since I learnt it starts with Judas’ betrayal (though the title should probably have given that away, I mean, apart from that time Mary grounded him when he was twelve, the suffering — or “Passion” — doesn’t really start ’till then). There’s not, as Homer said, that much violence occurring, at least, not enough to fill a two-hour (or whateveritis) film, but it’s almost all part of the Passion. Anyone choosing to cover it exclusively would be the sort of person who revels in violence (or antiSemitism, like you apparently got in the ‘Passion plays’ of the Middle Ages).
I don’t understand the kerfuffle over Who’s to Blame For Killing Jesus. Sure, it provided a neat little distraction for bored Crusaders to bully a few misbelievers on their way to take out the infidel, but that was some time ago, eh? Jesus was clearly supposed to die: it was all part of God’s Great Plan. He even appealed to his father, asking why it should be so! Surely ’tis better, from a Christian’s point of view, looking back, to see “hey, those nice Jewish people did what God wanted!” rather than have, two thousand years on, no martyrdom, no resurrection, and the angry crowds doing nothing worse than have a whip-around for some cocoa and a warm blanket in case the young fella caught his death of cold?
Geoff, the stations of the cross is historically inaccurate as any visitor to Israel could tell you.
I’m sure you’re right Homer. Naughty kids at my school invented a station 7A – Jesus stops for a smoke and a VB – and were severely punished for it :)
passionate types might enjoy this post from Juan Cole
personally, I’m waiting for Bolt’s column to reveal exactly which sinister plot underpins this movie, having been badly caught out on Nemo
Geoff,
Having re-read my comment I understand where you are comin g from. I do apologise as that was not my intention merely pointing out the history.
My english was poor and I will endeavour to improve it in the future. Sorry again
Here’s an excerpt of David Edelstein’s review in Slate
“A devout Catholic–
I wonder how it stacks up against Peter Jackson’s Braindead? “I kick arse for the Lord”, indeed…
Tho I have no desire whatsoever to see this – ruined as I am by Pasolini’s Gospel According to St Matthew – I guess that there is no indication in the film that Jesus was actually a Jew. Remembering that the question of whether non-jews could be admitted to the Christian fold was a live theological question later, and that the decision to open it out created Christianity as an expansible thing.
The politics of the Passion
Geoff Honnor, who can’t decide whether he wants to see the Passion flick, sums up my earlier post thus:From what Rob can work out, it’s not entirely clear that Jesus was a Revolutionary per se, but he shapes promisingly as…
The politics of the Passion
Geoff Honnor, who can’t decide whether he wants to see the Passion flick, sums up my earlier post thus:From what Rob can work out, it’s not entirely clear that Jesus was a Revolutionary per se, but he shapes promisingly as…
The politics of the Passion
Geoff Honnor, who can’t decide whether he wants to see the Passion flick, sums up my earlier post thus:From what Rob can work out, it’s not entirely clear that Jesus was a Revolutionary per se, but he shapes promisingly as…