Pope Blesses Mel's "Passion"

[MrRant 0]

It might not be a thumbs-up from Roger Ebert, but Mel Gibson has snagged a key four-star review for his controversial film The Passion of Christ.

 

According to published reports, none other than Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II has given his blessing to Gibson's biblical epic detailing the last hours in the life of Jesus Christ.

 

According to Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan, the ailing pontiff screened The Passion on DVD with his closest friend and secretary, Monsignor Staislaw Dziwisz, in his private residence 10 days ago.

 

The intermediary then reportedly passed along a five-word review from John Paul to one of the film's producers, Steve McEveety: "It shows how it was," the 83-year-old Pope was quoted as saying.

 

Although brief, the remark lends some heavyweight clout to the film, which chronicles the last 12 hours of Christ's life and the Crucifixion as relayed in the New Testament. The Passion had come under attack as anti-Semitic for allegedly reviving the discredited notion that Jews were responsible for Christ's death.

 

A papal spokesperson not available for comment Friday; other Vatican (news - web sites) officials have refused to confirm or deny the Pontiff's assessment.

 

Officials with the Anti-Defamation League said they would respect the Pope's positive reaction to the movie.

 

"The Pope has a record and history of sensitivity to the Jewish community and has a clear moral voice and understanding when it comes to anti-Semitism," Abraham H. Foxman, U.S. director of the watchdog group, said in a statement issued Thursday.

 

The ADL has protested what it considered negative stereotypes of Jews and "obvious historical mistakes" after reviewing a leaked copy of an early draft of the script and viewing the film in August.

 

Gibson has since made some cuts, and the ADL admits it has not seen the most recent version.

 

"We hope that Mel Gibson (news) has heard our concerns and those of Christian and Jewish scholars and religious leaders, who expressed unease about the earlier version...and its potential to fuel, rationalize and legitimize anti-Semitism," said Foxman.

 

The actor-director, whose own religious leanings have come under scrutiny, has repeatedly dismissed criticism that the film is intended to be anti-Semitic, saying it was meant "to inspire, not offend."

 

Gibson reportedly spent close to $30 million of his own money making The Passion, which stars Jim Caviezel as Jesus and Monica Bellucci (news) as Mary Magdalene. The film's dialogue is chiefly in Latin and Aramaic with English subtitles.

 

The Gibson-run Icon Productions has been hosting sneak-peek screenings of early versions of the film for various religious leaders and Hollywood players, many of whom have responded positively to the depiction.

 

However last month, the New York Post illegally obtained a bootleg copy of a rough cut of The Passion and screened it for its own roundtable of critics that included a rabbi, a priest, a college professor and one of its columnists, all of whom had mixed feelings on the subject.

 

Federal authorities subsequently launched an investigation into how the tabloid obtained the tape, which the Post eventually returned to the Oscar winner. No charges have been filed.

 

The Passion of Christ (previously titled The Passion but changed because Miramax already has a film by that name in the works) is being distributed by New Market Films and is scheduled to hit theaters in time for Lent, on February 25.

------------------------------------------------

 

I'm looking forward to seeing this.

[Youth N Asia 0]

Now if the Pope enjoyed it does that mean all these other religious nuts have to back off now? I mean once the Pope gives the ok you'd think there's no one left to argue that.

[2GOLD 0]

The Pope can still talk?

 

What did he do? Take a crap after the movie was finished and they deemed it "blessed"?

 

I'm still trying to figure when Christ become THE CHRIST? I mean, does it star THE ROCK?

Does he walk around going "THE CHRIST SAYS THIS" throughout the whole film.

 

 

(also, I kid the Pope...nice man..)

[Guest Ghettoman]

2Gold you just gave me a great idea for a movie.....

[2GOLD 0]

2Gold you just gave me a great idea for a movie.....

 

As long as I get a copy of the DVD

[godthedog 0]

it seems odd to me that a christian movie meant "to inspire" would end with christ's death, and not with the resurrection. i keep thinking it will go like: "hey look, he got betrayed. hey look, he's being mistreated by the soldiers. hey look, his own people want him crucified. hey look, he has to carry his own cross. hey look, he's being crucified. hey look, the movie's over. well shit, that was a downer." from what i've read & seen, this seems to be an exercise in making us understand jesus's pain, rather than some kind of affirmation about how to live one's life. and i think 'the last temptation of christ' already did an admirable job of making us understand his pain. but this is just going on the press & the trailer, so i'm not going to set any judgments in stone about it yet.

 

i will say that i am liking the buzz this movie's getting; when i heard the concept for this i immediately thought it would be too esoteric & no one would want to see it, but it's making people talk, and could turn into a big moneymaker. i hope it does make money (not just because i'm a sick little shit who likes the idea of mel gibson making money off of jesus's crucifixion), because this seems to have been an intensely personal project that was specifically made not to pander to people.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

The Pope can still talk?

He probably thought it was a Tom & Jerry cartoon or something...

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

From all reports I've heard it doesn't come off as anti-semitic at all.

 

I for one am very anxious to see this movie.

 

EDIT: Oh and I do think it ends with the resurrection.

[Mole 0]

And it is a Mel Gibson film.

 

It has been known that the public LOVES Mel and will see anything he has his fingers on.

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

stars Jim Caviezel as Jesus and Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene

i am so seeing this

[Guest realsandman420]

laparka...i love that gif!!!!!!

 

about the movie......you do know that it is subtitled right?

 

not a word of english in it.....

[Guest SP-1]

Considering Christ didn't speak english (nobody did at the time), it doesn't bother me at all. I can, contrary to popular opinion, read.

 

I keed, I keed.

 

I'm pretty stoked about the movie. If Mel ends it with the resurrection, I'd be ecstatic, but if he doesn't it will still likely paint a good picture of what Jesus suffered on the way to the ultimate payment of sin. And that will be more than enough to move me and most of the Christians I know.

[Ravenbomb 0]

holy shit, Monica Belliuci? I am so seeing this.

 

BTW, if this movie is supposed to be so realistic then why is Jesus white?

Edited December 25, 2003 by Ravenbomb

[the pinjockey 0]

Edit: nothing to see here move along.

 

Lesson for today: reading, not skimming, the whole article is good

[bobobrazil1984 0]

I really like Monica Belluci's breasts.

[2GOLD 0]

I really like Monica Belluci's breasts.

 

They are quite nice.

But I am not seeing this movie.

 

I've seen enough stories of Christ.

[Vern Gagne 0]

it seems odd to me that a christian movie meant "to inspire" would end with christ's death, and not with the resurrection.  i keep thinking it will go like: "hey look, he got betrayed.  hey look, he's being mistreated by the soldiers.  hey look, his own people want him crucified.  hey look, he has to carry his own cross.  hey look, he's being crucified.  hey look, the movie's over.  well shit, that was a downer."  from what i've read & seen, this seems to be an exercise in making us understand jesus's pain, rather than some kind of affirmation about how to live one's life.  and i think 'the last temptation of christ' already did an admirable job of making us understand his pain.  but this is just going on the press & the trailer, so i'm not going to set any judgments in stone about it yet.

 

i will say that i am liking the buzz this movie's getting; when i heard the concept for this i immediately thought it would be too esoteric & no one would want to see it, but it's making people talk, and could turn into a big moneymaker.  i hope it does make money (not just because i'm a sick little shit who likes the idea of mel gibson making money off of jesus's crucifixion), because this seems to have been an intensely personal project that was specifically made not to pander to people.

Do you mind using the spoiler tags, some of us don't know what happens at the end.

Edited December 26, 2003 by Vern Gagne

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

will they use the Pope's endorsement on their posters?

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

"The Best Tearjerker You'll See This Year!" - The Pope

 

or

 

"I Really Like Monica Bellucci's Breasts!" - The Pope

[Guest Douche]

Now if the Pope enjoyed it does that mean all these other religious nuts have to back off now? I mean once the Pope gives the ok you'd think there's no one left to argue that.

Yeah there should be no one to argue with the decision...

 

EXCEPT ALL THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T GIVE A DAMN WHAT THE POPE SAYS.

 

Not all those who believe in Christ follow the Pope. For me he's an old man with a big white hat and this was the stupidest generalization I've heard.

 

That's like Denzel Washington having a press conference to say he likes fried chicken. Does that mean that all black people can't complain about the stereotype now?

 

Douche.

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

it seems odd to me that a christian movie meant "to inspire" would end with christ's death, and not with the resurrection.  i keep thinking it will go like: "hey look, he got betrayed.  hey look, he's being mistreated by the soldiers.  hey look, his own people want him crucified.  hey look, he has to carry his own cross.  hey look, he's being crucified.  hey look, the movie's over.  well shit, that was a downer."  from what i've read & seen, this seems to be an exercise in making us understand jesus's pain, rather than some kind of affirmation about how to live one's life.  and i think 'the last temptation of christ' already did an admirable job of making us understand his pain.  but this is just going on the press & the trailer, so i'm not going to set any judgments in stone about it yet.

 

i will say that i am liking the buzz this movie's getting; when i heard the concept for this i immediately thought it would be too esoteric & no one would want to see it, but it's making people talk, and could turn into a big moneymaker.  i hope it does make money (not just because i'm a sick little shit who likes the idea of mel gibson making money off of jesus's crucifixion), because this seems to have been an intensely personal project that was specifically made not to pander to people.

Do you min using the spoiler tags, some of us don't know what happens at the end.

I can't believe this got no-sold.

 

[Guest Douche]

it seems odd to me that a christian movie meant "to inspire" would end with christ's death, and not with the resurrection.  i keep thinking it will go like: "hey look, he got betrayed.  hey look, he's being mistreated by the soldiers.  hey look, his own people want him crucified.  hey look, he has to carry his own cross.  hey look, he's being crucified.  hey look, the movie's over.  well shit, that was a downer."  from what i've read & seen, this seems to be an exercise in making us understand jesus's pain, rather than some kind of affirmation about how to live one's life.  and i think 'the last temptation of christ' already did an admirable job of making us understand his pain.  but this is just going on the press & the trailer, so i'm not going to set any judgments in stone about it yet.

 

i will say that i am liking the buzz this movie's getting; when i heard the concept for this i immediately thought it would be too esoteric & no one would want to see it, but it's making people talk, and could turn into a big moneymaker.  i hope it does make money (not just because i'm a sick little shit who likes the idea of mel gibson making money off of jesus's crucifixion), because this seems to have been an intensely personal project that was specifically made not to pander to people.

Do you min using the spoiler tags, some of us don't know what happens at the end.

I can't believe this got no-sold.

 

I thought it was smirk-worthy but didn't want to make a whole other post just to say

 

LOL

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

holy shit, Monica Belliuci? I am so seeing this.

 

BTW, if this movie is supposed to be so realistic then why is Jesus white?

Probabky because the Catholic Church, of which I am a member of, by the way, was largely developed in Europe and thus they made Him in ttheir image so that they could feed their superiority complex and well, Gibson is just continuing the tradition. I think I'd rather see Life Of Brian again rather than this, by the way.