Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by clarkjohnsen (R) on June 30, 2003 at 14:36:51

(I attach the forwarding message.)

Friends,

Below is a piece by Catholic film critic Barb Nicolosi on her opinion of Mel
Gibson's upcoming theatrical release on the Passion of Christ. She was one
of a small select handful who were at this private screening with Mel
Gibson. It is very good news about the beauty, authenticity and power of
this work of faith and love produced by Mel Gibson. Way to go Mel!

Tony

I SAW THE PASSION
>
>So I was at a private screening at Icon Productions yesterday, and got
>to see a rough cut of The Passion. There were about twelve people in the
>room, including Mel Gibson, his producing partner Steve and four or five
>other Icon staffers. After the screening, we talked to Mel and friends
>for about an hour. (As cool as that was, the quality of the film was
>such that the celebrity stuff was completely gone from the moment. I
>can't explain it really, except that it would be like standing in the
>Sistine Chapel next to, well, someone like Mel Gibson. Great art is a
>great leveler....) The rough cut we saw obviously didn't have the final
>score or special effects, and there were many more sub-titles than they
>will have in the finished film.
>
>So, here's my take...
>
>The Passion is a stunning work of art. It is a devout, act of worship
>from Mel and his collaborators - in the way that Handel's Messiah and
>Notre Dame were artistic acts of worship in previous times.
>
>Let's get the controversy out of the way right at the top. The film is
>faithful to the Gospel, particularly St. John. It is no more
>anti-Semitic than is the Gospel. There are at least two members of the
>Sanhedrin who come forward to protest on Jesus' behalf during the sham
>trial. The Romans are just as guilty of cruelty and hatred against Jesus
>in the film. And best of all is a final look right into the camera of
>Mary, holding her dead Son. She is looking at all of us with a kind of ,
>"Look what you've done"/This is for you" expression. A cinematic Pieta
>worthy of Michelangelo.
>
>Having seen the film now, I can only marvel that the attacks are pretty
>much demonic. Hopefully, the devil will end up spitefully biting his own
>tail on this one-- as he does in The Passion by inciting on the
>executioners of Christ, and thus being complicit in his own ultimate
>defeat. The Passion is high art. It is the greatest movie about Jesus
>ever made. In the discussion following the film, Mel and co. were asking
>us how mainstream theater audiences would react to the film. I told
>them, "Who cares? What you have here is so much more than just a product
>to sell. It will live forever, regardless of whether it is a commercial
>success for you or not."
>
>For those of us who love Jesus, The Passion is devastating to watch. It
>is so good, I almost couldn't stand it. There is one moment on the way
>of the cross sequence, in which the whole tragedy unfolding devolves
>into a vicious riot of hatred between Romans and Jews with the Savior on
>the ground in the middle of it getting it from both sides. It was so
>frenzied and terrible, I wanted to run from the room. But then, the film
>again finds Mary, Jesus's Mother on the sidelines, and her presence gets
>us through it. Kind of like how Mary's presence helped Jesus get through
>it, it seemed to me.
>
>The film is lovingly Marian. Mary is perfectly portrayed here. She is
>contrasted repeatedly with the really super creepy Satan character, who
>is also a woman (something for the feminist theologians here? heh
>heh...).
>
>The film is strongly Eucharistic. There is a beautiful juxtaposition of
>images that cuts from the stripping on Calvary to the unwrapping of the
>bread to be used at the last Supper. Fabulous stuff.
>
>Every Christian needs to see this film at least once. Just to remember,
>in our current comfort zones while evil is closing in, the price that
>was paid for us. On my way home from the screening, I found myself
>praying in the car, "Jesus, I'm so sorry, I forgot..." How many films
>have led you to compunction lately? The Passion is a miracle.
>

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