From: Dace (edace@earthlink.net)
Date: Mon 19 Apr 2004 - 18:50:56 GMT
Kenneth wrote:
> In the film however, Gibson made a mess of things, Holly- wood style...
His
> movie is for the most part based upon what Johannes wrote, not merely an
> interpretation of things in its own right and thus questionable about its
content
> and truthfullness. Gibson used richly other elements coming from other
> writings. Moreover, said one of the participants of the debate, it is a
movie
> where you can laugh with if you understand and know your history. The
Latin
> used came only into fashion in the Middle Ages, to give an example.
Another
> historical blunder is that Mary is seen troughout the film as an important
> figure. Historical that isn 't true, Mary came in sight when again
Johannes
> wrote about her. Probably, at the time JC died she sat home, completely
> unaware of the fact that her love one died a terrible death.
>
> And the blood and the horror !? Hollywood style no doubt
In Time magazine's cover story last week, theologian Susan Thistethwaite
calls The Passion a war movie. She said it's the most violent movie she's
ever screened. It may be one of the most violent movies ever made, period.
Apparently, when the subject is Jesus, it doesn't matter how violent a movie
is because it's automatically holy. So you can get away with anything. The
audience gets to wallow in blood and still maintain the illusion that it's
somehow not just another Hollywood bloodfest. Gibson has evaded criticism
for his latest spectacle of pointless ultraviolence by nailing it to the
religion meme.
It's interesting that the big political story in that same issue of Time is
the attack on the four American mercenaries in Fallujah. There's a picture
of a mob of Arabs (the other Semites) celebrating over the deaths of the
Americans. There's no effort to get across the rational basis for their
celebration. After all, their country is being occupied by a foreign power
bent on selling off its assets and converting it into another impoverished
supplier of raw materials to the rich nations. This is conveniently
forgotten as we revel in our victimhood. I think the real reason for the
incredible popularity of Gibson's film is that it was released in the shadow
of 9/11. America is incapable of recognizing its culpability in the great
crime committed against it. We can only paint ourselves as a sort of
national Christ on the cross, with a mob of dark-skinned people at our
throats. That's the real message of The Passion. Oh, see how we're scorned
and hated for our goodness and Godliness. We try to help others, and look
how we're treated in return. It's the old self-righteousness meme, a
perennial best-seller.
Ted
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