Your own personal Jesus

[kitkat]

According to a friend in Matera , Italy , Mel Gibson,s production of "The Passion" has an anamatronic body for the body of Christ on the cross....so they can really hammer nails into it , flog it etc...Its supposedly amazingly lifelike and looks human, much to the distress of extras...

[wade]

Any word on jesus' wire fu battle ?

[kitkat]

huh?

[Number Six]

Oh my gentle Jesus...I had been at a personal loss when trying to find the purpose in Gibson's foolish enterprise; now I can see clearly. For Gibson, the formula for this pretentious "period piece" is clear: simply depict the most definitive event in western culture in as realisic (i.e. linguistically and, now, brutally tasteless) a manner as possible, leaving all room for artisic sensibility behind. We all know what happened on the cross. We can surely envision it. There is simply no reason for Robo-Christ to be flogged and nailed. What is next, a VR Christ game where the player is actually beaten and punctured? A curse on thee, Gibson, and thy folly. If Jesus wasn't getting a lot of PR out of this film, I could see him smiting this film for its embodiment of a faux-art value system.

[Frost]

More importantly, will it be up on eBay after wrap?

[kitkat]

I,ve actually been following the production out of interest and for study reasons...and dont think things are being done for any need to glorify, disgust or indoctrinate. The production seems to be about depicting a human side to this story...not just a divine one...and those who have participated have said how impressed they have been by the production. This is not likely to be a major release, but will no doubt find its marketand I look forward to seeing the finished piece.
But lets face it no matter what is said about it, some of you will have made your mind up before a second of film has been seen...

[Number Six]

My problem with is with the idea of the project, not the final outcome, therefore I would never need to actually see a second of the finished product. Major studio release or not, I see it as Gibson's flailing attempt at artistic immortality through film-making-- not as a dedicated, personally religious attempt at humanizing the life of Christ. If the project's goal is to humanize Christ, then why use Greek and Latin? Doesn't that essentially de-humanize the characters by placing a language barrier (in this case, one of not one but TWO dead languages) between audience and Christ? This is Gibson convincing himself how arsty and significant he is, nothing more. No originality, nothing to say; just a direct re-enactment of the new testament with an animatronic Robo-christ.

[Number Six]

My problem with is with the idea of the project, not the final outcome, therefore I would never need to actually see a second of the finished product. Major studio release or not, I see it as Gibson's flailing attempt at artistic immortality through film-making-- not as a dedicated, personally religious attempt at humanizing the life of Christ. If the project's goal is to humanize Christ, then why use Greek and Latin? Doesn't that essentially de-humanize the characters by placing a language barrier (in this case, one of not one but TWO dead languages) between audience and Christ? This is Gibson convincing himself how arsty and significant he is, nothing more. No originality, nothing to say; just a direct re-enactment of the new testament with an animatronic Robo-christ.

[Number Six]

My problem with is with the idea of the project, not the final outcome, therefore I would never need to actually see a second of the finished product. Major studio release or not, I see it as Gibson's flailing attempt at artistic immortality through film-making-- not as a dedicated, personally religious attempt at humanizing the life of Christ. If the project's goal is to humanize Christ, then why use Greek and Latin? Doesn't that essentially de-humanize the characters by placing a language barrier (in this case, one of not one but TWO dead languages) between audience and Christ? This is Gibson convincing himself how arsty and significant he is, nothing more. No originality, nothing to say; just a direct re-enactment of the new testament with an animatronic Robo-christ.

[Number Six]

My problem with is with the idea of the project, not the final outcome, therefore I would never need to actually see a second of the finished product. Major studio release or not, I see it as Gibson's flailing attempt at artistic immortality through film-making-- not as a dedicated, personally religious attempt at humanizing the life of Christ. If the project's goal is to humanize Christ, then why use Greek and Latin? Doesn't that essentially de-humanize the characters by placing a language barrier (in this case, one of not one but TWO dead languages) between audience and Christ? This is Gibson convincing himself how arsty and significant he is, nothing more. No originality, nothing to say; just a direct re-enactment of the new testament with an animatronic Robo-christ.

[kitkat]

Its aramaic ...not greek!
As its arguably the most famous story ever told wouldnt it be different to see it ytold effectively as a silent story , to allow the emotion to speak without worrying about how the lines are delivered???
Im not trying to be difficult here, I respect your stance completely...I just kind of respect his striving to be different , even if it is perceived as artsy...

[Sean Bateman]

You gotta stop thinking forgiveness and start thinking Playstation.

[Casey Moore]

Personally I really want to see this movie.

Maybe its my Jesuitical background, but I want to hear the movie in Aramaic and Latin? Why? Because its needed. It brings yet another perspective to the Life of Christ.

I am dissappointed that Gibson casted Caviezal as Jesus, but he did so we shall see.

And, I dont think Gibson is doing this because he wants to be known as an artist for all time. If you ever read anything about his personal life, it is always said he is a devout Roman Catholic. Sometimes people are motivated by their religion and spirituality. Somtimes we as viewers need to drop our suspicion of the movtives of all others.

Anyway, I will go see this when it comes out. Who knows, maybe my Latin will kick in and I will actually be able to understand some of what is being said.

[Carl90210]

I respect Gibson as a director but he shouldn't be tackling this kind of material.

[Number Six]

My problem with is with the idea of the project, not the final outcome, therefore I would never need to actually see a second of the finished product. Major studio release or not, I see it as Gibson's flailing attempt at artistic immortality through film-making-- not as a dedicated, personally religious attempt at humanizing the life of Christ. If the project's goal is to humanize Christ, then why use Aramaic? Doesn't that essentially de-humanize the characters by placing a language barrier between audience and Christ? This is Gibson convincing himself how arsty and significant he is, nothing more. No originality, nothing to say; just a direct re-enactment of the new testament with an animatronic Robo-christ.

[Number Six]

Dealing with a network problem here at OC...sorry for the multiposts.

[Kid Ego]

I thought you were just trying to get your point across...

[Devil Unicorn]

nevermind

[Adverb]

Robo-Christ. Now there's a screeplay that writes itself!

[Adverb]

[Jacob Singer]

Sean Bateman, Samurai Journalist:
You gotta stop thinking forgiveness and start thinking Playstation.See, this is my answer to all socio-political conundrums.

[Number Six]

You're right...Robo-Christ DOES write itself...thanks for the idea...buwhahahaha!

[mastronikolas]

It does bring more humanity to Jesus.

Up until now, we got a photogenic Jesus, carrying the cross to Golgotha, grunting once in a while, then being nailed, absolutely not bleeding, hanging for a while and then giving a short speech, exhaling and dying.

This is not very human and it definitely doesn't capture the suffering he went through, which is the central idea in christianity. He didn't go through a boring chore in crucifixion, he was tortured to death. The whole point of it was not only that he died, but how he died.