| Author | Message | ||
     marie Citizen Username: Marie Post Number: 969 Registered: 6-2001 |
What about Braveheart and The Patriot? Violent films if my memory serves me right - both great films. They were extremely gory, particulary the final scene in Braveheart where the The Scot is dis-emboweled and torn limb from limb in front of a cheering crowd. Or the scene in the Patriot, when Gibson stabs a British soldier multiple times and then relentlessly bashes his brains in with a rock - both extremely violent and gorey scenes, but in my opinion, necessary to the overall film. I believe Gibson won an academy award for Braveheart. I haven't seen the Passion yet, but suspect the violent scenes serve this film in the same way. | ||
| themp Citizen Username: Themp Post Number: 547 Registered: 12-2001 |
The Patriot was crap. why do his movies always have a scene where he gets tortured? Braveheart was freaky. If you need to have the lead character's wife raped in the first scene to get you righteous dander up, then you might as well watch "Death Wish III". Fantasies revolving around being a tortured martyr are narcissistic and morbid. I'd like to see a Jesus movie where he goofs off with some kids, does a little light carpentry, and eats dinner with his mom. | ||
| Waldo Citizen Username: Discowaldo Post Number: 49 Registered: 12-2003 |
I do not know much about this film and I have not seen it yet, so please correct me if I am misinformed. From my understanding Gibson realizes that the only way to grab peoples attention these days is to shock and awe them. Not everyone will want to see these shocking movies and some will be insulted and offended by them, but the majority of people will be compelled to see this movie. Then once people are in the theater Gibson wants to beat them over the head with the fact that Christ suffered an amazing amount for our sins. I don't beleive that Gibson wanted everyone to focus on who was administering the punishment to Christ, but mainly on the harsh treatment that He went through. If Christ was arrested and then cruxified, there is a good chance that he was beaten and tortured before during and after his trial, just judging by the times. And it is likely that members from multiple religions and creeds took place in these beatings. Gibson wants everyone to focus on the torment of Christ in his final hours of life, and make sure that we can not possibly miss this message. I'm sure he realized that he would recieve alot of heat for his movie, but it seems that he believes his message is more important. I am not saying I agree with his beliefs, I just don't think he is out to accuse anyone of anything. I am not Catholic or Jewish although much of my family and friends are active in one of these religions, so I can see how one would be offended by this movie. | ||
| themp Citizen Username: Themp Post Number: 553 Registered: 12-2001 |
It's just more vulgarity. Our institutions are beginning to degenerate. The White House calls for blood, the Church (in so far as Mel Gibson represents it) shoves blood at us, the NFL shows us nipples, and we listen to Imus and Stern. Soon maybe we will have morally instructive public executions, and the Federal government will bless the "sanctity" of our marriages. It's a new Dark Ages (which is when passion plays had their heyday). Rather than falling into the trap of defending Mel against his "attackers", aren't you tempted to just turn your back on the whole ddelibrately orchestrated "controversy"? They'll keep you fretting over nothing with all this garbage. It all relates to power struggles between a bunch of crazy Napoleons. Whatever happened to delicacy of thought and expression? | ||
| musicme Citizen Username: Musicme Post Number: 464 Registered: 5-2001  |
themp, the movie where he plays with the kids, spends time with his mom... Wasn't that "WaterBoy" ? | ||
| themp Citizen Username: Themp Post Number: 564 Registered: 12-2001 |
Yeah, I guess it is Waterboy. What about Ernest Save Christmas? That has kids. | ||
| michael Citizen Username: Michael Post Number: 489 Registered: 1-2002 |
Yeah, I remember the same outrage displayed here about the graphic violent nature of other films like Reservoir Dogs and Mr. Lechter slicing open a drug induced victim's head, filleting a thin slice of his live brain, sautéing it with a bit of garlic and then feeding it to his victim. Oh wait, I'm sorry, there was no outrage about those scenes or the multitude of other gratuitously violent films out there. Putting aside all other issues on could have with this film, the cry of "too graphic", “To violent” is really lame and rings hollow. As a recent on the street, regular guy viewer said, "Yeah it was horrifying, sickening, brutal and terribly violent and bloody but you know, crucifixion ain't no picnic. Dave, wrong once again on your "disappears off everyone's radar screen within 3 weeks.” Friendly wager ? Lord of the Rings? Yikes | ||
| themp Citizen Username: Themp Post Number: 567 Registered: 12-2001 |
Res. Dogs sucked. It was too violent. Every reviewer panned Silence II. They said it was too violent. | ||
| mellie Citizen Username: Mellie Post Number: 417 Registered: 4-2002 |
er... this is a movie made by Mel Gibson it is not "Christ - the True Story" by Matthew Mark Luke and John judge not, lest ye be judged | ||
| michael Citizen Username: Michael Post Number: 492 Registered: 1-2002 |
themp : granted but did the reaction to the violence in those films even approach that of the Passion ? Dave, no freindly wager on your prediction ? Ah, C'mon ! | ||
| Dave Citizen Username: Dave Post Number: 6478 Registered: 4-1998  |
Wagering? Nah, wouldn't want to be affiliated with that.
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| debby Citizen Username: Debby Post Number: 109 Registered: 5-2001 |
Finnegan - thanks for the education - very informative. Lumpy - Palestinians aren't anti-semitic. They ARE semitic. The Albom essay was an interesting perspective. Previously my feeling was "God help me if my work is ever judged by some of my father's ridiculous statements" But Albom is right - Gibson threw down the gauntlet when he got creative with the gospels. He should answer | ||
| lumpynose Citizen Username: Lumpyhead Post Number: 732 Registered: 3-2002  |
Debby- You are correct though my point was that the Palestinians hate the Jews. Not all, but a good amount. This hatred is accepted because some people think they are deserving of it, I don't. The movie is not fact, it's Gibson's interpretation of the gospels. Does every Hollywood producer have to answer for the trash they put out? Sounds like you are advocating censorship or some form of punishment for Mel. Go see 50 First Dates. | ||
| mtierney Citizen Username: Mtierney Post Number: 494 Registered: 3-2001 |
I wonder at critics who question why Gibson didn't focus on Jesus's life and miracles. The film is called "The Passion of the Christ" - duh, it's about His death. I would guess every single Catholic church in America has The Stations of the Cross" on its walls. I've walked along the Via Delorosa in Jerusalem and witnessed the people of every nationality pray along the way (I'll have to add that my trip preceded the current violence there by about a year.) It appears that the NY Times still has its knickers in a twist over this film. The other day it had an article noting in a headline that Mel Gibson "May" have trouble finding work in Hollywood after this. It read like a threat to me! Why else the speculation on Gibson's future career? Remember that artist (can't remember his name) who demanded that his depiction of a cross in a bucket of urine be respectfully considered art and freedom of artistic expression? Christians who protested this as a desecration were called religious nutcases and worse! I was listening to PBS the other day and, I think it was Brian Lehrer, commented that Gibson had said in his TV interview with Diane Sawyer that "many others" were also killed in Europe. Following a commercial break, Lehrer continued the interview by first commenting that many listeners had called in during the break to correct him, noting that Gibson had said that along with 6 million Jews, many others had been killed! Accidental editing? I recall learning that 11 million people were killed in the Holocaust - 6 million Jews and 5 million others! Gibson never defended his father's work - but only said that he was his father and that he loved him and told Sawyer "not to go there." | ||
| Dave Citizen Username: Dave Post Number: 6481 Registered: 4-1998 |
"not to go there" Well, why not? His father just happens to believe the Holocaust didn't happen and he just happens to have produced a movie that makes alleged stereotyped portrayals of Jews. If a journalist doens't ask these questions, we're no longer in a free America with a free press. | ||
| lumpynose Citizen Username: Lumpyhead Post Number: 733 Registered: 3-2002 |
I don't think anyone should be judged on the words or actions of their father. If you want to know, go right to the source, not his son. | ||
| anon Citizen Username: Anon Post Number: 998 Registered: 6-2002 |
"If you want to know, go right to the source, not his son. " That is what we Jews believe. Who needs the Son, when you have the Father! But as to fathers and son's, when reading the piece by Albom, I coudn't help thinking about Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose reaction to his father's nazism was to make amends by contributing to the Weisenthal center and other Jewish causes. | ||
| debby Citizen Username: Debby Post Number: 110 Registered: 5-2001 |
Did I say or even imply anything about censorship? | ||
| mtierney Citizen Username: Mtierney Post Number: 496 Registered: 3-2001 |
"If a journalist doesn't ask these questions, we're no longer in a free America with a free press." Dave, the impression I got from watching this interview was that Sawyer was baiting Gibson. She was pressing him to say something negative about his father. Instead, Gibson, in saying 'don't go there' made it clear that he had no intention of discussing his father's views. He would not reply to her repeated references to his father. IMHO a good journalist doesn't let his/her own views obscure the interview process. Sawyer was trying too hard to damage Gibson personally. It was not about the film. | ||
| lumpynose Citizen Username: Lumpyhead Post Number: 734 Registered: 3-2002 |
Debby- "He should anwser". He already did in print and interviews. What more do you want? Lashings? |
