The Last Temptation of Christ and The Passion
Mel Gibson's not yet released film The Passion has been garnering a lot of attention lately. Mostly it has comprised Mel Gibson predicting how strongly the Jewish Community is going to object to his film, and the Jewish Community responding with, "you might at least let us screen it, but your reluctance may imply something objectionable."
You can read Frank Rich's article about this at The New York Times (may require free registration).
I think Rich's analysis is right on the money. Gibson's coyness about showing the film to Jewish and Liberal Christian audiences combined with his combativeness regarding that coyness suggests to me that he is most likely trying to dress the film in a mantle of notoriety. And if the film needs to be dressed in a mantle of notoriety six months in advance of its release, what does that imply about the likely viewability of the film?
I recall a film released in the late 1980's called The Last Temptation of Christ, based on a book by the same name. Its premise is that Jesus, on the cross, was visited by Satan who offered him a shot at a normal life. The bulk of that film was spent showing what that life would have been like and in the end, Jesus declines Satan's offer. A nice piece of speculative fiction around the passion, certainly, but nothing ultimately objectionable (because, after all, Jesus DOES decline Satan's offer). Nonetheless, Christian groups protested the film vehemently, without ever seeing it. And unlike Gibson's objectors in both the Liberal Christian and Jewish communities, they had the option of seeing it.
I went to see the film. I figured if groups like the Christian Coalition were protesting it, it had to have SOME redeeming qualities. And it was OK, I guess. A bit slowly paced, but very pretty, and capable of provoking thought. But all-in-all a film to wait for the rental on; not quite worth the first run price. Which is to say that the film probably benefited greatly from the protests, which were a spontaneous reaction. This all leaves me wondering if Gibson is trying to ensure his film's success by engineering controversy. And if this is necessary, does it mean he does not believe it can stand on its artistic merits?
You can read Frank Rich's article about this at The New York Times (may require free registration).
I think Rich's analysis is right on the money. Gibson's coyness about showing the film to Jewish and Liberal Christian audiences combined with his combativeness regarding that coyness suggests to me that he is most likely trying to dress the film in a mantle of notoriety. And if the film needs to be dressed in a mantle of notoriety six months in advance of its release, what does that imply about the likely viewability of the film?
I recall a film released in the late 1980's called The Last Temptation of Christ, based on a book by the same name. Its premise is that Jesus, on the cross, was visited by Satan who offered him a shot at a normal life. The bulk of that film was spent showing what that life would have been like and in the end, Jesus declines Satan's offer. A nice piece of speculative fiction around the passion, certainly, but nothing ultimately objectionable (because, after all, Jesus DOES decline Satan's offer). Nonetheless, Christian groups protested the film vehemently, without ever seeing it. And unlike Gibson's objectors in both the Liberal Christian and Jewish communities, they had the option of seeing it.
I went to see the film. I figured if groups like the Christian Coalition were protesting it, it had to have SOME redeeming qualities. And it was OK, I guess. A bit slowly paced, but very pretty, and capable of provoking thought. But all-in-all a film to wait for the rental on; not quite worth the first run price. Which is to say that the film probably benefited greatly from the protests, which were a spontaneous reaction. This all leaves me wondering if Gibson is trying to ensure his film's success by engineering controversy. And if this is necessary, does it mean he does not believe it can stand on its artistic merits?