More Passion

[andrewducker]

Very nicely written piece here on The Passion of the Christ, laying out some of the bits where it deviates from the gospels, exaggerates the part of the Jews (and deliberately associates them with Satan) and generally acts as propaganda.

Comments

[theferrett.livejournal.com]

Except he leaves out one of the big anti-Jewish bits, wherein some of the Jewish cabal screams things like, "This is not a fair trial! The man has done nothing!" and "Why is this trial in the dead of night, without full quorum?" (I can't remember the exact quotes, but then again I never do.)

I'll be getting to my own Passion review as soon as I get past a head cold and out of Connecticut, but to "chronicle" the evil way Gibson harms the Jews and to completely leave out the non-Biblical parts where he makes the Jews more sympathetic is propaganda in the highest degree itself.

[broin.livejournal.com]

You seem to want to hate the movie. =)

[andrewducker]

Nope, been looking forward to it up until about 3 days ago, and had defended it in conversation for anti-semitism, saying that as long as it stuck to the gospels it had to be treated as a faithful translation of something that many people accepted as fact. I've got a trailer somewhere - looks extremely cool.

Having now seen that (a) it's not sticking to the gospels and (b) it's taking the aspects that I find least interesting and increasing them purely for effect, I've pretty much lost all interest.

[broin.livejournal.com]

So because it's a movie, and not a documentary, you feel betrayed?

What do the gospels have to do with it? If you wanted to see a renactment of the four traditional gospels, watch a documentary.

[andrewducker]

If it's a work of fiction then it's one that's deliberately saying things I really don't approve of.

Why would I go and see that?

[broin.livejournal.com]

Look, not going to see Passion because it isnt a so-called 'faithful adaptation' of the gospels is like not going to see X2 because Wolverine isn't in blue and yellow spandex.

You don't know what it said. You're relying on secondhand views, and you don't like relying on secondhand reviews.

And why wouldn't you want to see a movie you disagreed with? Sounds like a challenge to me. Get uncomfortable. In discomfort is learning.

[andrewducker]

I'm _extremely_ happy to rely on secondhand reviews most of the time. There are a good 90% of the films on tat the cinema I'm not going to see, because I've read enough about them to realise that they aren't going to do anything for me. Sure, I may miss the occasional good movie that way, but generally if it's that good it'll come round again and someone will have told me I _have_ to see it. And I will.

And I'll happily watch uncomfortable films, if I think it's worthwhile. I own a copy of Requiem for a Dream, I adore Naked, I thought that Happiness was amazing. All of those _did_ have something in them that made them worthwhile. I've seen nothing in the reviews about TPotC that makes me think it does. If I had an infinite amount of time, I might be tempted, but as it is there are a fair number of films I _do_ want to see.

And I have nothing against films that I disagree with, but so far pretty much everyone seems to be coming down on the "makes the Jews out to be evil." side of things. TheFerrett seems to have a different opinion, and if he says that it _is_ worth sitting through the violence, I might be tempted. But I need a reason to go and see 2 hours of horribleness and so far I haven't seen one.

Annoyances galore

[ekatarina.livejournal.com]

One of the things that is bothering me, aside from the rumours that the Latin is pronounced badly, is that since this is all happening in the *eastern* part of the Roman empire - shouldn't they be speaking Greek?

Ekatarina

[allorin.livejournal.com]

Obsessed much?

[andrewducker]

More disappointed. I'd been looking forward to it.

Offer

[laserboy.livejournal.com]

I'll happily pay for your ticket. Even cinema food/drink. :) It's only going to take 2-ish hours of your life and then you'll know for sure.

What do you say?

Re: Offer

[andrewducker]

I'm leaving the country in 11 days. I have 3 films I want to see between now and then, 2 sessions of gaming and a trip to Kent.

If it's still on when I get back, you're on :->

Re: Offer

[laserboy.livejournal.com]

According to the imdb it opens here on the 26th, so it should still be on.

Just let me know when you get back from the states.