The Passion...
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and other related shows.... wonder how long it will take the censors to pass the rating for The Passion of The Christ... anyone looking forward to it??
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Christ dominates the big screen (Straits Times, 28 Feb 2004)
Three Christian films will be shown here soon but movie distributors say the trend is just a coincidence
By Foong Woei Wan
A CHRISTIAN revival is sweeping the big screen.
Besides Mel Gibson's controversial The Passion Of The Christ, two other Christian films will be shown here soon.
On March 18, distributor United International Pictures will release The Gospel Of John, which is the tale of Christ as told by his apostle John.
On July 8, distributor Shaw Organisation will release Luther, a biopic of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German leader of the Protestant Reformation.
John is a 2003 Canadian-British co-production narrated by Christopher Plummer and stars relative unknown Henry Ian Cusick as Christ.
It is a word-for-word adaptation from the American Bible Society's Good News Bible.
Luther is a 2003 European production based on the play by Briton John Osborne and stars Joseph Fiennes in the lead role.
A spokesman for Shaw says it will be on a limited release.
Gibson's dramatisation of the last hours of Christ's life is likely to be released here on April 1, says Warner-20th Century Fox.
UIP and Shaw say the trend is just a coincidence.
Other distributors, including Cathay-Keris Films and Golden Village Pictures, say they have no plans to release Christian movies.
'We were on the lookout for a Christ movie before Passion generated such a controversy,' said Mr Nicholas Yong, UIP's managing director for Singapore and Malaysia.
'The time was ripe. The Gospel Of John was released in the United States recently,' he said.
Gibson's film has come under criticism for allegedly showing the Jews in a bad light, and also for its violent scenes.
Still, it made US$23.6 million (S$40 million) in the US and Canada on its opening day on Wednesday.
Passion may become the most-watched religious-themed movie since The Ten Commandments and Ben Hur.
Warner-20th Century Fox has sent a print of the film to the Media Development Authority. No rating has been announced for it.
UIP's Mr Yong expects a PG rating for John.
'It's not as violent as Passion, it's more family-friendly,' he said.
A spokesman for Shaw said of Luther, which has not been rated: 'All along, we've been planning to release it in July.'
On top of these three films, a Christian play, The Gospel According To Mark, is in its second week, and is now at The Substation Garden. It stars stage and TV actor Rodney Oliveiro as Christ.
World-In-Theatre's playwright, Sonny Lim, says it is playing to houses that are 'more than 50 per cent' full.
But he doubts that the crowds have been drawn by the controversy over The Passion Of The Christ.
It just happens that his Christian play is 'the first in years', he says. -
I'm just curious what the controversy is about
Though Gibson claims to have stuck very closely to the bible's account, I think they've made slight changes to certain scene. -
read from another news report that the controversy was brought on by several groups of people....Originally posted by sillyme:I'm just curious what the controversy is about
Though Gibson claims to have stuck very closely to the bible's account, I think they've made slight changes to certain scene.
one group was the Jews in US, who claimed that Mel Gibson's movie portrayed Jews as killers of Christ and that the film encourages anti-semitism similar to that of Hitler's German Reich. They even petitioned to Vatican to bar the showing of the film, but i think it didn't work.
Another group raised objections to the film's gory details, saying that it was too violent, more than necessary to communicate the point. There was some rumour/ news(??) about an old grandmother who was so horrified that she died of heart attack while watching it.
then there were the miscellaneous ones who were anti-anti-semitism.... this one I'm not sure. rather confused with this lot. -
well, the anti-semitism came about because the show depicted that the Jews were the one who conspired to crucify (put him to trial) Jesus.. where history says, only the Romans have the power to put someone on trial..Originally posted by KittynMeow:read from another news report that the controversy was brought on by several groups of people....
one group was the Jews in US, who claimed that Mel Gibson's movie portrayed Jews as killers of Christ and that the film encourages anti-semitism similar to that of Hitler's German Reich. They even petitioned to Vatican to bar the showing of the film, but i think it didn't work.
Another group raised objections to the film's gory details, saying that it was too violent, more than necessary to communicate the point. There was some rumour/ news(??) about an old grandmother who was so horrified that she died of heart attack while watching it.
then there were the miscellaneous ones who were anti-anti-semitism.... this one I'm not sure. rather confused with this lot.
though the petition failed, the Pope did announce that he does not support the film..
as for the violence.. i think mel gibson has a 'liking' for it as with previous shows he was in such as braveheart and the patriot.. since we have not seen the show.. i think the violence should be somewhat justifiable, to portray what Jesus did go through.. but the thing is whether gibson wants to sell violence? will the violence distract the real purpose of telling what the whole act of salvation is about? -
I wonder why the Jews should be upset over the movie, when it was just a stating of historical fact! Truth is, none of us or our people are exactly clean in history and culture either, so what's the beef about a movie showing a time when we weren't exactly nice? It's historical fact.
Besides, it wasn't the Jews or the Romans which crucified Christ, it was really humanity. The hand that held down Christ's hand to be nailed in the movie was none other then Mel Gibson's own.
As for the violence, what's the beef again? The truth is, the who event cross was a pretty violent affair not anything like the politically correct versions we would like to imagine it as. The truth is, the cross is a place of immense suffering and to see it in it's full violence will best help us to realize just a little of the magnitude of the sacrifice that Jesus made which we can't even start to imagine.. -
The Gospel of John is showing at Cinemas starting 18 March!!
A momentous undertaking involving a creative constituency of award-winning artists and esteemed academic and theological consultants from around the world, Visual Bible's THE GOSPEL OF JOHN is an ambitious motion picture that has been adapted for the screen on a word for word basis from the American Bible Society's Good News Bible.
The story of Jesus' life as recounted by His disciple John, this three-hour epic feature film draws its audience into antiquity by way of meticulous recreation, including an original musical score complete with instrumental sounds of the time. This ambitious motion picture follows the Gospel precisely, neither adding to the story from other Gospels, nor omitting complex passages.
Narrated by renowned Canadian actor Christopher Plummer with a distinguished cast from Canada and the United Kingdom selected primarily from Canada's prestigious Stratford Festival and Soulpepper Theatre Company, as well as Britain's Royal Shakespeare Company and Royal National Theatre , it features British actor Henry Ian Cusick in the seminal role of Jesus Christ.
John is the best-loved but least understood of the gospels, presenting a uniquely human portrait of Jesus. Intimate and reflective, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN provides audiences with an unparalleled opportunity to understand the tumultuous period in history at the time of Jesus Christ.
British actors Stuart Bunce (John), Richard Lintern (Leading Pharisee) Scott Handy (John the Baptist) and Lynsey Baxter (Mary Magdalene) plus celebrated Canadian talents Diego Matamoros (Nicodemus), Stephen Russell (Pilate), Daniel Kash (Simon Peter), Cedric Smith (Caiaphus) and Nancy Palk (Samaritan Woman) are among the highly-praised cast. THE GOSPEL OF JOHN is directed by acclaimed British director Philip Saville ("Metroland", "Hamlet", Oedipus the King" ), and co-produced by legendary Canadian producer Garth H. Drabinsky ("Ragtime", Phantom of the Opera", "Showboat" ) and celebrated British producer Chris Chrisafis ("The Count of Monte Cristo", "Reign of Fire" ).
Executive producers are Emmy® Award winner Sandy Pearl, Joel B. Michaels, Myron Gottleib and Martin Katz. Together they assembled a brilliant creative team including award-winning screenwriter John Goldsmith ("Victoria and Albert", "Return of the Saint"; "Great Expectations" ), veteran production designer Don Taylor ("The House of Mirth", "Little Voice" ), Academy A ward®-winning Sound Mixer David Lee ("Chicago" ), Academy® Award winning makeup artist Trefor Proud ("Topsy Turvy", "Gladiator", "Star Wars" ) award-winning costume designer Debra Hanson, and highly regarded director of photography and film editors Miroslaw Baszak and Michel Arcand.
More info here: http://www.gospelofjohnthefilm.com/ -
hmm... and still no news of ratings for The Passion yet....
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maybe they'll be rated under the new scheme?
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New scheme?? mebbe..... just hope that the rating will be generic enough so that more people can enjoy the show...Originally posted by sillyme:maybe they'll be rated under the new scheme?
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new guidelines.. can't remember the exact details.. but there's a new above 18 categoryOriginally posted by KittynMeow:New scheme?? mebbe..... just hope that the rating will be generic enough so that more people can enjoy the show... -
yup... it's the R rating i think ... they are bringing it back for above 18....Originally posted by sillyme:new guidelines.. can't remember the exact details.. but there's a new above 18 category -
moi moi!! moi waiting for The Passion.. will prob be watching it when my church block books the movie
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you mean your church book the whole cinema?? power.Originally posted by the_don:moi moi!! moi waiting for The Passion.. will prob be watching it when my church block books the movie -
wahh... simi church sia....Originally posted by the_don:moi moi!! moi waiting for The Passion.. will prob be watching it when my church block books the movie -
i not sure whole cinema or just certain time slots.. but there are enough pple in my church to book the whole cinemaOriginally posted by Bochupi:you mean your church book the whole cinema?? power. -
the one at suntecOriginally posted by audlenelee:wahh... simi church sia.... -
no wonder lah...Originally posted by the_don:the one at suntec -
wah.........new creation ah? hmm, i thought it was city harvest that is doind that............haha, anyway, since all tong dao zhong ren, wonder if i can sneak in or not..........
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chc block booking a few cinemas in town from 1st - 3rd april....
if ever asked if I'm anti-Jews... tis would be my answer... "Nope I love the Jews. One of them died for me..."
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hmm... my fren giving me free tix to watch... nan dao is CHC one???Originally posted by tare:chc block booking a few cinemas in town from 1st - 3rd april....
if ever asked if I'm anti-Jews... tis would be my answer... "Nope I love the Jews. One of them died for me..." -
could be... but still it's a movie not church...Originally posted by audlenelee:hmm... my fren giving me free tix to watch... nan dao is CHC one??? -
And they finally released the rating...M18....
fortunately it was passed uncut... kekeke...
and I believe more than one church is block booking sessions to watch the movie... e.g. my church also booked more than 500 seats for one session ... and it looks like they want to book some more .... -
these are good shows meant to bring the biblical scenes on movie screens for more people to know wat christianity is all about. on the surface it seems gruesome..i saw the pictorial of 'The Passion' and its really kind of bloody..but i know in real case..its worst than that.
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churches should refrain from mass booking such shows....u all can read from the bible if u want...i mean leave some spaces for those who need to watch it?Originally posted by KittynMeow:And they finally released the rating...M18....
fortunately it was passed uncut... kekeke...
and I believe more than one church is block booking sessions to watch the movie... e.g. my church also booked more than 500 seats for one session ... and it looks like they want to book some more .... -
the thing is that churches book it with the intention to invite ppl who dunno the bible to watch it.... even though it's block booked, when it comes to allocation of tickets, first priority is given to non-christian friends and relatives....Originally posted by NeonTetra:churches should refrain from mass booking such shows....u all can read from the bible if u want...i mean leave some spaces for those who need to watch it?