- #1
Semper000
- 3
- 0
I'm not a Christian, but my opinion is that the focal point of the story (or myth) of Jesus was almost entirely absent in this film.
I thought "the Passion..." failed to even marginally address the depth of spiritual suffering related in the story of Christ. While it was realistic in that it portrayed the physical pain graphically, people have physically suffered far more greatly since antiquity. And of course this human trend will probably continue ad infinitum.
Cinematically, I thought Judas came across as suffering far more spiritual torment than Jesus, who was taking on something just a little bit more, uh, spiritually cumbersome than Judas? Why were those spiritual images (goblins and the like) that haunted Judas so conspicuously absent in most scenes where Jesus suffered (especially toward the end, when God abandoned him)? I’d expect there might have been something akin to a thousand pesky demonic creatures fetched Jesus way. I kept anticipating Christ to get targeted by strong and disturbing cinematic images– especially as he hung on the cross bearing the sins of the world. The testimony to his physical trauma seemed far more evident in this film than the psychic trauma of his separation from all that is good in the world. Maybe a couple whacked out evil sonsa*****es couldn've shrieked at him from all sides as the nails were driven through him, shouting that God is dead and “Hey man you’re going to rot in Hell!” or something. Maybe also have some stars falling from the sky or whatever and, you know, Satan all up in his face somehow ...anything highlighting the spiritually challenging and daunting sense of abandonment and spiritual sacrifice involved that appeared (for me) to be missing in the story.
Instead it was a medley of physical abuse punctuated by a couple of mere 2-second frames of Satan staring in Christ's direction, ie. the scene w Satan holding a child presumed to represent him w his Mother M. and another scene involving a snake. Gee how harrowing. My belief is that "the Exorcist" was twice as spiritually involved than this piece of film.
As I sat in the theater, listening to some ppl sniffing and weeping as the Son's noodle-wet dangling flesh was repeatedly blasted off his back, I could guess that more than a couple audience members maintained taut ecstatic erections from all that action; the application of all those crude and wonderfully exotic torture devices. It’s probably some of what is driving the sales.
One quick sidenote: I found it amusing that the Mel chose actual Jews to play the roles of the Jews ...but the wrong tribe. He used Ashkenazi instead of the Sephardic Jews. And Jesus likely resembled the actor portraying Simon.
Anyhow, I'd be interested to know other's opinion on this. Most ppl I know do not agree w me at all.
I thought "the Passion..." failed to even marginally address the depth of spiritual suffering related in the story of Christ. While it was realistic in that it portrayed the physical pain graphically, people have physically suffered far more greatly since antiquity. And of course this human trend will probably continue ad infinitum.
Cinematically, I thought Judas came across as suffering far more spiritual torment than Jesus, who was taking on something just a little bit more, uh, spiritually cumbersome than Judas? Why were those spiritual images (goblins and the like) that haunted Judas so conspicuously absent in most scenes where Jesus suffered (especially toward the end, when God abandoned him)? I’d expect there might have been something akin to a thousand pesky demonic creatures fetched Jesus way. I kept anticipating Christ to get targeted by strong and disturbing cinematic images– especially as he hung on the cross bearing the sins of the world. The testimony to his physical trauma seemed far more evident in this film than the psychic trauma of his separation from all that is good in the world. Maybe a couple whacked out evil sonsa*****es couldn've shrieked at him from all sides as the nails were driven through him, shouting that God is dead and “Hey man you’re going to rot in Hell!” or something. Maybe also have some stars falling from the sky or whatever and, you know, Satan all up in his face somehow ...anything highlighting the spiritually challenging and daunting sense of abandonment and spiritual sacrifice involved that appeared (for me) to be missing in the story.
Instead it was a medley of physical abuse punctuated by a couple of mere 2-second frames of Satan staring in Christ's direction, ie. the scene w Satan holding a child presumed to represent him w his Mother M. and another scene involving a snake. Gee how harrowing. My belief is that "the Exorcist" was twice as spiritually involved than this piece of film.
As I sat in the theater, listening to some ppl sniffing and weeping as the Son's noodle-wet dangling flesh was repeatedly blasted off his back, I could guess that more than a couple audience members maintained taut ecstatic erections from all that action; the application of all those crude and wonderfully exotic torture devices. It’s probably some of what is driving the sales.
One quick sidenote: I found it amusing that the Mel chose actual Jews to play the roles of the Jews ...but the wrong tribe. He used Ashkenazi instead of the Sephardic Jews. And Jesus likely resembled the actor portraying Simon.
Anyhow, I'd be interested to know other's opinion on this. Most ppl I know do not agree w me at all.
