 |
| |
|
|
The Mad Monk
|
 |
of Ice Cream
Mar 2000
time: 23:34
|
|
quote:
February 24, 2004 -- Hundreds of New Yorkers got a sneak preview of Mel Gibson's controversial movie, "The Passion of the Christ," yesterday - leaving many deeply moved and in tears, but some taken aback by the film's gory violence.
"I'd give it 10 stars. It's one of the best movies I've ever seen in my life," said Maritza Castro, 32, who had tears streaming down her face as she left a preview screening for church groups at the Magic Johnson Theater in Harlem.
"I knew from the Bible that he did take a beating. I didn't know how intense," she said.
"The movie just . . . made me feel like I was part of that crowd [at the crucifixion], like I was there . . . So much so that my chest is just caved in. It's awesome."
Tom Schoenherr, 48, an assistant dean at Fordham Law School, attended a screening sponsored by the American Bible Society at the Loews 84th Street Theater on the Upper West Side.
"Having read the story, to see a dramatic portrayal of it was just amazing," Schoenherr said.
He said he wept during scenes showing Mary's devotion to Jesus, but there were also times he had to avert his eyes from the often-bloody depiction of the last hours of Jesus' life.
"The story is about someone who was murdered in a horrific way. It's not a pretty thing. But it was an accurate portrayal and extremely effective," he said.
Peter Trautmann, 32, a campus minister from Manhattan, said the movie was "excellent, overwhelming."
"I cried through much of it," he said. "It's a very accurate, powerful, visceral experience."
The movie, which officially opens tomorrow, shows Jesus repeatedly beaten by Jewish temple guards and Roman soldiers, with a bloody focus on a lengthy scourging that leaves his body covered with deep lacerations.
Jesus, played by actor James Caviezel, is beaten more as he drags a cross through the streets, and the intensity of the violence escalates when he is crucified.
Yanira Gonzalez, 39, hugged her husband, Pete, outside the Magic Johnson Theater.
"It was very powerful. If you don't know Jesus, by the time you finish watching this movie, you definitely will," she said.
"It wasn't [overly] violent. If you read the Bible, you'll see that he [Gibson] went by that. If the Bible had had pictures, it would have been just like that."
But several people said they were shocked by the graphic violence and gore.
"I think it's more violent than the biblical texts indicate," said Gene Habecker, 57, president of the Bible Society, which gave away 8,000 tickets for regularly scheduled screenings of the film.
He said he was concerned by what he saw as "gratuitous violence in the movie," but added that the film will help spark religious discussion and exploration.
At a screening at the Regal Battery Park Theaters, the Rev. Earl Kooperkamp, 47, of St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Harlem, said, "It was way too Hollywood. The production was too violent and over the top."
At the Loews 84th Street, Manhattanite Yaniv Moyal, 36, called the film "a missed opportunity."
"All they concentrated on was how he died, which was really brutal and vicious," Moyal said. "I expected to see more of his teaching, more of his wisdom. We didn't see it. It was all about the brutal killing of a person."
Moyal, who is Jewish, said he did not think the film was anti-Semitic, saying, "It's Jews killing a Jew. How many Christians have killed Christians in history?"
Many Jewish leaders and some Christian scholars have warned the movie could fuel anti-Semitism by the way it portrays the Jewish priests and a Jewish mob clamoring for Jesus' death.
"I'm walking out of there very confused, awe-stricken and full of questions. Questions like: Is this biblical truth? How accurate is it?" said Raul Rojas, 34, a Queens resident who runs a Christian Web site.
"I can see where people would see it as anti-Semitic, [such as the scene] where everyone is shouting, 'Crucify him!'
"If you don't come in there with a strong biblical background, I can see where Jewish folks would say it could be misinterpreted," said Rojas, who added that he still liked the movie and wept during much of it.
Despite all the hype, some people came away unimpressed.
"It's average and not a quality film. I'm left wondering what was Mel Gibson's point," said Sam Smith, 24, a Manhattan teacher. "He tried to make it very deep, but I didn't see it."
|
http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/18874.htm
|
|
| |
|
| |
All times are GMT. The time now is 05:34.
Apolyton Time is 00:34. |
top of page
|
| archivepost |
|
Forum Rules:
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
|
HTML code is ON
vB code is ON
Smilies are ON
[IMG] code is ON
|
|
|
|
|
|
25-02-2004 10:54
|