The Passion of the Christ
A film by Mel Gibson.
Starring: Jim Caviezel, Monica Belluci, Claudia Gerini, Maia Morgenstern.
Subtitled: Aramaic/Latin/Hebrew
This is indeed One for the Christians, but is it for them alone? Lest we forget they are of us, we of them, we are one. And although they might also prefer to stay on their side of the fence, especially at this moment I will insist that we are all the sons and daughters of Man.
This is the story we of the west celebrate each year at Easter. Those few pages of the New Testament (John 18-21) depict the journey of all journeys. I'll cut to the chase, I challenge any human to deny the experience of betrayal and descent to the depths — the dark night of the soul. This is not a new story nor was it new 2000 years ago.
Mel Gibson, has produced a film right out of left field.
Rethink film noir. No swirls of cigarette smoke here just the drip, drip, dripping of blood as the body writhes in agony. No ecstasy here just the gross guffaw of those who wield the whip. No high heels on a wet pavement at night just the anguish of a mother, the devotion of a once whore and Satan, the one that glides seamlessly ever ready to tempt and entice. Unbelievable suffering and yet each time the eye reaches out, in love.
The teachings of Jesus, for which he was crucified, beam through the darkness of two hours of bloody torture. My interest roused, I researched the Bible and found this particularly cool response to violence.
"One of the soldiers slapped Jesus on the face and said: Is that the way you speak to the chief priest
"If I spoke wrongly, bear witness concerning the wrong; but if rightly why do you hit me"
Despite some appalling acting, possibly mitigated by the appalling violence I am glad I saw this film.
Thank you, Mel. Hail Oh Dark Knight of the Soul.
Lou Crow
