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Gibson’s Passion
Alternative Film – The Passion and the Fury
www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/film/features/passion.html
Profiles alternative, art house and international films
and takes a look at the controversy over Gibson’s The
Passion of the Christ.
Anti-Defamation League Crucifies Gibson's Passion
http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/
0,12589,1016992,00.html
Article about the US-based organisation which argues that, in its
present form, The
Passion ‘will fuel the hatred, bigotry and antisemitism that many
responsible churches have worked hard to repudiate.’
Beliefnet – Gibson Doesn’t Understand Us
www.beliefnet.com/story/140/story_14057_1.html#cont
Whatever your beliefs, this site has a wealth of information and discussion
plus an article from the magazine The Jewish Week, that explores
the allegation that Gibson’s film is antisemitic.
Christ in the Crossfire
http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/
featurepages/0,4120,1051085,00.html
Article from The Observer on the furore surrounding Gibson’s film.
First Things – Journal of Religion and Public Life
www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft0403/opinion/hittingerlev.html
Gives an overview of films that have tackled the subject of Christ. The authors
look at the theological concerns expressed last year, on the basis of an unofficial
script apparently stolen from Gibson’s production company and argue that
this criticism was bound to miss its target as the film depends almost entirely
on what the camera shows rather than on dialogue.
Gibson Family Values
http://web1.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/
article.jsp?sid=50
Long a favourite actor of the far right, Mel Gibson’s film
and his father's views of Jewish people come under attack.
The Guardian Profile: Mel Gibson
www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1152072,00.html
The Australian superstar is enmeshed in controversy over
his film’s religious politics and the 'fetishistic' violence
critics have perceived in it.
Pain and Passion
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/Primetime/
Entertainment/mel_gibson_passion_040216-1.html
An ABC News interview with Gibson about his film, his faith and his critics.
Passion and Prejudice
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/
news/2004/02/15/wpope15.xml
Discusses the current row among Christians over the veracity of Gibson’s
Hollywood movie, in which even the Pope has become embroiled.
The Passion of the Christ
www.thepassionofthechrist.com
Official website for the film, with some online trailers,
press reviews and release date information. There is a separate
part of the site for the UK and Republic of Ireland.
The Passion of the Christ and George Bush’s America
www.commondreams.org/views04/0227-04.htm
Interesting article on the link between Gibson’s film and the rise of
fundamentalist religion in the USA.
General websites
First Things – The Last Temptation Reconsidered
www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft9602/iannone.html
In-depth discussion of Scorsese’s film The Last Temptation of Christ.
Jesus Christ Movie Star
www.time.com/time/columnist/corliss/
article/0,9565,596076,00.html
In-depth look at films made about the Passion and Jesus from 1912 to Gibson’s
recent release.
Religion in the UK
www.guardian.co.uk/religion/0,2759,179375,00.html
Guardian Unlimited’s special reports section on
religious issues. Women clergy and the gay debate in the Church
of England, UK scepticism and rows over Gibson’s film are
just some of the subjects covered.
Roman Religion
www.roman-empire.net/religion/religion.html
The key figures of the Roman religious hierarchy are
described here
in a sweeping history, ranging from the emperors who bowed to their pantheon
of pagan gods, to Theodosius
who embraced
Christianity as the official religion of state in the 4th century
AD.
Time Traveller’s Guide to the Roman Empire
www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/guide03/
If you’re keen to know more about the Roman Empire,
this Channel 4 site is a great place to start.
Welease Bwian
http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/
0,4120,923997,00.html
Monty
Python's Life of Brian incurred the wrath
of religious zealots across the world. But the publicity only helped
the film and its principal backer, George Harrison.
Books
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life: The inside story of HandMade
Films by Robert Sellers (Metro Publishing, 2003)
In 1978, George Harrison and the Monty Python team formed HandMade films, responsible
for such classics as Life of Brian (1979), Mona Lisa (1986)
and Withnail and I (1987). The book describes at the life and times
of this film company, and includes interviews of John Cleese, Michael Palin
and others.
Get this book
History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward
Gibbon (Penguin, 2000)
Thirteen turbulent centuries are covered in this epic narrative, written with
insight, irony and incisive character analysis. Attacked for its views on politics,
sexuality and religion, the first volume was widely acclaimed for the elegance
of its prose.
Get
this book
The Last Temptation by Nikos Kazantzakis (Faber and Faber, 1995)
This classic novel, blacklisted by the Vatican and brought to the big screen
by Scorsese, has been labelled heretical, blasphemous and a masterpiece.
Get this book
The Passion: Photography from the movie: The Passion of the
Christ by Ken Duncan (Tyndale House, February 2004)
Outline of the film, portions of the script, as well as the biblical references
to each scene, sit alongside 150 still photographs taken during the filming.
With a foreword by Mel Gibson.
Get this book
Representing Religion in World Cinema: Filmmaking, mythmaking, culture
making edited by S Brent Plate (Palgrave Macmillan, 2003)
Academic anthology of essays that explore in detail religion, film and popular
culture.
Get this book
The Romans and Their Gods by R M Ogilvie (Pimlico, 2000)
This book examines belief during a period of approximately 100 years (80BC
to 69AD), at the end of which, Christianity began to change the tolerant character
of Roman religion completely.
Get this book
Saviour on the Silver Screen by Richard
C Stern (Paulist Press, 1999)
Comprehensive look at the role of Jesus in film presented as a ‘through
the lens’ course for enthusiasts. Some of the films covered are Jesus
of Nazareth, Life of Brian and The Last Temptation of Christ.
Get this book
Scripture on the Silver Screen by Adele Reinhartz (John
Knox Press, 2003)
Questions the Hollywood interpretation that often uses the Bible as a prop,
but also supports films that successfully integrate the Bible as a plot-making
device.
Get this book
Seeing and Believing: Religion and values in the movies by
Margaret Miles (Beacon Press, 1997)
Explores how films express ideas about religion, relationships and society. This
in-depth examination
of 15 popular films reveals patterns in their treatment
of religion, and looks at how filmmakers sought to defy convention.
Get this book
Films
Jesus of Montreal (1989)
Directed by Denys Arcand
The Passion Play is in need of an overhaul so the priest in charge hires a
new director and lead role with a younger, more inventive cast to stage a revised
and updated version. Gradually and inevitably, they find that the story of
the life of Christ has an extraordinary impact on their real-life existence.
Order VHS | Order
DVD
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Filmed on location in Morocco and based on the controversial novel by Greek
philosopher Nikos Kazantzakis, Scorsese brings to life an alternative view
of the life of Jesus Christ.
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DVD
Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979)
Directed by Terry Jones
Irreverent satire of biblical films and religious intolerance focuses on Brian
Cohen, a Jew living in Roman-occupied Judea. After joining an anti-Roman political
organisation, Brian is mistaken for a prophet, and becomes a reluctant Messiah.
The Python team at their best.
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DVD
Jesus of Nazareth (1977)
Directed by Franco Zeffirelli
Originally made for TV, this in-depth version of the life of Jesus opens with
an orthodox depiction of the story of his birth. Passages of the Bible are
quoted verbatim and the director diligently provides the socio-political context
that gave rise to Jesus’s influence and the crisis in belief it caused.
Order VHS | Order
DVD
