Thinking of "The Passion", Fr Fulco made an amazing job, translating the whole dialogues in Aramaic and Latin. Fr Fulco is a Jesuit and "a amazing scholar",according to Mel's own words. And indeed. I don't even know that Aramaic could be spoken... today. Fulco also used some "cursing" words in Latin, than only Latin specialists would understand.
Using the original languages of that time, made the film even more accurate and a completely genius inspiration from Gibson.
Most of the movie had been shot in Cinecitta, the Italian "Hollywood" studio (for budget purpose I reckon). Not surprising though that it has something in common with Italians film-makers as Pasollini or Fellini and many others. Funny enough, Mel used the reminding set of Scorcese's "
gang of New York". Scorcese is the director of the infamous "
The last temptation of Christ" and also an ancient seminarian (or want-to-be priest).
The work of Caleb Deschanel, director of Photography, is indeed extremely important in this movie. They tried to be inspired by old paintings, especially at the end of the movie, the Pieta.
Note also that the Virgin Mary is played by a Jewish woman. Wonderfully played, with humility and soberly (she was pregnant while shooting !) . Ponce Pilate's role, played by an actor from Bulgaria, was brilliant as well. So it's Peter, "rough" as Mel said. A fisherman. Monica Belluci is also perfect as Mary of Magdelene. Feminine, attractive, sensible. And of course, Jim Cazeviel, who plays Jesus. God ! Each time i see the movie, i do reckon Jesus ! Beautiful, handsome, straight and strong regard, spiritual and human, sweet and tough, yes, he is a perfect cast. A weak point : the role of John was terrible, i think. I do not recognize the Genius and the "disciple that Jesus loves" in this actor at all ! He seems "lost", and far too "innocent" - on the
naiveway not the "pure" way. I didn't like the actor playing John at all. I forgot Judas, who was, yes, a great performance.
Not sure about the "Satan"'s choice. He choose a woman - hairless - to play it. A bit woman-man, transgender kind. It is hard to represent Satan in a film. Being an Ex-archangel, some beauty in him should still be present. But being more than a monster, a horrible creature, personally I won't know how to represent him in a movie, so far.
Special Effects are also essential in this movie. The gory effects came from lots of make up and CGI (including the famous "rib" scene at the scourging, which was made from CGI effects). Jim spent some times as long at 8 hours, being under the make up. On the crucifixion scene, Jim "shared" its role with a dummy, a mechanical puppet. The tear drop at the end, also, was made of CGI.
Jim, notoriously, suffered a lot during the filming. That's include the make up process, getting scourged for real (by accident)!, carrying the heavy cross for real, being "crucified" on the cross - in the middle of a freezing winter, which of course, makes his performance even more realistic. Jim Cazeviel is a devout catholic.
"Funny" enough, the movie was edited by......
an atheist ! John Wright. Basically Wright edited the movie as it was supposed to be screen without subtitles. So Wright edited the movie "as the audience won't understand anything (without subtitles)" in the movie. It took him 5 weeks to process the first cut. And he said "you cannot see the movie without being moved".
John Debney's score is, undeniably, so important. Moving, influenced, efficient, but sober and powerful. John William could had been also a good choice, or Jerry Goldsmith. But most of the brilliant score movies writers are Jewish. Debney said notoriously that "he was fighting against Satan" while writing its score. He got a well deserved "nomination" at the Oscars and scandalously received none.
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The Passion of the Christ" struggled to find a distributor. Most - what I am saying - ALL big studios, Fox, Columbia, etc. refused it. The main reason was the two dead languages the film was shot. Then the controversy started. Obviously the controversy was linked not to the movie itself, but actually to the Gospel and the so-called "anti Semitism". The film got - however - a distribution deal with a mere company. Mel and "Icon Production" (his own films production) found some local cinemas. And the story begun. Internet, mouth to ear, etc....
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The Passion" is now the 8th biggest grossing box office movie of all time, the biggest R rated movie, an unique movie screened in monasteries and the Vatican...