Jews

(From pinoyexchange)

Originally posted by roastertruck

"So again, what sort of perversion was done in the film that could actually change the message?"

Answered this upthread--emphasis on Jewish guilt and exoneration of Pilate beyond what's in the Bible, as outlined in my article and links:

http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/noelmoviereviews/message/425

Gibson's message is distorted--it says not so much WE are all responsible as Caiaphas and the Jews are the MOST responsible. Or most evil of the lot.

Telling the entire story, the way Pasolini's Gospel According to Matthew does, with as little addition or change as possible, is the best way to go. The message that we are all responsible shines there the clearest.

"It's not just the position of the crucifiction that gives a sole attribute to the pain. If William Dafoe, in his movie had more lashes with more brutal instruments, was crucified with bigger or rustier nails, had a more distorted face, lost more blood, had taken more insults prior to being crucified, then ok...his movie must be more painful to watch. If the pain in that movie does it for you then congratulations."

Pain in Last Temptation was carefully calibrated. A brutal beating, a scourging that was NOT a walk in the park (not by a long shot).

But after it all, he was clearly fit to carry a heavy crossbeam (not an entire crucifix) some miles to Golgotha.

Dafoe's suffering was PERSUASIVE and medically realistic. That sold me on the scene. And as I said, the pain Christ must have experience in the position Dafoe assumed must have been far worse than anything Cavaziel's Christ suffered, even his fantasy scourging. It's a really painful position, being twisted like that--and to do it with your wrists and the base of your heels nailed--!
 
"People who believe that the Jews are to be blamed for Jesus' death must still be struggling to understand the message of the film."

Unfortunately it is these people who are most likely to resort to violence, or at least anti-Semitic acts.  They're out there, all right.

"Maybe you should ask God to be more politically correct for the sake of those who don't get it and miss the most important message of all time"

I shouldn't have to; as pointed out in my article, the church has explicit guidelines on how to present a Passion dramatization. Gibson should at least have skimmed through the pages. He would have gotten better ideas from these pages than from Emmerich/Brentano.