Word: gibsonized
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...Gibson's first achievement in "The Passion of the Christ" is to strip the biblical epic of its encrusted sanctimony and show biz. It takes hard men to work this Holy Land, men who labor under the twin burdens of poverty and the oppression of Roman occupation. Their clothes are dirt-dry and sweat-drenched. By jolting the viewer to reconsider Hollywood's calcified stereotypes of the New Testament, Gibson wants to restore the immediacy of that time, the stern wonder of that land, the thrilling threat of meeting the Messiah on the mean streets of Jerusalem...
...also, as Hollywood must acknowledge, among the canniest of filmmakers. Braveheart, the last film he helmed, won Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director. So Gibson might have expected a few nibbles from the major studios for his latest historical epic. Now that The Passion has opened vigorously, and has a chance to become the biggest foreign-language hit in American movie history, the studio sultans might be a tad annoyed with themselves that they turned down a sleeper hit they could have nabbed for peanuts last summer...
...Even if the Hollywood hierachy is vexed or embarrassed by the Gospel according to Gibson-you may expect a few barbs thrown his way by Billy Crystal this Sunday at the Academy Awards- it is unlikely to shun him. This is, after all, a business that hires actors and directors who happen to be drug addicts, spouse-abusers and convicted felons. One man convicted of child molestation has directed films for Disney and New Line. Gibson's criminal rap sheet is clean; he is guilty only of standing by his deluded old man and expressing opinions that are less popular...
...attitude goes beyond religion. For better or worse, the current tone is skeptical, derisive and gross. Years ago, American Pie replaced American piety. A lot of movie people don't respect Gibson?s obsession with his Passion project; they are offended by it; fear it. And I'll bet, since the movie could earn huge profits for Gibson and his distribution partners, they resent...
...happens that I like R-rated movies, South Park, certain naughty songs and dirty jokes - and, with some strong reservations, The Passion of the Christ. And I don't feel threatened that a lot of people who don't ordinarily go to movies have flocked to Gibson's film. Neither should the studios. Religious films could be a tattered genre Hollywood could revive, making a few bucks and a lot of converts to the old magic of movies. At least, it would indicate that liberal Hollywood isn't afraid of serving up the occasional helping of traditional values alongside...