RotK and Passion

[Green Knight]

But category b could keep this movie making money for quite some time. But I think that the Lotr trilogy will still make more money as a whole, in the long run.

Well, that's pretty obvious, considering we're talking about three separate movies, each with two versions of DVD's on sale. The Passion is one movie which likely will only have one DVD version of it put out (No Theatrical Version DVD with a later Expanded Edition to come out, later). So yeah, the trilogy will make more money. But I think it's very likely that Passion may equal any one of the trilogy (FOTR, TTT, or ROTK). The fact that it's surpassed ROTK's 5-day total is saying something.

As for a previous comment about this movie not having legs, I disagree. I already know of plenty of people who've gone back to see it a second time, and then a third time. A lot of the theatres in which it's played have sold out with people having to be turned away, which means that there are still people who want to see it but haven't been able to see it. Also, Easter's coming up next month. So we may see ticket sales of The Passion pick up again next month as those who've already seen it decide to see it again, and those who haven't seen it get spurred into seeing it due to the holiday (Hey, what better to do on Easter day then watch a movie about Christ dying and being resurrected?).

Nevermind the power of word of mouth. The movie with the #1 5-day opening is Matrix Reloaded. However, it only got to $280 million. Why? Because word of mouth killed it. It was still a hit, but it's the only movie to break $100 million within the first week which didn't go on to break $300 million later on. The reverse is true with The Passion, since a vast majority of the people who come out of it think it's a great movie. So good word of mouth will help the movie attract more people it wouldn't have gotten, otherwise.

I think the numbers are just slightly inflated, considering some church groups are buying out entire showings to give away in the hopes of conversion. And I doubt they'd be able to get every one of those tickets into the hands of someone who would actually go view it.

I disagree. They're buying tickets for their members so they'll have the theatres all to themselves. They're not just buying tickets willy nilly (Can't believe I used that phrase...) for perfect strangers, but for their members who want to see it. Maybe some church groups are doing that, but most of them are just buying out theatres for their members.

Plus, I lost most of my respect for Gibson over comments he made regarding this film. Being disrespectful is not a way to get on my good side

I don't know what comments you're talking about it, but remember the context. The man was being publicly villified, castigated, and accused of being an anti-semite. The only way it seemed Mel could placate some of his critics would be to make a movie about him crucifying his father, rather then Jesus. The hate directed in his way got REALLY bad, and is still going on. Suffice to say, when you're getting attacked from all sides people tend to lose their cool in situations like that. I've got issues with my father, but I'm not about to tear him to pieces in public the way a lot of these critics wanted Mel to do to his. Would anyone else be willing to do that to their father, even though their father may've said/done some bad things, just to appease someone who's been relentlessly attacking and insulting you?

Anyway, I haven't seen it yet due to a severe lack of funds, but I hope to be seeing it this weekend. I'll definitely be getting in on DVD, though.

BTW: Anyone else think that this movie may potentially turn into a holiday tv tradition, some day, like how they show The Ten Commandments every year for Easter on ABC? Mel or somebody at Icon has said that they would want it to air on tv only if it didn't get interrupted by commercials, but I can see some network types still thinking it'd be a worthwhile thing to do every year. Maybe let a sponsor get to do one big commercial before and after the movie ("Tonights presentation of The Passion of The Christ is brought to you by Ford motor trucks. Built Ford tough!" followed by a 10-minute ad).

 

[Dimwhit]

BTW: Anyone else think that this movie may potentially turn into a holiday tv tradition, some day, like how they show The Ten Commandments every year for Easter on ABC? Mel or somebody at Icon has said that they would want it to air on tv only if it didn't get interrupted by commercials, but I can see some network types still thinking it'd be a worthwhile thing to do every year. Maybe let a sponsor get to do one big commercial before and after the movie ("Tonights presentation of The Passion of The Christ is brought to you by Ford motor trucks. Built Ford tough!" followed by a 10-minute ad).

Only if Mel releases a PG-13 version of it on DVD. I just don't see the networks showing the theatrical release on TV every year. But one with not quite so much gore...very possible.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

I probably will not see it. Mostly due to lack of interest in the subject of the movie.

But it does not surprise me that it has done a little better than LOTR.

 

[Dark Jezter]

Only if Mel releases a PG-13 version of it on DVD. I just don't see the networks showing the theatrical release on TV every year. But one with not quite so much gore...very possible.

I highly doubt that. Mel Gibson was asked in an interview whether he thought it was appropriate to make an R-rated movie about Christ, and he replied with "Crucifiction isn't PG-13."

So, if the Passion of the Christ does appear on TV, Mel Gibson will probably only allow it to air uncut. This isn't entirely out of the realm of possibility, though; a few years ago Shindler's List appeared on TV mostly uncut (the only edits were to remove some profanity).

But then again, the Passion of the Christ is a much more controversial movie than Shindler's List was, so that might prevent it from airing on network TV.

 

[Numion]

Passion has done so well at the box-office that there's going to be a book about it

 

[Ranger REG]

There is already a novelization of the movie.

As for "The Gospel According to Mel," it's smart move on his part to release the movie during the Christian Lent season.

 

[TracerBullet42]

It's what it makes you THINK about that's interesting, it's what it reveals to you about your own feelings and thoughts and beliefs.

Bing! That's hittin' the nail on the head. What you get from this movie really depends on what you bring to it...but it will make you think, in one way or another.

 

[Wormwood]

For what it's worth, I just saw The Passion for the third time tonight.

7:00 on a Tuesday evening, and the theater was about half full.

At this rate, I expect to be fluent in Aramaic by June.

 

[kingpaul]

At this rate, I expect to be fluent in Aramaic by June.

*chuckle*

There was an article in my local paper talking about one sect of Catholicism still speaks Aramaic, and how that the use of that language is dying out.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

It's what it makes you THINK about that's interesting, it's what it reveals to you about your own feelings and thoughts and beliefs.

Alright, I'm going to do my best to keep religion out of this post.

Sure, Passion makes you think...and I would expect it makes you think about some fairly important things...but what makes this any different than what I've gotten out of reading Dune, which to me was very powerful and sure made me rethink a lot. Many movies and other books have done this for me to...in fact, I try to stick to things that DO cause me to think about things I normally wouldn't.

I guess my point is, it seems like too many people are talking about how this movie makes you think and teaches you about yourself. Are we, as a people, to the point where we've lost so much that we can't think about very important matters about ourselves from things that are DEFINATLY fiction(not getting into religion here)? In a way, it almost feels like when I get something deep and profound out of something liike Dune or Lord of the Rings, people just laugh...but with Passion, its perfectly alright to get something powerful out of it.

...hmm, maybe I'm just bitter.