The Passion of the Christ

For Good Friday we watched "The Passion of the Christ."

Some trivia from The Passion of the Christ (2004) from the Internet Movie Database:

When this Latin and Aramaic language film was announced, Mel Gibson stated that his intent was to release it without subtitles, letting the performances speak for themselves. However, subtitles were added later. Also, he stated that regardless of the cost of the project, that this would be "good for the soul".

During the scourging scene, James Caviezel accidentally got whipped twice. The first time knocked the wind out of him, and the second time hurt so much it caused him wrench his hand quickly from his shackles, scraping his wrist badly.

In an interview with Newsweek magazine, James Caviezel spoke about a few of the difficulties he experienced while filming. This included being accidentally whipped twice, which has left a 14 inch scar on his back. Caviezel also admitted he was struck by lightning while filming the Sermon on the Mount and during the crucifixion, experienced hypothermia during the dead of winter in Italy.

James Caviezel experienced a shoulder separation when the 150 lb cross dropped on his shoulder. The scene is still in the movie.

The figure of Christ during the crucifixion is actually James Caviezel, despite popular rumors - no animatronics were used. However, according to the movie's official website, http://www.thepassionofthechrist.com/ the movie's make-up effects creator/producer Keith VanderLaan forged an articulated, rubber stand-in for Caviezel who could be suspended on the cross for certain wide shots to allow the actor some physical relief.

When meeting with the producer, James Caviezel was originally told the film in question was a surfing movie. It wasn't until Mel Gibson walked in that Caviezel was told it was a film about Jesus.

According to Mel Gibson, Maia Morgenstern, who played Mary, was pregnant during the shoot. She didn't tell anyone, until one day she approached James Caviezel (Jesus) and said in broken English and a thick Romanian accent, "I have baby. In stomach."

It's Mel Gibson's hands that nail Christ to the cross during the Crucifixion scene. The decision for his small cameo in the film was explained by a quote from Gibson who said "It was me that put him on the cross. It was my sins[who put him there]."

On the first day of general release, Ash Wednesday, Peggy Scott, a 56 year old advertising sales manager from Wichita, Kansas collapsed of apparent heart failure while watching the crucifixion scene. She later died at the hospital.

This film had more pre-ticket sales than any other film in history.

The two Bulgarian actors who play the roles of Pontius Pilate and John (Hristo Shopov and Hristo Jivkov) are both named "Hristo", which is the Bulgarian name for "Christ".

Mel Gibson had a Canadian priest, Fr. Stephen Somerville, celebrate the Traditional Roman Catholic Latin Mass of the Apostolic Rite for the film crew each day before production began.

The film begins without opening credits.

The title of the film is stated only in the closing.

James Caviezel was given a prosthetic nose and a raised hairline. His blue eyes were digitally changed to brown on film.

Foreseeing damage to box office, its release in Mexico had to be moved one week earlier (from March 25 to March 19) because pirate copies were already available a few days after it premiered in the USA.

Maia Morgenstern, who plays Mary (mother of Jesus), is only six years older than James Caviezel.

In addition to the hand cameo in the scene where Jesus' hands are nailed to a cross, the film's composer ('John Debney' ) said in a magazine interview that Mel Gibson recorded the sound effects - cries and screaming - mixed with the music during the scene where Judas commits suicide.

Mel Gibson's foot was used in the scene where Mary Magdalene touches Jesus' foot.

In a rarity for Hollywood releases, re-entered the #1 spot at the box office for the weekend of Good Friday, 2004.

Malaysia did not ban the film as is commonly believed. The Malaysian government allowed Christians to the film. Tickets were only allowed to be sold only by Christian churches.

Mel Gibson has stated that he will give $100 million of the film's gross to the Traditional Catholic Movement.

During production the film was originally supposed to be titled simply "The Passion". However in October 2003, it was revealed the Miramax studios already had a movie in production with that title. Mel Gibson retitled the film "The Passion of Christ". He retitled it yet again a month later in November 2003 to "The Passion of the Christ".

This is the highest-grossing rated R film in US box office history earning $370 million.

This is the highest grossing foreign language film and/or subtitled film in US box office history.

It is also the highest grossing religious film in worldwide box office of all time.

The assistant director of the movie was also hit by lightening during filming.

While the characters of the film mostly speak Latin and Aramaic, there are instances where Hebrew was spoken: a) The gathering of the Sanhedrin (Jewish chief priests); b) Simon of Cyrene speaking; and c) The woman who gave water to Jesus to his way to Golgotha.

Mel Gibson, a Roman Catholic, incorporated several Catholic influences in the film, such as the prominent role of Jesus' mother Mary; the Stations of the Cross; the floating cross which Jesus was cruxified; and the depiction of Satan.

It would usually take over 10 hours to put James Caviezel into the scourged makeup.

A very powerful film that we will be watching every year.