Three Nails, a Camera and a Cross: On the Set of Mel Gibson´s ´The Passion´

ROME — "Okay, cameras are rolling! Silence, please!" shouts the production assistant. Mel Gibson is staring intensely at the monitors in front of his director´s chair at Rome´s Cinecittà Film Studios. Actor Jim Caviezel (High Crimes, Count of Monte Cristo, The Thin Red Line) is dressed only in a loincloth. His arms are shackled to a low, granite pillar and he is dancing about in his bare feet on the cold pavement in order to keep warm between shots. "The Scourging at the Pillar!" comes the voice again. "Scene 2! Take 3!"After five hours of makeup, Caviezel´s body is an oozing mass of lacerations and open wounds, a scary - and realistic - representation of a Roman flagellation. "Aaaand … ACTION!"

In spite of his long and successful career, Gibson isn´t treating The Passion like just another movie; it is the fruit of his unique spiritual experience - it´s his baby."I have meditated a lot on the passion of Our Lord," he told the Register. "When I was 35, I started praying the Prayers of St. Bridget and they really helped me understand what the passion was all about. Now I want to share it with others."

Last June, Gibson hand-picked the 34-year-old Caviezel to play the role of Jesus Christ. For the last six months, Gibson has been in Italy shooting a different kind of film. The Passion will show the final hours of the life of Jesus - from the Last Supper to the Resurrection.And this movie will be quite different from anything Gibson - or any director - has ever done before: It is a Catholic film, starring a Catholic actor, about the quintessential Catholic subject.

In his Inperson interview with the Register last year, Caviezel showed what might have made him a candidate for the role. "There was a point in my life when I got tired of being mediocre," he said. "So I started praying the rosary really from my heart, not just lip service. The next day I went through this horrible darkness inside. It was very painful, like a purging process."After I went through it, I said, ´If this is what will be necessary to get closer to God, I will go through it.´" It was important training for his new role. Gibson wants realism, above all. He is striving for a perfect reproduction of the passion - from the ancient languages spoken at the time of Jesus right down to the bloody wounds.

Blow by blow

Standing behind Caviezel in the scourging scene are two Italian actors dressed as Roman soldiers. They are using authentic-looking whips studded with sharp metal chunks to scourge Caviezel. During the editing phase, the impact of each strike on Caviezel´s back will be digitally added.One of the acting coaches is standing off-camera with a couple blocks of wood, calling out the cadence for the whippings.When the shooting begins, the coach claps the two blocks together loudly in unison with each blow of the soldier´s whip."Three, two, one, CLAP. Three, two, one, CLAP," the coach screams out, throughout the scene.At each clap, Caviezel´s body jerks forward, mimicking the pain that Christ must have felt with each strike.One camera catches the Roman soldiers and their helpless victim. Another zooms in for a close-up on Caviezel´s face as he reproduces the horror of each lashing.

Although The Passion might be considered too graphic for younger age groups, Gibson isn´t pulling any punches when it comes to showing the reality of Jesus´ suffering."There is no gratuitous violence in this film," Gibson said. "Understanding what he went through, even on a human level, makes me feel not only compassion but also a debt: I want to repay him for the enormity of his sacrifice."Behind the CamerasWhile it seems simple enough, the scourging scene took six full days to shoot, in large part because of Gibson´s minute attention to details - a hallmark of the films he directs."He might have to repeat a mundane shot 50 times, but the minute he sees a good take, he doesn´t have to think twice. He just knows instinctively what will look good and what will look bad on film," says Jesuit Father William Fulco, the film´s Semitic-language expert.

At this point in his career, Gibson´s talent as an actor and director goes uncontested. But he is unique among Hollywood´s mega stars because he hasn´t allowed his fame to get to his head.When a young actor asks for advice, Gibson is more than willing give him a few pointers. Between shots, he is often seen chatting with the extras. And he refuses to ride in the back seat of his black Mercedes, preferring to sit up front and chat with his chauffeur, Fabio.Then there´s the spiritual side of Gibson that few people see. He had a makeshift chapel installed on the set and goes to daily Mass, often joined by Caviezel and other crew members. He isn´t afraid to share his faith with friends and co-workers. And even after a long day, he always makes time for his wife and children (he has seven) when he gets home.

Spiritual Impact

Although the major film distributors are, for the time being, politely keeping their distance from The Passion, Gibson has brought along a "coalition of the willing" from Hollywood and has no shortage of volunteers.Bruce Davey, Gibson´s partner at Icon Productions, is fully supporting the film. One of the best cameramen in the business, Caleb Deschanel, is on board (The Natural, The Right Stuff, The Patriot). And Gibson has tapped his longtime friend Steve McEveety (Braveheart, We Were Soldiers) as his producer.What´s more, the film crew of The Passion is not exclusively comprised of Christians. Members of the Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist religions also form an integral part of Gibson´s team.And the film is already reaping spiritual fruit, which in Gibson´s mind is much more important than monetary returns."It´s about changing lives and changing hearts," he says.

One of the Italian actors has come back to the sacraments after a long hiatus. He now joins Gibson and his family for Sunday Mass. Another member of the film crew, an atheist, is exploring the Catholic faith.But they are not the only ones affected by this film. During the scourging scene, tears welled up in more than one crew member´s eye as the reality of Christ´s suffering came to life."The attitude on the set has totally changed since we began this film back in September," says McEveety. "People are more aware of the importance of kindness and working together - much more than I´ve seen on other productions I´ve worked on."Gibson concurs. "I think that the true horror of the passion will surprise people," he told the Register.

The Passion is due for release in April 2004.Gibson thinks the film will be a great success, in spite of Hollywood´s initial shyness toward the project. "I doubt they will give us an Oscar for it - it´s going to be a grass-roots thing - but it is still going to be a very good film and people will respond to it."And after all, what doth it profit a man to gain all the Oscars in the world if he loses his soul?

~~Click Here to read a first-hand account from an extra in "Passion"~~

The "Passion" Controversy Continues

Apparently, the attacks regarding "The Passion" have been ramping up, presumably because of the subject matter that is being approached with reverence, rather than satire, from a Hollywood darling that dares to express his faith in the saving atonement of Jesus Christ. The two main camps from which the criticism appears to be coming from are from a) the leftist media and b) some from the Jewish community. Below is a list of the growing controversies that will be added as they occur, including the date they arise, a brief synopsis of the issue, the link where the information was reported, and any defenses of the issue by others.

3/11/03:

Attack on Mel Gibson Continues (James Hirsen)

Rabbi Marvin Hier of the Jewish organization the Simon Wiesenthal Center has expressed concerns that he thinks Mel's traditionalist Catholic views--which eschew Vatican II that absolved the Jews (past and present) of being responsible for the death of Christ--will cause his movie to include blame towards the Jews for killing Christ. “What concerns me, however, is when I read that the film's purpose is to undo the changes made by Vatican II.” The rabbi went on to say, “If the new film seeks to undo Vatican II ... it would unleash more of the scurrilous charges of deicide directed against the Jewish people, which took the Catholic Church 20 centuries to finally repudiate.” There are no indications from Gibson’s production group that the purpose of the film is to undo anything.

3/26/03:

Crucifying Mel Gibson (Phil Brennan)

The New York Times journalist Christopher Noxon has written an article attacking Mel about his movie by tracking down his 85-year-old father to interview and reporting that he is a "Holocaust denier" in order to damage Mel's credibility. Apparently Noxon's father lives in the area where Mel is building a Catholic Church on his land, so Noxon is attempting to retaliate against Mel's Catholic views as expressed through his church and his movie.

8/3/03:

Mel Gibson's Martyrdom Complex (Frank Rich)

The author, who is Jewish, fears that Mel's movie may resurrect anti-Semitism, particularly based on his traditionalist Catholic views, as well as his incorporations/influence by nuns whose writings he thinks are anti-Semitic. He has not seen the movie, but he also makes the point that he thinks not enough Jewish people have been invited to the advanced screenings of the film for their feedback to Mel. This article additionally echoes Frank Rich's views, stating that the Anti-Defamation League's (ADL) Abraham Foxman also fears that "Passion" will be anti-Semetic, particularly since Gibson is using Emmerich's "Dolorous Passion" book.

The Greatest Story, Newly Told

Mel Gibson on "The Passion," and the passion behind it.

BY RAYMOND ARROYO

Friday, March 7, 2003 12:01 a.m. EST

ROME--Bounding around Studio 5 on the Cinecittà lot, not far from the catacombs, Mel Gibson is giving the performance of his life. In the shadow of an olive tree, wrapped in blue fog, he is at first a trembling Judas yanking at his lip, now a torch-toting member of Herod's guard. After expelling a cough (the remnant of a flu bug) and running a hand though his mane, he is suddenly a placid Messiah.

Sadly, none of this is being captured on film. But the athletic directing style betrays a zeal--an almost spiritual possession--to tell a story still confined to Mr. Gibson's mind yet known to millions. "It's going longer than I'd like," he whispers, as the actors try to copy his performance. "They've got to get into my head to see what I see . . . and you should see what it looks like from the inside." With a roll of his eyes, he is back on set demonstrating for the Italian day players.

Today the actor-director is shooting the arrest of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane for "The Passion," his first directorial effort since the Academy Award-winning "Braveheart" (1995). This arresting, graphic production explores the torture and death of Jesus Christ. Aside from a single press conference and a couple of interviews, Mr. Gibson has not spoken at length about his vision for the film or about the faith animating the production. But he recently granted me an interview and access to the set. I also received the first look at a rough cut of the film.

Already "The Passion" has stirred passions--journalists are trying to figure out what Mr. Gibson is about, whether he will bring some eccentric view to the Passion story, perhaps giving offense or pushing an agenda. Mr. Gibson is painfully aware of the digging around that is going on, as if, with this movie, he is suddenly striking out in a new direction that requires investigation.

But "The Passion" should come as no surprise. Since Mr. Gibson's directorial bow, "The Man Without a Face" (1993), his work has shown a Catholic sensibility. "Braveheart," "We Were Soldiers," "Signs": Each dealt with sacrificial heroes who rely on their faith for survival. Mr. Gibson's current project was conceived during a reappraisal of his life 13 years ago. "I read the New and Old Testaments and tried to just focus on that to maintain myself," he says. Reflecting on Catholic theological works and the sacrifice of Christ, he found various images surfacing. "I began to imagine what that must have been like," Mr. Gibson says. "I mean really like. No mere man could have survived this torture."

Based on the Gospel accounts, the dramatic visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich (a 17th-century stigmatic) and "The Mystical City of God" by Venerable Mary of Agreda (a 17th-century nun), "The Passion" focuses almost exclusively on the sacrifice of Christ. "We are talking about the single event that influenced civilization as we know it: the law, the arts, our knowledge of good and evil," Mr. Gibson says. "It has touched every possible aspect of everyone's life whether they realize it or not."

To underscore Christ's physical sacrifice, Mr. Gibson and special-effects artists have created some of the most graphic scenes ever committed to celluloid. To become the brutalized Jesus, actor Jim Caviezel ("The Count of Monte Cristo") often spent up to eight hours a day in the makeup truck. Buried under a wig and prosthesis, he may be the most Semitic-looking Jesus ever on screen. He endured 15 days on a cross in freezing weather, a separated shoulder, the flu and literal scourging for the role. "One day they missed the board on my back and hit me full on. It hurt so badly I couldn't find my voice to scream," Mr. Caviezel says. "I see people pulling Jesus off the cross these days. They just don't want to see how he suffered, but this is what happened."

Dissatisfied with "cheesy" portrayals that miss the political situation and "prettify" the torture and death of Christ, Mr. Gibson is struggling to recapture the historical reality, right down to the clothing and eating customs of the Jews under the old law--to "make it truly about a man born to the House of David." "The Passion" is being shot in Aramaic, Latin and Hebrew with no subtitles--a point of honor for Mr. Gibson. "There is power and mystery in these dead languages, and this is what was spoken at the time," he says. The movie will rely on its visuals to tell the tale.

Does it all work? Can the images convey the story? Will audiences endure dead languages they don't understand? And is the violence too much? Having seen a half-hour of the 90-minute film, I must say that it is as disturbing as it is comforting. It's like watching a documentary by Caravaggio. The images are so vivid, and the story so familiar, that language becomes almost incidental.

At moments Mr. Caviezel looks like a bloodied skeleton. Wearied and stumbling, with one eye swollen shut, he keeps a knowing dignity and strength. The violence, though intense, is never gratuitous, at least in the rough cut I saw. It rescues Christ from myth and grounds him in a reality that makes his actions more heroic.

Mercifully, Mr. Gibson has chosen to interrupt the brutality with artistic breathers: flashbacks to the Last Supper and to Christ's early life. At one point we see Christ fall under the weight of the cross through the eyes of his mother. For a moment we flash back to the child Jesus falling near his home as a concerned Mary rushes to console him. Now on the harsh streets of Jerusalem, she can do nothing but watch her boy suffer.

Focusing on the trial and death of Christ will inevitably cause some controversy. "This is dangerous territory we're in here," Mr. Gibson admits. As for the question of blame for Christ's crucifixion--a vexed subject that has fueled anti-Semitism over the centuries--Mr. Gibson says that "this is not a Christian vs. Jewish thing--'He came into the world and it knew Him not.' Looking at Christ's crucifixion, I look first at my own culpability in that."

Potential controversy aside, the whole project has been a challenge. "There have been a lot of obstacles thrown in the way of this picture; it's full of discomfort," Mr. Gibson confides. "And I understand it's the other realm warring. So I have taken steps to put on armor." A priest says Mass on the set each day. I also notice that Mr. Gibson wears a crucifix and brown scapular around his neck; Mr. Caviezel carries relics of the saints in his costume during shooting. "And I try to stay squeaky clean," Mr. Gibson adds. "For Mel and Jim, their belief is their whole lives, and they are committed to telling this story," Steve McEveety, Mr. Gibson's producer and partner, observes.

Back in Studio 5, Mr. Gibson is like a giddy child. The actors have finally gotten the arrest scene right. "It's happening, it's happening. Ha. This is so cool," he sputters. Then: "OK. Take your places, one more time." Without the support of a studio or a distribution deal, Mr. Gibson and his Icon Productions are reportedly financing the $25 million project themselves, believing "The Passion" will find its audience. "I look at myself as a conduit here--a tool, using what God gave me," Mr. Gibson says. For those who still doubt the power of faith and the merits of sacrifice, one has only to peek into Studio 5 to see them in bold, passionate flower.

Mr. Arroyo is news director of EWTN, the world's largest religious TV network.

Zenit Interview with Mel Gibson

ROME, MARCH 6, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Oscar winning actor-director Mel Gibson is in Rome these days, working on a film on the passion of Christ at the Cinecittà studios.The movie focuses on the last hours of Christ’s life and stars Jim Caviezel ("The Thin Red Line," "Angel Eyes," "The Count of Monte Cristo") as Jesus. Gibson granted the following exclusive interview to ZENIT.
News Story:

Q: What made you decide to do this project?

Gibson: It’s been slowly coming on for about 10 or 12 years now. I’m a pretty old guy, but if you go back 12 years I was 35. That’s when I started to investigate the roots of my faith. I had always believed in God, that he existed, and I was brought up to believe in a certain way.But in my middle years, I kind of drifted, and other things took center stage. At that point, I realized I needed something more if I was going to survive. A closer investigation of the Gospels, of the story, of the whole piece, was demanded of me.That’s when the idea started to percolate inside my head. I began to see it realistically, re-creating it in my own mind so that it would make sense for me, so I could relate to it. That’s what I want to put on the screen.

Q: So many movies about the life of Christ have already been made. Why make another one?Gibson: I don’t think other films have tapped into the real force of this story. I mean, have you seen any of the others? They are either inaccurate in their history, or they suffer from bad music or bad hair. This film will show the passion of Jesus Christ just the way it happened. It’s like traveling back in time and watching the events unfold exactly as they occurred.

Q: How can you be sure that your version is so accurate?

Gibson: We’ve done the research. I’m telling the story as the Bible tells it. I think the story, as it really happened, speaks for itself. The Gospel is a complete script, and that’s what we’re filming.

Q: This seems like a switch from the usual Mel Gibson productions. Your specialty is action, adventure and romance. What made you decide to do a religious film?

Gibson: I’m doing what I’ve always done: telling stories I think are important in the language I speak best: film. I think most great stories are hero stories. People want to reach out and grab at something higher, and vicariously live through heroism, and lift their spirit that way.There is no greater hero story than this one — about the greatest love one can have, which is to lay down one’s life for someone. The Passion is the biggest adventure story of all time. I think it’s the biggest love-story of all time; God becoming man and men killing God — if that’s not action, nothing is.

Q: Who will want to see a film like this?

Gibson: I think everyone will. The story has inspired art, culture, behavior, governments, kingdoms, countries — it has influenced the world in more ways than you can imagine. It’s a pivotal event in history that has made us what we are today. Believers and nonbelievers alike, we have all been affected by it.So many people are searching for meaning in life, asking themselves a lot of questions. They’ll come looking for answers. Some will find them, some won’t.

Q: So this film isn’t only for Christians?

Gibson: "Gandhi" was a blockbuster hit, but it wasn’t just for Hindus. This film is for everyone. For believers and nonbelievers, Jesus Christ is undoubtedly one of the most important historical figures of all time. Name one person who has had a greater impact on the course of history.

Q: But if this film is focused on bringing the Gospels to life, won’t it be offensive to non-Christians? For example, the role of the Jewish leaders in Jesus’ death. If you depict that, won’t it be offensive?

Gibson: This isn’t a story about Jews vs. Christians. Jesus himself was a Jew, his mother was a Jew, and so were his Twelve Apostles. It’s true that, as the Bible says, "He came unto his own and his own received him not"; I can’t hide that.But that doesn’t mean that the sins of the past were any worse than the sins of the present. Christ paid the price for all our sins.The struggle between good and evil, and the overwhelming power of love go beyond race and culture. This film is about faith, hope, love and forgiveness. These are things that the world could use more of, particularly in these turbulent times. This film is meant to inspire, not to offend.

Q: Even so, some people are going to think that you just want to "push your beliefs on others." Is that true?

Gibson: I didn’t invent this story. I do happen to believe it. It’s something that just gets inside of you and has to come out. I’m just trying to tell it well, better than it’s ever been told before. When you’re dealing with non-fiction, a director’s responsibility is to make it as accurate as possible. Open-minded people will appreciate it for what it is.

Q: What about the violence? Won’t people find some of the more graphic scenes inappropriate?Gibson: Some people might, but, hey, that’s the way it was. There is no gratuitous violence in this film. I don’t think anyone under 12 should go see it — unless they’re a very mature 12-year-old. It’s pretty heavy.I think we have gotten too used to seeing pretty crucifixes on the wall and we forget what really happened. I mean, we know that Jesus was scourged, that he carried his cross, that he had nails put through his hands and feet, but we rarely think about what this means.Growing up I didn’t realize what was involved in this. I didn’t realize how hard it was. The full horror of what Jesus suffered for our redemption didn’t really strike me. Understanding what he went through, even on a human level, makes me feel not only compassion, but also a debt: I want to repay him for the enormity of his sacrifice.

Q: What about the language barrier? You’re filming in two dead languages — Latin and Aramaic — and you’re not planning to use subtitles. Won’t that be a turnoff?

Gibson: Caravaggio’s paintings don’t have subtitles, but people get the message. The Nutcracker Ballet doesn’t have subtitles, but people get the message. I think that the image will overcome the language barrier. That’s my hope.I’m just trying to be as real as possible. There is something kind of startling about watching it in the original languages. The reality comes out and hits you. Full-contact. I know we are only re-creating, but we are doing the best we can to simulate an experience of really being there.And I think it’s almost counterproductive to say some of these things in a modern language. It makes you want to stand up and shout out the next line, like when you hear "To be or not to be" and you instinctively say to yourself, "That is the question."But if you hear the words spoken as they were spoken at the time, it can kind of stun you. I’ve seen that happen when we’re working. It gets a clarity to it through the acting, through the nuances of the characters, the movement of the camera — it’s the movement, it’s the timing, it’s everything. All of a sudden it’s very, very clear to me. That’s when I cut and move on.

Q: When you finish this project, will it be a letdown to go back to less sublime subject matter?Gibson: No, it will be a relief to do something that’s a little lighter. There is a tremendous burden of responsibility in this one, not to sell anything short. I just hope I can do justice to the story. You can’t please everybody, but then again, that’s not my goal.

Mel Gibson to Direct "Passion"

Mel Gibson has apparently decided to make his own movie about Christ's last day, encompassing the suffering His Passion. Jim Caviezel is to play Jesus, and the movie will be shot in the ancient languages of Aramaic and Latin, with a little Hebrew (and Mel doesn't want subtitles, it would distract from the experience). Aside from using the Gospels, he will be drawing from the books "The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ" by the mystic nun Anne Catherine Emmerich and "The City of God" by the mystic nun Mary of Agreda to flesh out some of the chronology. He has also tapped Caleb Deschanel as his cinemetographer, and wants the film to look "Caravaggio-esque." They are filming in Rome and Matera, Italy, to give the feel of the ancient city of Jerusalem. Currently, Gibson is financing it himself but has no distributor. Mel is creating it as an expression of his own faith that has come full circle in the last 12 years, and he noted that many spiritual and miraculous things have happened on the set.

What's particularly fascinating is the way God seems to be working in incredible ways through miraculous situations both on and off the set. "There is an interesting power in the script", Gibson notes. "There have been a lot of unusual things happening, good things like people being healed of diseases, a couple of people have had sight and hearing restored, another guy was struck by lightning while we were filming the crucifixion scene and he just got up and walked away. There was even a little six year old girl (the daughter of a person connected with the crew) who had epilepsy since she was born and had up to 50 epileptic fits a day, she doesn't have them anymore for over a month now." He marvels at how this movie has effected or touched most of the cast in some deep and personal way. "And they really give you a lot of hope, it's like wow! I mean, we're not kidding around about this, it's really happening."

When asked about why he decided, seemingly suddenly, to focus on a movie about Jesus' Passion, Gibson replied:

"When I was growing up the whole story of the Passion was very sanitized and distant, it seemed to me very much like a fairy tale. Then from about the age of 15 to age 35, I kind of did my own thing as it were, not that I didn't believe in God, I just didn't practice faith or give it much consideration. I went through that period in my life where you put a lot of other things first. So coming back 20 years later, it seemed so distant, you know? I had to reconsider and say to myself, now hang on a minute, this isn't a fairy tale and this actually happened, this is real. And that started me thinking about what it must have been like, what Christ went through and I started seeing it in film terms."

What does Gibson hope the film will accomplish?

Mel Gibson’s heart, passion and hope for his film is simply this; "My hope is that this movie has a tremendous message of faith, hope, love, forgiveness and a message of tremendous courage and sacrifice. My hope is that it will effect people on a very profound level and somehow change them and that message is a pretty good message to be pushing right now. There's so much turmoil in the world today, on the brink of everybody at each others throats, I think usually when the world is tried in this way people usually start going back to something higher to fill a void in their souls, particularly if the earth is crying out in pain from all the suffering and fear that's inflicted by war and hatred. For me, I don't think there's a better message you could put out there, than what's in this movie."