Arts & Culture: February 2004 Archives

I thought Catholic theater companies only existed in places that have a Catholic culture: you know, like Poland. Not here in America.

Yes, there was the exception, Leonardo Defilippis, who for a long time seemed to have the Catholic theater niche all to himself, touring from his home base in Oregon.

Now the next generation is coming up. Boston's Fiat Productions opened Arthur Giron's Edith Stein tonight. The Epiphany Studio is active in Nebraska, there's an outfit called "Theophany" in Washington -- which I will see on Saturday doing readings from the Pope's poetry -- and San Jose has Quo Vadis, whose founder Cathal Gallagher has also launched a company in LA.

Any more out there?

Two years ago, Mel Gibson said he was going to make a movie about the suffering and death of Christ. The dialogue would be in ancient languages, spoken by obscure actors. People started snickering, saying this was an art-house movie nobody would want to see.

Next, they said people would want to see it, but they'd immediately start bombing synagogues and beating up Jews. The result? None of the major film studios wanted to bankroll the movie, and all the major film distributors rejected it.

On the first day of its release, "The Passion of the Christ" earned back nearly all of its production costs. By Friday, it will start turning a profit. And there are six more Sundays in Lent.

In a serious case of wishful thinking, the New York Times says, "New Film May Harm Gibson's Career." Riiiiight. Not with God and Mammon on his side.

...about inclusive language. Imagine renewing your Baptismal vows like this:

Do you reject Satan?

And all her works?

And all her empty promises?

Oh, Sal! you say, You're just being snarky again! Why don't you say something nice about the Passion?

I found it to be emotionally and spiritually provocative to the extreme. I walked out of the theatre never wanting to sin again. The most moving scenes were those with Jesus and Mary together. In one of the flashbacks in particular you see something that Chesterton said he thought was hidden in the Gospels - Jesus' mirth.

The charges of anti-semitism and gore-for-the-sake-of-gore are utterly false. The ninnies who have been putting this forth in the media should take a look at this piece on NRO about an actual vicious, anti-semitic film.

And more evidence of real anti-semitism in Saudi Arabia.

I've been perusing reviews of "The Passion" for the last few days, and Roger Ebert's is particularly good. Some excerpts:

...What Gibson has provided for me, for the first time in my life, is a visceral idea of what the Passion consisted of. That his film is superficial in terms of the surrounding message -- that we get only a few passing references to the teachings of Jesus -- is, I suppose, not the point. This is not a sermon or a homily, but a visualization of the central event in the Christian religion. Take it or leave it.

...Gibson's film is not anti-Semitic, but reflects a range of behavior on the part of its Jewish characters, on balance favorably. The Jews who seem to desire Jesus' death are in the priesthood, and have political as well as theological reasons for acting; like today's Catholic bishops who were slow to condemn abusive priests, Protestant TV preachers who confuse religion with politics, or Muslim clerics who are silent on terrorism, they have an investment in their positions and authority....

..."The Passion of the Christ," more than any other film I can recall, depends upon theological considerations. Gibson has not made a movie that anyone would call "commercial," and if it grosses millions, that will not be because anyone was entertained. It is a personal message movie of the most radical kind, attempting to re-create events of personal urgency to Gibson. The filmmaker has put his artistry and fortune at the service of his conviction and belief, and that doesn't happen often.

Read the full review here.

Information on where we will be....

Just I reminder that Sonya, the girls and I will be in Chicago this weekend for a major Alhambra weekend, and there will be an informal reception Friday, February 6th to which all of my friends and readers in the Chicago are are invited.

Here is the corrected information for where we are all gathering. (Basically, the Chicago Alhambrans tend to be very laid back and informal when they organize these types of reception, so you can pretty much drop in at any time between 5pm and 1am and bring your spouse and children as well.) Anyway, we will be getting together at....

Marriott Courtyard
6 Trans Am Plaza Dr.
Oakbrook Terrace, IL

The informal reception will be held in meeting rooms A & B on the first floor, from 5pm to 1 am. The hotel phone number is (630) 691-1500.

If you think you might attend, and get the chance to do so between now and Friday, please call Mark or Ricky Montalbano at (708) 547-1010 or email Mark at mark@montalbanofurniture.com (Preferably by Wednesday, if possible, since this is when the order for food and refreshments go in...) If you are not sure, or don't get the chance to do so between now and then, you're still welcome to drop in on Friday.

Looks like we will have a nice turn-out from St. Blog's as well as Catholic Freepdom. Look forward to seeing everyone there!

It isn't even 9 a.m., and already I'm tired of hearing about Janet Jackson's nipple. Memo to all entertainers: taking off your clothes isn't remarkable for anyone over the age of 2. It's a sign that you're a talentless, soon-to-be-has-been hack -- that is, if you're not already a has-been.