ELICE GIORGIONE
A&E Assistant
For years, religion was taboo in Hollywood – one of those unmentionable subjects kept tidily under the rug for fear of offending people or stirring up controversy. Movies rarely touched upon, much less embraced, the notion of faith. But in recent years, there has been a seeming resurgence of religious themes being espoused by the entertainment industry.
“There are probably a number of reasons for religiously oriented films coming into the mainstream in recent years,” freshman Joshua Smith said. “Numbers have a definite pull in the matter, but the most important thing to remember about Hollywood is that behind all the artistic directors and movements in nouveau noir and that stuff, is that it’s a business.”
Of course, “The Passion of the Christ” most likely comes to mind when one thinks of the most prominent example of this new trend within the industry. With a gross of $608.5 million, “The Passion,” which is being released on DVD tomorrow, not only had a worldwide impact that both moved and riled up audiences across the globe, but it also showed that religion can indeed be a winner in Hollywood’s numbers game.
It was subject to intense praise and also bore the brunt of harsh criticism from critics and moviegoers alike, but in the end, box office numbers showed the world that religion and Hollywood are indeed compatible and maybe even trendy.
It seems as long as God brings in money at the box office, no matter how controversial or unconventional the subject matter may be, religious films will most likely continue to be made now that the precedent has been set.
But could there be another explanation?
“I think this (religious insurgence in the industry) can also be attributed to a general cultural movement among the majority of people, not just here in the United States, but across the globe” Smith said. “Starting most obviously in the late 60s and 70s you have people becoming more open in topics such as sex and drugs — these topics are specifically door openers to topics in religion and spirituality.”
Smith’s ideas are founded o
Along with the very profound and intense “Passion,” a film that takes Christianity and God very seriously, there are also some more lighthearted films of recent years that further weaken the industry’s once un-budging resistance against the forbidden subject.
“Bruce Almighty,” released in 2003, was a precursor to “The Passion.” With a domestic gross of $242 million, it did well for a film that revolved around the idea of God being at work in our world. And this year’s “Saved,” while not a huge box office success, approached the idea of Christianity in a more facetious, irreverent manner and won rave reviews. The “Matrix” trilogy has been dissected for religious undertones, as well.
Although it is only recently that this surge of religious content in entertainment has become acceptable again, this isn’t the first time the entertainment industry has embraced religion. In the days of old Hollywood, actors like George Burns and Charlton Heston starred in religiously themed movies such as “Oh, God!” and “The 10 Commandments.”
Now, even movie studios aren’t afraid to show their rejuvenated support for films that explore faith. For example, one of Hollywood’s most prominent studios, 20th Century Fox, is making a concentrated effort to target market their DVD release of “The Passion” to churches, parishioners and believers throughout the country. They sent 260,000 postcards to selected religious establishments offering bulk delivery and over 6 million e-mails to Christian households. In addition, according to the New York Times, the studio also recently circulated 10,000 limited edition, religiously designed lithographs to church officials.
Not only are studios and screenwriters turning to religion for inspiration, but stars themselves are also (very publicly at times) embracing their respective faiths. One example is Mel Gibson, the man responsible for “The Passion,” who has never shied away from discussing his religious convictions. He is reportedly building a Catholic church on his Malibu property.
Then there are the Kabala devotees – Madonna, Britney, Ashton – who sport their red bracelets and spout off about the benefits of studying the religion in celebrity magazines and interviews. It has suddenly become hip and chic for A-listers to associate themselves with some religion. It’s an accessory almost as important as the expensive car and designer clothes.
To coincide with the tomorrow’s DVD release date of “The Passion,” Paramount Home Entertainment has decided to push the DVD version of “South Park: The Passion of the Jew” on the same day. This film follows Kyle and Cartman as they watch the original “Passion of Christ.” After viewing the movie, Jewish Kyle feels guilty for killing Jesus. Two bonus episodes “Christian Rock Hard,” which is about a Christian Rock band, and “Red Hot Catholic Love,” which satirizes recent molestation scandels in the Catholic Church.
“Judas” details Judas’ relationship with Jesus, as well as his plan to betray him to the Roman officials
Similarly, there are a host of other religious movies set for home video release within that same time bracket – Koch Entertainment’s “The Power and the Passion of Christ,” the BBC’s “Jesus: The Complete Story,” the re-release of the 1966 “The Bible … In the Beginning,” and “NBC News Presents: The Last Days of Jesus.”
08-30-2004