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Emotionally powerful statement

by Chandana Silva

The life of Jesus Christ has been retold in cinematic terms many a time, under titles, Jesus, King of Kings, Life of Jesus Christ, Last Temptation of Jesus Christ and Jesus of Nazareth. Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ is a unique expression in cinema. Condensing the philosophy of Christ within the last twelve hours of his life to 90 minutes of film time.

Passion, a word derived from Latin, means suffering and also could be used to express fathomless or unequal or even mystic. So the title of the film carries many different meanings to the theme. It highlights how a virtuous person sacrificed his life under immense pain for the sake of the philosophy that he was convinced as the truth.

At one point he says, "that is why I was born, to give testimony to the truth." He is questioned by Pilate the governor of Palestine as to what truth is and Jesus says, "all men who hear my voice hear the truth." In another situation Claudia tells Pilate 'If you will not hear the truth no one can tell you the truth."

There are many instances where Mel Gibson takes the opportunity to employ perceptive sayings in dialogue form without going into details of the life of Christ. The filmmaker takes a glimpse at the significant events in an impressive manner using flash backs.

One of the most crucial events in the life of Christ is the Last Supper when he shared a meal with his deciples. The film opens a short time after the Last Supper where Jesus walks towards the Garden of Olives - Gethomane for prayers. In the grove he realises something about the future.

A premonition of affliction to befall upon him. It is night, camera moves forward through the shadows of the grove moonlight falls through the clouds. We hear a whispering voice, a tall figure in a cloak moves out to the open, camera follows him. Some people are sleeping under a tree, he moves toward them and says:

Peter,
You could not even watch one hour with me.
Master, what has happened to you.
Should I call the others Lord?
No John I don't want them to see me like this.
Are we in danger, Master should we flee?
(One disciple to another) What is wrong with him?
He seems afraid.
He spoke of danger while we ate.
Betrayal.
He mentioned betrayal.

Presentiment

It appears that by presentiment Jesus knew something dreadful would happen. In the stillness of the night he is with the followers. Jesus looks up at the sky as if addressing the Lord. Now the full moon is in the cloudy sky. The high priest is seen looking at the moon.

A man amongst the crowd is looking uncomfortable and guilty. It is Judas Iscariot. The priest throws the bag of silver to Judas. It goes flying in the air in slow motion. Judas picks up the fallen silver coins avariciously.

Jesus in the open air, He says
'Hear me Father, rise up defend me
save me from the traps set for me.
This entire scene is in frontal and profile close-ups.
Do you really believe me, that one man can bear the full burden of sin
Shelter, or Lord I trust in you.
In you I take refuge
A cloud moves over the moon
Someone covering his head with a black cape and wearing a black cloak glances at Jesus
with sinister looking eyes.

It is Satan trying to tempt Jesus. Then as Jesus kneels down touching the ground Satan appears in the form of a snake. The form he took at the beginning of earth.

Visual composition

This opening sequence in the film is important and is well constructed. Camera movement and action seems very slow keeping with the situation. Pale blue and dark shadows of the night is serene, yet creates fear and doubt in the hearts of the viewers.

Shots of moon is intercut with the faces of Jesus, crafty high priest and Satan These matching shots and the connected scenes create a visual pattern for the short prelude. The dialogue is brief but has the high intensity of evoking tension.

Jesus is chained like a criminal and brought to the city of Jerusalam. Pilate questions Jesus and finds out that he is innocent. Yet the crowd instigated by the High Priest insist that he should be killed.

He also has an apprehension about a public uprising which may go against him. Bringing a prevailing custom to the issue he allows them to choose who should be freed, the notorious criminal Barababs or Jesus.

The priest and the crowd want Barababs freed and Jesus killed. Pilate says his hands are free of innocent blood. The last few shots show Pilate washing his hands and drying them with a clean white towel, a good visual composition.

Jesus chained to a post in the city square is whipped barbarously. Soldiers use catonine whips (whip with many small whips fixed with iron clips).

It can be clearly seen how these particular whips tear off the skin making severe wounds on the entire surface of the body. Governor's officials intervene to stop the whipping. This sequence itself is evidence to the anguish Christ had to bear in his attempt to reveal the truth he believed to mankind.

The filmmaker has stretched the incident exquisitely and observed every detail.

We see the High Priest and part of the crowd enjoying the cruel act. Helpless mother Mary witnesses the act in utter horror. Her eyes speak of the burning fire in a mother's heart. In one of the torturing scenes we find a crowd watching.

Over the shoulder of Jesus someone in a black hood carrying an unusually white baby is seen moving through the crowd in slow motion. The baby glances at Jesus giving a crafty and sinister look and smiles. Here and in earlier scenes the concept of evil in the form of Satan has been very cleverly used in cinematic terms.

In general all what happens on the silver screen is accepted as reality, but when a filmmaker has to tell something about a paranormal event or some mystic occult he has to take utmost care in mixing up the two, without disturbing the reality he has created. This is a very clever example of such cinematic expression.

Jesus is dragged out by hands, his head fallen upside. He sees the foot of a soldier which takes him to the past.

Carrying water in a clay vessel Jesus washes the feet of a man slowly. Disciples are around him. He says:

"If the world hates you remember that it has hated me first."

"Remember that no servant is greater than his Master is."

"If they persecute you they will persecute me."

Crucial moment

Judas is brought in at a crucial moment. He throws back the silver at the High Priest, when the priest refuses to free Jesus. Guilt and repentance is drawn across his face. At the same time Claudia tries to explain that Jesus is innocent and should be freed. Her dialogue with Governor Pilate is factual and sympathetic.

Pilate is convinced that Jesus is innocent. When he declares this there is an uproar and the crowd protests angrily. Now he has to think of his position related to politics and opinion of masses.

Mother Mary and Magdolene appear in the scene resembling universal love and compassion.

This narrative has been developed on crucial events connected to each other in a visual pattern that gradually builds up emotions towards the climax holding the thematic concept. Mother Mary and Mary Magdolene wipes blood strewn on the floor of the city square with the white towels offered to them by Gloria.

Whilst bent down on her knees to clean the floor in a low angle view Magdolene recalls how Jesus saved her from being stoned to death. Jesus bends down and draws a line on the white sandy ground, a crowd stand in front of Him whose feet are only seen.

Jesus looks at them. The crowd drop the rocks in their hands one by one and disperse. We see the feet of Jesus and the fallen rocks from ground level. Then a woman's hand slowly touches His feet. With His hands He raises her up. This is one of the most picturesque and meaningful scenes in cinema, composed and executed beautifully.

The director has utilized the correct cinematic techniques to highten the scene where Jesus is tortured. Close-up of wounds horrifying facial expressions in low angle, whips and soldier's movements, the trembling blood strewn body of Jesus, His shivering fingers and the sound of soldiers laughing is one horrible experience.

Jesus is forced to carry a very heavy cross on the rugged and dusty road to the mountain Golgotha. He is whipped again and again, unable to bear the pain he collapses to the ground. Mary Magdolene rushes to Him, she wipes His face and takes out a small cup of water concealed in her cloak. As she is about to pour the water to His mouth a soldier throws it aside. This scene reminds us of a scene in Benhur where Jesus gives some water to Benhur when he is whipped and dragged as a slave.

Excellent cinematography

The Passion of Jesus Christ as a work of art has been heavily supported by the excellent cinematography of Calen Deschanel. The well planned and executed camera movements are in combination of track shots, crane shots and steady cam assisted moving images.

They are so fluid that you feel you are moving with the scene. The images are not unusually pinsharp creating an artificial look and modern time appearance. The slight dullness in them add authenticity to the period.

The use of colour is the most important factor related to cinematography. Basically all night interiors are lit, giving the impression of oil lamp light. These scenes give a colour from yellow to orange. In day exteriors gray green in various shades of dark and light are seen especially when sorrow is highlighted.

In general the dark coloured drab looking costumes are made to look old fashioned. All colours have been subdued killing the bright basic colours of the normal movie film. Compositions and balancing of shots are excellent; though these are newly created for the film they have the inspiration from the great painters of medieval era.

When we consider the beauty of the scenes and their construction we find that the editors have made it refined and smooth. They are also responsible for the emotionally provoking background sound and music laying.

The overall film evaluate the excellent technical collaboration the director had James Caviezel's facial expressions and delivery if dialogue disclosing Mel Gibson's interpretation is incompatible.

Caviezel has the unique ability to portray an intellectual and a compassionate humble man of strong will-power. With His deep penetrating eyes, throughout the film Jesus speaks a very few words, and mostly with facial expression His character is established.

Mother Mary's character played by veteran actress Maria Morgenstern is effectively used to indicate the opposite view of the gruesome torture Jesus undergoes. In the horrifying torture scenes her soft face full of compassion and pain is used as powerful reaction shots. Her helpless being unable to save her son is a painful moment for the viewer.

Through the last ten decades cinema language has developed to a very realistic and dynamic medium. However, the proper use of this powerful and ultra modern visual communication method, depends on the director's ability as a creative artist. In Passion of the Christ the aesthetic expression is so refined that the technical ties are not visible at all.

This is the ideal achievement of a director. To utilize all available technology to develop the narrative as an emotionally powerful statement, surpassing the technological manipulations to the minimum is necessary. Passion of the Christ has received worldwide acclamation due to this fact.

Different to the present day blockbusters or mega movies, Passion of the Christ is not loaded with computer generated optical effects and synthesized sound. Mega films have little time for in-depth human feelings. Mostly they concentrate on weird creatures computerized machines and gigantic explosions.

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