tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post116528897055525433..comments2024-03-10T10:54:59.776-07:00Comments on Ben Witherington: The Nativity-- The Birth of a Classic?Ben Witheringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06017701050859255865noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-1166425753750029482006-12-17T23:09:00.000-08:002006-12-17T23:09:00.000-08:00Having seen it the second time today, I think I do...Having seen it the second time today, I think I do concur with Scot McKnight. That the Mary depicted should have been more active in her emotions regarding the injustice of her times. And, related to that, the reality of her carrying the one who would undo that injustice! The Mary there portrayed was too much like the traditional, pious Mary, and not enough like the one who spoke the Magnificat.Ted M. Gossardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10580691315315271791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-1165871447226378072006-12-11T13:10:00.000-08:002006-12-11T13:10:00.000-08:00I think it is vitally important to support efforts...I think it is vitally important to support efforts like this one. We can toss our money on things that promote anti-Christian values or we can put our money where our beliefs are and let people know that there can be popular movies that are wholesome and center on God/Jesus. Unfortunately Hollywood never gets it. I guess we should never expect that they will.<BR/><BR/>Good thoughts. Thank you for the information.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14368791607689982645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-1165846434280459862006-12-11T06:13:00.000-08:002006-12-11T06:13:00.000-08:00Thanks for your review, Ben. I think you get it a...Thanks for your review, Ben. I think you get it about right (cf. my thoughts at http://ntgateway.com/weblog/2006/12/nativity-story-my-review-continued.html).<BR/><BR/>On <I>Jesus of Nazareth</I>, yes, it was filmed partly in Ouarzazate in Morocco, which was used for <I>The Nativity Story</I>, but also in Monastir and Sousse in Tunisia. <I>Life of Brian</I> used the same Tunisian locations and even some of the same extras, only a year or so after filming on <I>Jesus of Nazareth</I> was finished. Ouarzazate was also used for the 1999 <I>Jesus</I> film starring Sisto as Jesus, which you mention above.Mark Goodacrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05115370166754797529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-1165559704437151922006-12-07T22:35:00.000-08:002006-12-07T22:35:00.000-08:00Bengiven it was Gibson historical inaccuracy is ha...Ben<BR/><BR/>given it was Gibson historical inaccuracy is hardly surprising. We were just surprised that the crucifixion wasn't carried out by the English!Exiled in mainstreamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15621269957956075671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-1165532327617875092006-12-07T14:58:00.000-08:002006-12-07T14:58:00.000-08:00About 35% of the movie was based on the book The D...About 35% of the movie was based on the book The Dolorous Passion of the Christ by Anna Katherine Emmerich-- a famously anti-Semitic nun. None of thye so-called artistic liberties were that in Mel's movie. Worst of all was the scene with the Jewish children taunting Judas into hanging himself, and turning into demons! Almost as bad was the unBiblical flaggelation scene which went on and on, and then Mrs. Pilate came out and helped sop up the blood. There are so many distortions and misrepresentations in this movie I wouldn't recommend most of it to anyone. Its historically and theological full of problems.<BR/><BR/>Ben W.Ben Witheringtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06017701050859255865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-1165515296785091732006-12-07T10:14:00.000-08:002006-12-07T10:14:00.000-08:00I am curious as to which parts of the Passion of t...I am curious as to which parts of the Passion of the Christ were unbiblical. There certainly were some artistic liberties. But there were with the CBC Jesus miniseries (which I also very much enjoyed). I doubt Satan wears an Italian suit and frequently time travels.SJBedardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02858451603363183786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-1165429839393684452006-12-06T10:30:00.000-08:002006-12-06T10:30:00.000-08:00Hi Jose: I think you will find that it is fine for...Hi Jose: I think you will find that it is fine for your kids. There is one brief scene at the beginning of the movie about the innocnents, but it is tame and not dwelled on. This movie does not in any way play up violence. <BR/><BR/>Blessings,<BR/><BR/>BenBen Witheringtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06017701050859255865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-1165423105770817652006-12-06T08:38:00.000-08:002006-12-06T08:38:00.000-08:00Thank you Dr. Witherington for this review.Would y...Thank you Dr. Witherington for this review.<BR/><BR/>Would you say that the film is suitable for a nine and seven year old? I cannot trust movie ratings these days. I'm concerned about gratuitous violence leaving nothing to the imagination. Is there, for instance, a gory slaughter of the innocents? This was my greatest objection to the Passion of Christ. People shouldn't take children to see a detailed and lengthy scourging or crucifixion, even if it is of Jesus. I had to close my eyes through much of that torture. I am not particularly bothered by the creative liberties that are taken as I expect this in movies. <BR/><BR/>In spite of its biblical inconsistencies, my all time favorite Jesus movie is Cecil B. DeMille's silent film, King of Kings.José Solanohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04589289554046198929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-1165344814704672132006-12-05T10:53:00.000-08:002006-12-05T10:53:00.000-08:00Hi Friends:In regard to the infancy narratives I w...Hi Friends:<BR/><BR/>In regard to the infancy narratives I would suggest you read the various relevant articles in the Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. <BR/><BR/>In regard to movies worth uses, including with youth, here is a short list: 1) Zeferelli's Jesus of Nazareth; 2) Peter and Paul; 3) St. John in Exile; 4) A.D.; 5) Jesus (not the retelling of the Gospel of Luke used worldwide, but the more recent CBS film for TV-- its spotty in places but has some spectacular scenes, like Jesus' encounter with the Devil; 6) The Gospel of John; 7) I cannot recommend the Passion of the Christ as it is too unbiblical in about 30% of the movie-- it does have some powerful scenes worth using. There are others worth mentioning but this will do for starters.<BR/><BR/>Blessings,<BR/><BR/>BenBen Witheringtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06017701050859255865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-1165336951679970522006-12-05T08:42:00.000-08:002006-12-05T08:42:00.000-08:00Thank you for this post, I certainly look forward ...Thank you for this post, I certainly look forward to watching this film. Could you recommend any good commentary on the "infancy gospels" other than the one by Raymond Brown? (I'm in the process of reading it).C.S. Feldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10146161731910572752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-1165336116721169112006-12-05T08:28:00.000-08:002006-12-05T08:28:00.000-08:00Dr. Witherington,Love your blog. I work with youth...Dr. Witherington,<BR/><BR/>Love your blog. I work with youth and have thought a lot about utilizing movies to reach some of the young people who come and know little of the biblical story. Could you recommend some of the ones that you believe would work well? <BR/><BR/>Thank you.Josh Lintonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03018094472706263871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-1165319487650158332006-12-05T03:51:00.000-08:002006-12-05T03:51:00.000-08:00Films like this prove to be a litmus test, which o...Films like this prove to be a litmus test, which often bring to the surface a film critic's view not of the film, but of the Biblical story itself. This is the case with the film the 'Nativity'. It is not a bad or shlocky film. It tries to be faithful to the story while still being creative. I have noticed however that while the film got about a 14% rating at rottentomatoes initially, now we are up to 40% or so as more have seen the film. <BR/><BR/>My advice is-- if you are a Christian especially you should go see and support this film. Otherwise you have no leverage for criticizing Hollywood for not making faith friendly films.<BR/><BR/>Blessings,<BR/><BR/>Ben W.Ben Witheringtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06017701050859255865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-1165297319202879052006-12-04T21:41:00.000-08:002006-12-04T21:41:00.000-08:00I appreciate your thoughts on the movie. After re...I appreciate your thoughts on the movie. After reading about some poor reviews, I wasn't going to see it. But now it sounds like it is worth giving it a shot, especially at this time of year.C.P.O.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16880429004171251097noreply@blogger.com