A Few Thoughts on The Passion

My wife and I are working through the BBC/HBO version of The Passion (2008) this week. I think it's the first time I've seen it since the year it aired, so it was interesting to see it again properly. One of the things that's interesting about watching so long after it aired is that some of the actors have moved on and become much more well known for their roles in other programmes.

Take, for example, Tom Ellis, playing Philip here. Since recording The Passion Ellis has gone on to star as the love interest in Miranda (a hilarious sitcom simultaneously sending up and revelling in the style of 80s sitcoms). As a result it's impossible to take him seriously in this. Likewise, I'm much more familiar with Bleak House than I was back then (which features Annas and the captain of the temple guard in different roles), and I've seen Paloma Baezan in 1998's Far From the Madding Crowd as well. All of these roles change the perception of these actors and the roles they fill here.

One thing I've noticed this time around is how manipulative the character of Caiaphas is. Overall its a very sympathetic portrayal, but episode 2 contains at least two instances where he subtly alters the facts to make his argument more persuasive. It's a subtle touch, but exactly the kind of thing you see politicians doing on Question Time every week. First up he starts by objecting to Jesus' critique of the law, saying that without the law the Jews will become no different to the Romans, but then he somehow turns this round to say that this will lead to the Romans coming down more heavily. The logic doesn't really hold up, but the way in which it is argued is very persuasive. Likewise Joseph of Arimathea gets similarly worked over later on. Caiaphas, dressed in all his priestly regalia, subtly alters Jesus' words as overheard by the bird seller. He claims that Jesus said he would destroy the temple, rather than merely predicted that it would be destroyed.

The quality of the writing is similarly evident throughout this episode (2) not least in the words of Jesus. The late Frank Deasy did a fantastic job here making the words sound fresher and more immediate. Sometime, I'd really like to take a closer look at the way Deasy had Jesus say certain things. I noticed a nice reference to Jesus Christ Superstar at one point as well.

Another interesting scene in this episode is the anointing of Jesus' feet. Here it's performed by the prostitute Jesus reformed in the first episode, not Mary Magdalene or Mary the sister of Lazarus. This fits with the Synoptics, and Luke in particular, but goes against John (who identifies Mary as the anointer) and some church tradition (which has often, wrongly identified Magdalene). What really struck me this time around was the way that the only people the camera shows in the scene are the disciples. Judas and Philip are appalled by her actions and Jesus' failure to condemn her. The absence of external observers works to put a distance between Jesus and his followers who are soon to be upset by Jesus prophesying his own death, This is another great scene shot with a nice blue filter and in atmospheric light.

The visual aspect of this episode is really strong actually, the colour scheme - a variety of light browns punctured by the occasional red Roman Road or black priestly turban - emphasises the poverty of most of the people of that day and stresses the gulf between them and the elite. The external scenes in particular are still very nice to look at.

Tomorrow we should cover the crucifixion episode (3) which has been pre-figured today by the "trials" of Barabbas and the two robbers we met right at the start of episode 1. They already have slightly different approaches, one is definitely more terrified by what is happening to him and almost seems to act as if he is innocent, or at least didn't expect things to go so far. I can't remember which repents though, whether they continue along these tracks, or bring a surprise twist and making a more surprising twist - the bad robber being the one who repents.
Anointing just disciples

Death of Frank Deasy

I was very sorry to hear about the death of Frank Deasy, writer of the BBC/HBO mini-series The Passion. Deasy did a great job on that programme - crafting a compelling account without resorting to the usual anti-Semitic Jesus film stereotypes - but will best be remembered for his work on Prime Suspect 7.

Deasy was sadly only 49 when he died. He had been fighting a long battle with liver cancer, and died during a transplant operation on Thursday. Just a few days before he had an article published in the Observer explaining his difficulties in finding a donor, which combined with a similar plea on Irish radio saw a leap of 10,000 people asking for organ donor cards. Fittingly, there's a follow up to that article in yesterday's Observer along with an Obituary. There's a brief paragraph on The Passion therein:

The Passion, the gospel according to Deasy, which the BBC screened at Easter 2008, seemed in contrast to his other work, except for the strong human values. "What I personally was fascinated by was the duality of Jesus in his divinity and his humanity," Deasy told Christian Today. "This is essentially a mystery, but his humanity has to be total, otherwise he is somewhat of a tourist in his own Passion. I've tried to find a human truth that feels real and that is not always the same as a theological truth, and so I would hope that people would be open to the fact they are watching a piece of drama rather than a theological treatise."

Various other news outlets are recording this including the BBC. I actually heard about this first from Mark Goodacre who, as historical consultant to The Passion, know Deasy quite well, and he talks a little bit about Deasy's work in his appearance on Duke University TV's Online Office Hours, which is now available to watch for anyone who missed it live. Mark also mentions that the show is due to air on HBO next year, most likely with a different title.

Deasy's interviews about The Passion are still available to listen to at rejesus.co.uk.

BBC's Passion DVD Release

Region: 2 (PAL)

Number of discs: 2

Classification: 15

Studio: Acorn Media

Release Date: Oct 2008

Run Time: 180 minutes

Having given the Bible Society's release of this film a four week head start, the BBC's DVD of The Passion goes on sale today. But whereas the earlier version was only available through the Bible Society, this one has been released nationwide with many online retailers offering it substantially below the £20 RRP.

Assuming that the review discs I received a while ago have not changed in the interim, then the discs' transfers are good, but there are no special features. Indeed there doesn't even appear to be a basic menu. Whilst this does give the advantage of being able to watch it straight away, it's disappointing given the amount of material the BBC made available on the website, which will, no doubt, disappear one day.

So, ultimately the consumer is left with a choice between the Bible Society's set with a few extra features but a substantially higher cost (and their price is unlikely to drop if past history is anything to go on), or hunting out a bargain on the official, bare bones version. One other plus point for the BBC release: its cover art is significantly better that their rival's - at least that's my opinion.

The Times has marked the occasion with a fascinating piece Joseph Mawle (Jesus from The Passion. It's rare that a journalist just lets the actor speak for themselves, but on this occasion it's absolutely the right choice. In particular, Mawle discusses the crucifixion scene culminating in his discussion of it's after effects:

I remember feeling like someone in a car crash — everything seemed to happen in slow motion. The sun was absolutely blinding, but I had to keep facing upwards. The director had positioned a camera above my head to capture the agony on Jesus’s face and the moment when he utters his last words.

The scene took three days, and although I’d only been up on the cross for minutes at a time, my arms were still numb when I returned to London.

The review has also sparked an outburst by Bite my Bible which criticises the film for portraying the resurrection as being just a "vision". To my mind that is certainly one valid interpretation of the end of the film, but only one among several possible, and equally valid, interpretations of the programme's ending. As I said at the time it also fitted the views of Wright et al. that "the failure to recognise the risen Jesus was because his resurrection body is a physical body, but one that is significantly different from his pre-resurrection body"¹. Conversely, the ending could be taken as saying that the resurrection never really happened (save in the disciples' minds). What is so good about the film's ending is that it remains as open to interpretation as the gospel accounts themselves. As Doug at MetaCatholic points out Jesus is "one moment unrecognisable, the next known. One moment nowhere to be seen, the next in the middle of the room. How do you do justice to that in a visual medium, as opposed to an oral one?". Indeed given the variety of post-resurrection accounts in the gospels, and the low, albeit vital, correlation between these accounts, I wonder if the problem for some more conservative commentators is that this film is a little too "faithful to the gospel narrative"². Hat Tip to Mark Goodacre

1 - This is a quotation from my earlier piece not one from Wright himself
2 - Mark Thompson. Cited at Bite my Bible - http://www.bitemybible.com/2008/10/the-bbc-is-anti.html - from either a talk held by the public theology think-tank Theos or his lecture at Westminster Cathedral earlier this year.

Bible Society Releases Passion DVD

The Bible Society released their resources on BBC1's The Passion today. The major news in their 3 disc DVD (above right) which contains all four episodes and a number of extras. The site actually gives two list of extras, one for teachers and the other for churches, and it's a little unclear as to whether this means that you can opt for one or the other or whether both lots of extras are included in the one set. What is clear is that the third disc is actually a CD-ROM, the notes from which are available to purchase pre-printed (above left).

The full list of extras are listed as follows:

For Teachers:
DVD features special Clips for Schools menus, giving instant access to clips identified in the classroom resources.

The CD-ROM - features a range of RE creative learning activities produced by top educational writers and advisors providing

* Fully developed classroom resources linked to film clips for Key Stage 3, GCSE and 16+ general RE - all keyed into national guidelines and criteria for learning objectives and assessment.
* Worksheets and handouts to project and copy.
* Reflective activities and discussion starters.
* Ideas for collective worship and animated slide show suitable for collective worship and class use.
* A unique, dramatic and inspiring perspective on the person of Jesus, Holy Week and Easter and the Christian faith.
* Creative viewing and thinking strategies using the DVD.
* Certificate 12, Region 2 PAL, Length: 180 mins.
* Includes English subtitles.
* Teaching resources also available separately as a 44-page printed book.

For Churches:
* The CD-ROM features a range of stimulating and creative resources to integrate the BBC series in your church, home group, Lent programmes and Christian enquirers' groups.
* Step-by-step discussion guide through all four episodes with the option of dividing the material into six Lent sessions.
* Reflective activities and creative discussion starters.
* Creative viewing and thinking strategies using the DVD.
* Ideas for use in worship

One bonus of this release is that "the DVD may be shown in home, educational, church and cultural settings provided there is no admission charge" which is actually very rare.

The BBC DVD goes on sale next month, but at the same price (RRP£19.99) and seemingly without this sets host of extras I'm not really sure what the point is. It does have better cover art (I don't really like this set's cover at all), and I suppose it may be available more cheaply. For example Amazon are selling it for just £12.98 at the minute.

The Passion Coming to DVD

Region: 2 (PAL)

Number of discs: 2

Classification: 15

Studio: Acorn Media

Release Date: Oct 2008

Run Time: 180 minutes

Mark Goodacre has the news that The Passion is coming to DVD in October. However, it's a bit unclear what the actual release date will be. Amazon lists it as 20th October whilst the BBC Shop has the date given a fortnight earlier on the 6th. Given the confusion over this back in April, and that the Bible Society have been promising their own version in late summer, it's anyone's guess. My hunch is that the BBC may be reserving the right to have exclusive sales for the first two weeks, but who knows.

There's no news on what, if any, extra features will be included, but given the wealth of material that was released in the run up to this programme's broadcast, it would be strange if some of it didn't make it's way onto disc. Mind you, I said the same about The Nativity Story and almost 2 years on we're still waiting.

Bits and Pieces on The PassionDVD Mystery, More Q&A, The Reader

Ever since the final broadcast of The Passion, I've been keeping a keen eye on Amazon for news of its release to DVD. There's been a page up there for the DVD for sometime, but, in spite of the 28th April release date, the spartan looking cover shot hasn't really inspired much confidence that it's being released any time soon. Nor is there anything about it on the distributors site, Fremantle Home Entertainment. I seem to remember that a few weeks back there was something about the film, but that could just be my imagination!

Moreover, there's the BBC Shop which currently just returns the message "This product is not available to view" on an otherwise blank page. Yet, according to Google cache, there was a whole page on the DVD at one point. So I've no idea what's going on, but it doesn't look like this DVD will be coming out tomorrow, (although you never can tell).

In other news, Mark Goodacre has linked to another set of Q&A which this time deal with issues raised by the show's portrayal of the death and resurrection scenes. There are some interesting answers there, not least getting some clarification over the portrayal of various parts of the story.

Finally, the latest issue of the C of E's Reader Magazine has just been published including a brief piece I wrote about The Passion. I think I tagged this on to a previous post after its initial publication, so some of you may have missed it.

Podcast: The Passion

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Didn't have time to post this yesterday, but my latest podcast entry is up talking about BBC1's The Passion. I think that'll be the last time I discuss the film for a while. The other 15 entries are also still available to download.

FaithArts on The Passion

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As I've been trying to keep my ear to the ground ('scuse the pun) for reviews and comments on The Passion I've been kicking myself for failing to mention Brendan O'Regan's coverage of this production over at FaithArts. Regular readers may recall that I mentioned Brendan's site last year and added it to my blogroll, so it's a little embarrassing to have forgotten, especially as he was so good as to drop me a reminder a few days ago.

As far as I can see there's no permanent link (yet) to the individual posts on the film, so for now you just have to visit the main blog page.

Meanwhile, The Guardian is reporting the series' viewing figures as follows:

BBC1's Easter drama The Passion finished with the highest audience of its four-part run, 4.9 million viewers, a 21% share at 7.30pm.

The series, which starred Joseph Mawle as Jesus and James Nesbitt as Pontius Pilate, began with 4.1 million viewers last Sunday before dipping to 3.2 million for its second part and 3.7 million for its third instalment on Good Friday.

There's also a review of this film from the Sunday Times that I'd missed before.

Incidentally, the latest issue of the C of E's Reader Magazine has just been published including a brief piece I wrote about The Passion.

The Passion - Part 4 Scene Guide

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The Passion has just reached its conclusion so it's time for me to blog my thoughts on the final episode. As with the previous three episodes I'm giving biblical references in my usual scene guide format (citation guide). Passages in square brackets are extra-biblical episodes. My overall review of this programme is here, though I hope to add some additional points now I have seen the whole series.

Joseph Asks for Jesus's Body - Mark 15:42-45
[EBE - Disciples Discuss Jesus's Death]
[EBE - Caiaphas Criticises Joseph's Decision]
Burial - Mark 15:46-47
[EBE - Holy Saturday - The Two Marys]
[EBE - Holy Saturday - Disciples Worry About What to do]
[EBE - Caiaphas's Wife Reassures him]
Soldiers at the Tomb - Matt 27:62-66
[EBE - Marys and the Disciples]
Magdalene at The Tomb - John 20:1
Caiaphas Told of the Empty Tomb - Matt 28:11
Mary, John and Peter Go to the Tomb - John 20:3-10
Jesus Appears to Mary - John 20:11-17
Mary Tells the Disciples - John 20:18
[EBE - Caiaphas and Joseph Argue]
Road to Emmaus - Luke 24:13-33
Jesus Appears in the Upper Room - Luke 24:36-49
[EBE - Pilate and his Wife Return Home]
[EBE - Caiaphas's Son is Born]
Jesus and Peter - John 21:15-19
I Will be with you Always - Matt 28:20

Spoilers follow:
I'd like to start by talking about the post-resurrection appearances, mainly because I've known about them for some time. I'd heard a good while back that this film was going to do something interesting with the resurrection, and I wondered then if it was going to use a different actor for the resurrected Jesus. My suspicions were confirmed at the première when Nigel Stafford-Clark accidentally let it slip that my hunch was correct. Fortunately, I managed to keep this all to myself, and settled for just giving it a passing mention in my review. But, suffice to say, I've been positively bursting to talk about it ever since.

What they did so well is keep the facts largely as they are. The gospels are nowhere more divergent than they are on the subject of Easter morning. Mark mentions some women, an angel and an empty tomb and precious little else (later additions aside). Matthew elaborates by having Jesus meet the woman and having a guard placed at the tomb. Luke omits Matthew's story about the seal, but adds the story about the Road to Emmaus, and an appearance to Peter, before bringing things to a climax with the resurrected Jesus appearing to all the disciples. Finally John gives an almost totally different account with Mary Magdalene alone finding the empty tomb, not seeing an angel, returning to tell Peter and John before she meets the risen Jesus for herself. We then two appearances to a room full of disciples and doubting Thomas, breakfast on the beach, restoration of Peter and a cryptic comment about John.

Of course many previous Jesus films omit the resurrection altogether, or give it a more spiritual interpretation, and even many of those that do include it skip by fairly quickly. Among those that do include it, a surprising number actually go on to show the one thing the gospels don't talk about - Jesus leaving the tomb. What we have here is the story as it is presented - albeit based on a harmonisation of the story - and not only that but it's one that seeks to offer not one, but several possible interpretations of what actually happened and leave the viewer to decide for themselves.The first such interpretation will be the one that pleases scholars such as Tom Wright. Wright holds that the failure to recognise the risen Jesus was because his resurrection body is a physical body, but one that is significantly different from his pre-resurrection body. This is the interpretation that I had been wondering if ever anyone would try.

But the other interpretation, that the filmmakers were keen to leave as a possibility was that actually Jesus wasn't resurrected. This is dealt with far more visually. Firstly the empty tomb, far from being somewhere that might require a gardener (John 20:16) is in the middle of the desert, and, at the crucial moment the soldiers leave their post. (Incidentally Matthew's account has the soldiers told to say that the body was stolen when they were asleep whereas here it occurs whilst they go off to buy food - a move that, in itself is open to various interpretations). Then we have the two appearances using the different actors which could be read to be fairly damning, and whilst Joseph Mawle eventually resumes the role these appearances are all shot from a particular character's point of view, rather than in a more objective setting.

A further interpretation is that the use of different actors is just to show the confusion in the disciples' minds and once they realise that Jesus has risen we see Joe Mawle back in more corporate settings. So there are at least three interpretations and I look forward to unearthing more over the next few days. Either way, it will be a talking point. Incidentally the two actors who appear here are listed in the credits as "Man at Tomb" and "Man on Road to Emmaus".There are a few other points to make. The final scenes are also very interesting, in particular the birth of a son to Caiaphas, and his evident relief and prayer of thanks. The point here is that Caiaphas, at least, seems to interpret this as confirmation of God's approval. He has done the right thing, his wife and child are safe and his line will continue. But other possibilities are possible. Perhaps it's just chance, or perhaps it is a reward from God for being a pawn in his master plan. What's interesting is the correlation between Caiaphas interpretation and those of viewers interpreting the rest of the story in accordance with their own beliefs. This also happens to a far lesser degree with Pilate whose house is beginning to take shape once more.

I also noticed a nice touch in one of the scenes between James and John. The portrayal of these two disciples has been one of the series' minor delights. John has for so long been played as a wet blanket, that it was great to see him acting more like he could be one of the sons of thunder. If I ever write up my Jesus Film Dream Team, Jamie Sives will be on it. Anyway, there's a nice irony at the point where a sceptical James tells warns his brother that if he carries on he's "going to get himself killed". Tradition has it that John was the only one of the disciples not to be martyred whereas James was one of the first to be killed..Following on from that, at the start of the episode John reports back on Jesus's death. It's interesting that this could be taken as the start of his traditional role as the disciple who wrote the fourth gospel. There's further intrigue, though, because John recalls Jesus's last words as "Your will is done" (variation on "it is accomplished" which appears only in John) whereas his last words were actually shown as being "I've loved you with all my heart". Whether this is intended to show John deliberately altering Jesus's words, or just that he didn't recall these things perfectly, or whether it was just a glitch in the production is, like much of this final episode, open very much to interpretation.

======

As with previous episodes a few others have blogged the final episode. Doug Chaplin at MetaCatholic continues his generally excellent coverage and Gerard O'Collins is the fourth author for Thinking Faith. I also came across Stephen Barton's Reformed Christian UK site which has also posted a few thoughts on all four parts (1, 2, 3 and 4). The BBC has also added an article on their portrayal of the crucifixion.

The Passion - Part 3 Scene Guide

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The Good Friday Episode of The Passion was also going to be the most critical. Moreover, this was the first episode I hadn't had the chance to watch in advance, which means I've not really had the chance to reflect on it before writing the comments below.

As with the previous two episodes I'm giving biblical references in my usual scene guide format (citation guide). Passages in square brackets are extra-biblical episodes. My overall review of this programme is here.

Last Supper - Mark 14:17
Washing Disciples' Feet - John 13:1-8
Love One Another - John 13:34-35
Peter's Denial Predicted - Mark 14:26-31
Judas's Betrayal Predicted - Mark 14:18:21
Teaching at the Last Supper - John 13:33,36; 14:15-20; 16:21-22; 17:7-9
A New Sacrament - Mark 14:22-25
Gethsemane I - Mark 14:32-34
[EBE - Judas and the Temple Guards]
[EBE - Caiaphas and his Wife]
[EBE - Pilate and his Wife]
Gethsemane II - Mark 14:35-42
Arrest - Mark 14:43-50
Pilate's Wife's Dream - Matt 27:19
Trial Before Caiaphas - Mark 14:53-64
Peter's Denial - Mark 14:66-73
[EBE - Jesus Put in a Cell]
Trial Before Pilate - Mark 15:1-5
[EBE - Pilate's Wife Pleads with him]
Barabbas Freed, - Mark 15:6-15a
Jesus is Condemned and Scourged - Mark 15:15b
[EBE - Disciples in Hiding I]
[EBE - Judas and Barabbas]
Via Dolorosa - Mark 15:20-22
Crown of Thorns - Mark 15:17
Judas Hangs Himself - Matt 27:1-5
[EBE - Caiaphas and Joseph]
Crucifixion - Mark 15:22-27
Priests Try to Change Jesus's Sign - John 19:20-22
The Two Thieves - Luke 23:39-42
Mary and John - John 19:26-27
Jesus's Death - Mark 15:34-37

Originally this show was to be stripped throughout Holy Week in 6 half hour episodes, and it was obvious that tonight's episode was originally intended to play on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. The dividing point was obviously just as Jesus was put in his cell. It'll be interesting to see how HBO broadcast this next Easter, as the natural scheduling dates, were it to be shown in 6 half hour episodes, would be:

Ep.1 - Palm Sunday - Triumphal Entry (1st half of our part 1)
Ep.2 - Holy Monday - Clearing of the Temple (2nd half of our part 1)
Ep.3 - Tue/Wed - More Teaching (Our part 2)
Ep.4 - Maundy Thursday - Last Supper / Gethsemane (1st half of our part3)
Ep.5 - Good Friday - Crucifixion (2nd half of our part 3)
Ep.6 - Easter Sunday - Resurrection (Our part 4)

Following on from that it's interesting to see how the different episodes can switch their emphases between the various gospels. Overall this production harmonises the gospel with the greatest emphasis on Mark and John. In tonight's two-parter it was interesting to see that the first half could have been taken almost entirely from John, but that the second part felt more like Mark, though unique elements from all three gospels were included.There were far fewer extra-biblical episodes tonight (only a quarter) and most of these were fairly brief. However, the ones which were given more time this evening were very impressive. The most interesting one was where Judas and a newly freed Barabbas end up in the same tavern but for very different reasons. It was quite unlike anything I've seen before in a Jesus Film. That's actually quite strange though because scenes where two characters who are unknowingly related to one another happen to be in the same place are very common in film in general. I guess this just shows how keen the film makers are to make this film more down to earth.

The other extra-biblical scene that was good was the one between Caiaphas and Joseph of Arimathea. I'd seen Joseph's lines in several places, but Caiaphas's retort was new to me and carried a real punch.

I also liked the scene with Judas and the Temple Guard. There's been a small amount in the press (mainly the Daily Mail) about how this film seeks to be more sympathetic to Judas. I have to say though that having now seen all of Judas' involvement, I don't think film has done much in that way that other Jesus films haven't done already. The idea of him being caught between two father figures was newish, and there was an interesting explanation as to why Judas took the money (the Temple Guard forced it on him to clear their own consciences clean), but there was no more sympathising with him than there was in King of Kings, Jesus Christ Superstar or Jesus of Nazareth. There was something in this scene that was reminiscent of Edmund and the White Witch's in 'The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe'.Likewise there was some talk about this version of Mary being less serene than previous incarnations. There was a scene in episode one between her and Jesus where this was in evidence, but I'd been expecting something more tonight. It never really materialise, although full credit to Penelope Wilton for here performance at the crucifixion. It was outstanding.

The other thing that has been in the papers was, of course, the position that Jesus was crucified in (as picked up by The Daily Telegraph). Having seen it, I didn't find it anything to get worked up about, but it did make me think about crucifixion in a new way. That said, it seemed strangely out of keeping with this production that Jesus got to hang onto his loincloth.

There was also some interesting camera shots. Michael Offer had described the way they were going to shoot the moment the cross was erected, but I couldn't quite see how it was going to be any different to King of Kings. It was.I should also mention Joe Mawle's performance here as Jesus. Both the crucifixion and the scene in Gethsemane were incredibly moving, and the subtler, arguably more difficult, scenes such as his two trials were played very well too. Likewise James Nesbitt really showed his pedigree in this episode as well getting the historical Pilate's petulance off to a tee.

Finally, there were various comments made about the shot of women showering Jesus with petals in Episode 1, and this scene is recalled by Jesus as he walks along those same streets in this episode in very different circumstances. I've been meaning to say that I think the petals shot is a reference to Last Temptation of Christ and the idea of Jesus flashing back to his triumphal entry on his way to the cross was, no doubt, commenting on a similar idea in The Passion of the Christ.

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There are also comments on this episode by Doug Chaplin at MetaCatholic, and Gemma Simmonds at Thinking Faith (how do they get them up so quickly?). I expect one from Michael Bird at Euangelion shortly.

The Passion - Part 2 Scene Guide

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Following on from yesterday's post on episode 1, I'll begin my thoughts on part 2 with my scene guide. Again, I'm giving biblical references in my usual scene guide format (citation guide). Passages in square brackets are extra-biblical episodes, those in normal brackets are where the characters themselves are citing other biblical passages, and I've used quotation marks for direct quotations from the script. It's proved quite hard to do as Frank Deasy rephrases familiar passages andMy overall review of this programme is here.

[EBE - Jesus and Magdalene]
[EBE - Caiaphas Questions Judas]
[EBE - Pilate Prepares for Guests]
[EBE - Pilate Sentences Barabbas]
Woes Against Pharisees - Matt 23:1-12
Teaching on Riches - Mark 10:23-25
Prediction of Fall of Temple - Mark 13:2
[EBE - Caiaphas Hears of Jesus' comment]
[EBE - The Syrian Prefect]
Jesus Predicts His Death - Mark 10:32-34
lost around 13 mins
(Is. 53:4-5)
Teaching on Discipleship - Mark 8:34-36
[EBE - Pilate and Claudia]
[EBE - Caiaphas and Wife]
[EBE - Jesus and Judas]
Plot to Kill Jesus - Mark 14:1-2
Jesus Anointed at Bethany - Mark 14:3-9
Sanhedrin Plots Against Jesus - John 11:45-53
Preparation for the Passover - Mark 14:12-16
[EBE - Caiaphas and Judas]

I'd heard someone say that each episode of The Passion was more gripping than the one before, and this is definitely so far. I'm not sure whether it's because episode 2 is only half an hour (rather than 60 minutes like part 1), but it seemed to fly by and there was definitely that sense of mild disappointment / frustration that we'll have to wait until Friday to see the next episode.

Whereas episode one sketched out the story's broader historical context, here the show starts to really develop it's major characters. So we see how threatened Pilate is by the the Syrian prefect en route to Rome; a bad report to Caesar is the last thing Pilate needs. Likewise we see Caiaphases predicament weighing on his mind as he constantly turns to his wife for reassurance. In fact both men's wives are given an important role in this production - arguably another plus point for it

On the downside, I did find Caiaphas's modernish scepticism a little suspect ("What look like miracles yes"). As far as I recall (and someone will no doubt pick me up on this) Caiaphas never really says anything like this. Everyone in the story seems to acknowledge that Jesus is doing some unusual things; those who reject him simply question whether his power comes from God or Satan. However, it's refreshing to hear Caiaphas specifically say that "Jesus isn't a bad man" he's just misguided.

Again there were some great lines, although the cryptic way which they reference scripture makes tying them down to a particular reference quite hard. So when Jesus says "all of you will be spared, I will be sacrificed", iut's hard to find a passage to link it to even though it evokes various passages. Likewise the line that has been with me all week (and that starts off the trailer) - "You'll witness a miracle, but not the one you expect" - sums up several little snippets even though we have no record of them being said together.

In yesterday's Times, Andrew Billen noted how The Passion "looks historically real but not historic: no one knows... that this will be the week that changes the West for ever". It's a great little summary and there were a couple of good examples of it yesterday. Not only the very offhand way in which Jesus predicts the fall of Jerusalem, but also the scene where Jesus predicts his death. Omitting the "get behind me Satan" line really allows the scene to open up, and focus on the reactions of the disciples. This is made all the more poignant by the way the scene starts with a wide shot which emphasises the seeming insignificance of this bunch of scruffy Galilleans.

Doug Chaplin (Metacatholic), Michael Kirwan (Thinking Faith) and Michael Bird (Euangelion) have also posted reviews on last night's episode - all of them beating me off the mark. Mark Goodacre also links to Simon Mayo's discussion of the programme, and is disappointed by viewing figures of 4.1 million for part one - a third of the audience for Dancing on Ice. Whilst it is disappointing that so many people would rather watch yet another celebrity dance programme than a quality historical, not to mention educational, drama I don't think that really reflects on The Passion in particular so much as the general state of audience viewing habits. Sad but true.

The Passion - Part 1 Scene Guide

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Having already written my review of this programme, I'm going to try and track each episode as it goes, giving biblical references in my usual scene guide format (citation guide). Passages in square brackets are extra-biblical episodes, those in normal brackets are where the characters themselves are citing other biblical passages, and I've used quotation marks for direct quotations from the script.

Disciples Find a Colt - Mark 11:1-6
[EBE - Murder in the Lower City]
(Zech. 9:9)
(Isaiah 43:2-4)
Follow me - Mark 1:15-17
[EBE - Pilate arrives in Jerusalem]
[EBE - A Dead Body in the Lower City]
Anything Good From Nazareth - John 1:46
"You'll Know God Like Never Before" - Matt 13:35
Triumphal Entry - Mark 11:7-10
[EBE - Caiaphas hears of Jesus]
Don't Worry About Tomorrow - Matt 6:31-34
Trust like a child - Mark 10:14-15
Jesus Visits the Temple - Mark 11:11
[EBE - Pilate and Claudia]
[EBE - Jesus and the Prostitutes]
[EBE - Jesus by the Pool]
Kingdom of God in our Hearts - Luke 17:21
[EBE - Pilate and Caiaphas]
The Law - Matt 5:17
Barabbas Murders - Mark 15:7
Clearing the Temple - Mark 11:15-18
[EBE - Caiaphas Hears of Jesus' Actions]
[EBE - Romans Go After Barabbas]
Question About Taxes - Mark 12:13-18
[EBE - Barabbas Arrested]
Good Shepherd - Matt 18:10-14
Question on Authority - Mark 11:27-28
Joy in Heaven Over Repentance - Luke 15:7,10
Not Come to Overthrow the Law - Matt 5:17
Greatest Commandment - Mark 12:28-34
Not to Judge but to Save - John 12:47
Children's Undestanding - Matt 11:25
Parable of the Wicked Tenants - Mark 12:1-12
[EBE - Caiaphas Told of Barabbas' Arrest]
Greatest Disciples - Mark 10:35-45, John 13:34-35
[EBE - Caiaphas and Joseph discuss Jesus]
Mary Questions Jesus - Mark 3:21
[EBE - Caiaphas Weighs his Options]
[EBE - Pilate Told of Barabbas' Arrest]
[EBE - The Two Marys]
[EBE - Jesus and Judas]

The thing that is immediately obvious from looking at the above, is just how much of the script is establishing the back story, even events such as Barabbas committing murder extrapolates a whole story from just a single remark. Much of this happens in order to fill in the blanks that would have been well known to the people at the time, but most viewers won't be aware of (including those in churches).

This film really is keen to improve Caiaphas's reputation. So the first time we see him he is being affectionate with his wife and children. Caiaphas is first and foremost a family man, whose closest confidant turns out to be his wife.It's also interesting how there are no miracles as of yet. In fact, in one added scene we see Jesus visit a pool in Jerusalem surrounded by the sick and dying. It suggest the pool that Jesus visits in John 5 to heal a lame man (Bethesda), but despite the multitude of people who Jesus could heal he opts to alleviate their suffering by way of reassurance, moping their brows and instructing the disciples to do likewise. The show's primary concern is to look at the story from an historical angle, so it's neither surprising nor controversial that there are no healings. However, the way that this scene evokes Bethesda is interesting. Jesus seems to only heal one person in John's account (despite the presence of many), here, instead of an impressive, yet isolated, healing we see a more widespread demonstration of compassion, but one that is seemingly not as powerful (for want of a better word).

Finally, the scene that caused most discussion at the première was from the scene between Jesus and his mother. Riazat Butt noted this when she covered the première for The Guardian. It was the line where Mary says to Jesus "You were in my belly before I knew it" that proved controversial, as it seems to suggest Mary didn't have a choice when in fact she did. At the time I was stunned by the criticism: it was a dramatic line, uttered amidst a tense confrontation not a carefully thought out statement about the incarnation. Having seen it twice since, I still don't really get it and, like those who answered the question, would not have thought of the line in those terms before it was raised by one of the audience members.Just wanted to add one unrelated point on The Passion that does contain something of a spoiler, so some of you might want to look away. Yesterday's Sunday Telegraph ran a piece of how this show will show Jesus crucified in an different pose from the traditional position. This is nothing new for Jesus films of course. Last Temptation of Christ (1988) and Jesus of Montreal (1989) both showed Jesus crucified in a foetal position (and naked to boot. Mawle has discussed wearing a loin cloth so I suspect this might not be the case in this film), and The Gospel of John (2003), showed Jesus with his legs nailed either side of the cross with his body hanging low. Jesus of Montreal (1989) even included some discussion and sketches on the issue. However, it does explain my earlier observation that there don't appear to be any photos of the crucifixion. The Telegraph's writer, Jonathan Wynne-Jones, did attempt to contact me on Friday, but after 6 phone calls and various emails we somehow failed to hook up. He did, however, speak to Mark Goodacre, who, it turns out was not hugely impressed with Wynne-Jones's final article. Now the Daily Mail has also run a piece on the story, although it seems to largely be a rehash of the Telegraph one.

The Telegraph does offer a positive review, however, along with The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Herald, Thinking Faith and The Scotsman.

Mark has also offered a quick round up of various bloggers including Michael Bird in Euangelion and Doug Chaplin from Metacatholic.

The Passion - My Review

Just a quick one this morning as I'm meant to be looking after my daughter. My review of The Passion has gone online at rejesus. I've actually only seen half of it so far so I'd like to reserve the right to change my mind come Easter Monday!

Giles Fraser has also posted his thoughts on the film. The line "Nick Clegg with a beard" (which I imagine is totally meaningless to anyone outside of the UK and most of us in it) was one he'd already come up with half an hour after the première. Suffice to say it took me a heck of a lot longer just to get my opening line.

Broadcast Times for The Passion

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OK. Apologies for those readers who are not in the UK to witness the opening two episodes of The Passion this weekend. More varied service will resume soon I promise. Meanwhile Radio Times has finally released the schedule for the final two episodes that I wasn't able to detail earlier. It also seems that during Easter Sunday there is an afternoon omnibus of the first three episodes. So the broadcast times are...

Episode 1: Sun. 16 Mar. 8-9pm, BBC1
Episode 2: Mon. 17 Mar. 8.30-9pm, BBC1
Episode 3: Fri. 21 Mar. 9-10pm, BBC1

Episodes 1-3 omnibus: Sun. 23, 2.15-4.40pm, BBC1

Episode 4: Sun. 23 Mar. 7.30-8.00pm, BBC1

Meanwhile, Mark Goodacre has also pointed out that there are new features on the BBC's Passion sub-site including a timeline, and several new videos.

Rejesus on The Passion

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Rejesus' sub-site on The Passion went live over night, and includes a piece by me on other films about Jesus. I look at King of Kings (1961), Gospel According to St. Matthew(1964), Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), Jesus of Nazareth (1977), Jesus (1979), Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Jesus (1999) and The Passion of the Christ (2004), and mention a handful of others such as The Greatest Story Ever Told and Godspell along the way.

There's also some new interviews, some background on the original story and more stills from the programme. Interestingly enough, I've perhaps seen about 30-40 images from this film now, but haven't seen a single one of what is arguably the most iconic moment in the story - Jesus on the cross.

Over the weekend my review of the film, and perhaps one or two other pieces will be added to the site as well.

More Photos for The Passion

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The BBC have released some new images ahead of Sunday's opening episode of The Passion. There are 18 photos now available on flickr. Whilst some of these are the same as those available on the official website most of them are new.

The Passion Update Trailer, Radio Times, Broadcast Times, etc.

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The BBC publicity machine is cranking up for The Passion. The trailer is now online at the BBC's sub-site, and, I assume, is also doing the rounds on TV. It's only 42 seconds, but it gives a nice taster of what's to come, and will hopefully get people's attention.

It also reminded me of one piece of casting news I've been meaning to share ever since the première: the role of Annas, often one of the least sympathetic characters, is to be played by Denis Lawson best known for his role as John Jarndyce in the BBC's recent Bleak House. It's another piece of casting that demonstrates how an actor's previous roles affect their other work. Jarndyce is the epitome of good in Bleak House, and casting him to play someone who has, perhaps, had a bad reputation in the past will probably go a great deal to rehabilitating him.

Strangely, though, there's no news of when the final episode will start. Both Radio Times online and the website's episode guide are giving the time of the final episode as TBA. I'd been hoping to leave announcing these times until there was a complete set of data, but for those who like to plan ahead here's the information as it currently stands:

Episode 1: Sun. 16 Mar. 8pm, BBC1 (60 mins)
Episode 2: Mon. 17 Mar. 8.30pm, BBC1 (30 mins)
Episode 3: Fri. 21 Mar. 9.00pm, BBC1 (30 mins)
Episode 4: Sun. 23 Mar. TBA, BBC1 (60 mins)
(Update: Final broadcast times are here.)

Elsewhere, however, things are progressing nicely. This week's Radio Times has it as its cover story, with a good article on the inside, and a nice shot of the cast. There's also a brief sidebar where Mark Goodacre talks briefly about some of the earlier Jesus Films; Gospel According to St. Matthew, Greatest Story Ever Told, Jesus of Nazareth, Life of Brian, Last Temptation of Christ and The Passion of the Christ.

Speaking of Mark Goodacre he's also highlighted this week's edition of Start the Week which featured writer Frank Deasy. It's still available to listen to online. The section relevant to The Passion starts at around the 24 minute mark.

The Passion Première

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I've been pretty busy over the last few days, so much so, in fact that I've not had the chance to blog about my trip to London to attend the première for The Passion. I don't actually get to London that often - perhaps only once or twice a year on average and only once before have I gone there specifically to view a film (Atti Degli Apostoli back in June).

This trip was one of those very rare occasions in life when everything seems to go properly, from the little things like the fantastic sandwich I had on the way down (!) or seeing the revamped St. Pancras for the first time, (which does look incredible, at least, for a train station). On arrival I rushed straight down to the Brixton Ritzy Cinema which instantly won a place in my heart for it's lo-fi atmosphere and it's range of fairtrade refreshments. I was there to see There Will be Blood as it was the first, and quite possibly last chance to do so. It's a great film, although I still prefer Anderson's Magnolia and Punch Drunk Love. After that I returned to my cheap, and (mercifully) cheerful guest house, and quickly got changed before dashing off to the event itself.

The first order of business was meeting up with Mark Goodacre. I've been in email contact with Mark for around 6 years now, though we've never had the chance to meet. I must admit I was a bit nervous about the whole affair but thankfully the warmth of his online persona is a reflection of his true character, and we headed off to find a pub to have a quick pint before the event began.I'd not really known what to expect from the première itself, part of me feared that it was just going to be a viewing for church leaders dressed up as something far grander. But it was definitely more than that. For a start the director, producer, writer, BBC heads of fiction and religion were there as well as a number of the cast. And there were also a few celebs including Robert Powell. As Mark has already revealed he and I sidled over towards him and had an entertaining chat - at least from our point of view.

The other main highlight was getting to talk to this production's Jesus - Joe Mawle. I'd heard from various sources what a nice guy Joe is, and was pleased that he more than lived up to that particular billing. He was incredibly down to earth and even made some nice comments about this blog. It's probably the first time I've met an actor so soon after watching their performance on screen and it really emphasised how good a performance he has turned in.

After it was all over I waited on the street whilst Mark said some goodbyes, and it was nice to observe the warmth between a handful of the other cast members who were still hanging out together. Entirely coincidentally, Mark and I were staying just a couple of streets apart and so we wandered back together. We got quite lost at one point, but it was one of those conversations that was so enjoyable that I actually appreciated the extra time together.

My train didn't leave until midday so I spent a couple of hours working on my contribution to the rejesus.co.uk site for The Passion, popped into the British Museum and headed off home. I had started watching The Final Inquiry on the way down and I watched the second part on the way back so I'll be reviewing that in the next week or so.

Edit: Garry Jenkinsof The Times did a piece on the film in Saturday's edition. He, unlike me, was able to visit the cast and crew during filming.

Official Website for The Passion

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I got back from the première for The Passion at lunchtime. I'll write up my experiences shortly, as I'm pushed for time right now, but I had a fantastic evening. Those who are really keen to know what I got up to can get a sneak preview at Mark Goodacre's blog.

Anyway, the main reason for this post is to say that the official BBC website is now up. It features most of the information that was available in the press pack, as well as a message board, some video interviews and - at last, thank goodness - some more photos. I've not had a chance to browse it fully yet, but it all looks very interesting.

Passion Press Pack Released

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The BBC have released their press pack for The Passion and there's plenty of interesting material there for anyone wanting to find out more about the production. First and foremost there are several new publicity stills, which is great as all my posts on this film were all starting to look the same. There are also a whole host of interviews with the cast and crew, including Joseph Mawle (Jesus), James Nesbitt (Pilate), producer Nigel Stafford-Clark, writer Frank Deasy and director Michael Offer. There's also an interview with NT Gateway's Mark Goodacre who has been the historical consultant on the film.

And there's more to come. On Thursday (28th Feb) the Beeb are launching a special website to cover the film.

Users can explore a wealth of extra material, ask questions and contribute their own opinions and programme reviews.

Features include episode guides, video interviews with cast and crew, picture gallery and specially commissioned articles giving the background to the drama and the Passion itself.

The People's Passion tells the gospel story of the Passion in a wide variety of voices and accents from around the British Isles and beyond.

The press pack also happens to mention that Stephen Graham will be playing Barabbas. I mentioned this back in November, but I'd not heard anything about Graham's involvement since. In fact, I was beginning to wonder if the IMDb had got it wrong. Thankfully their information appears to be correct, so I can only imagine, therefore, that his part is fairly small.

I get to see some of this for the first time on Thursday, and whilst I'll probably have to agree not to reveal key plot points or share my opinions on it until nearer its broadcast, I may be able to provide some more fresh information.