This article is swiped off CNA's website... so if u want to know where i got it from k...

Mel Gibson's Christ film divides Hollywood ahead of opening


LOS ANGELES : Hollywood stars were Tuesday sharply divided over Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ," as controversy whipped up unprecedented anticipation of the movie a day ahead of its US opening.

Screen and television stars broke their silence on the movie depicting the last tortured hours of Jesus Christ as Christian church groups were treated to special advance screenings of the movie that has been kept tightly under wraps.

"I think it's a very bold stroke and I admire him for doing it," legendary movie maker and screen tough-guy Clint Eastwood told ET entertainment television.

The film, which opens on Ash Wednesday on 4,000 screens across the country -- almost double the 2,500 originally planned by the distributors before the film became the hottest topic on primetime television -- has been slammed by some Jewish leaders as anti-Semitic.

"I haven't seen it yet, but it's a pretty impressive marketing job," commented "Basic Instinct" star Michael Douglas of the unprecedented chatter over the film which has been preceded by very little traditional advance publicity, relying on the controversy to sell it.

"Shame on him (Gibson)," said actress Jane Kaczmerek who stars in the hit television comedy "Malcolm in the Middle"

"Anyone who uses his (Jesus') name to incite hatred should be ashamed of himself. The story of Christ is a wonderful story to tell, but if you incite hatred you are not doing a service to anyone," she said.

Another top US television star, Kelsey Grammer of "Frazier" and "Cheers" fame, said he accepted Gibson's insistence that the film in any way incites hatred against Jews, once blamed by some for the death of Christ.

"I can't imagine there's anything anti-Semitic about it, but if they care to make that a vehicle, then okay," he told ET.

One of the stars of the movie, Italian-born actress Monica Bellucci, who plays Mary Magdalene in the film, staunchly defended Gibson's choice to portray the crucifixion in a violent, straightforward manner.

"The life of Jesus is brutal. The life of Jesus is violent, so this film is a violent movie," she said. "I think this is a violent movie against violence.

"I think Mel Gibson's very strong, and I'm sure he knew (it would stir up controversy) from the beginning, so he's a very courageous man. He did something that he really believed."

On Monday night church groups were invited to special screenings of the film, with some of the invited movie-goers in Hollywood seen filing into theatres with buckets of popcorn in one hand and bibles in another.

"The bible is just for reference purposes and in case anyone has any questions, I'd like to try to help them," said one fan of the film, Adrian Alonzo.

Pastor Paul Riese of Los Angeles' Calvary Chapel said he hoped the film would help resurrect religious fervour among non-practising Christians.

"Maybe they can see something like this and maybe they would then like to go back into the fellowship of the church," he said.

- AFP

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd


**My Thots**

so if this film is rated R(A) by our local censors...then how ah....do we watch it...hahaha...another food for thot thingie eh