That the story was filmed in Latin and Aramaic at all is worthy of note. As necessary as they may be in some scenes, especially on a first viewing, when the film becomes available on DVD everyone who buys it should watch it at least once with the subtitles turned off. Subtitles would be an unnecessary distraction.Īt other points throughout the film, Gibson ultimately found it necessary to use subtitles still, some of the most effective scenes remain the ones for which he was able to avoid them. We don’t know what they’re saying, and we don’t need to know. As the Roman centurions flog Jesus, their brutal, laughing mockery and derisive taunts go on for long minutes - and the Latin is left untranslated. The sequence is also an outstanding example of Gibson’s original vision of telling the story in the languages of the day, without subtitles. One reason, certainly, is that it is the most horrifying sequence in the film, more agonizing even than the crucifixion itself, or the carrying of the cross.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |