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American Morning
'Passionate' Responses
Aired February 26, 2004 - 09:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Mel Gibson's "The Passion of The Christ" is set to go down in history as one of the biggest midweek movie openings ever. The controversial film took in between $15 million and $20 million in its first day of release yesterday. A woman in Kansas suffered some breathing problems during the movie. She later died. Viewer reactions overall were varied, as we hear from Maria Hinojosa.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They lined up at noon on a workday.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't mind waiting for it. It's Lent. Supposed to suffer.
HINOJOSA: The enthusiasm on this Ash Wednesday for "The Passion of the Christ" the movie drawing reverence and rabbis, mostly the very religious, but not your typical movie crowd just yet.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's the most awesome thing I have ever seen. I came Monday night to a private showing and came back again this morning. That's the way I wanted to start my Ash Wednesday off.
HINOJOSA: It released on 2,800 screens in this country, from Texas to Miami, to New York. The very devout were devout in their admiration.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In the middle of it, I said this is the hardest movie I have ever watched, because I couldn't control my emotions.
HINOJOSA: Jewish leaders saw it. Many came to denounce it.
ABRAHAM FOXMAN, ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE: From beginning to end, it was an unambiguous portrayal that the Jewish were bloodthirsty, the Jewish were angry, the Jews were vengeful, and they were the ones that were directing the Romans what do.
HINOJOSA: While Christian leaders largely defended it.
WILLIAM DONAHUE, CATHOLIC LEAGUE: I think there are people who I think are hypersensitive about the subject of anti-Semitism, and they are just looking for something.
HINOJOSA: And viewers one by one made their peace with "The Passion." UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You realize how much your life is worth, and that someone else gave up their life for you. It's just -- you value your life so much.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A couple parts I thought were completely true to the Bible, but it's Hollywood. So as a whole, I thought it was fantastic.
HINOJOSA: Maria Hinojosa, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired February 26, 2004 - 09:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Mel Gibson's "The Passion of The Christ" is set to go down in history as one of the biggest midweek movie openings ever. The controversial film took in between $15 million and $20 million in its first day of release yesterday. A woman in Kansas suffered some breathing problems during the movie. She later died. Viewer reactions overall were varied, as we hear from Maria Hinojosa.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They lined up at noon on a workday.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't mind waiting for it. It's Lent. Supposed to suffer.
HINOJOSA: The enthusiasm on this Ash Wednesday for "The Passion of the Christ" the movie drawing reverence and rabbis, mostly the very religious, but not your typical movie crowd just yet.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's the most awesome thing I have ever seen. I came Monday night to a private showing and came back again this morning. That's the way I wanted to start my Ash Wednesday off.
HINOJOSA: It released on 2,800 screens in this country, from Texas to Miami, to New York. The very devout were devout in their admiration.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In the middle of it, I said this is the hardest movie I have ever watched, because I couldn't control my emotions.
HINOJOSA: Jewish leaders saw it. Many came to denounce it.
ABRAHAM FOXMAN, ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE: From beginning to end, it was an unambiguous portrayal that the Jewish were bloodthirsty, the Jewish were angry, the Jews were vengeful, and they were the ones that were directing the Romans what do.
HINOJOSA: While Christian leaders largely defended it.
WILLIAM DONAHUE, CATHOLIC LEAGUE: I think there are people who I think are hypersensitive about the subject of anti-Semitism, and they are just looking for something.
HINOJOSA: And viewers one by one made their peace with "The Passion." UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You realize how much your life is worth, and that someone else gave up their life for you. It's just -- you value your life so much.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A couple parts I thought were completely true to the Bible, but it's Hollywood. So as a whole, I thought it was fantastic.
HINOJOSA: Maria Hinojosa, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
