The Passion of the Christ DVD

Thank you to TCFA Blog for alerting me to this: At last - Mel Gibson's groundbreaking (and extremely 'Catholic') blockbuster will be released as a 2-disc DVD Definitive Edition. It has been a long time coming, and so I am still pleased that I bought the original release!

Release Date: 26th March 2007
(Feast of the Annunciation - the day after Passion Sunday aka Fifth Sunday of Lent)

RRP: £15.99

The Special Features
Available Subtitles: English, Spanish
Available Audio Tracks: (Dolby Digital 5.1)
DISC 1:
Menus - Drissi
Feature Film (126 minutes)
Filmmaker Commentary with Mel Gibson, Caleb Deschanel, and John Wright
Production Commentary with Stephen McEveety, Ted Rae and Keith Vanderlaan
Theologian Commentary with Mel Gibson, Father William J. Fulco, Gerry Matatics and Father John Bartunek
Passion Re-Cut (120 minutes)
Music Commentary with John Debney (Selected scenes)

DISC 2:
Menus - Drissi
Documentaries:
By His Wounds we are Healed: The Making of the Passion of the Christ
Intro & Script Evolution
Language Barriers
Finding Jerusalem
Artistic Inspiration
The Right Role
Evil Personified
Tailoring a perfect fit
The Director
Grace in Photography
Make up and Visual Effects
The Earthquake
The Crucifixion
Jim Surrerning
Breaking the Tension
Wrapping Production
The Cutting Room
The Score
Designing the Sound Effects
Guerilla Marketing
Spiritual Journey
"Below the Line" Panel
The Legacy
Paths of the Journey
On Language
Anno Domini
Crucifixion: Punishment in the Ancient World
Through the Ages
Deleted Scenes:
Pilate
Don't Cry
Galleries:
Production Art
Historical Texts
Art Images
Theatrical Trailer

I have pre-ordered my copy from Play.com for £11.99! I can't wait! There cannot be a better purchase to make for this year's Passiontide! This film played a huge part in my 'faith journey', and I vividly remember thinking I wanted to be a 'soldier of Christ' and to follow in his footsteps from then on. The glimpses which it gives of Jesus' ministry make one thirsty for more. His glowing eyes and stern compassion are enough to bring me to tears, and more so with the sight of that same figure of authority humbly suffering under the whip and cross.

This looks like a very interesting production. I hope the documentaries portray some of the spirituality which went into making this extraordinary movie. It is also worth remembering that Mel Gibson is a traditionalist Catholic, and had a Tridentine Mass said on-set daily. I'm sure this is no coincidence bearing in mind the quality of the film's sacramental language and emotional content. We must remember that every Mass we go to, we are present at the foot of the Cross in a very real way. So the Passion isn't just a historical film: it is a theological reality.