Ash Wednesday, curiosity draw Christians to 'Passion'
By Mary Kaye Ritz
Advertiser Religion & Ethics Writer
With the smudge of ashes from noon Mass at Sts. Peter and Paul still visible on his forehead, Joe Moore was in a reflective mood yesterday as he picked up his ticket to see "The Passion of The Christ." Moore, a military man, had taken the day off work to attend Ash Wednesday services and see the filmed story of the 12 hours before Jesus' death.
"I thought it would be a good way to kick off Lent," he said as he reached for the glass entry doors leading to the Signature Dole Cannery theaters' foyer. "Lent is a time of reflection, repentance, pulling back and seeing what's really essential in life."
Moore, a Roman Catholic, was among many in his faith community taking in Mel Gibson's movie on opening day.
Several of the evening shows were sold out in advance to predominantly evangelical Christian churches, especially at Dole, Ward and Pearl Highlands. Other theaters reported opening-day business was good for a Wednesday in the middle of a work week, though not sold out.
Figures were not available for all theaters, but Pono Shim, who runs a concierge service for the Ward theaters, said about 7,000 advance tickets had been sold, including preview screenings earlier in the week.
But not every movie-goer came because it was Ash Wednesday.
"I came 'cause I was off today," said Troy Dunaway of New Hope Christian Fellowship, who was with his friend Regienaldo Gawiran, a Catholic.
Although Jane Greenwood had ash still vivid on her forehead, and the sermon at Sts. Peter and Paul ringing in her ears, the observance hadn't led her to see the movie, either.
"I had the day off, so I could drive my parents to the theater," she said.
"I wanted to make sure it had a good opening (weekend)," added her mother, Jeanine, of Waikiki.
The first show at Ward yesterday was the second viewing of the controversial film for the Rev. Lane Akiona. The Roman Catholic priest had seen a rough-cut version in December, and was planning to talk about the movie at his evening service last night.
"It's a very different experience from the first time," said Akiona, pastor at St. Patrick Church in Kaimuki. "The first time, you're focusing more on the gruesome scourging. This time, I focused on the relationships — with Mother Mary, with the disciples and with the man who helped carry the cross. ... Several times, I cried, trying to equate relationships. ... How do I do that with my congregation, because Lent is not only giving up, but asking, 'How do I enter into a relationship with those I haven't forgiven?'
"I'll encourage people to see it a second time," he said.
One of his parishioners, Patricia Barros, felt it was appropriate to see the film on Ash Wednesday, so she and her husband took in the early show at Dole.
"Also, I wanted to make up my own mind, before I heard other people's opinions," she said.
Interest in "Passion" is high nationwide after months of hype. Advance ticket sales hit $10 million nationwide, distributor Newmarket Films reported this week — evidence of a skilled marketing campaign and word-of-mouth buzz as the film was screened for private, often conservative Christian audiences.
With Newmarket opening the film on the first day of Lent, churches from coast to coast reserved entire theaters for opening day. The National Association of Evangelicals — which represents more than 50 denominations with 43,000 congregations — helped sell tickets on its Web site.
"The Passion" rang up $7 million in matinee ticket sales alone in the United States and Canada yesterday, said Rob Schwartz, head of distribution for Newmarket Films, which Gibson hired to release the movie after studios balked.
With an estimated $3 million from private screenings for church groups Monday and Tuesday, gross ticket sales were expected to reach as high as $20 million, Schwartz said.
The Associated Press contributed information on nationwide ticket sales and grosses to this report. Reach Mary Kaye Ritz at 525-8035 or mritz@honoluluadvertiser.com.
