Mel Gibson, in addition to being an accomplished actor, decided to venture as a director by making films such as “Braveheart”, “Apocalypto”, “To the Limit” and the most controversial of all, “The Passion of the Christ”.
Released in 2004, this film recounts the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, from his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane to his death on the cross and subsequent resurrection. The film has sparked debate for its graphic and detailed depiction of the suffering of Jesus, but perhaps a curious fact you didn’t know is that it was made possible thanks to another director, Martin Scorsese, we explain.
Mel Gibson and the trick behind “The Passion of the Christ”: how he was able to create his film
According to the portal “The New York Post”, Gibson had a budget of 30 million dollars to shoot “The Passion of the Christ”, which he took out of his own pocket because the major production companies did not want to finance his project.
As expected in the production of the feature film in question, the director was faced with the challenge of creating a visually and emotionally impressive film on a limited budget, since although 30 million seems like a shocking number, the reality is that money is tight in Hollywood. To achieve this, Gibson used a strategic approach that helped him significantly reduce production costs.
It turns out Gibson pulled off a clever trick that involved reusing existing sets from Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York set at Rome’s famed Cinecittà studios. By taking advantage of pre-existing props and sets, he was able to reduce the time and resources normally required to build elaborate filming locations from scratch.
The decision not only improved the production process, but also contributed to significant cost savings, allowing Gibson to more efficiently allocate resources to other critical aspects of the film. Additionally, by using the sets he was able to infuse ‘The Passion of the Christ’ with a sense of authenticity and grandeur that added depth and richness to the film’s visual narrative.
This strategy is the excellent example that managers usually use maximum capacity for creativity and use of existing resources when money is tight, giving an excellent result.
Mel Gibson made a huge amount of money for the premiere of “The Passion of the Christ”
Most shockingly, Gibson made $425 million at the US box office in just a few weeks, and that number grew when the film arrived in other countries, making it one of the most impressive openings in cinema history.
Did you already know this small but powerful fact about the movie? Tell us in the comments.
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Source: univision
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
