...clearly indicates to me that the controversy was the cause for its tremendous performance in 2004. I'm positive the film would have struggled to gross 1/10th its total without it.


Think about it: the film got free advertising for over a month. That is priceless. Not even Spider-Man 2 with its $100m ad campaign had the kind of publicity that Passion had in February/March.

As Mel Gibson would say, "Thank Jew!"

Sorry for the play on words...


If F9/11 would be released right now, it's performance would be equally piss-poor.


Just some thoughts...

No, it's more of a film that you see once and never want to see again because of its sadness / drama. This is what I heard about it, along with other movies like Million Dollar Baby.

Then how do you explain the millions od DVDs?

Anyways, most would not have given it a chance in theatres were it not for the controversy. Why? Because they would never have heard of it.

I guess people just thought they should buy the DVD to have around...

I think a Christian movie studio would really do good if it captured the Passion's audience. There's tons of Bible stories that could be film adapted with big budgets, plus they could just make normal movies with a lighter theme, kinda like National Treasure since it is only PG.

Woops, I think that was a bit off-topic. :wink:

I think people are reading too much into it. This has nothing to do with its controversy. This is all about the stupidity of re-releasing a movie after it's gone to DVD. Fans of the movie have already bought it. And if anyone else wants to watch it again it's much easier, and cheaper, to go rent it.

Yeah i feel the same way as Casey, I love Passion and MDB also Monster and I Am Sam, but i wont see them again, that happends to me in mostly all sad/drama movies

i dont own those kinds DVD's

WELCOME PORTER!!

I think the whole concept of re-releasing movies is dead. Once a movie is on DVD these days, that's it.

It dropped in theatres by 667 in its second weekend, has that ever happened before for any film?

Yes, it has. More than it should ever happen.

Those are all in a films third weekend Insomniac.

It broke the 20 year old record.


1 The Passion of the Christ (Re-Release) ( 2005 ) -667
2 Rappin' ( 1985 ) -600
3 Another 48 HRS. ( 1990 ) -420
4 Spider-Man / Men in Black II (Dbl Re-Release) ( 2002 ) -408
5 Simon Sez ( 1999 ) -383
6 Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius ( 2004 ) -346
7 Starchaser: The Legend of Orin ( 1985 ) -315
8 Fighting Back ( 1982 ) -304
9 Red Scorpion ( 1989 ) -299
10 Left Behind ( 2001 ) -298
11 Until September ( 1984 ) -251
12 That's Dancing! ( 1985 ) -246
13 The Castle ( 1999 ) -222
14 Oxford Blues ( 1984 ) -219
15 Little Secrets ( 2002 ) -219
16 Cloak and Dagger ( 1984 ) -196
17 Paradise ( 1982 ) -185
18 Plunkett and Macleane ( 1999 ) -183
19 The Unholy ( 1988 ) -179
20 Porky's (Re-issue) ( 1983 ) -177
21 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 ( 1986 ) -172
22 Grandview, USA ( 1984 ) -155
23 Silent Rage ( 1982 ) -144
24 Up the Creek ( 1984 ) -140
25 The Powerpuff Girls Movie ( 2002 ) -130
26 Waking Up in Reno ( 2002 ) -130
27 Strange Brew ( 1983 ) -127
28 The Bounty ( 1984 ) -126
29 Extreme Days ( 2001 ) -124
30 Wrong is Right ( 1982 ) -119
31 Benji Off the Leash ( 2004 ) -118
32 Invaders From Mars ( 1986 ) -113
33 Sheena ( 1984 ) -108
34 Ghostbusters (Re-issue) ( 1985 ) -102
35 It Came From Hollywood ( 1982 ) -100
36 The Postman ( 1998 ) -100
37 The Hidden ( 1987 ) -96
38 Streets of Fire ( 1984 ) -95
39 Human Nature ( 2002 ) -95
40 1969 ( 1988 ) -93
41 Once Upon a Time in America ( 1984 ) -92
42 Volunteers ( 1985 ) -92
43 Concert for George ( 2003 ) -89
44 The Pope of Greenwich Village ( 1984 ) -85
45 Black Moon Rising ( 1986 ) -85
46 Love Stinks ( 1999 ) -85
47 Rambo III ( 1988 ) -84
48 The Emerald Forest ( 1985 ) -80
49 Die Hard 2: Die Harder ( 1990 ) -74
50 A Dog of Flanders ( 1999 ) -73
51 Night of the Comet ( 1984 ) -72
52 Just the Way You Are ( 1984 ) -70
53 Wild America ( 1997 ) -67
54 Air Bud ( 1997 ) -66
55 Fade to Black ( 2004 ) -66
56 Raiders of the Lost Ark (Re-issue) (1983) ( 1983 ) -63
57 Malone ( 1987 ) -63
58 Lambada ( 1990 ) -61
59 Super Sucker ( 2003 ) -61
60 Poolhall Junkies ( 2003 ) -60
61 Death Before Dishonor ( 1987 ) -59
62 Shakedown ( 1988 ) -58
63 Salsa ( 1988 ) -57
64 A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child ( 1989 ) -56
65 Ninja 3: The Domination ( 1984 ) -55
66 Missing in Action II: The Beginning ( 1985 ) -48
67 Valley Girl ( 1983 ) -47
68 Critters ( 1986 ) -47
69 Born in East L.A. ( 1987 ) -47
70 Evil Under the Sun ( 1982 ) -45
71 Beat Street ( 1984 ) -44
72 Heaven Help Us ( 1985 ) -44
73 Criminal Law ( 1989 ) -44
74 Bad Medicine ( 1985 ) -43
75 American Outlaws ( 2001 ) -43
76 Return to Oz ( 1985 ) -42
77 Teen Wolf Too ( 1987 ) -42
78 Private School ( 1983 ) -41
79 Staying Together ( 1989 ) -41
80 Night Crossing ( 1982 ) -40
81 Ravenous ( 1999 ) -40
82 American Dreamer ( 1984 ) -39
83 Once Bitten ( 1985 ) -39
84 Passionada ( 2003 ) -38
85 Tank ( 1984 ) -37
86 House II ( 1987 ) -37
87 Black Knight ( 2001 ) -37
88 Psycho III ( 1986 ) -36
89 Secret Admirer ( 1985 ) -35
90 Jinxed ( 1982 ) -34
91 Doctor Detroit ( 1983 ) -34
92 Silent Night, Deadly Night ( 1984 ) -34
93 Real Genius ( 1985 ) -34
94 Ishtar ( 1987 ) -34
95 Harry and Son ( 1984 ) -33
96 Livin' Large! ( 1991 ) -33
97 Donnie Darko ( 2001 ) -32
98 From Justin to Kelly ( 2003 ) -32
99 Hanky Panky ( 1982 ) -31
100 Cat People ( 1982 ) -30
101 Red Dawn ( 1984 ) -30
102 Turn It Up ( 2000 ) -30
103 Partners ( 1982 ) -29
104 The Sure Thing ( 1985 ) -29
105 Return to Snowy River ( 1988 ) -29
106 Fire With Fire ( 1986 ) -28
107 Follow That Bird (Sesame St.) ( 1985 ) -27
108 Krush Groove ( 1985 ) -27
109 Dinner Rush ( 2001 ) -27
110 Off the Lip ( 2004 ) -27
111 Stick ( 1985 ) -26
112 Nightmare Before Christmas (Re-issue) ( 2000 ) -26
113 Time Changer ( 2002 ) -26
114 Trail of the Pink Panther ( 1982 ) -25
115 Feds ( 1988 ) -25
116 Scream 2 ( 1997 ) -25
117 Backstage ( 2000 ) -25
118 Something Wicked This Way Comes ( 1983 ) -24
119 The Black Cauldron ( 1985 ) -24
120 Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry ( 2004 ) -24
121 Disorderlies ( 1987 ) -23
122 Birthday Girl ( 2002 ) -23
123 The Best of Times ( 1986 ) -22
124 The Meteor Man ( 1993 ) -22
125 The In Crowd ( 2000 ) -22
126 No Small Affair ( 1984 ) -21
127 Gotcha! ( 1985 ) -21
128 Power ( 1986 ) -21
129 Listen to Me ( 1989 ) -21
130 Lockdown ( 2003 ) -21
131 Whipped ( 2000 ) -20
132 Asoka ( 2001 ) -20
133 I Am David ( 2004 ) -20
134 Tai-Pan ( 1986 ) -18
135 Luther ( 2003 ) -18
136 Creator ( 1985 ) -17
137 The Sea Inside ( 2004 ) -17
138 Night Shift ( 1982 ) -16
139 Cheech & Chong Still Smokin' ( 1983 ) -16
140 The Five Heartbeats ( 1991 ) -16
141 Slackers ( 2002 ) -16
142 Hansel and Gretel ( 2002 ) -16
143 Washington Heights ( 2003 ) -16
144 Amityville II: The Possession ( 1982 ) -15
145 Heidi's Song ( 1982 ) -15
146 Return of the Living Dead 2 ( 1988 ) -15
147 Mystic Pizza ( 1988 ) -15
148 Off Beat ( 1986 ) -14
149 Elvira, Mistress of the Dark ( 1988 ) -14
150 Jason's Lyric ( 1994 ) -14
151 Waking the Dead ( 2000 ) -14
152 The Event ( 2003 ) -14
153 Alien: The Director's Cut ( 2003 ) -14
154 Things Are Tough All Over ( 1982 ) -13
155 The Hunger ( 1983 ) -13
156 The Weight of Water ( 2002 ) -13
157 Foolproof ( 2003 ) -13
158 Year of the Dragon ( 1985 ) -12
159 Manhunter ( 1986 ) -12
160 Trapped in Paradise ( 1994 ) -12
161 Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie ( 1997 ) -12
162 All the Queen's Men ( 2002 ) -12
163 Main Hoon Na ( 2004 ) -12
164 Where the Boys Are ( 1984 ) -11
165 Lifeforce ( 1985 ) -11
166 Running Scared ( 1986 ) -11
167 PCU ( 1994 ) -11
168 Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh ( 1995 ) -11
169 Without a Trace ( 1983 ) -10
170 The Hotel New Hampshire ( 1984 ) -10
171 The Little Drummer Girl ( 1984 ) -10
172 Body Double ( 1984 ) -10
173 Code of Silence ( 1985 ) -10
174 Second Sight ( 1989 ) -10
175 Session 9 ( 2001 ) -10
176 Jet Lag (Canada) ( 2003 ) -10
177 Close Your Eyes (a.k.a. Hypnotic) ( 2004 ) -10
178 Vigilante ( 1983 ) -9
179 Richard Pryor: Here and Now ( 1983 ) -9
180 Fatal Beauty ( 1987 ) -9
181 Renegades ( 1989 ) -9
182 Humsaath Hain ( 1999 ) -9
183 Held Up ( 2000 ) -9
184 Carman the Champion ( 2001 ) -9
185 Les Dangereux ( 2002 ) -9
186 Deathtrap ( 1982 ) -8
187 Lone Wolf McQuade ( 1983 ) -8
188 A Night in Heaven ( 1983 ) -8
189 Legend ( 1986 ) -8
190 Death Wish 4 ( 1987 ) -8
191 Uninvited Guest ( 2000 ) -8
192 Superman III ( 1983 ) -7
193 The Dead Zone ( 1983 ) -7
194 The Lonely Guy ( 1984 ) -7
195 The Razor's Edge ( 1984 ) -7
196 Almost Heroes ( 1998 ) -7
197 Love and a Bullet ( 2002 ) -7
198 The Rules of Attraction ( 2002 ) -7
199 Billabong Odyssey ( 2003 ) -7
200 Perfect Opposites ( 2004 ) -7



I didn't include 2005 release, except for TPOTC, assuming any made it. But I don't think so.

Anyways, OMG, this is the first chart I've posted in months

Yeah, but that statistic is meaningless. Nearly all releases are automatically locked in for 2 weeks at a theater. If theaters were allowed to ditch them, there would be tons of movies with huge theater drops in their second weekend. The only thing that makes Passion's drop significant is that it didn't have a 2-week guaranteed run.

That's a given. Nevertheless, it now holds the record for the worst second weekend theatre count drop.

A number of the other films on the chart are re-releases too, and in the case of the SM1/MIB2 double, very close to the initial release. DP is right; once it's on DVD, scratch it off the re-release list.






Btw, welcome to KJ's. Are you from BOM?

I didn't realize so many films have been dropped in their second weekend, but most of them are relatively old.

I know.

Erm...Just...testing....

::throws coffee in Rogue's face and runs away::

:throws gasoline and lit matches at Insomniac:

:runs away:

Context is the key.

Without the controversy, Passion is just another bad movie by Mel Gibson.

I guess I just don't see why it needed to happen? The Passion was an inspirational movie, but also the story behind it was quite interesting. This just seems like a quick money grab, you know?

The movie about the greatest man to ever live and the son of god needs to be grand, well made and should not be pretentious.

How was it pretentious? It showed the final twelve hours of his life in graphic detail?

That is the whole point. Instead of focussing on what Jesus lived and died for, we get a wes craven version of christ's final 12 hours. Pathetic.

There are hundreds of movies that focus on the life of Christ and present his death in very much a G or PG rated version. I think Gibson should be commended for showing his death as it was, though many historians believe it was even worse then shown. Perhaps Gibson could have used the Recut version as the original release and added a few additional flashbacks of his ministry, but I felt that what was released is commendable.

Don't even get me started on how pissed off I am they bungled that one.

I don't think it caused a huge problem for the movie as a lot of people liked how graphic/real it was, but it would've been better if the movie included some other scenes/flashbacks. I think that would put the story in a better context for those who are unfamiliar with it.

Without getting into the whole controversy about its quality (because regardless of the quality, the first film had an audience), I would say that the primary reason is... after seeing The Passion of the Christ in theaters... and then some people buying it on DVD just a few months ago... how do you then again sell a product... and not only sell the product but sell LESS of the product.

It would have been one thing if it was a special edition with 15+ minutes of extra footage... it probably would have been another thing if the film had been cut MORE and made a PG-13 rating and opened itself up to even more people.

But Gibson is trying to sell a cut of the film which is apparently less impactful, to the same audience (still rated R) who probably didn't end up missing it the first time. I understand he got letters requesting a toned down Passion of the Christ, and I'm sure all of the 100 people who wrote those letters saw The Passion Recut, but there is just nothing to suggest that anybody should go see it.