``The
Passion of the Christ'', Mel Gibson's Masterful Epic Chronicling the
Last 12 Hours in the Life of Jesus Christ, Makes Its Highly Anticipated
DVD and VHS Debut .
Arriving
August 31, 2004, This Must-See Movie Instantly Became a Box Office
Phenomenon, Grossing More Than $375 Million Nationwide and Earning
a Spot In The Top 10 Grossing Movies of All Time.
Focusing
on the final 12 hours of the life of Jesus of Nazareth's life, the
year's most talked about movie, "The Passion of the Christ,"
makes its highly anticipated DVD and VHS debut on August 31, 2004,
it was announced today by Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
and Icon Productions. Released in theaters on Ash Wednesday, February
25, 2004, the powerful, Mel Gibson-helmed epic went on to gross more
than $375 million at the box office -- earning a spot in the top 10
grossing movies of all time. Starring Jim Caviezel in the critically-lauded
role of Jesus Christ and Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene, The Passion
Of The Christ DVD is presented with a maximum bit rate, 5.1 Dolby
Digital and 5.1 DTS, offering viewers the highest quality picture
and audio. The film, which was shot in Aramaic and Latin, is presented
with English subtitles on VHS and English and Spanish subtitles on
DVD. Priced to own, the DVD is available in Widescreen or Pan And
Scan for $29.98 and the VHS is $24.98.
Beginning
June 1 at the film's website -- www.thepassionofthechrist.com -- information
will be available regarding bulk orders and high-quality, visually
stunning customized church sleeves and other downloads encouraging
church ministry participation. Additionally, the site will feature
trailers, film synopsis, cast biographies, and soundtrack background,
among other information. For retailers from the Christian Booksellers
Association (CBA), the DVD/VHS will be distributed through Zondervan,
a leading international Christian communications company.
Synopsis:
This depiction of the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus opens with
his betrayal by Judas, his condemnation by the Pharisees and his appearance
before Pontius Pilate. Pilate defers to King Herod, but Herod returns
Jesus. Pilate then asks the crowd to choose between Jesus and Barrabas.
The crowd chooses Barrabas. Pilate washes his hands of the matter,
and Jesus is forced to carry the cross through the streets to Golgotha
where Roman soldiers crucify him. Although Jesus briefly fears that
God, his Father, has abandoned him, he regains his faith, proclaiming,
"Into Thy hands I commend my spirit." At the moment of his
death, nature itself over-turns.
"The
Passion of the Christ" has a prebook date of August 4, 2004,
a running time of 127 minutes and is rated "R" by the Motion
Picture Association of America. It is closed captioned for the hearing
impaired.
A
recognized industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
is the marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film
and television programming on VHS and DVD, as well as video acquisitions
and original productions for the U.S. and Canada. Each year the Company
introduces hundreds of new and newly repackaged products, which it
services to more than 70,000 retail outlets -- from mass merchants
and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce -- throughout
North America. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is a unit
of Fox Filmed Entertainment, a Fox Entertainment Group company.