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with comments by David Bruce

WHAT ABOUT LEAP OF FAITH?
Subject: Leap of Faith
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2000
From: Liz P.

I just finished watching "Leap of Faith" on video and would love to hear your take on it. However, I searched Hollywood Jesus and could not find a review. Did you see it? Was the boy really healed? Was he healed because of his faith in Christ (he went to the crucifix, not to the "faith healer") rather than a man? Was it really a set up (I don't think so)? Why did he (the boy) want to go with the "show"? Did Jonas have a change of heart in the end and actually feel guilty about fooling all of those people? the boy? his sister? Or did he want to get away before they all "caught on" and then would skin his hide? Who was really the fool in the end?
Just wondering.... Liz P.

Response: It was a very good film about the power of faith. I will do a review on it at some point in time.

RESPONSES TO NEWSLETTER #20

COMIC BOOKS?
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2000
From: Brian

Hey, how about a comic book section on this site?

Response: Some day I will. -David

I DON'T KNOW
Subject: The answer is, I don't know... Newsletter 20
Date: Sat, 02 Dec 2000
From: Mike Shields

As a collector of comic books almost since birth, and a Christian for almost half of that, I don't have an answer. It astounds me that The Dictionary of Biblical Images has no art inside. My guess would be that comics are seen as kid's stuff. Not taken seriously. At least here. In general, I don't understand why art isn't taught in seminary, it might explain to some why people think Eve ate an apple. Another problem might be, that Bible Man is not the answer. I cringe whenever I see or hear the name. Well, I've given my two cents, so, I think I'll close. Mike

Response: Actually, I think all art is generly viewed as kid's stuff -as Sunday School stuff. Too bad! -Thanks for you comment -David

EXCELLENT
Subject: Re: Hollywood Jesus Newsletter #20
-Why do Christians resist images?
Date: Sat, 02 Dec 2000
From: Joel

Hey David, Excellent content, as usual.
Joel

Response: Thanks

PURITIANS AND ANGLICAN TRADITION
Subject: Visual Images Newsletter_20
Date: Sat, 02 Dec 2000
From: Paula

Why do Christians resist the visual image?

[Perhaps reluctance to use visual images in Evangelical churches has its roots in the Protestant Reformation. I am no expert on the Reformation, but I remember reading that at some point in English history the Puritans under Cromwell destroyed much of the artwork and statues in the English churches because they saw them as a form of idolatry. My own personal experience is that the Protestant-Catholic conflict is alive and well today among Christians. In some of the churches that I have visited, the spirit of the Reformation still rages on.]

Mr. Bruce:
One of the tremendous blessings I experienced when switching from the Southern Baptist denomination to the Episcopal Church was the difference in visual imagery. I mean no disrespect to the strengths and blessings of the Baptist tradition.

I have found a richness of symbolism in the Anglican tradition. The symbolism of crosses, crucifixes, processionals, vestments and other forms of visual imagery "feed" me in a special way. It is true that these things can become distracting, and some would even argue idolatrous, but I find them to be spiritually nurturing.

For example, the celebration of the Eucharist makes full use of all five senses (hearing, seeing, tasting, touching, smelling). One of the most powerful moments I ever remember in worship was during a Eucharist celebration one Sunday when the priest held up the bread and the cup and said in a deep, loud voice, "Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us." I will never forget that moment--not only the words and the way they were spoken--but the imagery of the bread and cup. These symbols feed us in some mysterious way, though I have no desire to argue with anyone about why or how.

For those of us who are blessed with the ability to see, visual images are powerful. In the ancient cathedrals, many people were illiterate and the liturgy was in Latin. Stained glass windows, murals, icons, and statues told the stories because the common people could not read and did not understand the language.

The Protestant Reformation brought much-needed reforms, and the invention of the printing press made the Scriptures available to the masses. The Protestant tradition is a blessing. The written Word available to common folk is a blessing. But let us not despise the Catholic tradition. It has so much to offer us. God communicates his message of Agape through diverse media. The visual media is one of the most powerful.

In the third chapter of the Gospel According to John (Today's English Version of the New Testament) the text says in part, "As Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the desert, in the same way the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life." The Israelites who wandered in the desert wilderness looked at the image of the bronze snake lifted up. We look at the image of Christ lifted up. I am no theologian. I am certain that there are those who could point out a different meaning for this passage, but it seems to me that the bronze snake was a powerful visual image. The symbol of the crucifix is a powerful visual image. Neither one of these images saves us, but the looking reminds us of our need for God's mercy. The Israelites looked at the bronze snake and by faith were delivered from God's wrath.

Over the years, a number of scenes from various movies have provided a visual image reinforcing lessons from Scripture. For example, one day I was meditating on Psalm 40. Verse 2 (NIV) states, "He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." Shortly after meditating on that verse, I watched a movie called The Defiant Ones with Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier. There is a scene in that movie where the two men, who are runaway convicts chained together, jump into a clay pit to hide from the authorities. It is a powerful visual image of what it means to be in a slimy pit. The two men have a terrible time climbing out--not so much because they are chained together but mostly because of the slime! I believe that the Holy Spirit led me to the experience of watching that movie in order to stress the point of how much I needed Him to "lift me out."

These are just some random thoughts about the power of visual imagery.

Thanks for your web site!
Peace Be With You. Paula

Response: Thanks Paula

CONVERT TO CATHOLICISM FROM EVANGELICALISM
Subject: unbreakable Newsletter_20
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2000
From: Christy

Thanks for your very thoughtful analysis of the lack of visual imagery in Protestant Christianity. As a recent convert to Catholicism from evangelical Protestantism, it's my observation that evangelicals are icon-phobic. They so fear "idol worship" that they err on the side of nothingness and create barren rooms of worship. In my parish, I am frequently inspired and sometimes awestruck as I ponder on the Stations of the Cross that are displayed on the walls (scenes depicting the Easter story). You are right Protestants have done a great job developing the written word and, to some degree, the art of music. But they have little passion for the visual arts. I don't mean to offend anyone (and if you are reading this you probably don't fall into this category) but many evangelicals are not deep enough in their faith to appreciate the visual arts beyond the surface: "Oh, what a beautiful barn scene he painted."

I just saw UNBREAKABLE last night. It did not affect me like THE SIXTH SENSE, but it did leave me thinking a bit about the forces of good and evil in our society. There were some great visuals, particularly two. One was when Willis is standing in that public place thinking about all of the evil deeds each person had committed who walked by him his arms and hands are out like Jesus on the cross. Very symbolic. And then he becomes the savior for those children! Wow! The second interesting image was when he was choking the intruder. Willis' rain poncho gave him a superhero look, but because you couldn't see his face in that scene the hooded poncho also made him mysterious, like a spirit.

Incidentally, I believe LEFT BEHIND was purposely issued on video first to allow momentum to build. It is to hit theaters next year. That was the plan anyway. If it is as horrible as the books, maybe that plan was dropped. I hope so. I don't want people to think that you have to enjoy the types of pseudo-apocalyptic scare tactics the LEFT BEHIND series promotes to be a Christian.
Christy

Response: Thank you Christy. I liked you thoughts on Unbreakable.

CHRISTIANS AND THE ARTS
Subject: graphics Newsletter_20
Date: Sun, 3 Dec 2000
From: Cynthia Topazzzzzz

I am almost to the end of my education, going for an ATA in graphic design. I hope to do good for God in this endevour, however, I have a family to support, single mom, 40, three kids. You are right in some areas about the art thing. I have a dear friend who has a voice so incredible it would break your heart just to hear him. He is not commercial enough. Everyone who hears him says, Wow, he is going to be famous. Yeh, right. He is 38 this years old. I have known him for 4. Why? To much in the world of commercialism. We will not put our money, time, blah, et al, into Gods work. Sorry to sound so negative.To busy buying the house and SUV. If people do support the artist it seems to me, they just want to control the artists. If they can't then thy back out. I've seen it too many times.It is almost like like they want the credit for the artist making it, or making sure they get a good "return" for their money. As if you can measure that.That is what happens in the 'world' also, but they are more willing to compromise the message for the money. Or are they?

The art community is so anti God. The few Christians that I have met were so pushy or other usual stuff that they turn people away. I hope that I can, with the Lords help, keep the pride issue out, and the message in. So far so good. I have so much fun with this graphics thing, it is so amazing! And my main teacher/advisor supports me all the way. If you know anyone who wants some graphics, I am looking for work, freelance at the moment. I can do edgy to stylish to regal, and a bunch in between. By the way, a good artist is DiCianni. Awsome stuff. It's out there if you look for it. It is to bad so many people send their money to people like the Bakers instead of baking good film or other media. God bless
Cynthia Topazzzzzz

Response: Love and patience is always the victor. -David

NO GRAVEN IMAGE
Subject: Newsletter_20
Date: Sun, 3 Dec 2000
From: "Kath Wells"

Good subject. It bothers me too. I think the cause is an evangelical hang-up based on the verse "You shall have no graven image.." which is interpreted to mean we should never DEPICT God or any spiritual things. It completely ignores the way God expresses himself in the Old Testament through symbols and signs and enactments... through Jesus and his pictures of himself as The Vine, Bread, Water etc. etc. and also ignores all the picture language of Paul and John. I think it is weird... and we are being robbed. When I discovered (at about 50) that I was very visual and God spoke to me profoundly through the visual I wept for days... why had no one told me before? I felt cheated.

You are right about movies, comics etc. We live in a visual age... why is the church hung up on words. When I work with spiritual truth I keep asking myself (as I am a communicator) "How would an illiterate person engage with this truth?" "How would a peasant farmer..?" "How would a hands on person ...a non-reader." Our model must be Jesus... and he didn't only use words. (St. Francis said "Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words!!" I like it!) Jesus lived out the Jewish faith with it's very visual, sensory, multi-media worship. Does his life in us not allow us to use ALL of who we are to know God and share him? I think much of the church is very blind... and very poor in spirit as a result of this hang-up. It deeply saddens me.
Kath Wells

Response: Thanks Kathy, a agree with you whole heartily. The reminder of St. Francis was very good.

JESUS WAS A MASTER OF VISUAL IMAGE
Subject: Lack of images in our Church enviornment
Newsletter_20
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2000
From: Daniel in Pasadena

I could not agree with you more David... I have always felt Jesus was a master at using the visual image even if it often had to be in a story form ... the temple with its palm trees, floral/animal/human likenesses and other ornaments on both the buildings and the beautiful crafted articles for worship inside and on the sea and in the entrance areas...All this spoke so well of aiding and enhancing the truths and values of both Judaism and early Christianity.. The storytelling images of the early Roman catacombs stand out as an attempt to visually identify with happenings and events that reminded the first century believer of his or her faith and future destiny. Imagery is indeed crucial to the "telling of the Story" and the reinforcing and confirming of the greatest happening in history.

David, I suggest you look over Bob Jones University's take on art, imagery and the faith they espouse. They have been so often misunderstood and maligned unfairly.. They have one of the finest art museums in America and train their students to use and appreciate imagery in wide applications.. I am proud to be a graduate (59) of this fine school (Cinema program) and for what it stands for. Art, culture, drama, acting, music are only a part of its fine programs.

God bless you David as you encourage more appreciation for the things you strongly believe in. I tried hard to work the LA film event into my schedule and it would not fit. One of the main things I wanted was to make your acquaintance..
Daniel in Pasadena.

Response: Thanks Dan, as usual.

COLORS
Subject: colors Unbreakable
Date: Sat, 02 Dec 2000
From: Fred

I thought you did a wondeful job analyzing The Sixth Sense, especially with the symbolism of colors. Yet you didn't even discuss the most prominent and important color in this movie--purple. Elijah (Samuel L. Jackson) is never once seen in the movie without purple. What is the meaning of this color relating to Elijah? I hope you can help me out.
Thanks. Fred

Response: Just for you Fred, I will do an analyse of the colors in UNBREAKABLE. Give me a few days and I'll post it in the review.

DESERVES A REVIEW
Subject: Run Lola Run
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2000
From: Judith

Dear David, I think this film deserves a review from a spiritual stand point. It clearly shows the way Satan would like to see a bad situation turn out vs. God's over-riding control when we look to him even in our most ignorant ways. It also shows the complexities of orchestrating this human drama.
Judith

Response: Yes, yopu are right. And I will do it. Give me a few weeks. -David

COMIC BOOKS?
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2000
From: Brian

Hey, how about a comic book section on this site?

Response: Some day I will. -David

BASED ON OTHER GAMES
Subject: Will the Fantasy Continue? Final_Fantasy
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2000
From: Brian

This film has boundless potential, and I am eagerly awaiting it. The one thing that bothers me is that this film is in no way based on any of the many games, but I suppose Square knows what they are doing... Thank you.

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE GUN
Subject: Great Film Unbreakable
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2000
From: R. Trice

Hi David: I'm a long-time Hollywood Jesus reader, but first-time poster.
Re: "Unbreakable," yours is a great review of a great film.

I had put off seeing this one, as several of my Christian friends had seen it and poo-pooed it. Should have trusted by initial instincts, which is to make up my own mind. Shyamalan is truly developing into another Hitchcock, even down to the cameos he himself plays (the doctor in "Sixth Sense," and the drug dealer here), but with an even deeper moral perspective than Hitch.

I agree with your analysis of Shyamalan's powerful use of color, composition, and camera angle (i.e.. the child's point of view equaling childlike faith). But also juxtaposed throughout is how he shows us scenes when the camera is positioned above the action, from God's omniscient point of view, looking down on scenes of destiny that will force the characters to make life changing decisions (i.e.. the TV news "birds' eye view" of the train wreck; the view of the package on the park bench from Elijah's apartment window; David fumbling in his closet for the gun and the box of newspaper clippings; and, perhaps most powerfully, the scene in the parking lot of the church {huge and looming in the background} when David finds Elijah's card, and the camera pulls quickly away to show, from above, the empty parking lot as David helplessly looks around for a clue to his life; and the "mind's eye" scenes as David brushes against people and "sees" what evil they have committed).

Also note how the camera was often used to show us the characters' view of their lives being temporarily "upside down", perhaps saying that the answer to their quandaries was "hidden in plain sight?" (Elijah's comic book on the park bench, being slowly turned in his hand but still upside down for the longest time; David's son watching television upside down on the couch; Elijah falling down the subway stairs; David being pushed by the home invader from the bedroom window into the swimming pool).

I also noted the symbolic use of guns in the film (perhaps this one is a reach): David owns a gun, but is never seen relying on one in his security job. We see him handle his gun in the closet, but then put it back in its hiding place, perhaps reflecting his inner suspicions that he doesn't really need one to accomplish his destiny. Guns remain hidden in this film (even the man he brushes up against at the stadium never shows his gun; we see it later still strapped to his leg), until David's son points one at him. But even then, it's revealed as the ultimate "equalizer" in our society for those of us who have no "super powers" to protect them. The boy only wants to emphasize this to his father. Once again Shyamalan is showing us that the faith of the child is stronger than that of the adult. It's also interesting that at the end of this scene, the energy that has been expended has reduced all three characters (the son, the father, and the mother) into spent emotional heaps on the floor. They all fall against separate walls and slide to the ground, with the gun on the table between them. I think this is perhaps the great turning point in the movie, where the family is still fragile, separated, and struggling, but finally in the same room together, and acknowledging the power that is within their grasp to either embrace their destiny (to step out in faith into the unknown, unseen) or embrace their ultimate destruction as a family and as individuals (symbolized by the gun).

This is a beautifully crafted and well told story of brokenness, faith, redemption, and triumph over evil. The only letdown I felt was the handling of the ending. Again, as in "Sixth Sense," (where he handled it so well), we are shown Shyamalan's trademark fast-rewind of the film to show us the clues we missed, and to fill in the remaining blanks. (And here, I apologize for talking in circles, but I too don't wish to reveal too much about the ending for those who haven't seen it) This time, however, it seems a little more forced on us, and I felt I was being spoon-fed too much of the ending, particularly regarding Elijah's character. We get such a well-rounded, reflective tour of David's and Elijah's spiritual journeys throughout the film. I can't exactly put my finger on it, but I felt as if Shyamalan got in a big hurry to finish up the story, and ran me into a wall of storyboards. The film had flowed so beautifully, up to and including the wonderful dialogue in the gallery between David and Elijah's mother (which gives us some final, disturbing but tantalizing clues regarding the natures of heroes and villains). I was expecting something even more revealing about to happen between the mother and David at this point, but it was just sort of dropped. Then the handshaking business seemed a bit contrived to me. I can see that Shayamalan was perhaps saying that evil is arrogant and eventually boldly asserts itself, but I think the final revelations somehow could've been more subtle, and just a tad less rushed. The freeze frame ending stopped me cold, as did the subtitled plot fill-in, which informed us of the characters' fates. This was a stark jerk back to reality, utilizing written verbiage, and I felt it was totally inappropriate to the beautifully visual tone of the film.

But overall, one small weakness in an otherwise excellent film. I recommend it strongly
. -- R. Trice

WELL DONE
Subject: My Comments to In the Beginning
Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000
From: Mimi

Mimi I thought that In the Beginning was done well and I would like to see it again. I know the video tape was available, but I forgot to write down the telephone number and order it. This is my major criticism of it--It showed Joseph actually going into Potiphar's wife's room and kissing her. In the Bible (I am quoting from the King James Version) it says, (9) "There is none greater in this house that I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou are his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? (10) "And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her." He had NOTHING to do with her. She set him up in her bedroom ... he ran away ... and she falsely accused him. Potiphar did not weigh the evidence at all. He didn't look at Joseph's record. &nb! sp;But ... once again ... God used all of these trials for good. Again, I would like to see it again and purchase the video tape.

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