Gibson resurrects 'The Passion' with less gore

LONDON - Mel Gibson is releasing a recut version of his controversial film "The Passion of The Christ" in Britain over Easter to lure moviegoers who stayed away from the original because of excessive gore.

Gibson said he chopped about six minutes from the two-hour, blood-drenched film about the last hours in the life of Jesus for "The Passion Recut" after people told him they would not have felt comfortable bringing certain friends and family.

"I have softened it somewhat," Gibson said in a video clip on a website for the film, www.thepassionofthechrist.com.

"I maintained the integrity of the film that I wanted to make yet alleviated some of the more horrific aspects of it, " added Gibson, who wrote, directed and produced the film that brought charges of blasphemy and anti-Semitism.

"I'm hoping it will attract a wider audience."

Both versions show Jesus, as played by James Caviezel, being brutally beaten for more than half the film. The new version, among other changes, removes a scene depicting a nail driving through Christ's hands, according to media reports.

"No longer do chunks of flesh fly across the screen, though blood still splatters and sprays with the same luxuriant excess as it does in 'Kill Bill: Vol. 1,"' a New York Times critic wrote, comparing it to Quentin Tarantino's martial arts film.

The Passion Recut opened in the United States on March 11. It will be released in Britain on Good Friday, the day that commemorates the crucifixion, which falls on March 25 this year.

It is also set for release in Ireland, Spain and Denmark on March 18, in Australia and the Netherlands on March 24 and in the Czech Republic on March 25.

Though it was snubbed for nominations in high-profile Oscar categories, The Passion proved a surprise blockbuster with more than US$600 ($820.79) million of ticket sales worldwide last year thanks to high Christian turnout and media attention over the controversy.

The DVD version also sold well.

Protestants in Northern Ireland, Catholics in France and Jews across Europe and the Middle East were angered by the film.

It even prompted a Texas man to confess to murder, a crime for which he was sentenced to 75 years in prison last August.

- REUTERS