Utahns eager to see film

When the distributor for Mel Gibson's film, "The Passion of the Christ," was sending out copies to theaters across the country, it sent one print to Utah's hometown theater chain, figuring that would be more than enough.

That's what Angelina Kendzior, event manager for Larry Miller's theaters at The Gateway and Jordan Commons, thought. Until local clergy started calling to buy blocks of tickets, some of them asking to book an entire 600-seat theater.

"It totally took us by surprise," she said, adding that the calls started coming as early as October and November for the movie that opens Wednesday.

As of midweek, at least 18 churches had purchased between 5,000 and 6,000 tickets, she said, most of them at Jordan Commons, where two copies will play, and the rest at The Gateway, which has one copy.

A variety of churches have called, she said, "Baptists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Catholics. We haven't had any Jewish calls, and no one from the LDS Church."

A couple of private schools have also called, and some churches are asking about bringing youth groups. "That puts us into a weird territory we haven't been before because we have to have a parent's signature on a form" because of the R rating, she said. Distributors have echoed Gibson himself, who has said the film is so graphic that "absolutely 13 and under, there's no way they should see this."

R rating

The interest here has "taken people out of state in the industry by surprise," Kendzior said. There has been no local advertising, other than "posters in the lobby."

"We haven't been calling them — they've been calling us."

Pastor Jeff Nellermoe of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church said he bought 575 tickets for a showing on Feb. 28 and the church is selling them in-house, inviting people to bring their friends. After the screening he's inviting moviegoers back to the sanctuary for a discussion and Communion.

While he has not seen the film, Pastor Nellermoe said he has learned enough to "satisfy our curiosity as to why it's rated R."

He believes his 12-year-old daughter is ready for what she'll experience, but "it's a fine line."

"I think people of more sensitivity may understand what's going on but would not benefit at all from seeing the film." Though the crucifixion of Christ is a major theological building block for Christians, "you can understand that without having to be traumatized."