Tough Act to Follow

BY SAM WILLIAMS

[This is a pre-edited draft of a business story that appeared under the headline "One Hit Wonder" in the New York Post, Feb. 29, 2003.]

Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" may be rewriting winter box office records, but don't bank on a big budget "X-ploitation" movie genre just yet.

That's the word coming from both Hollywood and the evangelical Christian community, two subcultures that, despite a similar overriding faith in sequels, see James Caviezel's version of a bloodied and beaten Jesus as a tough act to follow.

"I think this is a once in a lifetime event," says Kris Fuhr, vice president of theatrical marketing for Big Idea Productions, noting the conversion of politics, religion, and box office success.

Best known for "Veggie Tales," a 10-year old animation franchise that explores Biblical themes, Fuhr's company is notable in that it helped develop and perfect many of the alternative marketing tactics exploited by Outreach Inc. and Motive Entertainment, two Christian marketing companies that helped "The Passion" secure the necessary buy-in of influential religious leaders and pave the way to group sales by churches across the country.

"The beauty of the evangelical Christian world is that they consume en masse," Fuhr says.

The main drawback, however, is a higher standard for products that aim to win the community's approval. In sinking $30 million of his own money into "The Passion" and framing the film as a personal testimony of faith, Gibson has succeeded in winning over many skeptical Christians while at the same time raising the bar for future projects.

"I don't think the Christian space has experienced anything like this from a quality or a credibility perspective," says Doug Martinez, chief operating officer for Outreach, Inc.

Maybe that's why Gibson, who earned back much of his money through advance ticket sales, preview screenings, and a $23.6 million Ash Wednesday opening, has yet to comment on follow-up projects In an interview set to air on the American Movie Channel, Gibson praised the Bible as full of "good stories" without volunteering himself as the person to bring those stories to the screen.

For companies already in the business of making biblical movies, the barriers to getting those films before a wide audience are legion. First and foremost are the budgetary constraints which can diminish a film's look and keep a director from bringing on actors with a sizable box office appeal.

Another obstacle is distribution. On Thursday, a Variety article, after laying out the first day success of "The Passion," offered a pessimistic caveat: Newmarket Films, the independent film distributor hired by Gibson, might end up leaving a sizable portion of its box office stake on the table.

"They don't have the leverage," says Fuhr, sumarizing the dilemma of distributors who venture out of their main marketing niche. "It's hard to pressure exhibitors when you don't have a "Harry Potter" coming down the pipe.

Exhibitors, meanwhile, have their own challenges to surmount. Chris Mosel, operations manager for Texas Cinema, says his three-theater chain has gone out of its way to provide friendly service to "Passion" watchers. That's partly out of thanks and partly because most haven't been to a theater in years and aren't familiar with the latest offerings, amenities, and technologies.

Even with all the handholding, however, Mosel is doubtful that "The Passion" will produce a sizable bump in long-term business.

"A lot of people we're meeting haven't seen a movie in 20 years,'" he says. "One guy told us that the last movie he saw [in a theater] had Elvis in it."

Despite such obstacles, entrepreneurs like Dwight Robinson, marketing director for Bob Siemon designs, say the blockbuster performance of "The Passion" is repeatable.

"There's a market for more films like this," says Robinson, whose company is best known for selling the "What Would Jesus Do?" bracelet and recently won the deal to distribute "The Passion" coffee mugs, crucifix spikes and other products officially-licensed by Gibson's production company, Icon Entertainment.

Having seen "The Passion" four times, Robinson says the initial feelings of once-in-a-lifetime novelty has given way to a desire for similar entertainment offerings.

"The emotional impact gets stronger every time I see it," he says. "With most movies, it's the exact opposite." Copyright © 2004 Sam Williams.