'THE PASSION' DVD, VHS release tied to Oscars race

Mel Gibson's epic is generating Oscar buzz.
By JAY BOYAR
ORLANDO SENTINEL
Will Oscar like Jesus?
The question arises just now because director Mel Gibson's phenomenally popular, if highly controversial, "The Passion of the Christ" came out Tuesday on DVD and VHS, courtesy of Fox Home Entertainment.
Industry insiders expect it to make another fortune. But commercial considerations aside, the timing of the release could be crucial in terms of the film's Academy Award prospects.
Traditionally, most heavyweight Oscar contenders open in theaters from September through December, "the season for distinguished films," as Premiere magazine senior editor Glenn Kenny puts it. That way, these films are fresh in the minds of academy members when they cast their votes.
Gibson's film, which focuses on the final 12 hours of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, opened in theaters Feb. 25, Ash Wednesday. But this week's DVD and VHS release is a not-so-subtle reminder that the film is in Oscar contention.
Six months before Oscar night, the buzz on the film is already loud: In a recent issue of Entertainment Weekly, "The Passion" was mentioned as one of a small handful of serious best-picture candidates that have opened so far this year.
Traits of best-picture winners
Oscar voters aren't quite as predictable as is sometimes assumed. Still, there are certain qualities that they've traditionally favored in best-picture winners, and "The Passion" has some of these.
One, sometimes called "epic sweep," boils down to a high degree of solemnity plus huge crowd scenes. Think "Gladiator," "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" and "Titanic."
Such movies seem big and important, and that makes academy members feel important when they vote for them. In addition, these epics -- with their fancy costumes, elaborate sets and, often, special effects -- tend to appeal to voters in many branches of the academy.
Another plus for "The Passion of the Christ," in terms of academy taste, is that the film tells the story of an exemplary figure.
When Oscar voters have given their best-picture prize to such films as "Gandhi" and Gibson's own "Braveheart," they seemed to be endorsing not just a film but also its central character. For obvious reasons, the motion-picture academy might prefer to be on record as endorsing Jesus.