Since its release in 2004, "The Passion of the Christ" has been considered one
of the most difficult films to watch in history, causing a range of negative
emotional reactions among viewers. Despite being a biblical drama, the film
directed by Mel Gibson puts horror movies to shame, having contributed to the
tragic deaths of two members of the audience.
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Negative emotional reactions.
Described at the time as "religious porn torture", "The Passion of the Christ"
was criticized for its extremely violent depiction of the torture and
crucifixion of Jesus Christ, which, according to experts on the subject, can
induce a state of emotional hyperarousal similar to post-traumatic stress, to
the extent that they recommend that people with anxiety, hypertension, or
heart disease should avoid watching it without emotional preparation.
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Deaths while watching.
José Geraldo Soares.
On March 23, 2004, José Geraldo Soares, a 43-year-old Presbyterian pastor, had
reserved two movie theaters in a shopping mall in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, to
watch the film with his family and the congregations of two local churches.
Unfortunately, halfway through the film, Soares' wife noticed that he was no
longer awake. A doctor who was also watching the film attended to Soares, but
confirmed that the priest had already passed away. He had suffered a heart
attack.
Following the tragic event, Soares' friends said that the pastor had no
history of heart problems, but they did not believe that the brutality of the
film caused his death.
Peggy Scott.
Peggy Scott, 56, sales manager for two local radio stations, went to see the
film at a morning screening in Wichita, Kansas, United States, when, 20
minutes before the end of the film, during the bloody crucifixion scene, she
collapsed in her seat. Two medical professionals who were in the theater
attempted to revive her, but with no response, the woman was taken to the St.
Joseph campus of Via Christi Regional Medical Center, where she was pronounced
dead after suffering a heart attack.
Emergency responders said they responded to a report of a woman who was not
breathing and may have been having a seizure.
