Total Film December 1999 Issue:
Stigmata: (The film-maker's guide to upsetting the Catholic Church, part 666....)
Most critics loathed it, key figures in the Catholic Church spoke against it, but Stigmata still managed to nab the top spot at the US box office on its opening weekend. Not bad considering it had tough competition from Bruce Willis' rival supernatural thrilller The Sixth Sense.
So, why all the fuss? Well, Patricia Arquette plays a hairdresser who feels possessed and bleeds with the trademark crucifixion wounds knows as stigmata. Her case comes to the attention of the Vatican, which sends in super-priest Gabriel Byrne to sort her out. She claims it can't be anything to do with God because she's an agnostic, but Byrne soon realises differently. What happens is as much an examination of faith as a spooky tale of the supernatural. The trailer suggests there's an Exorcist-like feel to the film, and Stigmata's conclusions about the church have certainly upset religious leaders - that and the presentation of Arquette's character as some kind of messenger from God. Brit Rupert Wainwright honed his helming skills as a music video director. His most acclaimed word to date includes Michael Jackson's History and he cut his teeth directing indie films like The Sadness of Sex and slightly more mainstream fodder like Disney flick Blank Check. It took seven years to get Stigmata off the ground and he isn't surprised by the controversy. "I worked hard, with some very depressing setbacks". Part of the reason for its good early box office is the impressive Internet site, which details cases of real-life stigmata sufferers and how the Catholic Church has handled the cases, all of which is very intriguing. Although the film has been criticised for its flashy MTV stylings, that's also been part of its appeal for younger audiences who want more intelligent horror fare. Plus, of course, it's appealing to the same audience that took The Sixth Sense past the $ 200 million mark in the States. Rash substandard slasher-makers take not.
Website: http://www.mgm.com/stigmata/home.html
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14 November 1999
