'Rabbi' ready for a closeup

St. Paul calls Prelude, Mime

By PAMELA MCCLINTOCK

Alan and Peter Riche, Prelude Pictures and Mandalay Integrated Media Entertainment will produce an untitled feature on St. Paul, acquiring the rights to theologian Bruce Chilton's bio "Rabbi Paul."

Project is the second to result from Mime-Prelude's recently inked partnership to bring inspirational films to the marketplace. The first is family comedy "Our Father," based on a story created by the late John Candy about a priest transferred from Beverly Hills to Detroit.

Film version of Chilton's bio will portray the life and times of Paul and how he transformed himself from a ruthless persecutor of early Christians into the founder of Christianity. Chilton drew upon Paul's own writings, as well as historical and scholarly documents.

Along with Peter and Alan Riche, producers are Prelude's Mark Koch ("Lost in Space") and Daniel de Liege, and Mime's David Salzberg and Christian Tureaud. Alan Riche's producing credits include "Starsky & Hutch" and "Family Man."

Producers said the project is the next natural step beyond Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ." Prelude helped in the promotion and marketing of that pic.

Mime is part of Peter Guber's Mandalay Entertainment Group.

Chilton, a priest, is Bell professor of religion at Bard College. He is the author of numerous scholarly articles and books, including "Jewish-Christian Debates" and "A Galilean Rabbi."