Two Other “Jesus” Movies Worth

Two Other “Jesus” Movies Worth Watching: Part Two

Jesus Christ Superstar was first released in 1969 as a recording. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice had done a Biblical musical about Joseph, but this was a daring contemporizing of the Gospel story, with little possibility of escaping the wrath of official Christendom. By 1971, it was in a controversial, and relatively short run in British theater. In America, JCS also stirred up enormous animosity and only a modest success. In 2000, the production was revived in London, and eventually, in America, where it currently enjoys excellent success in a fresh interpretation and touring production.

Why would I list JCS as a Jesus Movie worth watching? Everyone knows that JCS is inaccurate, distorted, purposely provocative and devoid of the majority of normal Christian interpretation of any part of the story of Jesus. I’ve been watching JCS for two decades, and especially after watching and seeing the new “Gale Edwards/London 2000” production, I am convinced that JCS is a great way for Christians who are numbed with their familiarity with Jesus to encounter some of the most important aspects of the Gospels.

I won’t try to describe what JCS gets wrong. It would take too long and too much space. Let’s note what it gets right.

Jesus was a political figure in a volatile time. Many of his followers and fans were politically minded and wanted Jesus to be king. JCS shows this in a way that is unmistakable. Jesus could never get away from this, no matter how spiritual his message.

The disciples were slow to understand and often confused by Jesus. His personal mission and everything they knew about the “kingdom” and the Messiah didn’t mix.

Jesus was a human being. He reacted with emotion. He wasn’t above us. He inspired affection and loyalty, but also great animosity and fear.

Much of what Jesus said made little sense to his followers at the time.

Jesus had all the problems of “superstardom.” Crowds, distorted publicity and women hanging around.

Jesus’ relations with women were scandalous, and looked, in his time, to be inappropriate. Talking with a woman in public. Allowing women access to you. Being supported by women. Allowing a woman to touch you. Being single so long. It would have all been shocking.

It’s entirely plausible that people like Mary Magdalene and Judas struggled with just how they felt about Jesus, and vacillated between intense faith and more human emotions like love and jealousy.

It’s highly possible that Judas’ betrayal was because of a sense that “this has to be done” or even personal jealousy.

Pilate is strangely compassionate to Jesus.

Jesus isn’t all about miracles.

Jesus did struggle mightily with his decision in the garden of Gethsemane. And it was his Father who wanted him on the cross.

The crowd was the deciding factor in Pilate’s choice. They were vicious.

The end was crushing. Final. A moment of complete defeat and despair.

I’ve found these aspects of the story to be effectively communicated in JCS. In many cases, the new setting kicks things up “another notch” to a level we can be affected by the story in a way similar to the first century.

For example, In Jesus’ time, his behavior with women was shocking. But the same actions today, aren’t shocking. In order to get the same impact, JCS takes us into areas of Jesus interactions with women that are edgy, but the point is made. Jesus was perceived as being way outside the norm.

Let me say a word about the film you should watch. It is the London 2000 production starring Glenn Carter and Jerome Pradon. This is another world from the terrible 1973 movie with Ted Neeley and the late Carl Anderson. (RIP) Director Gale Edwards has turned JCS into a play with incredible depth in the personal interplay between Jesus, Judas and Mary. Plus, it’s just fun to watch, with a lot of hat tips to Star Wars and other mythic cinema. The gritty, urban, new-fascist atmosphere and the guerilla fighter image of the disciples are great. This version connects.

Jerome Pradon, a fine British actor I’ve seen in Shakespearean work like Ian Holm’s King Lear, knocks the ball out of two parks as the best friend of Jesus, now a disillusioned, fearful and jealous betrayer. Glenn Carter is a bit bland as Jesus, but sings like an angel. His Gethsemane is powerful. Renee Castle as Mary is outstanding. Fred Johanssen as Pilate is powerful and intense. The music is great and the cast makes everything work.

As I said, the real star is the direction. What Edwards has the actors do when they aren’t singing makes the play. Trust me. It’s brilliant.

There are some weak points in this production. Ryk Mayall as Herod is terrible. The cleansing of the temple comes off as an attack on Las Vegas, which is bad because Jesus was the friend of sinners and the overturner of the tables of the religious crowd. (How did they miss this?) Rice and Webber’s errors remain, like Jesus telling the lepers to heal themselves and the disciples all being zealots. The Lord’s Supper is a mess, though the music is great. Overall, Jesus is just too much like the cool guy at your school. You never believe this guy could inspire anyone to do anything.

JCS is a significant play in that it launched- in popular culture- the radical revisions of Jesus that today have inspired more and more transformations in the artistic view of Jesus, and even has had some effect on the church. It is flawed, but brilliant. At times, it gives a powerful window into some of the dynamics and relationships that surrounded Jesus. Don’t look for the real Jesus in this play, but you already knew that.