Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)

I actually managed to see this movie as an actual play and while the play version is better, this is still very nice. I admit that it can be really weird at times. They try to make it into this movie about hippies with an actual 70's era van appearing and people with modern clothing popping out. The van eventually leaves at the end. Okay, that was quite strange, but I don't think it was blasphemous in any way. The songs are of course what makes this so good. The most memorable one for me is "The great Jesus Christ". I specifically remember that from the play! The pacing is another strong point. I thought it would go into more detail about Jesus being crucified. I guess I'm pretty glad it didn't. As someone who's seen a lot of Jesus movies, this seems to be as authentic to the Bible as any other. It is weird to think of a musical based on well, an extremely painful death, but it's still delivered well. I didn't know Andrew Lloyd Webber made the play, but I certainly recognize his name. You don't know what zany song will pop up next. I guess this is the least controversial Jesus movie ever made. With so many films of that kind with him on it, it's nice to have one more heartfelt, I suppose. ***

I've always loved Jesus Christ Superstar, and along with Phantom of the Opera and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat it ranks among the top 3 of Andrew Lloyd Webber's best musicals(well more like a rock-opera strictly speaking). My love for Jesus Christ Superstar was the main attraction into seeing this film, as well as the fact that it was directed by Norman Jewison, director of the brilliant Fiddler on the Roof. As a film, it's not quite as good but I did find myself enjoying the film enormously. I can understand why some mayn't like it so much, the costumes are not very appealing to look at all and the anachronistic touches like the students arriving to put on a show, Judas ducking jet fighters and the Army Tanks made it harder to properly decipher the period. However, it is also very easy to see why people love it. The desert setting is gorgeous and the camera work and editing were great, loved the colour in Herod's setting contrasting to the more purposefully drab moments of the latter part of the film. Lloyd Webber's score is brilliant and Tim Rice's lyrics are very witty, performed with gusto by the orchestra/band. The choreography is very spirited and dynamic, particularly in Superstar, and while the story has some fun moments like Herod's song- some might take offense but I think it's hilarious- and Superstar, and stirring moments like the Hosanna chorus, with I Don't Know How to Love Him, Gethesmane(especially powerful here) and Jesus' death scene it is also deeply moving. The closing shot concluded things beautifully. Jewison allows the performers to have fun and allows time to breathe for the more poignant moments to have their impact. The performances are terrific, a big shout-out to Carl Anderson as Judas, he has an amazing soulful voice that will lift your spirits every time you hear it, and he captures Judas' sorrow and anger with equal conviction. Ted Neeley's high notes have soaring freedom, and he brings a nobility and command to Jesus, while Yvonne Elliman's Mary is very moving. The Pontius Pilate of Barry Dennen is authoritative and troubled, Bob Bingham has a wonderfully booming bass voice that has a really chilling effect and Kurt Yaghjian is equally as menacing and sounds very comfortable in the falsetto range. Larry Marshall's Simon Zealotes is excellent, Joshua Mostel's Herod is hugely entertaining in the funniest moment of the film and the Peter of Paul Thomas shows loyalty, defiance and pathos with aplomb. On the whole, a very enjoyable film that may not rock as much as it could have done but not fully deserving of the flak it's gotten. 8/10 Bethany Cox

When I first heard about this film, I was honestly scratching my head. A musical about Jesus? Rather an odd concept but I was willing to give it a try. As a Christian myself, I didn't know how to feel about the movie. It feels like they are showing Jesus just as a normal guy that for some reason has to die and also Judas was portrayed as being way too sympathetic and I saw that as unrealistic entirely. I did like the music and some of the numbers though and that it was willing to at least try new things. Over all, I didn't like it and I didn't hate it. I realize some Christians got really up in arms about this film but I didn't feel offended but I did feel like they got it wrong.

I held off watching Jesus Christ Superstar for the longest time. I could not understand how Jesus and the apostles could be portrayed as hippies, which I thought was disrespectful and irreverent. I tried many times to start watching the film but found it difficult to get through those radical opening sequences featuring more of Judas than Christ. However, when I finally did get through that first song number, I found myself quite engrossed in the way the story of Christ's Passion was told and enacted in rock songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Yes, the sets and props were strangely anachronistic (like t-shirts, postcard racks and machine guns), but I guess that symbolizes the timelessness of the story.The song "Gethsemane" was so vital, it is just breathtaking to hear. The lyrics capture the conflict within Jesus at that contemplative moment in the Garden perfectly. This song is Ted Neeley's high point in the whole film as Jesus Christ. Another song that moves me is "Could We Start Again Please." With a melody so simple and lyrics so bare, the emotional punch of this song is astounding. It moved me to tears, honestly, when I hear Yvonne Elliman (Mary Magdalene) and Philip Toubus (Simon Peter) sing those earnest words which echo our own sentiments with our own faults:"I've been living to see you Dying to see you, but it shouldn't be like this This was unexpected, what do I do now? Could we start again please?I think you've made your point now You've even gone a bit too far to get the message home Before it gets too frightening, we ought to call a halt So could we start again please?"The Judas character plays a co-equal role in this interpretation and Carl Anderson so passionately portrays him. We see and hear a lot from him that was why this play was controversial back in the day. The words he sings vivify the conflicts within this disturbed man. Magdalene's love song "I Don't Know How to Love Him" takes on a different meaning when Judas sang it before his climactic suicide song. Talking about hanging, that scene was so chillingly and realistically shot.Special mentions would be the odd but welcome comedy respite provided by Josh Mostel as King Herod, and the unusual contrast of the deep voice of Bob Bingham vis a vis the falsetto voice of Kurt Yagjihan, as the high priests Caiaphas and Annas. The 39 Lashes scene with Barry Dennen as Pontius Pilate was also very memorable.