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Additional Films Related to Christ
Jesus Christ has, of course, been featured in many more films that the ones that I am reviewing in depth, and this is an article to touch upon some of these lesser known films that have been made about him. In addition, metaphorical Christs have been favorite topics for filmmakers over the years, with various characters becoming archetypal messiahs of sorts; ergo, also included on this list are some films that use such Christ-like characters without straightforwardly referencing Christ. I’ve also thrown in some controversial films that offer fresh viewpoints on Christ and his impact in history, even though they may not feature him directly. La Vie et la passion de Jésus-Christ (1898) The earliest film preserved about the life of Christ, directed by the Brothers Lumière. According to Martin Scheuch in Wuppertal, Germany, this film has "a length of 14 minutes, and it consists in 13 scenes from the life of Jesus, most of them related to the Passion." Much thanks of Martin for this infomartion. The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ (1905) The film was also a series of key scenes from Jesus’ life rather than a straight-forward narrative. It is currently available on DVD, being sold with From the Manger to the Cross. Intolerance (1916) D.W. Griffith's lavish history of the world was the first epic ever made, and arguably the greatest. The films contains plenty of lavish recreations of historical events, including a brief appearance of Christ on trial. King of Kings (1927) Cecil B. DeMille’s big-budgeted, epic interpretation of the Christ story, featuring zebra races and plenty of eye candy. It’s told from the point of view of Mary Magdalene, as she meets Christ and becomes one of his followers. Ordet (1955) Carl Theodor Dreyer's moving
retelling of Romeo and Juliet is often cited as one of
the most powerful films about faith ever made. It is a tale of
four brothers, one of whom is an agnostic, and one of whom believes
that he is Jesus Christ after spending a bit too much time reading
philosophy. At one point the would-be messiah laments, "They
believe in the miracles I wrought 2,000 years ago, but they have
no faith in me now," and despite his madness, we believe
his sincerity. Despite what the title indicates,
Chirst is barely in this film. The quintessential sword and sandals
epic currently holds the record for the most-Academy Award wins
(along with Titanic and Lord of the Rings: The Return
of the King) at eleven Oscars. It follows the life of Ben-Hur,
from nobleman to slave to chariot racer. Along the way he encounters
Christ and becomes a follower. Christ himself is never seen except
for the back of his head, but the actor playing him certainly
wears a great-looking wig. Pretty silly remake of the 1927 film, but it features very sincere performances, particularly Jeffrey Hunter as Christ. Trivia note: Hunter had to shave his chest and armpits for the crucifixion scene, because test screeners were horrified at the amount of body-hair that this Jesus had! Those were different times, I suppose. Acto de Primavera (1963) Portuguese-made documentary detailing an annual Passion play put on by the small village of Curalha, a tradition that they have kept since the 16th century. Andrei Rublyov (1969) The great Soviet director Andrei Tarkovsky's biopic on the life of 15th century Russian icon painter Adreri Rublyov uses metaphor and imagery that strongly allude to Christ. Gospel Road (1973) Another musical version of the Christ story, this time narrated and sung by Johnny Cash and filmed on location in Israel. Director Robert Elfstrom also played Jesus, giving us yet another blonde-haired, blue-eyed Messiah. The Passover Plot (1976) A very controversial movie, based on a now forgotten, best-selling book. This film speculates that Jesus faked his death on the cross with the use of a drug. Naturally, this film stirred such an outrage that it has never been released since its initial theater run. Superman (1978) Superman gets updated for a new generation, and he is given a troubled, messianic edge as he struggles to understand his identity as the new savior of mankind. There are interesting parallels between the Man of Steel and Christ here. E.T. (1982) Okay, this might be a stretch, but consider this: A stranger comes from the stars. He can heal the sick. He gets captured by his enemies, he dies, he is resurrected, and at the end, he ascends back into the heavens. Curious, no? Hail, Mary! (1985) A contemporary update of the Virgin birth, with Mary as a high school basketball player and Joseph as a taxi driver. Opened up to controversy from the Catholic church, but it is more or less been forgotten today. A Child Called Jesus (1987) What would it be like to be the Son of God while he growing up? This Italian miniseries speculates on the childhood of Christ, a topic that the Gospels only touch upon briefly. By my research, I believe that this is the only film to deal with this subject matter. Never released in the United States, though it is very beloved in its home country. The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe (1988) B.B.C.'s lush, extravagent television adaptation of the first book C.S. Lewis' classic fanatsy series The Chronicles of Narnia. Lewis wrote the lion Aslan story as a metaphor for Christ, and the entire series was a retelling of the New Testament set in an enchanted world where animals talked. All of this transfers onto the screen, with a terrific cast and special effects to boot. Jesus of Montreal (1989) An engaging story about actors in a Passion play who embrace their characters to the extreme. A thoughtful rendering of the conflicts Christ might have experienced if he had come in modern day society instead of first-century Israel. Braveheart (1995) Mel Gibson’s other big-budgeted biopic, about the savior of Scotland whose martyrdom bears an uncanny resemblance to the death of Christ (including the refusal to drink pain-numbing solution, being silent at his interrogation and torture, and finally dying a painful death on a cross-shaped table). South Park (1997) Those dirty-mouthed little kids often watch the talk show “Jesus and Me,” featuring Christ as a Geraldo-like host. Interesting social commentary, but for me, it got old pretty quick. The Truman Show (1998) Again, this might seem like a stretch, but just let me describe the film: A man 100% man and 100% television (duo nature), brings joy and happiness to all who watch him. Nearly drowns at sea, but is resurrected. Walks on water. In the end, he ascends out of his makeshift world into the real one. Very interesting indeed. The Matrix (1999) Action-packed update on Christ, with Neo as a futuristic messiah sent to liberate humans from the enslavement of artificial intelligence. Dies and is resurrected, after which he is perfected as the true, unstoppable savior. The Green Mile (1999) Could it be a coincidence that the miracle-man’s initials in this film are J.C.? And that he dies at the hands of angry people who don’t understand his true nature? Dogma (1999) Bizarre, hilarious movie from
Kevin Smith about the last descendant of Jesus Christ (a far,
far removed niece) joining a group of quirky angels to keep some
rebel cherubs from wiping out the universe. Plenty of toilet-humor,
but it ultimately has a very profound message about faith. CBS miniseries, with Jeremy Sisto as an impressive Jesus. Otherwise, it's pretty underwhelming, except for the temptation sequences between Satan and Christ. The Miracle Maker (2000) Claymation version of Christ’s life, with a wonderful assortment of B.B.C. actors performing the voices. Ralph Fiennes heads the cast as Jesus. Beowulf (2000) Another one of those weird, post-apocalyptic updates of a Norse legend (oh wait. This is the only one). Instead of being just a noble hero as in the epic poem, the Beowulf here is the Only Begotten Son of a demon, cursed to wander the earth and fight evil because, as he claims, "It is the only thing that keeps me from becoming evil." Thus, he is depicted as sort of an anti-Jesus figure, capable of forseeing the future, healing his own wounds, and slaying demons. Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter (2001) Um. Next. The Body (2001) Could Jesus’ body really be buried away in secret, with theVatican covering up the evidence? This movie speculates on that notion. Joshua (2002) What if Jesus came back today—not for the apocalypse, but to simply visit a small town and remind them that he hasn’t forgotten about the world? Syrupy and over-sentimental, but great cast and an interesting premise. Soupernatural (2005?) Similar in premise to Joshua,
this film deals with the possibility of a messiah visiting corporate
America. Only this time, he smells funny, works at a homeless
shelter, and smokes cigarettes on the steps of the church. This
is currently in production, and will be the film debut of up-and-coming
musician/poet Kevin Max. From the trailer, it looks like it will
be a whole lot of fun.
Questions? Comments? E-mail me: danel_the_tinman@hotmail.com |
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