FORMAT: DVD
Superb and largely-orthodox adaptation of a classic tale with a focus on Judas Iscariot. He is presented as both an intellectual and as a religious fundamentalist who requires Jesus to be consistently-unsubtle while never really challenging Roman rule over Palestine. This makes Iscariot the most interesting apostle of all because he is the most dedicated and committed to what Jesus stands for while simultaneously believing Jesus will betray the cause out of jealousy for the charisma that Iscariot lacks and open fear of Nazarene demagoguery.
In this version, it is hard to condemn Iscariot out-of-hand because of his belief that he is doing right. Not simply motivated by material concerns, but by a reasonable fear that The Christ could become a demagogue. Moreover, with all the swooning women here bowled over by this Christ’s masculinity, it is easy to see the relationship between Jesus Christ and Judas Iscariot as an unrequited homosexual love affair.
The casting is excellent - especially Yvonne ELLIMAN (Mary Magdalene) & Carl ANDERSON (Judas Iscariot) - and the Summer Holiday-like conceit of youth putting on a Passion Play in Israel works very well indeed: Shooting in the desert, in bare locales, visually strips the drama down to its essentials. And doing it as more of an opera (continual singing) as opposed to a musical (alternating singing & spoken dialogue) shortens the film’s length; making it a model of musical concision and clearly-expressed themes. Nevertheless, Jesus is presented as more of a rock star than a religious figure; explaining the weakness of the characterization.
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