Jesus Christ Superstar [Blu-ray]

Overview

The second Biblical epic to be turned into a musical by composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice, this box-office disappointment recounts the last week in the life of Jesus Christ in rock-opera format and from the surprising point of view of Christ's betrayer, Judas Iscariot. Carl Anderson stars as Judas, who has begun to believe that Jesus (Ted Neeley) has sold out and started buying into the mythology that's quickly springing up around him. Particularly disturbing to Judas is the relationship between Jesus and his friend Mary Magdalene (Yvonne Elliman), a prostitute. When Jesus throws a temper tantrum at the moneylenders in a temple, Judas determines to work with the Pharisees who want to put Jesus on trial as a false prophet. Following his success with the adaptation of Fiddler on the Roof (1971), director Norman Jewison experimented with a hippie-influenced sensibility on Jesus Christ Superstar (1973). Among such touches are depictions of the cast arriving via bus to mount the show, modern high-tech weaponry in the hands of the ancient Romans, and on-location filming in Israel.

Product Details

Release Date:	05/07/2013
UPC:	0025192176753
Original Release:	1973
Rating:	G
Source:	STUDIO DISTRIBUTION SERVS LLC
Language:	English
Time:	1:47:00
Sales rank:	5,193

Special Features

Feature Commentary with Director Norman Jewison and Actor Ted Neeley; Interview with Master Lyricist Tim Rice; Photo Gallery

Editorial Reviews

Norman Jewison's Jesus Christ Superstar may not be the most tuneful rendering of Andrew Lloyd Webber's beautiful score and Tim Rice's deconstructive lyrics, but that's precisely what makes it the definitive realization of Webber and Rice's work. The 1973 film oozes human emotion, better encapsulated by cracking voices than golden throats. This crucial thematic approach starts with Ted Neeley as Christ, an imperfect, temperamental saint whose frail voice plants him firmly in the world of mortals. Not only does Neeley look the part, he lives it. But Carl Anderson's Judas carries the film. Wiry, acrobatic, and torn apart by anguish and confusion, Anderson is part sneaky fox, part peaceful dove, as complex as the part was written. While many directors have chosen unconventional settings to stage Superstar, Jewison was smart to film on location in Israel, as the stark, arid climate both drives home the themes and gives the Biblical story a sense of place. Jewison understood that the lyrics themselves -- "If you came today you could have reached a whole nation/Israel in 4 B.C. had no mass communication" -- provided as much anachronism as the film needed. The standout scene is the intense, lively ode from Simon Zealotes (Larry Marshall), which includes an inimitably choreographed number that likens the hippie movement to the followers of Christ. Bob Bingham's guttural Caiaphas also makes a lasting impression. Far superior to Godspell, the similarly themed hippie
eligious outing released the same year, Jesus Christ Superstar remains repeatedly watchable for its rousing, unabashed earnestness that narrowly steers clear of excess. It's also a glorious snapshot of an era and the imagination inspired by it.

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