59 replies to this topic

[Peter T Chattaway]

MattPage, I have seen clips of The Living Bible in other films, too, like The God Who Wasn't There -- the director told me it was possible to find this footage at archive.org, though I haven't found it yet, but I did find it for sale as a five-disc DVD set at Amazon.

Michael Todd wrote:
: Also, what about Phil Hartman? He played a wonderful Jesus in an SNL skit, where he
: attempts to get this fervent housewife to stop praying to him for every menial thing.

The fervent housewife was played by Sally Field, IIRC, right?

Don't forget the one where Jerry Seinfeld played Elijah, crashing a Jewish family's Passover seder -- at the end, one member of the family says, "You can't be Elijah! Because when Elijah comes, it means the Messiah is near!" Then the doorbell rings, Elijah goes to answer it, and there's Phil Hartman as Jesus -- and the two hug and slap each other's backs ("Hey, how ya doin'!").

I don't know which religion ought to be more offended by that one.

[Overstreet]

I'm rather fond of the Jesus in Bad Lieutenant, but he hasn't been included in this poll.

[MattPage]

Peter - thanks for the heads up. It will have to wait until Christmas.

Jeffrey - Ah I've not seen it - would I be right in thinking that it's more of a cameo though?

And is it a must see for me

(BTW Love the new avatar)

Matt

[MattPage]

FWIW I note that this thread has now been blogged both by Mark Goodacre's NT Gateway blog and Codex: Blogspot, with a few interesting comments on both. (Including my misspelling of Caviezel )

Welcome to anyone who has found this forum from either of those places.

Matt

[Denny Wayman]

I wonder if this is kind of like - What music do you like best - and it is usually the music we heard when we hit puberty!

I loved Jesus Christ Superstar and was impacted by it as a student

Denny

[Michael Todd]

Don't forget the one where Jerry Seinfeld played Elijah, crashing a Jewish family's Passover seder -- at the end, one member of the family says, "You can't be Elijah!  Because when Elijah comes, it means the Messiah is near!"  Then the doorbell rings, Elijah goes to answer it, and there's Phil Hartman as Jesus -- and the two hug and slap each other's backs ("Hey, how ya doin'!").

Peter, I have not seen that skit, but it sounds hilarious.

[Overstreet]

Yes, Jesus has a cameo in Bad Lieutenant... but it is a CRUCIAL cameo, and I remember him as vividly as anything in the film.

No, it's not a must-see. It's only for folks willing to brave portrayals of truly reprehensible behavior.

But it is, in my opinion, Harvey Keitel's finest performance.

[MattPage]

Thanks for the heads up

Matt

[Sara]

I can't vote for any of them. I actually don't like seeing anyone on film portraying Jesus or for that matter, I don't even like films about Jesus.

Sorry. I'd rather just think of Jesus in my own head and heart. - and wonder what really happened.

Sara

[Denny Wayman]

It is interesting that in BEN HUR we never actually see the face of Jesus. It has both effects - leaves Him to our imagination and/or makes Him seem not quite incarnated.

Denny

[MattPage]

Sara,

If you know enough about Jesus film to know you don't like them then that implies you have watched at least one, in which case surely that portrayal a/effects how you see him in your head & your heart?

Matt

[Sara]

Sara,

If you know enough about Jesus film to know you don't like them then that implies you have watched at least one, in which case surely that portrayal a/effects how you see him in your head & your heart?

Matt

Matt, I don't like "picturing" Jesus in my head.

I've seen Mel Gibson's Passion, and Pasolini's Gospel ATSM - and other films through the years.

I have also since childhood seen pictures of Jesus in books, usually praying and looking rather saintly and too "good" to be a full embodiment of humanity - and too Anglo Saxon to be divine.

Some of the stained glass windows do a good job, for me. (Jesus knocking on the hearts door, for one.)

But in a way, I prefer the medieval stained glass windows that depict Jesus - he seems more mystical and mythological.

Sara

[Sara]

Sara,

If you know enough about Jesus film to know you don't like them then that implies you have watched at least one, in which case surely that portrayal a/effects how you see him in your head & your heart?

Matt

Matt, I don't like "picturing" Jesus in my head.

I've seen Mel Gibson's Passion, and Pasolini's Gospel ATSM - and other films through the years.

I have also since childhood seen pictures of Jesus in books, usually praying and looking rather saintly and too "good" to be a full embodiment of humanity - and too Anglo Saxon to be divine.

Some of the stained glass windows do a good job, for me. (Jesus knocking on the hearts door, for one.)

But in a way, I prefer the medieval stained glass windows that depict Jesus - he seems more mystical and mythological.

Sara

I have found one picture of Jesus I can relate to. It is the "Head of Christ" by Rembrandt. It is on the cover of a book I love, Bishop (John Shelby) Spong's "This Hebrew Lord."

Sara

[MattPage]

I don't know if anybody's ever posted this link on the board or not, but for the sake of completeness, I think these "Jesus videos" from vintage21.com need to be included in this discussion. (Scroll down to bottom of page. There's four.)

MLeary pointed out to me the updated link for the above

http://www.vintage21...susvideos.html

Matt

[J.A.A. Purves]

MattPage, on 12 July 2004 - 03:30 AM, said:

I think this is part if the reason that I've struggled to vote on a poll that I started. I think when you first watch a Jesus film then there is a danger that that face becomes Jesus for you.

tctruffin, on 15 August 2005 - 08:09 AM, said:

A good friend of mine likes to refer to Christian Bale as the "sexiest--Jesus--ever."

This entire discussion reminds me of this -

[MattPage]

Yeh it is. I thought I might re-watch just the parts with Bale in it recently and could only cope with about 15-20 minutes before I turned it off. Comments here.

Matt

[yank_eh]

Huffington Post just posted a Top Big Screen Jesus Bracket Challenge.

[Darrel Manson]

yank_eh, on 06 February 2012 - 09:46 PM, said:

Huffington Post just posted a Top Big Screen Jesus Bracket Challenge.

Looks like JC Superstar vs. Life of Brian in the finals.

[Peter T Chattaway]

Darrel Manson wrote:
: Looks like JC Superstar vs. Life of Brian in the finals.

Urk. If this is a "Jesus film" contest, then my vote easily goes to Life of Brian. But if this is a "Jesus *in* film" contest, then, um, well, he's barely there at all in Life of Brian, whereas I've never cared much for the characterization of him in Jesus Christ Superstar...