I love this movie, and I'd recommend it to anyone who is looking for an idiosyncratic, reverent, art film treatment of the life of Christ.
Is it fast moving? No, it is not. If you want "Robocop," this isn't your movie.
The slowness of this movie provides thoughtful people ample time to think about the history-shaping words being said, to soak up the beauty of the film itself.
Does Stevens attempt to recreate the sense one gets from looking at beautiful religious paintings? Yes. If you are one of those people who freeze frames beautiful shots, this is your movie.
Do big name stars appear in small roles? Yes. If that bothers you, you will have to *get over* your adolescent annoyance really to see what's happening.
The big name stars make a meta statement. Stevens was moved to make this film by his experience of being among the first to document what happened at Dachau.
Big name stars, like John Wayne, wanted to appear in even the tiniest of roles, because they sensed that Stevens was doing something special. If you can appreciate the big name cameos for what they are -- a community coming together to tell a story that matters to them -- they will enhance the movie for you, rather than lessen it.
Max von Sydow gives the best performance of Jesus ever committed to film. If he never did anything else, he could die proud because of the truth he embodied in this part.
Just the look on von Sydow's face in his first scene -- when he is being baptized by John -- a look that is caring, human, loving, confused, pained, as he begins to realize what his life holds in store for him -- is in itself marvelous, jewel-like in its purity, and unlike anything else I've ever seen an actor be able to do.
David McCallum is a complex, agonized Judas. He makes you feel for him. His death, as a sacrifice, is brilliant.
Charlton Heston captured the "take no prisoners" approach of the Biblical John the Baptist.
Donald Pleasance is the best Satan ever put on film. He's just an average, sort of nice guy who wants you to eat some food when you are hungry ... that's all. Harmless, really.
There are many scenes I would never want to have missed: the "lilies of the field" scene, John baptizing Jesus, Satan tempting Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus calling Matthew.
There are many effects that work perfectly for me: the handling of sound when Jesus is carrying his cross on the via dolorosa, for example.
So, no, *don't* see this movie if you require the speed of an MTV video in your movies.
Do see this movie if you want to see how one man, moved by Dachau, put years of his life into the service of a story he thought worth telling in a risky, idiosyncratic way.
Is it fast moving? No, it is not. If you want "Robocop," this isn't your movie.
The slowness of this movie provides thoughtful people ample time to think about the history-shaping words being said, to soak up the beauty of the film itself.
Does Stevens attempt to recreate the sense one gets from looking at beautiful religious paintings? Yes. If you are one of those people who freeze frames beautiful shots, this is your movie.
Do big name stars appear in small roles? Yes. If that bothers you, you will have to *get over* your adolescent annoyance really to see what's happening.
The big name stars make a meta statement. Stevens was moved to make this film by his experience of being among the first to document what happened at Dachau.
Big name stars, like John Wayne, wanted to appear in even the tiniest of roles, because they sensed that Stevens was doing something special. If you can appreciate the big name cameos for what they are -- a community coming together to tell a story that matters to them -- they will enhance the movie for you, rather than lessen it.
Max von Sydow gives the best performance of Jesus ever committed to film. If he never did anything else, he could die proud because of the truth he embodied in this part.
Just the look on von Sydow's face in his first scene -- when he is being baptized by John -- a look that is caring, human, loving, confused, pained, as he begins to realize what his life holds in store for him -- is in itself marvelous, jewel-like in its purity, and unlike anything else I've ever seen an actor be able to do.
David McCallum is a complex, agonized Judas. He makes you feel for him. His death, as a sacrifice, is brilliant.
Charlton Heston captured the "take no prisoners" approach of the Biblical John the Baptist.
Donald Pleasance is the best Satan ever put on film. He's just an average, sort of nice guy who wants you to eat some food when you are hungry ... that's all. Harmless, really.
There are many scenes I would never want to have missed: the "lilies of the field" scene, John baptizing Jesus, Satan tempting Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus calling Matthew.
There are many effects that work perfectly for me: the handling of sound when Jesus is carrying his cross on the via dolorosa, for example.
So, no, *don't* see this movie if you require the speed of an MTV video in your movies.
Do see this movie if you want to see how one man, moved by Dachau, put years of his life into the service of a story he thought worth telling in a risky, idiosyncratic way.