Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)

Film version of the musical stage play, presenting the last few weeks of Christ's life, told in an anachronistic manner.

Director:

Norman Jewison

Writers:

Melvyn Bragg (screenplay), Norman Jewison (screenplay),

Stars:

Ted Neeley, Carl Anderson, Yvonne Elliman

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ted Neeley	...	Jesus Christ
Carl Anderson	...	Judas Iscariot
Yvonne Elliman	...	Mary Magdalene
Barry Dennen	...	Pontius Pilate
Bob Bingham	...	Caiaphas
Larry Marshall	...	Simon Zealotes (as Larry T. Marshall)
Josh Mostel	...	King Herod (as Joshua Mostel)
Kurt Yaghjian	...	Annas
Paul Thomas	...	Peter (as Philip Toubus)
Pi Douglass	...	Apostle
Robert LuPone	...	Apostle James
Jonathan Wynne	...	Apostle
Thommie Walsh	...	Apostle Thaddeus
Richard Molinare	...	Apostle Andrew
David Devir	...	Apostle

Storyline

Based on a concept album project written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, and the subsequent long-running Broadway performance, this film tells the story of the final 6 days in the life of Jesus Christ through the troubled eyes of Judas Iscariot. Too often mis-labeled a musical, this film is a "rock opera." There are no spoken lines, everything is sung.

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Plot Keywords:

rock opera | based on album | christianity | betrayal | whipping | 

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Taglines:

and now the film...

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Genres:

Drama | History | Musical

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 August 1973 (USA)

Also Known As:

Jesucristo Superstar

Filming Locations:

Beit Guvrin, Israel

Box Office

Gross:

$13,200,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (Westrex Recording System) (70 mm prints) Mono (35 mm optical prints) 4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The "39 Lashes" scene in Jesus Christ Superstar was so realistic that Ted Neeley's mother walked out on it. Mrs. Neeley had never laid a hand on young Ted in an anything but affectionate manner, and could not bear the sight of her son being whipped and tortured by anyone else, even though she knew it was just acting.

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Goofs

After Jesus finds his apostles asleep, the camera cranes up next to the leaves of a tree. At one point (about 1:00:48 on the DVD) one of the tree twigs swings back and forth rather unnaturally, indicating that the camera has brushed against it in the process of going by.

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Quotes

Pontius Pilate: Then you are a king.
Jesus: It's you that say I am. I look for truth, and find that I get damned.
Pontius Pilate: And what is 'truth'? Is truth unchanging law? We both have truths. Are mine the same as yours?

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Connections

Referenced in Manuel y Clemente (1986)

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Soundtracks

"Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say)"
Performed by Ted Neeley

User Reviews

what a group of voices!

The Lloyd-Webber and Rice musical comes to the screen, and is nothing like the stage show at all. The deserts are real, although the back story is that this is a theatre company, putting on a production in real locations.

The cast are largely session singers and unknowns - Ted Neeley, delicate and high-voiced as Jesus (particularly superb in `Gethsemane'); Carl Anderson, black and doe-eyed as Judas with hot soul vocals, Barry Dennen as Pilate, and Yvonne Elliman as Magdelene with her big number `I Don't Know How To Love Him'.

One loss for those who know the stage version is being removed from the crucifixion preamble, when the ghost of Judas sings `Superstar' - this was all video camera projection in the theatre, while in the movie we are detached observers. But at other times we get uncomfortably close. And the songs survive the transportation to a more realistic setting (except the added `Could We Start Again, Please?' which sounds rather too much like the Coca-Cola theme for comfort).

Best scenes? The one in the temple; Hosanna; and the Pharisees tapping on their scaffolding perches like crows.