Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Norman Jewison

Writers:

Melvyn Bragg (screenplay) &
Norman Jewison (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

15 August 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | Musical

Tagline:

and now the film...

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Anachronistic | Rock Opera | Jesus Christ | Religion | Surrealism

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

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
Richard Orbach	...	John
Robert LuPone	...	James
Jonathan Wynne	...	Apostle
Thommie Walsh	...	Thaddeus
Richard Molinare	...	Andrew

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

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

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:G | Spain:13 | Netherlands:6 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-12 | Netherlands:AL | Norway:12 | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:G | Singapore:PG | Canada:G

Filming Locations:

Beit Guvrin, Israel

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

"King Herod's Song" is actually a number from "King Richard", a failed Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. Tim Rice had to write new lyrics for this number so that it could be added to "Jesus Christ Superstar"; originally, the number was called "Those Saladin Days".

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: During the opening of the final song "Jesus Christ Superstar", after Judas steps off the chain the lipsync is out of time with the song. It's corrected after the first cutaway.

Quotes:

Jesus: My temple should be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of theives! Get out! Get out!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Taxi zum Klo (1981)

Soundtrack:

Pilate's Dream

Wonderful

I first new about this film some months ago, when some teachers and nuns from my school (Virginia and Esmeralda) asked me to take part in the theatre play that they were going to do: "Jesus Christ Superstar". I accepted and borrowed the film from the library of my town. I was really quite surprised when, in the first scene of the film, I saw an old bus running through the desert, and carrying a big cross on the top. My amazement continued when the cast started to get off the bus, and got dressed, while my father was telling me who was Judas, Caiphas, Pilate... I loved the music, the lyrics and the dancing at once. But the most amazing are some of the clothes and the characters. Some of my favourites are "King Herod's Song" (astonishing), "Pilate's dream" (beautiful music) and "Don't Know How To Love Him". I strongly recommend this masterpiece by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Weber. You'll not be disappointed.