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 movie......

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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

Ted Neeley met his wife on the set. She is one of the dancers in the Simon Zealot scene.

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Goofs

In the long shot of Judas Iscariot hanging himself, you can see the noose attached to a flesh-colored harness on Carl Anderson's back.

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Quotes

Apostles: What's the buzz? Tell me whats-a-happening? What's the buzz? Tell me what's-a-happening?
Jesus: Why should you want to know? Why are you obsessed with fighting times and fates you can't defy? If you knew the path we're riding you'd understand it less than I.

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Connections

Referenced in The Passion: Films, Faith & Fury (2006)

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Soundtracks

"The Last Supper"
Performed by Ted Neeley, Carl Anderson, and The Apostles

User Reviews

Change your perception....

I was brought up Catholic and was taught that Jesus was first and foremost..... "GOD". Little was ever mentioned about his human nature. He was a God so far above me that as a child, I only knew to fear him, the omnipotent One. This movie's greatest accomplishment is to show the "human" side of Christ. It creates an atmosphere that allows you, if you try, to suspend what you think you know to be true now, and imagine yourself living with Christ "the man" BEFORE he became known as God's "only begotten Son".

Jesus was a man. He had friends/followers, he had women companions, he got tired feet, got hungry and had to go to sleep at night, he was angered and he was doubtful, If you deny any of this you are denying the true human nature of Jesus. Understanding this is not sacrilegious.

The questions that are asked in the film such as "Jesus did you expect it to go this far?" "Jesus, do you believe you are who they say you are?" are questions that seem foolish to believers today, but for the people who knew him personally he WAS "just a man". He never claimed to be GOD. It was only after his death that the gospel writers deified him.

The garden of Gethsemane scene is one of the most powerful scenes ever put to film. It is here that we see the true "humanness" of Jesus. His words of doubt (an idea taken from the Gospel of John) clearly substantiate Christ's humanness and his doubts about what was to befall him. In the movie Jesus asks God to tell him "Why?" he must die. It is very moving when seen through the eyes of Jesus the man. For me that was a life changing moment and it brought me to greater understanding of the historical Jesus. I was able to conceive of, for the first time, Jesus the man. I also realized for the first time that Jesus DID know what it is like to be human. I felt closer to him at that moment than ever before. The lyrics also raise some interesting questions.like "Do we get too wrapped up in the man and not the message?" This would seem true about all the founders of the world's great religions. (They can't all be right) "Will there always be poor and suffering people?" "How DO we love such a man?"

I think all of the performances were outstanding. I think it has the most powerful musical lyrics ever written and a musical score that fits the drama to a tee. For those people who criticize the performances, remember this was never meant to be a movie in the "MOVIE" sense of the word. It was a rock opera stage production, put on film with expanded scenery (and what a perfect setting it was) in order to bring the historical perception of Jesus into even clearer view. Some people think that calling Jesus Christ a Superstar is sacrilegious. Well, I can't think of anyone who is more of a superstar in the role of a religious leader than Jesus. The people who think it is sacrilegious to put the bible to rock music, well, it was the music for the time. Any method that awakens an interest in Jesus Christ, as a historical person or as God, cannot be bad.

Jesus Christ Superstar reclaimed the love for Jesus from many teens that were my age at the time, and had fallen away from religion. I think the movie still carries that power if watched from the correct perspective. Anyone who thinks this movie is campy.....Just isn't getting it!