Jesus Christ Superstar

[EditHint: Move to TheAdjunct, and then DeleteMe]

[Listed on MoviesWorthBuying by JeffGrigg]

A "rock opera" (musical) by AndrewLloydWebber on the last week of Christ's life -- as seen by the "star" of the movie -- Judas.

Filmed entirely on location in Israel; but it's abstract -- mixing modern tools with ancient ruins. There is no spoken dialog; every last word is done in song.

For every culture with a repressive dominant military caste, the populace raises up with teachers and hippies to balance them and start new themes. JCS compared Jesus's disciples in the Levant, rebelling against Roman domination, to hippies in the 1960s rebelling against an un-just war.

And it seems to have worked. 30 years later we don't seem to have those problems any more. --PhlIp

don't we?

Abstract on Musical Heaven -- http://www.musicalheaven.com/j/jesus_christ_superstar.shtml also http://us.imdb.com/Title?0070239

Photo & Guitar Chord Archive -- http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Stage/3583/ -- complete lyrics

Pontius Pilate by Barry Dennen -- http://www.barrydennen.com/original/jcs.htm (with links to his lyrics)

Lots of GeoCities pages: http://us.geocities.yahoo.com/search?p=%22Jesus+Christ+Superstar%22

15 sites on Excite, along with some very harsh reviews of a recent production: http://www.excite.com/entertainment/fine_arts/musical_theater/musical_shows/jesus_christ_super/

"Roger Waters Superstar" A parody of Jesus Christ Superstar http://www.ingsoc.com/waters/humour/jcs.html

TheGreatQuux ComputerFilked the JCS theme as "BBN Superlisp": http://www.poppyfields.net/filks/00029.html

This is my all-time favorite movie. But, as a Christian, it disturbs me that they do the resurrection before the crucifixion at the end of the movie. -- JeffGrigg

Shouldn't it bother you more that Peter was a pornstar? :) -- JeanPhilippeBelanger

The Twelve were not paragons of virtue, which is precisely the point.

Do you know if this was the director's point? (I'm asking seriously although I sound like a smart-aleck) -- JeanPhilippeBelanger

I don't think it matters. Who knows? It could have been intentional casting, but that would just be an inside joke lost on the masses. The important thing is the message of the movie. Most people will repsond to that regardless of the cast. -- BrucePennington

Wasn't this rock opera first a "concept album," then a stage musical, and only then a movie? Nevertheless, the many revivals of this show have often had "self-conscious" casting. One of the Indigo Girls played Jesus in 1994. -- DanMcKenna

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