Watch movies at Easter it is almost an obligation. Here we offer you the synopses of some of the best known cinematographic productions based on the life, passion and death of Jesus Christ:from terrifying stories to fictional stories, from strict evangelical narratives to hilarious satires, there is everything to choose from, always appealing to open criteria and the willingness to learn something new. Spill Magisterial, through this post, invites you to explore beyond what conventional television offers, with some suggestions within the immense catalog of epic religious films produced in recent decades. Enjoy them :
1. THE PASSION OF CHRIST (The Passion of the Christ, Mel Gibson, 2004)
This film recounts, in a stark and terrifying way, the last three hours of the life of Jesus Christ, in an unprecedented event in the history of cinema with a biblical theme. The images, of great technical quality, contrast with the harshness of its scenes, which make this film not suitable for everyone. The feeling of sadness and pain that each shot produces contrasts with the last second of the film, in which the glorious resurrection of the Messiah is suggested. More than a reflection, this feature film generates a deep anguish that, at times, seems to have no way out or end.
2. JESUS OF NAZARETH (Jesus of Nazareth, Franco Zeffirelli, 1977)
This miniseries (370 minutes in total) is a British-Italian co-production that combined biblical descriptions with fictional license, both in the recreation of situations and in the appearance of characters that do not appear in the Gospel accounts. Zeffirelli's grandiloquent style is evident in every landscape shot, as well as in the photography inspired by classic works of universal ecclesiastical painting. The cast brings together some of the biggest acting stars of all time such as Anne Bancroft, Ernest Borgnine, Claudia Cardinale, James Mason, Laurence Oliver, Christopher Plummer, Peter Ustinov, etc. In the role of Jesus, the stage actor Robert Powell configured one of the most celebrated interpretations of the son of God, from the point of view of classical religious iconography. Rumors circulated for decades that Powell would have gone insane after playing this role, but this was never confirmed.
3. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SAINT MATTHEW (Il Vangelo secondo Matteo, Pier Paolo Pasolini, 1964)
In this feature film, the third of his official filmography, the controversial genius of Italian cinema recounts in images, finely recorded in black and white, the Gospel of Saint Matthew, a premeditated choice by the director since he considered that the other three they were very mystical (San Juan), very vulgar (San Marcos) and very sentimental (San Lucas). With a cast of non-professional actors, Pasolini delivered a version of the life of Jesus full of religious reverence, surprising given his avowed atheism, his militant homosexuality and his marked preference for abstract and grotesque subjects. A true jewel of classic European cinema.
4. THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST (The last temptation of Christ, 1988, Martin Scorsese)
This fictional film is based on the novel of the same name by the Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis, in which a parallel story to the one known in the Gospels is told. In this fictional story, Jesus gives in to the temptation of the devil and comes down from the cross to live a normal life, have a wife and children, and reach old age, contravening the plans of the Heavenly Father. Jesus -played in a shocking way by the well-known Willem Dafoe- is presented as a man fearful of his destiny, incapable of fulfilling his missions and with doubts about his divine nature, although ultimately it is all about evil. sleep. At the time, it was heavily censored and attacked by the Church, even being banned in several countries.
5. THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (The greatest story ever told, George Stevens, 1965)
This is one of the biblical films considered “cult” due to its cast of outstanding stars such as Max von Sydow in the role of Jesus, Charlton Heston as John the Baptist, José Ferrer as Herod, Telly Savalas as Pontius Pilate , and so on. The filming, made in various deserts in the United States, was one of the most ambitious of the time and attracted the attention of a large number of audiences since its premiere.
6. BEN HUR (Ben-Hur, William Wyler, 1959)
Although it does not speak directly of Jesus Christ, this mega-production, winner of 11 Oscars, is one of the most watched films in these days of recollection and reflection. Set in Jerusalem in the year 26 after Christ, it tells the story of Judah Ben-Hur, a wealthy Jewish merchant and his childhood friend, the Roman general Messala, with whom he meets again after years of separation and they become enemies in the fight for the freedom of Israel from the Roman yoke. Ben-Hur leads his people in their search for justice while Messala deploys all his cruelty to stop the attempts of Jewish vindication, with greater punishments and abuse of the slaves. The figure of Jesus Christ is suggested in two moments, as consolation before the suffering of Ben-Hur (played by Charlton Heston) and his family, who are witnesses of his crucifixion.
7. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (The Ten Commandments, Cecil B. de Mille, 1956)
Another classic of biblical-epic cinema, based on the story of the Exodus, second book of the Jewish Torah or Old Testament, which narrates the life and divine miracles performed through the hand of Moses, a role played by Charlton Heston . Almost four hours long, this film generated great expectations for its great special effects, especially in the sections of the burning bush, the plagues that Moses sends on the Egyptian people and the fantastic escape of the Jewish people, crossing the waters of the Sea Red, separated by the hand of God. After fleeing, the Hebrews surrender to sin while they wait for Moses to return from Mount Sinai and when this happens, they exterminate the impure by throwing at them the tablets on which God (Yahweh) had written, with letters of fire, the commandments of its law.
8. THE SACRED MANTLE (The robe, Henry Koster, 1953)
This film, based on a historical novel written by the American writer and priest Lloyd C. Douglas, tells the story of the Roman soldier Marcelo Gallo (played by Richard Burton), who is sent by Pontius Pilate to take charge of the crucifixion of Jesus. After the death of the Messiah, Gallo begins to feel guilty for his performance in such a sentence and, by chance, wins in a game of dice the mantle that covered the lacerated body of Jesus Christ for the last time. The garment exerts a supernatural power on the Roman, to the point of converting to Christianity, after seeing examples of the miracles that Jesus performed on people, including centurions (Roman guards) and their families. Finally, Marcelo is sentenced to death by Caligula, who rejects the cloak and considers it a "haunted object".
9. JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (Jesus Christ Superstar, Norman Jewison, 1973)
This is the film version of the rock opera of the same name, composed by Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice, two years earlier. The story focuses on the conflict between Jesus and Judas, presented as antagonistic figures, with a musical setting that recalls the golden years of hippieism and psychedelia. It belongs to the genre of musicals and is one of the biblical representations most used by youth and school casts, due to the quality of its music and performances. Originally written in English, it has a well-known Spanish version starring Camilo Sesto and Angela Carrasco, in the roles of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, respectively.
10. MONTY PYTHON'S LIFE OF BRYAN (Monty Python's Life of Bryan, Terry Jones, 1979)
This film is one of the masterpieces of comedy in cinema, the third in the extensive filmography of the English group Monty Python, famous for their occurrences capable of satirizing any historical, political or religious issue. Here they tell the story of Bryan Cohen, a young Jew who was born on the same day -and was also a neighbor- of Jesus Christ and who, in the midst of totally delirious situations, is confused with him. The film was accused by numerous religious groups, at the time of its appearance, of blasphemy and censored for transgressing the ecclesiastical order with its irreverent parodies. If you want to see something different this Easter , get this movie and don't take it so seriously. Everything Monty Python produced in his long musical and comedic career was made with rigorous historical research and lots and lots of good humor.