Customer Reviews

The Inquiry [VHS]

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I saw this film in a cinema in Rome, on its initial release. I remember it for the effect it had on the audience. After it had finished, the auditorium was in deep silence, for a substantial length of time, before people started moving to the exit. The atmosphere was stunned and one of deep thought. This film touches a nerve as it questions the balance of forces between the clear, rational search for understanding of the central character, the Roman investigator, and the power of faith, no matter how irrational, in the minds of those who believe. It is a masterstroke of Damiani and his mentor in this film, Ennio Flaiano, that the figure of Jesus is obliquely presented, solely through the perspectives of others, which alone marks this film out from most examples of the 'biblical' genre. I know of no-one who has seen this unusual film who has not had cause for deep reflection afterwards.

This is one of those films that gets off to a slow start, but builds inexorably on an engrossing premise to end on a powerful note. The story draws you in to the inquiry of the title,never giving away the surprising twists and turns of the plot.

What I appreciated most about this film was the presence of a good story line and plot that kept your interest as the inquiry progressed into the unknown. The sense of mystery was heightened by the sparse locale and simple sets. The dialouge requires you to engage your mind.

Harvey Keitel is perfect as a suspicious Pontius Pilate. His performance alone makes this worth seeing for anyone who is a fan. Carradine is good, but it isn't till the end of the film, when he is mistaken for the person he is looking for, that his performance transcends to become truly memorable.

I found myself thinking about this story and the questions it raised long after I had seen it. This film stays with you, and to me that is the mark of a successful production.

I only watched late at night but for some reason I would only catch the last part but when finally I saw it from beginning to end I was truly suprised and fascinated because this is another part of christianity that nobody talked about What if someone was trying to destroy Christ's last actions by telling everyone it was a fraud? While it seems strange and kind of unnerving to see it from the evil side point of view you also find astounding on how he fails completely.

So add it to your collection it is worht it.

Very interesting story from the perspective of a Roman. (Though I already own this film on vhs, I do wish it was on dvd!)

The idea of an official Roman investigation into the theft of Jesus' body is a stroke of genius, but the filmmakers flubbed their premise with a boring almost-romance between Taurus and Mrs. Pilate, and a silly end act as Taurus goes undercover as a Jew to find Jesus. Heartfelt but flawed film.