Product Details

• Actors: Glenn Carter, Jérôme Pradon, Renée Castle, Fred Johanson, Michael Shaeffer
• Directors: Gale Edwards, Nick Morris
• Writers: Tim Rice
• Producers: Austin Shaw, Dusty Symonds, Kevin Wallace
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: Unrated
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Universal Studios
• VHS Release Date: March 20, 2001
• Run Time: 107 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (243 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000056NX4
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #156,793 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars stark and dark, January 25, 2004

By 

Alejandra Vernon "artist & illustrator" (Long Beach, California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: Jesus Christ Superstar [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Filmed at Pinewood Studios, this production has sparse sets with scaffolding that serves for nearly every scene, and has the feel of a stage performance; it has been updated to an indeterminate era, but definitely a time one wouldn't want to live in. There are Nazi-like authority figures, punky gun-toting youth, and the walls are covered in graffiti. The colors are provided by the lighting, and are usually in either a monocromatic dark blue or yellow-orange.
Inevitably, many people will compare this to the 1973 Norman Jewison film, which is a pity, as they are so vastly different. This is much more somber, and the final scenes are wrenching.

Glenn Carter is astounding as Jesus, vocally exceptional in what must be a difficult part to sing, and looking like an Albrecht Durer painting. His Gethsemane ("I Only Want to Say") is superb, and worth the price of this film alone.
Jerome Pradon is also excellent as Judas, and Fred Johanson's Pilate is marvelous, though the entire cast is good, both as actors and singers.
It is interesting in this film how skillfully the evil in a character is portrayed in the song and dance numbers, by Herod (who is so well played by Rik Mayall), and Judas.

One feels the exhaustion and horror of Jesus' last days palpably in this film. The drama of the scourging is a magnificent piece of staging, and powerful; it is a visual punch to the gut, and the crucifixion scene is brilliantly done and moves me to tears every time I see it.
Not an easy film to watch, but well worth the purchase, as it gets better with each viewing.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Top of the Pole, February 7, 2002

By 

K. Dickson (Farmersville, Texas United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jesus Christ Superstar (DVD)

I agree with an earlier reviewer that this version is different than the 73 film. It takes a bit of time to get used to it. For me it was hard not to see some of the actors / singers from the earlier film, particularly Carl Anderson. Once I got over the adjustment, I found this production to be simply wonderful. Because it is shot on a set rather than outdoors, and because of the advances in cameras etc. the viewer is transported into the action. You see all the subtle facial expressions and interactions between the characters that is simply missing from the technically challenged Jewison film. There is for example, no "day for night" film that leaves one barely able to make out Jesus singing the climactic song in the Garden of Gethsemane. Glen Carter is refreshing as Jesus though I, unlike many others, always liked Ted Neeley's performance. Jerome Pradon presents an engaging Judas. Chiaphas and Annas are perhaps a bit over the top, yet they are entertaining, as is Pilot. I still am debating the appropriatness of giving the Romans/Pilot's uniforms a Nazi look, and I think Pilot's Characterization is over stated, but it is very intense, captivating and powerful. Mary is beautiful and has the greatest voice of any of the Marys to date. Her presentation of "I Don't Know Hot to Love Him," in my opinion the most important song in the musical, is breath taking. In my estimation, I think this version, with modern look and feel, will help make the entire piece more approachable to younger viewers. It will better communicate the emotions of fear and pain that Christ experienced. The strength of Superstar has always been the ability to make Jesus more than just an historical figure. He is someone who was real, as was his sacrifice. Another valuable perspective is that of Judas. He is more complex than is traditionally presented. This Judas is someone who has faults, but they are similar to the everyday faults we all share. Superstar portrays Judas as committed to the ministry, but not fully committed to Jesus. He is competitive with Christ to the point that he thinks he can force his hand if Christ is arrested. The motivations for Judas's betrayal are akin to subtle self centeredness that most of us battle on a regular basis, and they stem from his ego rather than his greed. This production best conveys to youth today some sense of what these real people actually felt and how they experienced life. A few years ago, I showed the 73 film to a youth group. They were so turned off by the very obvious 70's characterizations, costumes and choreography, that they laughed at some of the most powerful and intense moments. No one does that with this version. The 39 lashes is most powerful as is the "Could We Start Again" seqence. Again the voices from top to bottom are top notch without sounding too theatrical/formal which I have found to be distracting in other recent recordings. Alas, I simply find this production to be, in the words of one of the Pharisees, "top of the pole."

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Theatrical, poor, and missing the splendor of JCS 1973, August 4, 2005

By 

Backpacker "Travel Photographer" (Southern California) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Jesus Christ Superstar (DVD)

Jesus Christ Superstar, in any incarnation, will always be about the sound - music and vocals. This DVD, though full of energy, falls really short.
If you've seen the 1973 movie Jesus Christ Superstar or heard the original concept album, you'll invariably judge this newer stage video production against the benchmarks set earlier.
For me, the new JCS was interesting at best, terrible at worst.
Here are my pros and cons of this DVD which at times I compare against the 73 film which featured Ted Neeley as Christ and Carl Anderson as Judas.

Pros:

1. Fred Johanson as Pilate is stunning - more powerful than the original. Great voice, great emotive visual delivery. His performance is the only plus of this production over the previous.
2. Caiaphas and Annas both deliver powerfully.

Cons:
1. Too theatrical, even though meant to be so. Too many dramatic facial expressions and excess body language (Jesus, Mary, et al) detract from the purity of the score and lyrics.
2. Even though Jesus, Judas, and Mary have good voices, they do not match the raw beauty of the original 73 movie, or of the older Ian Gillan (as Christ) concept cast audio recording. Despite some reviews written here, Judas from the originals - Carl Anderson and Murray Head - are incomparable, as is Mary.
3. While Glenn Carter here as Jesus is perhaps a little more voluminous in voice than Neeley of 73, he lacks the piercing simplicity of the latter. Neeley's "Gethsemene" was phenomenal, as was Ian Gillan's (even more so) in the concept album. Carter murders this singularly outstanding number with his flat, choir-boy, shriekish delivery.
4. Simon is weak...his delivery never reaches the power of his 73 predecessor.
5. Herod delivers a terribly choppy number sans harmony. Herod, though a freak characterization in the original, was a musical hit with his lilting, jazz-rockish mockery of the Star.
6. Even though the musical score does give you goose bumps at times, it does not match the originals; and, the surging vocal insets within numbers you aurally seek just don't happen nearly enough.

Suggestion: If you're torn between which JCS dvd to buy, get the 1973 movie. This stage production video lacks the hippie-rock grandeur, authenticity, and vocal masterpieces of the original. If a few bucks don't matter really, go ahead and get this production as well...otherwise save your money. This dvd will not receive your collector's pride as the original does, but art is art and thanks to artists, JCS continues to be performed. I bet seen live, this performance may redeem itself somewhat.
P.S. Try and get the audio CD of the pre-1973-movie concept album of JCS sometime, featuring Ian Gillan (Deep Purple vocalist, and a phenomenal high notes screamer), Murray Head, and others, for a taste of the true original sound of this classic. That CD and the 1973 film are masterpieces.