Customer Reviews

Jesus Christ Superstar (Widescreen Edition) [VHS]

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It's absolutely fabulous. Please note buyers that if you want closed captioned and you don't see it listed in the description, not to fear because it does have closed captioned in English. It has everything the regular edition has plus a few more extras. I was really impressed with the quality of the picture as well as the sound. Also, because it's a widescreen version as well when you choose to use the closed captioning it doesn't get in the way of the picture which is a nice advantage. I believe you'll love it. The music is extraordinary. Ted Neeley was wonderful and Carl Anderson is extremely talented. It's a rock opera not a musical and every song tells the story. Truly ingenious the way it was produced. The fact that it was shot on location in Israel gives it the authenticity you don't always see in films. I recommend buying the soundtrack as well. You can't beat the wonderful price either.

I've been a big fan of JCS ever since the concept album came out. Over the years, I have come to appreciate Norman Jewison's interpretation, as well as his magnificent landscape shots, more and more. For me, this telling of the Jesus story is much more moving than Mel's Passion, thus my extreme disappointment after buying the DVD version when I discovered that a simple transfer of the film to DVD had been made. Unlike the restoration effort of many other transfers, in this case, there was no attempt to upgrade the sound when it was put into a 5.1 format. In other words, the film was literally copied straight onto the DVD version with all of the tape hiss, high frequency machine noise, and other assorted crackles. Perhaps Universal didn't feel the extra effort was warranted due to financial concerns, but in a film where the sound is crucial, this lack of attention detracts from the viewing experience. This being said, the DVD is still worth owning, particularly for an economical 15 bucks or less. Just beware of the sound quality.

It took me almost two years (and a recent viewing of the new JCS movie) to fully appreciate the masterpiece that is Jesus Christ Superstar, the 1973 film. Told entirely through catchy, rock opera music, it tells the story of the last seven days in the life of Jesus Christ, but is hardly a literal interpretation and consists mostly of the drama between Judas and Jesus. The point of the film is to show the bible in a new way- that everyone, even Jesus's closest disciples helped contribute to the death of Jesus through their inescapable humanism. Filmed in the Jerusalem desert, the production is wonderful. It's as if the best singers, film makers, dancers, musicians, and songwriters (Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice) came together for this one movie. Carl Anderson stars as Judas and is arguably the best performer to ever perform the role. Ted Neeley is fantastic too even though it takes a while to "get" the strenghth in his underacting. Norman Jewison, who's experience and creativity as director shines through with every scene, takes the musical to another level, using a brilliantly conceptual theme that is introduced at the very beginning of the film. The locations are beautiful and fit perfectly within the context of the story. The film has great music, the ideas it tries to get across are poignant, and it is much, much better than the new film in its directing, acting, choreograpphy, and singing.

Though it may seem dated, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR is still a film worth checking out. Ever since its origin as a concept recording, the subject and how it was presented caused its controversy for the time. The film may not be what everyone expected, but it is visually incredible. The sunsets over the Israeli deserts are awesome. The music, though not groundbreaking, is still some of the best work Andrew Lloyd Webber has written, as well as the lyrics of Tim Rice. The performances are incredible, notably Carl Anderson as Judas and Ted Neely as Jesus. Yvonne Elliman (Mary Magdalene) and Barry Dennen (Pilate) are the original actors of the concept album and Broadway adaptation of the rock opera. Scenes worth relishing: Heaven on Their Minds; The Last Supper; Gethsemane; and the title song. For early 70s nostalgia, the choreography in "Simon Zealotes" is fun. An added bonus on the DVD presentation is the dubbed French soundtrack. If I'm not mistaken, the singers are the same ones who performed in the Paris, France stage production of the early 70s. View with an open mind and enjoy!

I first saw this movie as a teen. I knew all the songs, as kids with cool older brothers and sisters all had the record the nuns wouldn't let us hear. So of course we listened, and as with all forbidden fruit,it was OK. When I saw the movie in the 70's I was very disappointed. I had my own personal vision of the opera, one very dissimilar to Mr. Jewison's ( and likely different from Mr.'s Rice and Webber.) The mixing of guns and spears, scaffolding and ruins, tanks, planes and caftans was an anachronistic mess. It seemed a waste.

Since then my tastes have matured, and this holy week I decided to treat my daughter to some religious movies: Godspell, Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus Christ Superstar. I always like the first, relished the second, and was embarrassed for the third. To my surprise, things have changed. Godspell has not aged well ( though it still bounces) as the hippie Jesus is very dated. ( "Daddy, why is Jesus a clown?") Jesus of Nazareth is a pondering, overly earnest mess. While reverent, it is now lugubrious. (" Daddy, can I sleep now?"" Why does his mommy (at the crucifixtion) look younger than Jesus"?) But Superstar was a revelation.

Ted Neely was a very good, not great choice, fair in voice, and rugged for a first century man. He had an air of confidence and understanding, with an insight his apostles had not yet gained. Simon Zealots was over the top, but he was a zealot. Pilate was more pious than I expected, Annas and Caiaphas were inspired. Josh Mostel is a fine comedian for a singer, as Herod. Yvonne Ellimnan in fair voice ( more on this later) as Mary Magdeline. But it was Carl Anderson, positively mesmerizing as Judas, who made the movie.A choice I felt seemed almost racist in 1974, now seems inspired. While Judas was always the center of Superstar, Anderson sings and acts through the gamut of emotions, making it his film. I will never again think of another in ths role.

The planes and tanks and guns are now seen symbolically, and what once seemed anachronistic is now timeless. The starkness of the locale puts the show first. The dancing, which at the time seemed very over the top, seems appropriate in a post MTV world.

Sure there are problems. It still has a hippie edge, but it has aged much much better than the other two discussed above. The sound on the DVD is an abomination, as stated in other reviews. It should be remixed and released again. Some of the daring camera techniques ( slowing the dancers down, stuttering them etc.) seem "tricky" and distracting. But overall I enjoyed this more than I ever thought possible.

If you are looking for a literal biblical film, this is not it,( but then neither is the Passion of the Christ or any other blockbuster). You will never please all people, and I am certain there are those who view a movie like this as sacrilege. To each their own. For me, it really is a nice movie, and if you put aside your own preconceived notions of what Superstar should be, you might enjoy it a lot. I know I did. Buy it, rent it, give it a try.

This video is an absolute gem. When I saw the movie on release in the cinema I sobbed my heart out. It wasn't just that I knew this story didn't have a happy ending: its themes of love and betrayal, looking for redemption and coping with grave doubt struck a deep chord which stayed with me all my life. The key scenes are extraordinary - the rage in the Temple, Jesus' and Judas's confrontation at the Last Supper, Pilate's bafflement, the turmoil of 'Gethsemane' leading up to the heartrending climax. All the performers play their parts with empathy and verve. I love Ian Gillan, but Ted Neeley is superb as Jesus, his voice managing to convey virility and vulnerability - and the camera loves him. Carl Anderson's portrayal of Judas is both passionate and sympathetic. I was delighted to read that over 20 years later these two actors were still working together - their on-screen chemistry is great. Tim Rices's excellent lyrics, the 60s guitars and the audacious filmic techniques (which could've only been attempted with a straight face in the 70s) combine to make this a powerful portrayal of Christ's final days that will linger with you for a long, long time.

Jesus Christ Superstar was Andrew Lloyd Webber and Time Rice's first major success. The rock opera was first a concept album that exploded on the charts hitting number one and spending almost a year in the top ten and unleashed Murray Head on the world. It was then made into a successful Broadway play starring Ben Vereen. In 1973, respected director Norman Jewison (In The Heat Of the Night, Fiddler On the Roof) brought it to the big screen. The film was shot on location in Israel and that gives it an authentic feel. There is no dialogue in the film, everything is sung in true opera fashion. It kind is like a forerunner of the music video in that fact. Mr. Jewison mixes the biblical setting with modern nuances such as guards carrying machine guns, tanks and planes appear and at the beginning of the film, the cast arrives by bus and at the end it leaves on the same bus. The beginning of the film shows the cast setting up what appears to be a play. They get into costumes and set up for the play. The movie focuses on the last seven days of Jesus and Ted Neeley appears in the title role. The movie focuses on Jesus' relationship with Judas, who is played by Carl Anderson. The plot likens Jesus to a modern-day rock star, who rises above all the other prophets due to the hype-machine. Judas thinks that Jesus is believing the hype and moving away from his humble roots. He turns traitor in the belief he is helping the nation. At the end, we are left wondering if this was just a play or was it real as all the cast members get on the bus except Mr. Neeley. The movie fades out quite powerfully in the sunset on the cross. The movie moves along through the series of songs and is well choreographed. The album, play and film were highly controversial due to its take on the Passion of Jesus, but putting religious beliefs aside, it is an excellent film.

After the bizarre Broadway staging of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera, the film version of "Jesus Christ Superstar" had to be a more traditional offering. Producer-Director Norman Jewison filmed on location in Israel, using natural settings and sparsely constructed sets for what is essentially a string of music videos (since it was written as a studio album first, the music presents problems for moving from one scene to the next). The framing device for the film is the cast arriving/departing by bus. Ted Neeley's voice is suited to the role, but certainly he is the shortest Jesus I can recall seeing in films. Yvonne Elliman and Barry Dennen remain from the original studio album and Broadway production as Mary Magdalen and Pilate, which is perfectly all right. However, it is clearly Carl Anderson as Judas who gives the best performance in the film. The film version suffers from the inadequate voices of several of the supporting cast members (most notably Josh Mostel as Herod) and the grossly reduced chorus of singers which never comes close to matching the number of bodies on screen, and there are a few unintentional laughs (as when Israeli tanks come over the dune and chase Judas). But the use of paintings depicting the crucifixion and the final shot of sheep being herded past the cross the cast leaves behind on the hill, are particularly effective. Of course as with most movies, if you want to watch it you want to get a hold of the widescreen edition, otherwise you cannot appreciate the Last Supper tableau or just enjoy the compositional elements of the shots. Every Easter weekend I watch this film, even if I do not have time to do all of "Jesus of Nazareth" or "The Greatest Story Every Told." The only thing radical here is the music, but I still have to think it qualifies as the requisite joyful noise.

Viewers at the beginning of the new millenium may be sidetracked by the trappings of the early 1970's fashions and 'loud' hair to notice the underlying theme of the disassociation and humanization of what were, until JCS was first heard on radio and stage, iconic and unattainable religious figures.

Jewison's version takes that (still) radical humanization further. Firstly, it was the first "jesus" film to be shot in Israel. The bleak arid terrain, the ruins, and the minimalist sets and cast was a huge departure - not only from previous films on the same topic, but from the stage version of this musical, as well.

Such an atmosphere is a character in and of itself. The two breaks from this sterility are the cast, their costumes, and post-crucifixion shephard (who, aptly, leads his sheep past the empty crosses).

Jesus physically fades into this atmosphere with his white robe, pale hair, skin, and eyes. He doesn't disembark from the production bus at the movie's beginning, and he doesn't return to it at the end (as the other cast members do).

Of all his 'groupies', or apostles, only two offer perspectives on his characteristics and motivations (while the others cluelessly sing, "... write the Gospels, so they all talk about us when we die").

Mary Magdalen offers an emotional and human perspective ("I Don't Know How to Love Him", and "Could We Start Again, Please"). Judas Iscariot offers a political and human perspective ("Heaven on Their Minds", "Blood Money"). Yvonne Elliman and the late Carl Anderson are well cast and believable in their interpretation of their characters' motivations.

Jesus , himself, offers a theological and human persective ("The Temple", "Gethsemane"). In addition to the distancing of theological issues from everyday life and from the other characters, his main relationship is not with the others, but with God - whose presence is absent in any form in this film. It is no wonder then, after his death, that Jesus is absent from the rest of the film as well. This makes Judas' questioning of Jesus' motivations even more understandable than just what is contained in the music .

Ted Neeley is perfectly cast as Jesus. He is not suppose to be ferocious. His almost delicate physical appearance makes the character's suffering and death even more sym(pathetic). His voice is powerfully emotional and moving. Having heard many different versions of the character's central song, "Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say)", including German, Swedish, British, French, American, and female (Amy Ray), Neeley's interpretation is the most poignent and relevant to this role.

I can still remember watching this for the first time with my parents at the age of five. I was absolutely enchanted by the music, the bellbottoms, and the magical voices. Ten years later, I watch it with a renewed sense of awe.

I still get goosebumps every time I listen to Ted Neeley (Jesus) "pull a Bee-Gee" during "Everything's Alright." He has a beautiful voice. Still, it pales when compared to Yvonne Ellimann's (Mary Magdelene) soft and entrancing melodies during "Everything's Alright" and "I Don't Know how to Love Him." No matter how many times I have watched that, I keep becoming enveloped in her voice. Still, I can't say enough to praise Carl Anderson (Judas Iscariot) and his performance. It was he that has gotten me to obsess over this movie.

I would recommend this movie to anyone. Yes, there are some gruesome parts in it (I.e. the 39 Lashes), but the good far outweighs the bad. Norman Jewison's vision of ALW's and Tim Rice's creation has always struck me as the only true version.

Do not let the title "This Jesus Must Die" frighten you away, for, despite its obvious subject, the lyrics, music, and staging for it are beautiful. Before going out and getting the 2000 version, buy Carl Anderson's "Damned for All Time" and see what you would be missing without this version (DfAT is ommitted from the 2000 version, sadly). You won't regret it.