Product Details

• Actors: Glenn Carter, Jérôme Pradon, Renee 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
• Language: English
• Rating: Unrated
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Universal Studios
• VHS Release Date: March 20, 2001
• Run Time: 107 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (229 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000056NX4
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #18,759 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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  #22 in	Video > Musicals & Performing Arts > Broadway
  #27 in	Video > Special Interests > Religion & Spirituality > Christian Video > Jesus

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Before Andrew Lloyd Webber took over Broadway with his operatic productions and Tim Rice tossed in his lot with Disney's animated musicals, they were the young turks of musical theater and their rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar was their calling card. Director Gale Edwards's 1999 stage revival, which became the basis for this video production (also available on CD), takes the show out of ancient Jerusalem to an indeterminate mix of modern New York (complete with graffiti-scrawled walls and T-shirt garbed disciples) and timeless Rome. The grandly abstract sets, rainbow lighting, and striking costumes are more theater than cinema, but like the previous made-for-video Lloyd Webber-Rice production Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, the enormous soundstages give the director free reign to combine the mediums.

The setting folds fascism, intolerance, and revolution into a portrait out of time, robbing the play of its powerful historical grounding but injecting it with energy and insight. As Christ, Glenn Carter (who played the role in the 2000 Broadway revival) flashes his anger and rolls his eyes at Judas (Jerome Pradon) but cannot deny the truths of Judas's fears: "Every word you say today gets twisted 'round some other way." As Christ sees his cult of personality overtake his message and struggles with the fears of his sacrifice, he reaches within for faith and forgiveness, giving the show the spiritual dimension it so often lacks.

It's an entertaining, thoughtful, and well-sung production. Edwards avoids the tepidity of Norman Jewison's solemn 1973 film, driving forward with energetic editing and swooping cameras, and guided at all times by the dramatic, exhilarating score. --Sean Axmaker

Product Description
Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar first exploded onto the London stage in 1971 and it was clear that the musical world would never be the same again. For the first time ever, Jesus Christ Superstar has been specially filmed for video. Shot at Pinewood Studios, this brand new filmed stage version starring Glenn Carter, Jerome Pradon, and Rik Mayall captures one of the best scores Andrew Lloyd Webber has ever written and is packed with hit songs including "I Don't Know How to Love Him," "Gethsemane," and "Superstar."

The cast:

Jesus Christ: Glenn Carter
Judas Iscariot: Jerome Pradon
Mary Magdalene: Renee Castle
Pontius Pilate: Fred Johanson
King Herod: Rik Mayall
Caiaphas: Frederick B Owens
Annas: Michael Shaeffer
Simon Zealotes: Tony Vincent
Peter: Cavin Cornwall

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

128 of 136 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An edgy, dark, uncompromising masterpiece., December 20, 2000

By	Ian Armer (Lancashire, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Jesus Christ Superstar (DVD)

WARNING! It takes a little time to get used to this version (Norman Jewison's version has always been a favourite of mine) but once you get over the sudden change in tone of this JCS to the 70's film, you are plunged headfirst into a deeply emotive and provocative masterpiece. This stage version (shot specially at Pinewood Studious, UK) was commissioned by Andrew Lloyd Webber to be the definitive Superstar after he saw director Gale Edwards take on the rock opera while it was on tour in Dublin. "I've waited 30 years for this" he told the audience after the performance, so impressed was he by the radical new take on his legendary version of the Passion. The singers/actors are all superb. Glenn Carter gives Jesus a desperate, bewildered edge as events spin out of his control with everybody, Apostles included, interpreting his message for their own selfish and political ends. The only one who understands, and tries to alter the tragic course of events is Judas, expertly played by Jerome Pradon. But even he cannot save his friend, and the betrayal of Jesus is all the more poignant as the struggle between responsibility and duty becomes increasingly blurred. The betrayal scene itself is heartbreaking to watch. Visually, the film is exceptional, a real treat for the eyes (and ears). But younger viewers might find the last 30 minutes or so, especially the "Superstar" sequence itself, frightening. The supporting cast are fine, sometimes slipping into OTT dramatics when they should really be playing it down here and there. The only real quibble in this production. The music score has also been brought up to date for the millenium. Not so 70's and camp, more surging and powerful. A very contemporary arrangement. Everything you could possibly hope for is here, and in spades, but this is a very dark production and again, younger children might find it a little too much. Top marks for the sensational "Superstar" sequence though! A stunning, violent, dangerous, moving rendition of the classic song that will be burned into your memory for weeks to come. There really is nothing more to say except that this is the definitive and greatest version available. Buy it, because you're missing out on something incredible if you don't.

36 of 36 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 (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

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.

19 of 19 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."