Der Messias

like with late Pasolini, late Rossellini splatters one on the wall with such greatness. if he didn't have enough with descartes, Medici, pascal, Louis xiv, agostino, he went and made this enormous movie that put to ridicule the producers who gave him the money, who knowing what was at stake denied distribution it if it didn't have a god's omniscient narrator pasted upon. It wasn't distributed, naturally, and yet lies light years above politically correct (the dictionary meaning of 'political correctness') tripe like Gibson's or Zeffirelli's, even light years above Scorcese's and Pasolini's Evangelio.

I say all those churches, with all that money they've taken from what legitimately should belong to philosophy or science or enjoying life or socialism or whatever, should learn to keep their money in their own propagandistic institutions and companies, should keep to their Hannah Barbera cartoons through which we've all been through in their indoctrination sessions, should continue to illegally sum numbers to their entity through baptisms at age 0, communions at age 10 and 'confirmations' at age 13... Because they won't convince anybody on equal terms, without manipulation, or financing intelligent projects like this one, which blew in their faces.

this is rossellini at his best, like francisco giulare di dio, like Europa 51, like louis xiv...

I do not know if I am delirious, but living in a country that has an enclave called the Vatican (in a certain way, a spiritual "Canal Zone", as the area that was under US control within the republic of Panamá until 1999) must predispose Italian artists: perhaps the Vatican inspires the most pious to exalt Catholicism, while the most progressive maybe take a more critical stance towards this ecclesiastical state-enterprise within their country. I find quite curious that two Italian non-believers and filmmakers, one Marxist and the other atheist, made two of the most interesting films I have seen about the figure of Jesus of Nazareth. First, Pier Paolo Pasolini, released in 1964 «The Gospel According to Matthew», a production that was surrounded by a controversy that finally turned into applause and praise; and the other, Roberto Rossellini, presented «Il Messia» in 1975 with less luck, to the point that the free circulation of the product had to wait almost 30 years to be (marginally) distributed. «The Messiah» is long, Brechtian, austere and intelligent; it dispenses with many biblical passages in which David W. Griffith, Miguel Morayta, Nicholas Ray, George Stevens, Franco Zeffirelli, Martin Scorsese or Mel Gibson delighted in their (kind of frivolous) versions of the Nazarene's immolation; and it introduces the story in an ingenious way: the film starts with a synthesis of the history of the Jewish people, from the arrival of the tribes to the "promised land", after 40 years in the desert, to the selection of Saul as their first king, who led the common man to war; and then proceeds with a description of the growing political and moral corruption of the tribes, a process that reached a "plot point" the day the expected Messiah appeared. As the story goes, they ended up turning their backs on the holy man and murdered him. Rossellini does not shilly-shally: he cleverly exposes the political intrigue of Pharisees and Jewish priests, who try to preserve their power without disturbing the Roman invaders that control them. Jesus is young and strong, somewhat shy, he works wood, ploughs and gleans, has mystical outbursts, preaches with metaphors to death, and knows how to debate with logical reasoning. The most difficult part of the film is the long sequence of the apostles' proselytizing campaign, as they preach the "new word", but that is the director's choice. Rossellini prefers that, to show us instead the brutal and the violent, in the best aesthetic line of a Greek tragedy, which showed not tortures, crimes or mutilations on stage. «The Messiah» saves us the lashes, the road to Golgotha, the long agony on the cross, and the miracles. The film has another agenda: to show the story of a man who confronted the corruption of power, who preached love as method, but who was paid with hatred by his own people. Rossellini does it in a realistic way, he shows things as natural and non-dramatized facts (often in long shots, with few cuts or none); the images lose that false fervor of "saint cards" that has ruined so many films about Jesus. As an example, see the sequence of the last supper, from the moment Jesus washes the apostles' feet to Judas' departure. It is just that, a last meal, a sad farewell and the leader's final instructions, and not an ornate evocation of the first Eucharist. Roberto Rossellini was not an improvised filmmaker: he is the father of Italian neo- realism, a brilliant light in the history of cinema, whose trilogy of war («Rome, Open City», «Paisá» and «Germany, Year Zero») marked the birth of contemporary cinema. He was an innovator who took melodrama to the limit in his films with Ingrid Bergman, the love of his life, in «Stromboli, Land of God,» «Europe 51» or «Voyage to Italy,» and a visionary who joined the practice of television, a medium that he glimpsed as the audiovisual future of the planet. «Il Messia» is not a sole spiritual work in his oeuvre. It also includes the portrait of Francis of Assisi in his film «Francesco, Jester of God» (1950) and the TV mini-series «Acts of the Apostles» (1969), which suggests that atheists can also be sensitive to genuine religious people.

This highly regarded religious pic deals with the dramatic recreation of the life of Christ with an unknown cast , being spectacularly shot in 1975 and well directed by Roberto Rosselini . It chronicles the life and ministry of Jesus Christ from the Annunciation , Crucifixion , Death and Resurrection . Interesting retelling at the life and teachings of Christ (Pier Maria Rossi) from a historical and religious view point , though overlong . The film begins with the arrival of the Jews in the Promised Land and the appointment of their first king Saul (Vernon Dobtcheff) with descriptive Biblical passages ; his birth in Bethlehem and visit by three Magician Kings who , subsequently , go to the Palace of Herodes the Great (Vittorio Caprioli). His incident in which Jesus is lost in the temple as a boy, later on , in the desert tempted by Satan , knowing he has a destiny to fulfill ; his baptism by John the Baptist ; the miracles , such as : cripples walking , blind men seeing ; the fishes and the loaves ; Lazarus' resurrection ; his relationship to 12 apostles and so on . Jesus Christ's journey from Galilee to Golgotha is portrayed here in thought-provoking as well as enjoyable treatment . And usual scenes between John the Baptist , Herod Antipas (Toni Ucci) , Herodias , and Salome and , of course , John the Baptist's beheading as Salome's price for dancing for Herod . In addition , Biblic roles as Mary Magdalene , Lazarus , Caiaphas (John Karlsen) , Peter, Mary of Bethan , Thaddeus , Simon the Zealot , John , Philip , the Adulteress (Tina Aumont) , Pontius Pilate (Jean Martin) and Barrabbas . And including holy sentences as "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken Me?".

This is a low-buget , impressive -though slow-moving- story of the life of Jesus Christ from his birth in Bethlehem to his Crucifixion and subsequent Resurrection . It is a religious and anguishing epic where the eternal questions of faith and doubt become resolved , being shot in Pasolini's Gospell according St. Matthew style . Life of Christ is intelligently written by prestigious screenwriter Silvia D'Amico and Roberto Rosselini himself and source writings from Bible itself . Resulting to be completely reverential at some Biblical characters and passages from New Testament . Stars a serious and attractive Pier Maria Rossi in exactly the right role , he gives a dedicated effort at the character , his acting has power , nobility and subtlety . Being a limited budgeted production , here shows up mostly unknown players , however there are brief appearances from some Italian actors in brief performances as Vittorio Caprioli , Tina Aumont , John Karlsen , Jean Martin , Renato Escarpa ,and Vernon Dobtcheff as Samuel . Including glowing and evocative cinematography in charming visual style by Mario Montuori , shot on location in Morocco ; however , being necessary a perfect remastering . Sensitive and atmospheric soundtrack by the classical Mario Nascimbene. The motion picture was compellingly directed by Roberto Rosselini .

Jesus life has been adapted several times , such as : ¨King of Kings¨ (released in 1927) , it is the yardstick by which all Jesus movies are to be measure , being first silent version by Cecil B. DeMille with H. B. Wagner . Other pictures dealing with his divine presence are the following ones :¨King of Kings¨(1961) by Nicholas Ray with Jeffrey Hunter , Robert Ryan , Ron Randel , Hurd Hatfield , Rip Torn , Frank Thring , Carmen Sevilla ; ¨The greatest story ever told¨1965 by George Stevens with Max Von Sidow ,Gary Raymond) , David MacCallum , Roddy McDowall , Dorothy McGuire) , Telly Savalas , Charlton Heston , José Ferrer , Sidney Poitier , Claude Rains, Ina Balin ; ¨Gospel according to Matthew¨ by Pier Paolo Pasolini with Enrique Irazoqui as Jesus ; ¨Jesus Christ Superstar¨(1977) by Norman Jewison with Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson ; ¨Jesus de Nazareth¨(1977) by Franco Zeffirelli with Robert Powell , Olivia Hussey , James Mason , Laurence Olivier , Anne Brancfort , Fernando Rey ; ¨Last temptation of Christ¨ by Martin Scorsese with Willem Dafoe , David Bowie , Harvey Keitel , Ian Holm , Harry Dean Staton ; and ¨The Passion of the Christ¨ (2004) by Mel Gibson with James Cazievel , Maia Morgenstern and Monica Belucci .

This is an incredible movie, and for many reasons. No one in Hollywood could make such a low-key, authentic, and INTELLIGENT historic drama, especially considering subject matter. The first 20 minutes is a concise and brilliant history of the Jews. And then the life: It is the life of Jesus without the miracles. Like the priest in Open City (by Rossellini), R understands that the struggle is to live a good life. Most Biblical movies are a total insult. This is extraordinary. The actors are believable. It feels raw -- but controlled raw, if that makes sense. Again: authentic. Believable.

It is a Rossellini. You feel it scene by scene. Different by other Jesus portraits, it represents the honest - precise portrait of great teacher. The words are fruit of work of hands. The message is simple and the sacrifice propose a special form of reddemption.

Sure, at the first sight, after the gallery of portraits of historical personalities, the temptation is to believe than Messiah is just a piece from the chain.

Obvious, it is more. The portrait of Saint Mary, the solutions for Passion and Resurrection or for the grave of Lazarus, the silence and calm respired by the film, the mathematical demonstration of the presence of Jesus, the eliptic speech about Him , the status of hakawati of the Savior , the reference to Pietta by Michelangelo are just proves of this.

Provocative in personal way.

Dialogue with the viewer.

Far by blockbusters about same theme.

Wise perspective about The Savior .

Not impressive. Useful is enough.

So, a form of last word of a great director.