jamesobrien
Joined Jan 2005
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Reviews6
jamesobrien's rating
I really love "Jesus Christ Superstar". As a young child I remember the hit songs and remember vividly seeing the 1973 movie at the local cinema in the small town where I grew up. I love JCS. I also couldn't help comparing this production, filmed in 2000 but which has just shown on Pay-Television in Australia, with the 1973 movie. Although I thought this was quite good, I thought the 1973 movie was better.
Musically, this production was similar to the sound to the 1973 movie. Although a little more orchestrated - with less of the rock and roll soundtrack - this still sounded like JCS. They didn't try and "techno" things up for example. But although the singers are all very good, I didn't think their acting skills were up to scratch. Put frankly, I thought this lacked some of the raw emotion of the earlier film.
I didn't think the actors and singers portrayed the characters with the same level of sophistication of those in the earlier movie production. For example, I didn't think Glenn Carter as Jesus demonstrated the subtlety needed from the role. Unlike Ted Neeley, who in the 1973 film who portrayed Christ as someone clearly understanding of and in control of his fate, Carter portrayed an almost wimp-like Christ. I thought Jerome Pradon, playing Judas, seemed confused about his relationship with Jesus. Although in some respects, that's probably quite accurate, there were occasions within scenes - such as the betrayal scene - where his emotions seemed inconsistent. Although I thought he was let down by his acting skills, he had a good voice. I also thought Renee Castle failed to live up to the intense, honest emotions of Yvonne Elliman as Mary Magdalene. Althoguh Yvonne's version of "I Don't Know How To Love Him" can bring me to tears, I thought Castle's version failed to portray the emotion necessary... it was laboured and, perhaps, over-rehearsed.
Cinematic ally, this production reminded me of a 1980s/early 1990s video clip. Think Roxette. Think Heart. In many ways, I thought this production just tried "too hard" to be modern. Rik Mayal as King Herod in a "Chicago"-like burlesque. Pilate as a pseudo-leather queen. However, the bloody realism of the crucifixion scene, in particular, adds to the story of JCS in a way the 1973 film failed to. The blood. The heaving. One truly gets a sense of the physicallity of crucifixion. This was the one scene which truly moved me (to tears).
In 1973, I know there were reviews which criticised the film for probably the same reasons that I've been critical of the 2000 production. Maybe with a few years down the track this 2000 production will seem better? Maybe not!
Musically, this production was similar to the sound to the 1973 movie. Although a little more orchestrated - with less of the rock and roll soundtrack - this still sounded like JCS. They didn't try and "techno" things up for example. But although the singers are all very good, I didn't think their acting skills were up to scratch. Put frankly, I thought this lacked some of the raw emotion of the earlier film.
I didn't think the actors and singers portrayed the characters with the same level of sophistication of those in the earlier movie production. For example, I didn't think Glenn Carter as Jesus demonstrated the subtlety needed from the role. Unlike Ted Neeley, who in the 1973 film who portrayed Christ as someone clearly understanding of and in control of his fate, Carter portrayed an almost wimp-like Christ. I thought Jerome Pradon, playing Judas, seemed confused about his relationship with Jesus. Although in some respects, that's probably quite accurate, there were occasions within scenes - such as the betrayal scene - where his emotions seemed inconsistent. Although I thought he was let down by his acting skills, he had a good voice. I also thought Renee Castle failed to live up to the intense, honest emotions of Yvonne Elliman as Mary Magdalene. Althoguh Yvonne's version of "I Don't Know How To Love Him" can bring me to tears, I thought Castle's version failed to portray the emotion necessary... it was laboured and, perhaps, over-rehearsed.
Cinematic ally, this production reminded me of a 1980s/early 1990s video clip. Think Roxette. Think Heart. In many ways, I thought this production just tried "too hard" to be modern. Rik Mayal as King Herod in a "Chicago"-like burlesque. Pilate as a pseudo-leather queen. However, the bloody realism of the crucifixion scene, in particular, adds to the story of JCS in a way the 1973 film failed to. The blood. The heaving. One truly gets a sense of the physicallity of crucifixion. This was the one scene which truly moved me (to tears).
In 1973, I know there were reviews which criticised the film for probably the same reasons that I've been critical of the 2000 production. Maybe with a few years down the track this 2000 production will seem better? Maybe not!
