What a film. Unless you lived through 1973 its hard to explain. There was a mini revival of sorts going on in popular culture. In song you had Spirit in the Sky, Jesus is Just Alright With Me, Day by Day. In film you had Godspell, Thief in the Night, Jesus Christ Superstar. All within about a 12 month period. Nicky Cruz from Cross and the Switchblade was doing revivals at high schools. Billy Graham was at the peak of his popularity. I swear there was a different feeling in the culture then. One of hope. Not the gloom and despair of today.

I tend to “discover” singers, books, films and such decades after their popularity has waned. Better late then never I suppose. What struck me about this film is how it flies in the face of modern Hollywood. Modern films seem to be concerned only in appealing to 12 yr old boys. If it doesn’t come from a comic book, it doesn’t get made.

JCS in a theological sense is just fine. I’m sure you can find someone with a complaint. What struck me about the film was its production value. It has aged so well over the last 45 years. Andrew Lloyd Webber did the music. Robert Iscove was the choreographer. The picture above is  21 year old Yvonne Elliman who played Mary Magdalene singing ‘I Don’t Know How to Love Him’. Incredible. I was trying to imagine someone that age in that role today. Couldn’t do it. Robin Lamont was about 22 when she sang Day By Day for Godspell that same year.

This dance number towards the beginning where the followers of Jesus dance for him at the ruins was one of the best in film of all time as far as I’m concerned. The enthusiasm, talent and sheer audacity of it was mindboggling. The sun, the dust, the 100 degree heat of the Israeli desert would have daunted other people. Not this group of twenty year olds who didn’t know they couldn’t do it. They just did it. The lithe dancers. I swear people were skinnier back then.

Ted Neeley as Jesus and his wonderful rock star voice. Joshua Mostel as King Herod will put you down in his song and dance number (“Prove to me that you’re no fool, walk across my swimming pool!”). Barry Dennen as Pontius Pilate was wickedly delicious. The two Pharisees with these huge black plastic hats! Roman guards with machine guns. Tanks and fighter planes. Director Norman Jewison made a wonderful film. And not one computer generated graphic. Its an incredible musical, couldn’t recommend it more.