In the business of theology it is hard not to be controversial - Jurgen Moltmann

Thursday 16 October 2008

耶穌默片 :: silent Jesus film

Christian stories, including that of the life of Jesus, was a very popular subject matter in the early years of the cinema. 

One of the earlier (certainly not THE earliest) cinematic representations of the life of Jesus in the silent film era was From the Manger to the Cross.  It was filmed on location in Palestine —— something that most of the other Jesus films all through the decades did not manage to do. 

Some day, I hope to do a course on the Jesus Film genre (working title: 'Jesus in the Cinema'; or 'The Gospel According to the Screen').  I've done some work in the area but perhaps not substantial enough to offer a full course yet.  Any potential student out there?

 

 

 

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Will you include "The Gospel According to St. Matthew" by Pier Paolo Pasolini? I haven't watched many film of Jesus. But I can say this one is very power and can lead up to many discussions.

Yam 飲者 said...

Of course. Any discussion on Jesus film cannot bypass Pasolini. The very fact that the Pope (John XXVI?) openly praised this film made a self-confessed Marxist-atheist as the most authentic cinematic representation of Jesus is fascinating enough. Personally I fancy the film a lot -- much more than (almost) any other Jesus films.

Anonymous said...

forget to say... this is one of my all time 'lovest' film