Jesus Christ Superstar, 1973

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Mimi:
What I don’t like is that the way it is written emphasizes Jesus’ humanity and doesn’t bring out His divinity - at all.
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The musical wasn’t intended to be a high Christological reflection on Christ Jesus’ divinity. It was written to be the story of the Passion told largely from the perspective of Judas Iscariot. It is about faith seeking understanding and how this search often fails.

– Mark L. Chance.
 
I voted yes since the closest thing I have to a kid is my cat, and I would let him watch it :whacky:
 
I love the movie. It was shown at my high school graduation all-night party. Some of my friends have called it heretical, and although it isn’t perfect, I really don’t see any heresies in it. Can someone shed some light on this for me?
 
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Lovie:
Didn’t Yvonne Elliman sing that song?
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Yes she did and she played Mary Magdalene. Ian Gillian (of Deep Purple fame) was the original Jesus on the soundtrack/original London recording but Ted Neeley played Jesus in the movie.
 
Saw the play in Philadelphia back in the 70’s with two Catholic girls and two Jewish girls. We were all crying and holding hands at the end. My 8th grade nun always played the songs for us in music class…she’d get a far away look when “I don’t know how to love Him” came on. I felt later in life I knew how she felt…“what to do, how to move Him…should I scream and shout…I never thought I’d come to this.” She had to leave the sisters due to family health problems and I had family health problems that kept me from how I thought He meant for me to serve Him, too.
 
recently saw both JCSS and Godspell on DSS, both are so dated as to be comical, proof that trying to be relevant and “updating” the gospel to fit the culture is futile. Love those afros, so historically correct.
 
Every Holy Thursday and until Easter I dig out my CD’s and listen to the sound track. I saw the stage play back in the 70’s in Philadelphia and again about 5 years ago in New Orleans. This last time they actually had costumes and scenery as opposed to the original with bell-bottom pants, long hair on both guys and girls and no scenery. I am moved by the music and most of the lyrics and yes all 4 of my now adult children have seen the movie. I don’t think they though much of it though. I don’t think the movie was as good as either of the stage plays but it was worth watching, for me at least. 👍
 
Everyone keeps talking about the 1970s version and the outdated clothing. Hasn’t anyone seen the 2001 version?

2001 Version of Jesus Christ Superstar

It has completely new staging and costumes, and it is a much better production in my opinion. The apostles are not made out to be ne’er-do-well drunkards as in the 1973 version (specifically during the Last Supper scene) – the 2001 version is more intelligently and respectfully staged.

I took my son to see a performance by a Broadway touring group last Lent and they did the new staging. It’s just superior in all respects.

'thann
 
I’m really glad to find a bunch of people who are not dissing this movie! I have a really soft spot for it. It actually brought me back into the Church, believe it or not, on the 12 Jan. 1974 to be precise.

So many years down the track I can find all sorts of things wrong with it, theologically, of course, and the Passion of the Christ meant infinitely more to me, but Jesus Christ Superstar grabbed me by the scruff of the neck where I was, as I was, back then.
God can use ANYTHING to bring us to Himself.🙂
 
I don’t care for the 1973 version, but I really like (and own) the 2001 version.

I saw the production in London several years ago. About three or four years ago my husband and I took the whole family to see it here in San Antonio.

My favorite song used to be “I don’t know how to Love Him”, but lately I’ve come to like “Could we Start again Please?”
 
I just can’t get passed the bell-bottoms and the long hair. This movie also helped me to come back to the church.
 
It has been way too many years since I saw that play but as I recollect it was blasphemous.
 
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thann:
Everyone keeps talking about the 1970s version and the outdated clothing. Hasn’t anyone seen the 2001 version?

2001 Version of Jesus Christ Superstar

It has completely new staging and costumes, and it is a much better production in my opinion. The apostles are not made out to be ne’er-do-well drunkards as in the 1973 version (specifically during the Last Supper scene) – the 2001 version is more intelligently and respectfully staged.

I took my son to see a performance by a Broadway touring group last Lent and they did the new staging. It’s just superior in all respects.

'thann
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Can you speak a little more about what is unique in the more recent production.
 
I would love to see the stage play. Our Luther League showed this film to us back in the seventies, and I had the soundtrack. I also love, “I don’t Know How to Love Him.” I would definitely let my children watch this film.
 
when i was in college i thought it was a great movie…

30+ years and 4 grown children later i watched it again and couldn’t figure out why i ever liked it in the first place…

should you let your kids watch it? depends on their age and knowledge of theology is guess… you might watch it with them…
grown (late high school) kids, i see no harm…

college kids… old enough to make up their own minds… 👍
 
space ghost:
when i was in college i thought it was a great movie…

30+ years and 4 grown children later i watched it again and couldn’t figure out why i ever liked it in the first place…

should you let your kids watch it? depends on their age and knowledge of theology is guess… you might watch it with them…
grown (late high school) kids, i see no harm…

college kids… old enough to make up their own minds… 👍
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Everything in its “season”…
 
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