What are some of your favorite biblical themed films?

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Tis_Bearself said:
The film with Paul Newman was “The Silver Chalice”. I believe it was his film debut. He was nominated for a Golden Globe but he thought his performance was really bad and the film is also considered by some critics to be really badly made. I can’t remember if I have seen it or not but having read the negative reviews I’m curious to see it again.
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I remember it was on TV once very late at night so I only watched part of it. I wanted to see the whole movie, but couldn’t stay awake. It wasn’t that bad a movie. It was typical of religious themed movies of its day. Very dramatic.

Thanks for remembering the name of the movie!
 
Tis_Bearself said:
The film with Paul Newman was “The Silver Chalice”. I believe it was his film debut. He was nominated for a Golden Globe but he thought his performance was really bad and the film is also considered by some critics to be really badly made. I can’t remember if I have seen it or not but having read the negative reviews I’m curious to see it again.
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7_Sorrows said:
Thanks for remembering the name of the movie!
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Second that. 👍
 
Tis_Bearself said:
The film with Paul Newman was “The Silver Chalice”. I believe it was his film debut. He was nominated for a Golden Globe but he thought his performance was really bad and the film is also considered by some critics to be really badly made. I can’t remember if I have seen it or not but having read the negative reviews I’m curious to see it again.
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I actually liked that one somewhat. The background staging is very strange - sort of like a pop-art, abstract modernist design in a movie that is supposed to be in ancient times. But the story is pretty good. Not the best, but we don’t have that many biblical films to choose from!
 
Joseph - the Man Closest to Christ.

I’ve watched enough bible-based films (I believe every English-language ever made) to notice now the difference between Catholic-oriented Bible stories and the Protestant style. But those can still be good, but it also bothers me when important things are left out. Peter the Redemption with Stephen Baldwin is one. Not a fan of him as an actor, but it’s still pretty good.

The other one, Saint Peter with Omar Shariff I liked better. But I wish they had a subtitled version.

Besides the Passion of Christ (the best), my favorite New Testament movie I have ever seen is “The Gospel of John” - the 3 hour version. It’s word-by-word of the Gospel but a beautifully filmed and acted story. The actor that plays Jesus is just amazing and so many scenes stay with me, as if I was there at the time.
 
This is the Bible Stories collection I mentioned:

Genesis (with Annabi Abdelialil and Omero Antonutti)

Abraham (with Richard Harris and Barbara Hershey)

Jacob (with Matthew Modine, Lara Flynn Boyle and Sean Bean)

Joseph (with Ben Kingsley, Paul Mercurio, Martin Landau and Lesley Ann Warren)

Moses (with Ben Kingsley, Christopher Lee and Frank Langella)

Samson & Delilah (with Dennis Hopper, Eric Thal and Elizabeth Hurley)

David (with Nathaniel Parker, Jonathan Pryce, Leonard Nimoy and Sheryl Lee)

Solomon (with Ben Cross and Vivica A. Fox)

Jeremiah (with Patrick Dempsey and Oliver Reed)

Esther (with Louise Lombard and F. Murray Abraham)

Jesus (with Jeremy Sisto, Debra Messing, Jacqueline Bisset and Gary Oldman)

Paul The Apostle (with Johannes Brandrup and Thomas Lockyer)

I love all of those except Genesis and the Jesus one.
You can usually find these in your public library, perhaps.
Maybe not good for young children - teenage at youngest I think. Definitely does not hide some of the adult themes in the Bible.
 
For those who are very interested in the Biblical film topic, here is an interesting article on how DeMille’s “The Sign of the Cross” led to the Legion of Decency. I have to admit, I saw the uncut “Sign of the Cross” a few years ago on Netflix before I read this article, expecting something on the order of “The Ten Commandments” and I was mindblown that some of the scenes were allowed in a theater at the time the movie came out.

brightlightsfilm.com/wickedest-movie-world-cecil-b-demille-made-sign-cross/#.WWEBUYQrLIU
 
The Ten Commandments

Risen
(This is a new one, but it is very good. My family and I have watched it a number of times and find it well worth each viewing. We very much enjoy it.)

The Passion of the Christ
(I find this very difficult to watch, the scourging scene is one that is so awful and violent in particular and there are others too, but it is a tradition to watch it on Good Friday at our house. It is important to be reminded of how Our Lord suffered for us even if it is hard to watch.)

Ben Hur
(Not really biblical, I guess, but it is set during the time of Christ.)
 
Anyone seen last days in the desert.

I am going to add Exodus, the new one.
 
Mary_Gail_36 said:
I like “The Nativity Story”, especially the portrayal of St. Joseph.
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I just absolutely love this movie. I have it on DVD. 🙂

I agree with you too, regarding his portrayal.

I also like The Ten Commandments, The Passion of the Christ, and the TV mini-series from 1977 called “Jesus of Nazareth.”
 
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