Jesus Christ: Superstar (2000)
I have a personal vendetta against this 2000 version of Jesus Christ Superstar. It’s got nothing to do with the material and everything to do with the presentation. The only people who would watch this 2000 presentation are those who have heard of the 70’s film but haven’t seen it and will accidentally confuse this version for the better-known musical adaptation. They're not on the same level
Told from the viewpoint of Judas Iscariot (Jérôme Pradon), Jesus Christ (Glenn Carter) is being hailed as the messiah by his followers. Believing superstardom has gotten to his master’s head, Judas attempts to remind him that when it was just Jesus and his 12 apostles, there were no talks of miracles or of anyone being the son of God. Unfortunately Judas has embarked upon a path which leads only to regret.
This is not a movie. It’s a play. It isn't acted, shot, performed or put together like a movie but for some reason here I am with a DVD in-hand. As a stage production this would've been impressive. Unfortunately, this presentation means you’re seeing someone who has no idea what they’re doing trying to capitalize on the popularity of this musical by shooting it and selling it to you. It's the frozen TV dinner version of what you were hoping to get.
My criticisms do not come from a love of the 1973 film - I've never seen it. It come from my experience. Sets that look cheap. Hammy performances. Songs recorded from faraway instead of right next to the performers.
What struck me immediately was the films look. What Time Rice thinking when he put the sets and costumes together? This story is supposed to be set in 4 B.C. but we have strippers dancing, television screens, atomic bombs, graffiti on the walls, guns and costumes that look like they come out of a Mad Max wannabe. The intention was likely to draw parallels between the Roman empire and Nazi Germany but the results are goofy rather than profound, like a teenager trying to add a deep message where none was needed, and failing anyway.
There's a problem with the cast. We get a white Jesus instead of an accurate Middle-Eastern-looking one. This could be forgiven in this artistically-enclined presentation but even as a "White Jesus", Glenn Carter is wrong for the part. He couldn’t grow a beard? Is it so the audience could see his chiselled chin?
The film's close-ups are the actors' worst enemies. All they do is you to do is see how over-blown the performances are. When you see Pontious Pilate (Fred Johanson) singing to Jesus, you couldn’t tell if he's trying to say something, or take a big bite. None of the performers are film actors. They all look awkward, particularly when they're not singing.
The camera does no favor to the special effects either. Either the immediacy of the stage is shattered or the the illusions are washed away. At one point, Jesus is forced to carry his cross across the stage. As the surrounding crowd sings, Judas hops onto his master's burden and speaks directly to him. Live, you might not be able to tell or you might not care that Glenn Carter is just pretending to carry the prop. In a movie, there is no why we should notice this trick. Just have two crosses, one for when you can see the ground, and one for when you can’t. Is it that difficult to do the same scene twice and edit them together?
I know some will defend this version of Jesus Christ Superstar. It's a stage production. Live, it would have looked good. The songs are as memorable and iconic as ever. But you're not seeing it live. To be fair, you must set aside what it COULD BE, and rate only what is. So, what is it? Badly acted, cheap-looking, poorly cast, with perplexing costumes and sets. This recording is no substitute for an actual movie or tickets to a theatrical presentation. (On DVD, April 3, 2015)