Religion In Film/theatre

[naomi24]

Offended, delighted, favourites?

For various reasons, the stage production of the musical ‘Godspell’ is and always will be very special to me; ‘Joseph’ I love - so funny - and who could forget that most deliciously daft of movies, ‘Life of Brian’?

Also unforgettable for me, but for very different reasons, is the stage production of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’. In a hushed theatre the Roman soldiers nailed the beaten and broken Jesus to a cross that lay flat, centre front stage. Silence reigned as they slowly raised the cross into an upright position, the emotion in the auditorium palpable – until my husband whispered in my ear, “What if the spring snapped and he suddenly came flying off across the audience?” Have you ever tried not to burst out laughing when you just have to? Oh the shame!

[Zacs-Master]

I thought Nuns on the Run was quite amusing.

[Peter Pedant]

what about Hadrian VII by baron Corvo ?

Marlowe has a play where the Cardinals in one version are subjected to a bit of slapstick ....( Dr Faustus)

[woofgang]

never offended, I have a current favourite which is the TV series Lucifer....its a light glossy US police procedural with the twist that Lucifer is living in LA and helping out the police....but some very thought provoking twists and story lines. I did enjoy the LDS response to the musical The Book of Mormon....they took out advertising that said "you have seen the musical, now read the book"

[4candles]

Life of Brian is THE classic.
Also enjoyed The Man Who Sued God, starring Billy Connolly. Raise some interesting theological questions.

[237SJ]

Never watched any of those since Jesus Christ Superstar was put on in our school. It was the time of the Generation Game and when Jesus finally died, a kid shouted "Didn't he die well!" and got he got the cane for that.

[naomi24]

^Haaaa! Love it! I'm sorry he got the cane though. Some people have no sense of humour!

[Calicogirl]

I love Jesus Christ Superstar and Joseph but I also love Captain Noah and his Floating Zoo :)

Life of Brian is awesome but DOGMA! Dogma is my favourite 'religious comedy', so clever, so funny and really well done.

Serious stuff 'Kidush' a film which doesn't paint the Orthadox Jewish community in Israel well is a great and harrowing watch, and I really liked 'The Passion of the Christ'- despite not liking Mel Gibson he's a wonderful Director, and if you like a bit of hysteria and Oliver Reed 'The Devils'- but I like 60's/ early 70's cinema for the stretching of the envelope it was doing.

[rockyracoon]

237SJ, that’s hilarious.

I love Joseph, it’s one of the only musicals that I like. Life of Brian is fab, but Calico girl has nailed it with Dogma. Thank you for the reminder, I need to watch it again.

I hate JCS!

[naomi24]

I don't like Jesus Christ Superstar either, rocky. Once seen - never again - and that's not because I laughed at an inappropriate moment.

[fender62]

i remember watching jesus of nazareth with robert powell,
and thinking he looks out of place for the region it's set in.
my mum was a christian and said it's all true, that what he
looked like, mmm i said he must have used a good sunblock.

[ludwig]

A good drama or comedy just that. The Jesus of Nazareth story is a good drama, irrespective of what you might believe. Four Lions is very funny, despite being about islamist terrorists trying to organise a suicide bombing.

Life of Brian is also very funny. The best thing Monty Python did. They recently put on a showing of this in Derby Cathedral, which I thought was a great idea. Incredible to think there was so much fuss about it when it first came out.

I've not heard of the film 'Dogma', but I'll check it out.

[Theland]

Why no play, "Mohammed Superstar?"
Or, "Allahspell?"
Or, "Mohammed Of Mecca?"

Very puzzling.

[mibn2cweus]

^ They'd likely have bombed . . . literally.

[beso]

I always love the original version of "I Don't Know How To Love Him" from JC S*.

Of course Mendelssohn actually wrote the melody.

[4candles]

//Life of Brian is also very funny. The best thing Monty Python did. They recently put on a showing of this in Derby Cathedral, which I thought was a great idea. Incredible to think there was so much fuss about it when it first came out.//
Interesting trivia - after a 30 year ban in the town, it was first shown in Aberystwyth in 2009, large due to Sue Jones-Davies, the mayor of Aberystwyth, who rose to fame when she played the part of Judith, Brian’s girlfriend, in the 1979 film.