Jesus Christ Superstar – 1973
Director
Norman Jewison

Writers
Melvyn Bragg
Norman Jewison

Cast
Ted Neeley
Carl Anderson
Yvonne Elliman

Review by Wayne Malin

Energetic, interesting version of the Bible,

I know some Catholics HATE this movie, but only because they think it’s wrong to set the Bible to rock music. If you can ignore that, you’ll see a film shot in Israel, with a pretty good cast, excellent score and some superb photography. It just stops short of being a great movie for a few reasons– primarily Ted Neeley as Jesus Christ. Yeah he can sing, yeah he looks the part but his acting is lousy. From the expressions on his face, I was wondering if he was aware of WHAT he was singing! The early 70s costumes and “hairstyles” are NOT easy on the eyes. Some of the outfits on the cast were ugly and the hairstyles–God! Why did every guy have to hair running down his back in the early 70s? It looks ridiculous in this day and age.

Those few complaints aside the movie is great. The songs are wonderful and the dances are energetic (to say the least). And this film is NOT anti-Catholic. It also has three GREAT performances–Yvonne Elliman as Mary Madgalene, Barry Dennen as Pilate and Carl Anderson as Judas. Elliman’s beautiful rendition of “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” is haunting and her reaction when Jesus is being whipped is shattering. Dennen plays Pilate as a tormented man who doesn’t want to crucify Jesus but has no choice. Anderson is basically good during the entire movie. I do question, however, why he’s played by a black man. Other than this, a great performance.

Worth seeing any time of the year.