Arts & Manners: Hosanna!

After Godspell, which recreates the Gospel according to St. Cutesy-poo, one approaches rock-folk-holiness flicks warily. Must we really suffer another plumply adorable Mary Magdalene, still one more Judas the closet case, Jesus—oh good Lord, not again—as gentle late-night teeny-bopper stoned on Himself? And then, my JC Superstar record album (reviewed in NR, June 29, 1971, by Sheldon Smith) is all mushy from overplaying with a blunted needle; Pilate’s snarls, frenetic disciples’ and apostles’ crooning, Herod’s Third Avenue swish—the whole too-familiar bit has palled. The clincher for me was an execrable Easter 1972 performance in Berlin, in the gargantuan Deutschlandhalle, sixteen thousand with-it German lumpenfreaks up after their bedtimes to adore their generation; getting it, but good, in a pandering rendition so laughable, we laughed.

In short, I came to Norman Jewison’s and Robert Stigwood’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar without much hope. But never discount Hollywood’s ability to surprise, delight, thrill: This is a simply tremendous film.

DB

About the Author

David Brudnoy

Featured Tags

After Godspell, which recreates the Gospel according to St. Cutesy-poo, one approaches rock-folk-holiness flicks warily. Must we really suffer another plumply adorable Mary Magdalene, still one more Judas the closet case, Jesus—oh good Lord, not again—as gentle late-night teeny-bopper stoned on Himself? And then, my JC Superstar record album (reviewed in NR, June 29, 1971, by Sheldon Smith) is all mushy from overplaying with a blunted needle; Pilate’s snarls, frenetic disciples’ and apostles’ crooning, Herod’s Third Avenue swish—the whole too-familiar bit has palled. The clincher for me was an execrable Easter 1972 performance in Berlin, in the gargantuan Deutschlandhalle, sixteen thousand with-it German lumpenfreaks up after their bedtimes to adore their generation; getting it, but good, in a pandering rendition so laughable, we laughed.

In short, I came to Norman Jewison’s and Robert Stigwood’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar without much hope. But never discount Hollywood’s ability to surprise, delight, thrill: This is a simply tremendous film.