Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)
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A theatrical troupe performs a modern-day re-enactment of the Passion of Christ in the Negev Desert.
The story
A theatrical troupe travels to the Negev Desert to perform a modern-day re-enactment of the Passion of Christ told through song. As they prepare, Carl Anderson, portraying Judas Iscariot, wanders away from the group. The narrative depicts the conflict between Judas and Jesus, exploring the emotions and motivations of the main characters during the week of the crucifixion. Judas, a member of a humanitarian movement, worries that Jesus has lost sight of their cause, preaching about being the son of God instead of addressing social injustices. Meanwhile, temple priests led by Caiaphas and Annas resolve to have Jesus executed to protect their authority.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
A theatrical troupe travels to the Negev Desert to perform a modern-day re-enactment of the Passion of Christ. Judas, a member of a humanitarian movement, clashes with Jesus over his association with Mary Magdalene and his focus on divinity over social justice. Temple priests, fearing Jesus' popularity, plot his execution. In Jerusalem, Jesus rejects calls for uprising and clears the temple of merchants. Judas, pressured by the priests, agrees to betray Jesus for money. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus predicts Judas' betrayal and questions God's intentions before accepting his fate. Judas leads Roman guards to arrest Jesus, who is then brought before Caiaphas and Annas. Jesus is eventually sent to Pontius Pilate, who sends him to Herod; Herod dismisses him as a fraud. Judas, overwhelmed by grief and regret, hangs himself. Pilate, pressured by the crowd, orders Jesus' execution. After Jesus is crucified, the cast, no longer in character, boards their bus, with only a few noticing the actor who played Jesus is missing.
- First release year
- 1973
- Runtime (minutes)
- 106
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Norman Jewison
- Writers
- Melvyn Bragg · screenplay; Norman Jewison · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Ted Neeley · Jesus; Carl Anderson · Judas Iscariot; Yvonne Elliman · Mary Magdalene; Barry Dennen · Pilate
- Genres
- musical; Biblical drama
- Themes
- betrayal; religious authority vs. government greed; humanity of biblical figures; counter-cultural spirit
- Tone and mood
- human; strong; reachable; flamboyant
- Premise and plot tags
- musical; biblical drama; rock opera; historical fiction
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1970 concept album by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, which spawned the 1971 stage musical.
- Reception
- The film was a box office success, becoming the highest-grossing musical in the United States and Canada for 1973. It received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising its human portrayal of Jesus and others criticizing its tonal monotony and kitsch.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 50% · review count: 30; Metacritic · score: 64 · scale: 100 · review count: 7
- Awards and nominations
- Golden Globe Award · Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy · 1974 · Nomination; Academy Award · Best Original Score · 1974 · Nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was the first film credit for all actors except Dennen and Josh Mostel.; The director, Norman Jewison, was paid a reduced fee of $15,000 in exchange for 10% of the film's worldwide profits.; The film was nominated for 'Best Jesus Movie' in a 2012 Huffington Post competition.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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