A question... My piano teacher often lauds the music for "Jesus Christ Superstar," and, while I am a fanatic of musical scores (older ones, albeit), I never paid much attention to her on this one because the name didn't sound very -- shall we say? -- reverent. Since you are familiar with the movie, would you say it is blasphemous? Or simply in bad taste?
I hesitate to use the word "blasphemous," but it is at the very least theologically heterodox. The composers said (for whatever that's worth) that they used the Bible and Sheen's "The Life of Christ" as reference points. In the main it follows the Gospel stories, but with a different point to make: Jesus is not clearly asserted to be divine and Peter and most of the disciples are barely seen, while Judas and Simon the Zealot are. The connection between Magdalene and Jesus is not depicted in sexual terms, but with more earthy connotations than in the scriptures. One of the main themes is about popularity, celebrity, and public relations. I used this movie/rock opera only because I was familiar with it before I became Catholic; I do not recommend it for anybody, especially those already Catholic. As far as the music goes, it has its good points as far as rock operas go.
Thank you for the thorough explanation! It sounds like it would be something garish to watch. I'm not surprised that Judas is more of a character worthy of concentration for modern Hollywood than Our Lord...
A question... My piano teacher often lauds the music for "Jesus Christ Superstar," and, while I am a fanatic of musical scores (older ones, albeit), I never paid much attention to her on this one because the name didn't sound very -- shall we say? -- reverent. Since you are familiar with the movie, would you say it is blasphemous? Or simply in bad taste?
I hesitate to use the word "blasphemous," but it is at the very least theologically heterodox. The composers said (for whatever that's worth) that they used the Bible and Sheen's "The Life of Christ" as reference points. In the main it follows the Gospel stories, but with a different point to make: Jesus is not clearly asserted to be divine and Peter and most of the disciples are barely seen, while Judas and Simon the Zealot are. The connection between Magdalene and Jesus is not depicted in sexual terms, but with more earthy connotations than in the scriptures. One of the main themes is about popularity, celebrity, and public relations. I used this movie/rock opera only because I was familiar with it before I became Catholic; I do not recommend it for anybody, especially those already Catholic. As far as the music goes, it has its good points as far as rock operas go.
Thank you for the thorough explanation! It sounds like it would be something garish to watch. I'm not surprised that Judas is more of a character worthy of concentration for modern Hollywood than Our Lord...