I think Pasolini’s film becomes even more a treasure as the years go on. Its patient execution feels like the the exact opposite of the attention seeking bent media currently prioritizes (though even with my social-media-addled brain I found the film gripping on my first watch).
Plus it allows me to work the phrase “Italian neorealism” into conversation and then I REALLY sound like a cinephile.
This last post was a real gem, Addison. I had not watched Cecil B DeMille’s silent movie and watched it last night. It’s amazing how the actors of the silent film age were able to say so much in their faces, which in a talkie might appear overwrought but in the silent films is pure expression. I’m only ½ finished with the Pasolini film—and as you said, it’s starkness is such a different take. The version I’m watching hasn’t subtitles but I can recall enough Italian to follow along with the familiar Gospel story in Matthew. I’m also watching the John Huston Genesis film—these films allow me to sink into this life-changing episode in human history and reminds me again, forces me even, to consider God’s abiding love for all of us. It’s truly astonishing (trying to find words here) how it was that this short ministry of Christ’s in a forgotten part of the Roman Empire would change everything. And here we are today, shaped by this event, seeking our salvation in Holy Week. Here in Shanghai, our normal place of worship—the Russian Consulate—is undergoing remodeling—and though we have two churches here in Shanghai-St Nicholas Church is currently a book store that the government allows us to hold occasional services in. Last Sunday, Palm Sunday brought Orthodox of all stripes—Russian, Ukrainian, Greek, OCA, Antiochian—together. So here we are in Asian, gathering together in the 21st Century, people from everywhere, as a result of this event that occurred in Palestine under Roman occupation so long ago. That’s what I feel and am reminded of when I watch these films. I still can’t wrap my head around it.
So again, thank you so much for this post and sharing these films with us.
I have to check these out. I remember Cecile b demilles Ten Commandments used to play on the television each year when I was young and it left an impression on me that has stayed with me to this day of technicolor awe and wonder. As much as surely de Mille can be almost silly at points in retrospect, surely the sheer wonder of filmmaking (especially making a film of such subject matter ) had not left cinema and been buried in the mud waiting to only once in a blue moon to be discovered again often only in part and with, most often, a slight sardonic underbelly. I think Spielberg’s greatest projects like Indiana Jones (and more directly Hugo)—have that last spark of vitality before we end up wasting talent on films like poor things, which while teeming with macroscopic inspiration and artistry, only use it to clothe a dismal world where no true wonder would ever be found but only existential horror.
I think Pasolini’s film becomes even more a treasure as the years go on. Its patient execution feels like the the exact opposite of the attention seeking bent media currently prioritizes (though even with my social-media-addled brain I found the film gripping on my first watch).
Plus it allows me to work the phrase “Italian neorealism” into conversation and then I REALLY sound like a cinephile.
Not to mention “Prince John himself” as King Herod.
This last post was a real gem, Addison. I had not watched Cecil B DeMille’s silent movie and watched it last night. It’s amazing how the actors of the silent film age were able to say so much in their faces, which in a talkie might appear overwrought but in the silent films is pure expression. I’m only ½ finished with the Pasolini film—and as you said, it’s starkness is such a different take. The version I’m watching hasn’t subtitles but I can recall enough Italian to follow along with the familiar Gospel story in Matthew. I’m also watching the John Huston Genesis film—these films allow me to sink into this life-changing episode in human history and reminds me again, forces me even, to consider God’s abiding love for all of us. It’s truly astonishing (trying to find words here) how it was that this short ministry of Christ’s in a forgotten part of the Roman Empire would change everything. And here we are today, shaped by this event, seeking our salvation in Holy Week. Here in Shanghai, our normal place of worship—the Russian Consulate—is undergoing remodeling—and though we have two churches here in Shanghai-St Nicholas Church is currently a book store that the government allows us to hold occasional services in. Last Sunday, Palm Sunday brought Orthodox of all stripes—Russian, Ukrainian, Greek, OCA, Antiochian—together. So here we are in Asian, gathering together in the 21st Century, people from everywhere, as a result of this event that occurred in Palestine under Roman occupation so long ago. That’s what I feel and am reminded of when I watch these films. I still can’t wrap my head around it.
So again, thank you so much for this post and sharing these films with us.
I have to check these out. I remember Cecile b demilles Ten Commandments used to play on the television each year when I was young and it left an impression on me that has stayed with me to this day of technicolor awe and wonder. As much as surely de Mille can be almost silly at points in retrospect, surely the sheer wonder of filmmaking (especially making a film of such subject matter ) had not left cinema and been buried in the mud waiting to only once in a blue moon to be discovered again often only in part and with, most often, a slight sardonic underbelly. I think Spielberg’s greatest projects like Indiana Jones (and more directly Hugo)—have that last spark of vitality before we end up wasting talent on films like poor things, which while teeming with macroscopic inspiration and artistry, only use it to clothe a dismal world where no true wonder would ever be found but only existential horror.
Good insight at the end of your comment. It describes well the sense I get from watching most of the stuff being made now. Grandiose and empty.
It’s been at least 20 years since I’ve seen Jesus of Nazareth, so perhaps I should seek out the bluray at some point.
In my opinion Last Temptation has its flaws, but Willem Dafoe’s mentally anguished take on Jesus was novel (and controversial, of course).
His portrayal was true to the novel. Which was what was wrong with it.