Jesus Christ Superstar | Trailer
Here's a little secret. When I was a kid, I was nutty about watching the movies aired around Easter about the passion of Christ. The entire week leading up to Easter was devoted to whichever "passion" movie happened to be airing. I would scour the TV listing guide to be sure one wasn't missed, and would sometimes even flip channels in between two if they were airing simultaneously. And I know not what to attribute this enthusiasm to as others in the family didn't seem to exude the same enthusiasm. Of course I loved watching other holiday specials such as "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" and all of the Jules and Bass Christmas features such as "Rudolph" and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town". But Easter was different.
Well, one year about the age of 8, perusing the channel listings to get the weekly lineup, I discovered one titled, "Jesus Christ Superstar". Now, I knew nothing about this phenomenal production nor that it would become an instantaneous favorite that I would watch again and again through life and nor how much it would impact my life. It was just one more of the "passions of christ" movies that I was determined to watch that particular Easter week with a funky, groovy title. As luck would have it, I was going to be sleeping at my dear grandmother's house (an activity I adored) the very night "Jesus Christ Superstar" was scheduled to air. I wasn't the least bit worried. She had a TV set. Check. She was devout and would surely be more interested in watching it than my brother. Check. It did not conflict with my bedtime. Check. It did not conflict with Wheel of Fortune. Check.
I thought I was set. Happy-go-lucky at Grandma's I told her about my plan to watch "Jesus Christ Superstar" and (are you ready for this?) she said NO. I was stunned. No, shocked. No, absolutely, positively in a snit. It was not possible to comprehend how a good catholic grandma would deny watching a "passion of christ" movie just before Easter. She wasn't able to present sound reasoning for the denial so it came down to "what's in a name?". I, however, could not be deterred. Watching "passion" movies was my thing. It's what I did the week before Easter. It's what I looked forward to and planned and "Jesus Christ Superstar" just happended to be the very one I wanted to watch more than any others ever. Simply because of its awesome title. I knew nothing of the content but knew that it could not be missed. The threat was made to call mom and dad. Grandma held firm. Determination did not waver. The phone was in my hand quicker than the crack of a whip and I was pleading my case to mom and pleading to either be picked up or permitted to watch the show.
Persuasive even at a young age, I'm happy to report the viewing of JCS triumphed. And what a spectacle. The direction, the score, the choreography, the costumes - Superstar! No version since has even come close to comparable. The heavy 70's influence is simplistic and timeless. A true masterpiece.
If time travel were possible and I could go back to any time and place of my choosing and insert myself into a production, hands down it would be JCS. The energetic choreography, the groovy costumes and the songs that imprint themselves into your subconscious. Superstar! To dance behind King Herod would be a dream.
King Herod's Song
The choreography is flipping fantastic in this scene. Notice how the dancers just appear from behind the pillars. Superstar!
Simon Zealotes | Check out this Choreography!
Oh, the Pharisees. Quite possibly the uniquest costumes. Brilliant. And the song *He is dangerous .... rattle, rattle, rattle* it just sticks in the brain ...
Pharisees | Funky Costumes!
As an 8 year old and for several years after the scene with the lepers crawling out the rocks freaked me out!
And now for the irony. Once I had seen JCS and become absolutely smitten with the production, I was cured of my pre-Easter week "passion of Christ" movie fever. It was rechanneled into a passion for stage craft and the art of production. Thanks JCS :-)
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