Chad’s Grade: B
It’s safe to say that the 1970s was the last decade where Hollywood still mined Broadway for movie musical material. “Grease” became a massive pop culture hit in its day. In 1971 “Fiddler on the Roof” was a critical success, nominated for eight academy awards, including best picture. And Bob Fosse made his mark on the format with “Cabaret” and “All that Jazz.”
Of course, there were some expensive misfires like Sidney Lumet’s adaption of “The Wiz,” with a miscast (and much too old) Diana Ross playing Dorothy.
Dropped in the middle of the decade was the film version of Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice’s rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Directed by Norman Jewison, the film is a visually stunning, if uneven, adaption of the controversial source material. Like the stage version, the film angered religious groups over its humanistic portrayal of Jesus. And while it would be praised today, in 1973, an actor of color playing Judas raised eyebrows.
The movie stars Ted Neeley as Jesus, the late Carl Anderson as Judas, Yvonne Elliman as Mary, and Barry Dennen as Pontius Pilate. Told entirely in songs, the film is the final week of Jesus’s life told from Judas’s point of view. We watch not a strong savior figure, but a Jesus riddled with anger, doubt, and anxiety as he prepares to make the ultimate sacrifice. In the shows’ most famous number, “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” the key lyrics are “he’s a man, just a man.” This is really Judas’s story, who’s trying to pull his friend from the excesses of superstardom.
The principal leads are excellent, but it’s Anderson that truly stands out. All the songs by Judas drip with anger and cynicism, and Anderson sings them with relish. His thin body hunched over with a leering gaze; this is a man broken by his lack of faith. He wants to believe in his friend’s idealism but can’t. It’s interesting to watch Judas lyrically spar with Elliman’s Mary in several numbers. The two seem to be competing for Jesus’s affection, with Mary’s faith angering Judas’s doubt.
Universal was smart to choose Norman Jewison to direct, hot of the success of his adaption of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Jewison turns out to be a great fit for the material. The film was shot on location in Israel, which gives the film a dream-like tone. Jewison uses long shots that capture the grandeur of the terrain. Those big sandy vistas extend past the horizon and almost swallow up the cast.
The Broadway show inspired the film’s production design. Jewison wisely uses spare costumes and simple scaffolding as sets, allowing the Israel location to shine. The movie also embraces the same anachronistic tone, such as soldiers carrying machine guns and modern-day props. There’s a stunning shot of Judas kneeling as a row of tanks appear, like mechanical monsters bursting through the hillside.
That’s where this version of Superstar shines. Many of the musical set-pieces work beautifully. Jesus supporters cover him like snakes in a sandy cavern during the “Everything’s Alright” number. Ted Neely sings a stirring version of “Gethsemane” to one of those gorgeous sunrises you only see in the movies. And the closing, haunting image of an empty cross over Andre Previn’s beautiful orchestration of “John Ninety: Forty-One.”
Unfortunately, those strengths are also the movie’s biggest weakness. The film never has a cohesive narrative. You’re watching these wild images but never moved by them. It’s the musical equivalent of the uncanny valley.
This may be due to the actual source material. The film used elements from both the original concept album and Broadway show. And several lyrics were altered to tone down the controversial parts. The term rock opera is liberally used these days, but this is a show that deserves the label (and helped invent it). The musical is such a wonderful blend of sixties rock and musical theatre. Listen closely, and you can hear the different sounds bounce off each other.
Norman Jewison had a strong vision for the film, but there are a few missteps. It’s an odd choice to have the opening overture set to a troupe of hippie actors arriving in the holy land by bus. As the music builds to a crescendo, we watch the cast put on makeup and costume, giving the effect of them performing their version of a passion play. It’s unexpected but also adds to the detachment of the piece.
There are also lip-synching issues with several numbers. This could be due to shooting on location in the harsh desert. The movie would have benefitted greatly if the actors could sing live, similar to the film version of “Les Miserable,” but the sound technology was probably not feasible in 1973.
This version of Jesus Christ Superstar is definitely worth your time. As a Christian myself, I can watch it in the musical context and not be offended. In the pantheon of the 70’s musicals, it’s an oddball piece. It’s always tricky to film these operatic-style musicals since they are so inherently theatrical by nature. For my money, the Who’s “Tommy,” directed by Ken Russell, is still the boldest cinematic rock opera. This version of Jesus Christ Superstar never quite reaches that psychedelic high but comes very close.
OSCAR BAIT SONG:
The song “Then we are Decided” is original to this film, expanding on Annas & Caiaphas’s fears over Jesus. It’s not a very memorable tune, placed in the movie to further the narrative. The Academy Awards never took the bait, and the film received just one nomination for “Best Music, Scoring original score and/or Adaption.”
ACTORS WHO CAN’T SING:
Thankfully, Norman Jewison used theatre actors, with most of the cast hailing from the Broadway show. Only Yvonne Elliman and Barry Dennen sang on the concept album, Broadway show, and this film version. And eagle-eyed viewers will spot Baayork Lee, Thommie Walsh, and Robert Lupone from the original cast of “A Chorus Line” in the background ensemble.
OTHER VERSIONS:
I was happy to see that the recent NBC live version with John Legend and Sara Bareilles turned out to be quite good. It had a steampunk hipster vibe that played well on the small screen. Also, worth your time is a sinister, dystopian take for British television in 2000, directed by Gale Edwards. The video was shot on enclosed staged sets and is a radical interpretation of the source material. In fact, Lloyd Webber said the Edwards version is closest to his original vision for the show.
Sadly, Webber has gone on record saying that he hated the Broadway show and the subsequent film version. The 1973 Superstar is probably the closest we’ll get to the spirit of the original show. It’s one of the pillars of Rock Opera and is now a staple in the modern Broadway pantheon.