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Very well executed

Such a frustrating disappointment

Excellent but underrated film

Excellent adaptation.

I enjoyed this movie in the 70's, bought the soundtrack and played it until I knew it word for word. It has remained as one of my favorite movies. I just watched it again, and thoroughly enjoyed it as much as I did the first time!

Jesus' perfect sacrifice is approached from a controversial viewpoint. Judas Iscariot sought to follow Jesus. But he fell short in the long run. The mangerie that follow him demonstrate that same seeing without seeing and hearing without hearing when in the final seen they board a bus one by one. They behold the Cross, but don't grasp the Resurrection. Mary Magdelene is beautifully portrayed by a uniquely talented vocalist. The scene wherein Pontius Pilate actually has Jesus' Blood on his hands is a powerful device. Although it is not, of course, not biblically accurate.

As an Evangelical Christian, thoroughly enjoyed the movie.

It clearly cross the line. Imagine a story about a well-known historical figure that largely ignored the writings of the time and made up vast amounts of dialogue contradicting the actual historical accounts, and there you have this film. Based on a concept album project written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, and the subsequent long running Broadway performance, this film tells the story of the final days in the life of Jesus Christ. People might mistake it for a musical, but the film feels more like a rock and roll opera as there are no spoken lines, everything is sung throughout the film. The hippie generation really put the artistic license on this periodic piece to the point that it doesn't look like biblical times, but rather a low budget cheap 1970's knock off. You have people wearing badly made costumes, and sets that looks like they were filming in a post-volcano Pompeii. All you see is ruins and its ruins the film. Don't get me wrong, it's not a cheap movie. They have tanks, fighter airplanes and guys with machine guns. Why because it's supposed to be this abysmal idea that modern Israeli military men and equipment wander around as part of the backdrop. I assume that Director Jewison was trying to make some sort of comment on the present day world being out of touch with the message of Jesus. If that was the case, why use non-Israelites to make the point? Of course, in reality, Christ was a Middle Eastern Jew, not a blue eyed blonde! It's get more disturbing that Judas is being portrayed by a black man. The way Judas meets his fate in the end is also disturbing. Its look like taking a badly aim shot about race issues at the time. Whatever it may have been, it was a distraction and not an enhancement to the film. The movie starts out with a bunch of actors getting off a bus in the middle of a desert, and getting into character. The overture plays as the melody and works as a tone settler that builds the music to the point where the musical really starts. It's doesn't start out with Jesus Christ (Ted Neeley) but in a song by Judas (Carl Anderson) call 'Heaven in their mind'. Carl Anderson gives on of the best performances in the film as we can truly see what Judas was thinking at the time about Jesus. 'What the Buzz' is the next song that talks about how Jesus has become a prima donna, or in the male terms primo uomo (A vain and egotistical person). Jesus finds it difficult to work as part of a team due to the endless badgering of his group and seeks comfort in the hands of Mary Magdalene (Yvonne Elliman). The love song between them 'I don't know how to love him' was a hit song of the movie, and even went on to make the billboard charts. 'Strange Things Mystifying" explains how the relationship between Mary and Jesus might hurt the apostles that can put them in danger due to her being well known as a prostitute. Well, Jesus has been making news about his arriving in Jerusalem, based on the song 'Then we have decided' that Caiaphas (Bob Bingham) sings about, which states out Jesus is hard to control and thinks he must die to save the city before the Romans come in and kill everybody for Jesus's outrageous new beliefs that might be mistaken for a uprising. Is it just me, or does Caiaphas look like bible version of Darth Vader with the silly dark helmet, black cloak and gem chest armor? Everybody is having a great time with the song "Poor Jerusalem" that has a lot of energy with its dancing until the Romans sees the display. Well, this leads to Judas betraying Jesus and the Romans lead by Pontius Pilate (Barry Dennen) capturing him. In my opinion, the second best actor in the film besides Carl Anderson in the film was Barry. He can totally pull off the smugness look. A man you certainly love to hate. "Pilate and Christ' reminds of a Danny Elfman song more than an Andrew Lloyd Webber song. One of the best scenes in the movie has to be with Jesus sings "I only want to say' to God on why this had to happen to him. It shows how strong the voice of Ted Neeley is, how amazing the landscape is, and how great the editing is with showing classic painting of foreshadowing events. This is probably my favorite song in the movie. Now to the faults of the film, I really didn't like the King Herrod's song as I felt it was out of place and most of the songs weren't that catchy. The ending was pretty disappointing as all the actors leaves, besides the actor that play Jesus. Are we supposed to think Ted Neeley really die for our sins? It's look like they film a play, and really killed a man. The movie also forget the most importation part about the story. Where's the resurrection? Isn't that the point of the film? Also why is Judas in fact, praised? The worst misrepresentation of this is that after Judas commits suicide, he comes back with a choir of angels, all dressed in white, descending from Heaven in the film. Did the producers ever read the bible? That would never happen. Last time I checked, commit suicide, and killing Christ doesn't give you a free ride to Heaven, folks. Jesus Christ Superstar is perhaps one of the first movement to reinvent Jesus but it denies what the Holy Bible has taught people. It's a good movie that wouldn't hurt you if you watch it. Still, I wouldn't say it's the best movie about Jesus. You won't learn anything about the real Jesus here.