Hey, one s, one n!
Wait till you get it and you have an impression …
Quiet and contemplative, this is by far the definitive Christian movie that features Jesus; I would say perhaps several notches higher than ‘The Last Temptation of Christ’ and definitely better than Gibson’s ‘Passion’. Cinematically this is closer to ‘The Flowers of St. Francis’, another Christian masterpiece. This particular film is effective only because of its usage of hand-held cameras (which back in the day must have been groundbreaking), and the poignant performance by the obviously overwhelmed 19 year old male lead. In fact, it is his nervousness and earnestness that actually works in its favor, as he plays his role with a distorted style that can’t quite be called ‘acting’, by any means. Certainly it is quite a performance.
While this is indeed a ‘film’, in a contemporary sense, its laid out more like a piece of theater, which is perhaps why it worked for me. Pasolini would go on to direct more scandalous pieces of cinema (“Salo”) but its his word for word rendition of the Gospel here that makes this perhaps his finest achievement (the Rome-centric inspiration for the movie is a back-story worth tracking down).
This film downgraded The Last Temptation Of Christ in my eyes. It was the first of these minimal, artistic, atmospheric ‘religious’ films. Pasolini is a little overrated in my eyes, but this film, along with Mamma Roma, are essential viewing for any serious fan of cinema.
The same guy made Salo.
o_O
He presents the events in the strict order of the gospel, unadorned and in a neo-realist (i.e. the opposite of expressionism?) style that doesn’t confirm or deny deity. Another example of, “you would not seek me if you had not known me”.
Maurice Gianesin
The library is going to try and find a copy of The Gospel According to Saint Matthew. The last time I saw the film was in college. I have a faint memory of the experience. I mostly remember a very rebellious Christ figure.
Has anyone seen the film lately and what was your impression.