Reading the Gospels in the dark : portrayals of Jesus in film / Richard Walsh.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Walsh, Richard G., 1955-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Jesus Christ--In motion pictures.

Jesus Christ.

Physical Description:

xi, 209 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Harrisburg, PA : Trinity Press International, [2003]

Summary:

From The Greatest Story Ever Told to Jesus of Montreal to Shane, the figure of Jesus has made repeated -- and varied -- appearances in American cinema. In Reading the Gospels in the Dark, Richard Walsh brings "Jesus-films," the canonical gospels, and American culture into conversation with one another. The discussion begins in the theater with the lights down low and the Jesus-films on the big screen. Walsh's commentary starts with the films themselves and the American Jesus(es) portrayed therein. Ironically, while we do not expect Jesus-films to "get Jesus or the gospels right," they do cast light on interesting literary and mythical features of the gospels -- and on American culture. For example, Arcand's Jesus of Montreal offers a fresh understanding of the apocalyptic discourse in Mark 13, and Shane and Pale Rider demonstrate that Americans desperately want a conquering hero to deal with their frustrations. Walsh's book explores how people watch Jesus-films and what they take with them after the screen goes dark.

Contents:

Preface: Living amidst stories

Telling sacred stories in cathedral cinemas

Films without heroes

On earth as in heaven : Jesus of Montreal and Mark

Location, location, location : Godspell and the teachings of Jesus

A hermeneutics of suspicion : Il Vangelo secondo Matteo and Matthew

The alien and alienating past : King of kings and Luke

Romancing the past : The greatest story ever told and John

Coming to America

Appendix: Portraying the sacred in film.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 195-201) and index.

Includes filmography: 191-194.

ISBN:

156338387X

OCLC:

52424085