You probably know the popular films on biblical themes. They are also based on biblical events and sometimes even follow biblical text rather correctly. The costumes are good, the famous actors often participate but still they are far behind any film like the one in question as they fail to give any impact. They all lack something. Something that can be found in Pasolini. The spirit of times. In fact after watching his films one begins to understand the complicated essence of Jesus and the drama of his life.
As I mentioned Pasolini followed the gospel almost literally, only abridged it. But what he made out of performing the spitit of that epoch is hard to imitate. The scenery, the photographer's work, the actors. Well, about the actors I said in my other reviews. His cast is always remarkable. I think that even his Jesus is not traditional. On the first sight he looks like canonical Christ that is known by numerous Renaissanse pictures but then you understand that it is the other Jesus. His hair is short though smooth. He is thin like canonic Jesus but there's something in his face that can explain that strange attraction of people to him. His countenence differs from the people around him. Watching this film you begin to understand that Jesus was not an ordinary figure not because of his remarkable appearance, not even of his strange and new ideas but because this man could really speak. He mastered the art of speech and at that time and place nobody spoke like him. His strange language, his parables, his manner of questions and answeres, his conversations with others together with his miraclous power made him the highest authority among his pupils and inspired wonder in other people. He was fulfilled with the conscience of his mission, he felt that it was god spirit that talked through him. And it's becoming clear that he really professed his death and could not prevent it not becase he didn't want it but because it was a part of his mission.
The investigations in that field of Christianology tells us that the only fact from the life of Jesus we can be absolutely sure of is the fact of his crucifiction. Unfortunately gospels show us next to nothing of a Jesus as a human being but everything as a prophet Christ. The interesting moment in the film when Jesus is smiling, he is almost laughing. It is superb. Amazing moment. In the other scenes he is the messiah promised by his predecessors and the old writings. In film it is compensated by showing us people that surrounded him, his apostles among which the main attention is concentrated on Peter. Very little attention is given to Pilate and Judas what is contrary to a custom that concentrate main efforts on those two characters.
The director didn't change words of the text but in fact he changed some visual episodes. For example he showed us Jesus' mother at the end of his living way when in fact she is not mentioned in the gospel. The notable fact is that the old Mary is played by Susanna Pasolini, the director's mother. It is clear that she embodies the conception of maternity, a simple woman who didn't see the messiah in Jesus but only not more and not less than her own son.
I think you should see this film if you are not only love Pasolini but want to see how the gospel should be done into film. The film is balck and white but the shooting is unusual. The director of photography Tonino delli Colli in my mind is the best director of photography of the XX century. He photographed other Pasolini's films too. Interesting but this film's manner of shooting as well as the musical theme will be repeated in Pasolini's latest film 120 giorni di Sodoma. The tragedy of theme is reinforced by the dramatic music and dramatic expressions. This film is not like other films on the same theme.
One more peculirity concerns the language. I won't repeat that this film should be watched in Italian in order to enjoy it in the full degree. By the way the voice of Jesus is sounded by another actor. In fact the peculiariry concerns translation. The point is that the Russian translation of Bible is far too bookish with many obsolete words and syntax construction that it does not sound natural. The translations on Western European languages are closer to the "normal" colloqual speech and perhaps they have a little bit different perception of all the biblical events because of this. One should take in consideration that Bible is neither real belles-lettres nor a historic chronicle. It has both, it is conglomeration of facts, myths and legends written with special purpose to explain and persuade some statement that the authors want to present. That's why the language is an important factor that contributes to the understanding of the theme and spirit of the work.
But the language can be put up with. In fact this film could be done without any sound at all and it would not lose its magic anyway. Though naturally all the elements are essensial for a whole. This film is a harmony of all the elements.
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