While he passes on accuracy for effect with Jesus, the apostles, it must be noted, all resemble the Hebrew peasants, publicans, and sinners they most certainly were. Zefirelli was correct to cast him with his angular features, wavy brown hair and light eyes, this Jesus looks like every church icon and Sunday School picture I've ever seen, something Zefirelli was aware of and used to great effect. Also, British actor Robert Powell gives Jesus the proper reverence and poise. The score is beautific and reverent, and the big name actors who populate the film are well-cast(no Shelley Winters or John Wayne, thankfully). The story is a straighforward retelling of the synoptic gospels(Matthew, Mark, and Luke), starting with the divine revelations to Mary and Joseph of their roles as Jesus's earthly parents on the the Resurrection.
Over the years, numerous attempts have been made to transfer the life of Christ to the screen, and one that succeeds is Franco Zefirelli's JESUS OF NAZARETH. "Jesus of Nazareth".you do your title-name proud. If the real Jesus was anything like the way Robert Powell portrayed Him, then I don't have any problem wondering how Christianity has managed to grow and be spread, impacting countless lives.including mine.
Not only do you see an affective Jesus, but you also see a wonderful group of people who were affected by Him. Zeffirelli manages to keep it captivating, with a powerful soundtract and a cast of famous actors that are jam-packed but never overused.
#YOUTUBE JESUS OF NAZARETH FULL MOVIE MOVIE#
For the first time, we have a Jesus who is "one hundred percent man and one hundred percent God." This is also possibly the longest movie I've ever sat through, but it held my attention, nevertheless. You can sence the love and the passion flowing through Him, and at the same time, you can see His authority and discipline. He manages to combine the elements of his peers who attempted the role, and you don't see the actor.you see Jesus Christ. This man looks as if he were born to play Jesus, from the physical features to the very heart and soul of the Son of Man. William Defoe was a fearless leader in "The Last Temptation of Christ." Brian Deacon was friendly and cheerful in "Jesus." Max Von Sydow spoke with authority and passion in "The Greatest Story Ever Told." Jurgen Prochnow was cold and mysterious in "The Seventh Sign." Jeffrey Hunter was untouchable and almost with little personality except to complete the mission assigned to him in "King of Kings." All of these men have contributed, but I would have to say that none of them were truly convincing, just because there are so many aspects to Jesus, and, being human, they were unable to really portray the Son of God affectively. There have been many versions of the life of Christ, and many actors who have brought their own personalities to the part. Whether or not Jesus was who He claimed to be, the Savior of the world, one thing is certain: He is alive in the hearts of millions, and this film helped capture the spirit of the Christian beliefs, making Jesus not so much an icon but a living, breathing Son of God, perfect in every way, Who loved us enough to die for our sins. Was Jesus the Divine Son of God or simply a daring revolutionary? There have always been questions concerning Jesus and who He really was, and therefore, there will probably always be films about Him and His ministry on Earth.