Noutions Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

Stellead Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

RipDelight This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

Logan By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

classicalsteve Are the canonical Gospel accounts in the New Testament accurate as to the events of Jesus of Nazareth? The short answer is we'll never know since even among the actual gospel narratives, the first complete copies exist from the 2nd century, about 200 years after the death of Jesus. Since the Gospels were written in different times and places and in different languages, we have at best a murky view of the life and death of one of the most influential spiritual teachers of Late Antiquity: Jesus of Nazareth. The Gospels each portray an account of Jesus, but are certainly not definitive depictions of Jesus' life. That aside, "Jesus of Nazareth", the television miniseries, is one of the best screen adaptions of the story which is not exactly the easiest subject to produce. My understanding is it is based largely on the "Gospel According to Matthew" and the "Gospel According to Luke" with some embellishments.At the forefront is Robert Powell as Jesus, an excellent choice. Similar to the problems with Superman, Jesus is difficult to cast, and using a familiar actor might cause audiences not to see Jesus. The producers opted for an experienced but lesser-known actor, Powell. (Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino were considered for the part, which in retrospect seem rather ridiculous choices.) Powell portrays Jesus whose other-worldly eyes are often looking to the Heavens, which fits in well with how Christians (Protestants, Catholics and Eastern Orthodox) often view him. At the same time, the director, Franco Zeffirelli, wanted also to give Jesus a lot of humanity. (The "Gospel According to John" portrays Jesus much more ethereally and his execution seems less horrific than other Gospels.) Honorable mention goes to Olivia Hussey as Mary, Michael York as John the Baptist, and Rod Steiger as Pontius Pilate. Other familiar actors have smaller parts in various roles.Aside from the acting, the production brings us into the ancient world as few films do. While some aspects of Antiquity are to be certainly applauded, such as works of literature and science, the Roman government could be brutal. Scholars are fairly certain that Jesus' rhetoric was a challenge not only to the ruling establishment of Judaism but also of the Roman Empire. One of the best aspects is the depiction of Jerusalem which was a "mecca" for Jews who would come to the city during the Passover holiday. Tensions between Jews and the Roman authorities were ongoing and the film does well to show this tension.One of the most accurate depictions, and certainly the most horrific, is the scourging and crucifixion of Jesus. Crucifixion was primarily meant as a kind of terrifying advertisement to deter other potential wrong doers. Roman citizens might be spared crucifixion which was reserved for unruly slaves and servants, and rabble-rousers and traitors. While Jesus as portrayed in the Gospels is not traitor, he is clearly a rabble-rouser, criticizing the Jewish authorities and the Roman Empire. (Jesus' statement, "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's" is probably a later fabrication by Gentile gospel writers.) The condemned person was typically scourged as a way to render them dazed and helpless, which most certainly happened to Jesus. Then he is made to bear the upright upon which he will be fastened at the execution area, called Golgotha. The scene is certainly heart-wrenching, but not as gruesome as some later productions. In short, the crucifixion scene is relatively tasteful as far as such a scene can be depicted.Overall, Jesus of Nazareth is a must-see for the believer and non-believer alike for those who are interested in a cinematic retelling of the gospel narrative. Again, this is not a life of Jesus in the definitive sense but the retelling of a later account of Jesus. Did Jesus die by crucifixion? Probably. Did he rise from the dead? In this narrative he does, but resurrection is a religious belief not an historical reality. Did Pilate "wash his hands" of Jesus? Probably not. Pilate was notorious for crucifying anyone he suspected of rabble rousing during Passover. The Gospel narratives, at best, like this film, are an interplay of mythology and history.

tomsview This two-part mini-series covers the life of Jesus even before the beginning. It's long, but holds your interest to the end, and some passages are absolutely riveting, although there is no way that such a telling could avoid controversy.It shows how powerful the story can be in the hands of gifted writers, Anthony Burgess among others, and an inspired director, Franco Zeffirelli.With that said though, this is probably the least spectacular of the three big productions that tell the traditional life of Jesus; the others being Nicholas Ray's epic "King of Kings" and George Steven's measured "The Greatest Story Ever Told". "Jesus of Nazareth" is photographed in a no frills manner, and avoids conventional depictions of many of the events, especially the crucifixion.Maurice Jarre's effective score has a crisp sound, halfway between the symphonic scores for "King of Kings" and "Greatest Story", and Peter Gabriel's new-age opus for "The Last Temptation of Christ". The film has major stars in many of the roles big and small, as did Steven's "Greatest Story". Zeffirelli's film seems more successful in fitting the big names into their characters although Peter Ustinov was such a distinctive personality that his Herod seems rather tongue-in-cheek, even when he is ordering something as horrendous as the slaughter of the innocents. However, Robert Powell's performance is fascinating. How does any actor interpret Jesus? There are no acknowledged physical descriptions of the historical Jesus so who is to say that he didn't have auburn hair and blue eyes? Unlikely of course, but beyond appearance, Powell and Zeffirelli saw him as an ethereal being, as though he is constantly aware of the fate that awaits him. Most portrayals of Jesus tend to do that, and you could argue that it is too obvious an approach, but it probably captures the way his disciples and followers must have seen him - a unique man seemingly existing on a higher plane. Otherwise, why would they have followed him when it was so dangerous to do so? Although some characters were invented for the purposes of the drama, I think the series as a whole presented the story of the Gospels in an honest and accessible way, but obviously made by a director with a deep faith.Of course, it's such a powerful story with a massive influence on the history of mankind, that the door is always open for another interpretation.

Dr_Sagan There are, literally, no words to describe this. A depiction of life of Jesus Christ that touches your soul in every imaginable way.The cast is so brilliant that you forget that you are seeing a TV mini series. Robert Powell is like he was destined to play the part of the son of God.The direction of Franco Zeffirelli leaves you with awe. The music of Maurice Jarre is majestic and fills you with emotions. The script...well...the script it was written by God through the apostles.This is on TV every year, and every year people sit and watch it again for the nth time! A masterpiece.

kikkapi20 Although much of my thoughts were expressed in the individual episode reviews, I would say as a whole, this miniseries, some 37 years after first airing, has held its own as a perennial classic. A thoughtful and poignant tale that takes the words from the paper of a famous tome and translates them to a visual and auditory feast for the soul. This treatment, with a cast who brings life to the ancient past, adds the extra emotion needed to fully understand the scope of the many people who were living history at the time that the story is set. Here, some 2000 years later, we know the result. Yet back then, there was much angst in realizing that something amazing was about to happen and then did happen, and that it would have repercussions throughout time. And that sense of redefining morals and questioning past practices and holding fast to one's way of life, were all interwoven into a grand story of an era of transition. As noted in my other reviews, definitely a much-see, particular for those who enjoy the many parables and sayings from the New Testament and from the Torah.