Godspell
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Movie Reviews of Godspell
Movie Review: Fun for all ages
Summary: 5 Stars
Godspell is one of those shows that has been around for years on virtually every stage imaginable. From Broadway to Off-Broadway to colleges to almost any high school production, it is shown. I vaguely remembered the movie although I remember coming across an old record in my dad's collection of vinyal this soundtrack in it's entirity. I remember vividly picture of the dance routine on top of the World Trade Center during its final moments of construction. Seems odd now to know that the actors who were on top of that same building never knew that in about 20-some years it would have been destroyed.
Everything about this film is a treasure. I've forgotten the hippie-like attire and a bunch of actors running through the city of New York doing song and dance numbers. It's amazing how this film was made that during their sequences there was no visible activity at all until the very end when they brought Victor Gerber's body around the corner. I'd love to see the production notes and even hear the director's commentary (if it is available somewhere) how they managed to pull everything off in the "city that never sleeps" while acting like a bunch of crazed loons. From beginning to end,....you'll be swept away in the parables. It's not pushing Christianity or religion down a person's throat,....just relaying a few simple messages about life while having fun in the process. Godspell, as well as Jesus Christ Superstar, are both musical jems that I consider a must for a person's collection.
Movie Review: Long live Godspell!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've seen literally thousands of movies, but "Godspell" is on my short list of beloved all-time favorites. How many movies can leave you with a feeling of joy? That may be a devalued emotion in our cynical, ironic age. But if it is, "Godspell" may be the antitode.Two things about the DVD version. First, the wow and flutter heard on the soundtrack of the videocassette version, especially during "Day by Day", has been corrected on the DVD. (Note to others here: it had nothing to do with the "age" of the film. That flaw was not present in the theatrical release or on the soundtrack album, it was the result of a sloppy audio transfer to videotape.) Second, the "full screen" version on the DVD actually shows MORE of the original film image than the "widescreen" version on the flip side of the DVD. That's because "Godspell" was shot with an "open matte" aperture that uses virtually all of the film frame (1:1.37 ratio). Its apparent widescreen ratio in theaters (1:1.85 ratio) came about only because the top and bottom of the image were intentionally cropped by the projector aperture and by the screen dimensions; the "widescreen" version on the DVD imitates this by blocking off the top and bottom of the image. (Note to the confused: on most DVD releases, the widescreen version shows you more of the film image, because the movie was actually shot in widescreen. "Godspell" was not shot in widescreen.)
Movie Review: Godspell - the musical
Summary: 5 Stars
NYC is the background in this 70's version of the Gospel of Matthew with music/lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. You see a belated "hippie" look (costuming) which, when I've shown it to my Jr. High Sunday School Class, some students had a hard time getting past. Costuming aside, a definite religious musical including dancing & singing. The actors/singers chosen for the roles were carefully thought out - and youngsters of the 80's/90's will remember the actress from "Where in the World is Carmen SanDiego - Lynne Thigpen. Victor Garber portrays Christ - not who I saw in my head (of course I saw it for the first time performed on a college campus & Christ was portrayed by a young, black man who was quite a bit taller/more muscular)...but Garber does an outstanding job of interacting with all the characters. Critics thought this was a little "light", but it came out just a year after Jesus Christ Superstar & in my opinion, stayed much truer to the Gospel. It is a series of parables set to music. Don't remember John the Baptist playing a dual role in the stage production, but he does in the movie (but I'm not going to give it away here). Notable songs - All Good Gifts, Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord & (of course) Day By Day which made it to #13 on the Bilboard pop chart in 1972. I highly recommend this movie...it shows a very "human" side of Christ...Movie Review: BREATHTAKINGLY CREATIVE
Summary: 5 Stars
GODSPELL has become an oddball classic of the theatre -- reviled by many critics when it first appeared, it has survived for 3 entire decades and thrived as a durable, moving combination of music, heart and Matthew's funny-wise parables. This movie version did not break any box office records; it is odd in a different way. The city of New York is seemingly abandoned to provide a fresh-faced, winning troupe of young people looking for something meaningful in their lives a place in which to play, laugh, run, skip, jump, and most of all, sing and dance. This concept is outrageously creative, and for fans of the music and show, delightfully wonderful. New York, that city that never sleeps, with its endless variety of humanity, nooks, crannies, landmarks, land, sea, etc., is embraced, painted and inhabited by this merry group in surprisingly inventive ways. In looking back (nonetheless thrilled that this finally made it to DVD), there is a new harsh melancholy twist is seeing the World Trade Center in the musical number All For The Best. This moment in the film, with its complicated shot on top of the Towers -- takes your breath away. It is sad, strange and newly horrific to see these wonderful, talented people singing such an optimistic, smile-inducing song literally on top of one of New York's most famous icons -- now gone forever.
Movie Review: When wilt thou save the people?
Summary: 5 Stars
I love Godspell, but this film won't be for everyone. The plot is confusing, since it's basically just Jesus and his disciples acting out parables from the Bible as the plot meanders along, somewhat faithful to the Gospel of Mattthew. The cast mugs a lot, using a ton of cartoon-y voices and facial expressions, which can get annoying. My favorite part of Godspell is the music. I love almost every song. "Save The People," "Bless The Lord," "By My Side," "Beautiful City," "Day By Day," "Turn Back, O Man" are just some of the classics that appear in this film, sung with an exciting innocence, and staged somewhat inventively, especially the "All For The Best," number.
The cast is great - fans of ABC's "Alias" television series will be shocked to see Victor Garber as an Afro'd Superman shirt singing Jesus. I know I was! The great Lynne Thigpen, sadly passed away, gets a great rollicking number in "Bless The Lord," and the rest of the cast is entertaining as well in their own ways.
So this movie may not be for everybody - if you don't think you can handle a movie based on Bible parables, then don't bother buying this. But I suggest giving this a try - I did, and it turned into one of my favorite movies.