Reading the Gospels in the Dark: Portrayals of Jesus in Film (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781563383878)

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 this book Richard Walsh brings Jesus-films, the canonical gospels, and American culture into conversation. 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 fresh understanding of the apocalyptic discourse in Mark 13, and Shane and Pale Rider demonstrate that Americans desperately want a conquering hero who is not a capitalist or an imperialist to deal with their frustrations.

Author: Richard Walsh
ISBN-10: 156338387X
ISBN-13: 9781563383878
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Language: English
Published: 10/01/2003
Pages: 209
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.65lbs
Size: 8.90h x 5.90w x 0.60d

Review Citation(s):
PW Notes and Reprints 08/25/2003 pg. 60
Choice 03/01/2004 pg. 1304
Publishers Weekly 08/25/2003