The Lloyd-Webber and Rice musical comes to the screen, and is nothing like the stage show at all. The deserts are real, although the back story is that this is a theatre company, putting on a production in real locations.

The cast are largely session singers and unknowns - Ted Neeley, delicate and high-voiced as Jesus (particularly superb in `Gethsemane'); Carl Anderson, black and doe-eyed as Judas with hot soul vocals, Barry Dennen as Pilate, and Yvonne Elliman as Magdelene with her big number `I Don't Know How To Love Him'.

One loss for those who know the stage version is being removed from the crucifixion preamble, when the ghost of Judas sings `Superstar' - this was all video camera projection in the theatre, while in the movie we are detached observers. But at other times we get uncomfortably close. And the songs survive the transportation to a more realistic setting (except the added `Could We Start Again, Please?' which sounds rather too much like the Coca-Cola theme for comfort).

Best scenes? The one in the temple; Hosanna; and the Pharisees tapping on their scaffolding perches like crows.

This film represents all that Andrew Lloyd Webber is capable of: taking an old and complex subject and using a stellar rock score to look at it from a modern perspective. How strange it is that the most powerful epic of Christ's life should turn out to be this rock opera. This is probably because the main characters are expressed in modern terms of thinking. The best aspect of this film may be its portrayal of Judas Iscariot. Many films have tried to find a reason why Judas betrayed his master and mentor for thirty pieces of silver. However, all of them have been pretty much making up their own stories: Judas wanted to get Jesus

to use his powers against the Romans, Judas wanted to save his family. All

these have been just very big guesses. However, this film is probably the

closest to the truth about Judas. His reason is a more psychological one. He is simply worried that Jesus' teachings will get him arrested by the Romans, and that they will be turned into propaganda, like they are today. He is also just doubtful that Jesus is the Messiah (wouldn't you be if someone told you?) Jesus himself is portrayed as a dedicated spiritual leader, and his followers are looked at largely from his and Judas' perspective. The scene with Simon Zealotes, with followers throwing themselves at Jesus' feet in the dust is meant to make them look almost pathetically worshipping this man. To Jesus, his own Apostles are like children, pestering him about what his plans are for the future. Then, of course, there is the film's portrayal of Mary Magdalene as Jesus' lover. As she rubs ointment on Jesus' feet, you can sense the deep passion moving between

them. Jesus is human, and must, therefore, love. The priests and pharisees are shown as worried about Jesus' influence, fearing it will turn into a revolution, and Pontius Pilate is shown as a faithful politician, trying to do what is right, but pulled away from it by the people demanding Jesus' death. Just the title of this movie is enough to put some people away from it. But the title makes Jesus more modern, because, probably to people at the time, Jesus

seemed like just a passing fad. Maybe this was what Jesus thought too. In this respect, Jesus may have had doubts about whether he could really make any

difference, and if he would be remembered, or if his followers were really just hungry for the next big thing. The film's setting in the Israeli ruins gives the film an almost surreal look, which is furthered by the design of the film, a stark mixture of ancient and modern, which is so well done it is sometimes hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. This serves to point out the similarities between then and now. The film's greatest point moves through the score and the cast. Carl Anderson makes Judas almost unplayable by anyone else. Ted Neeley, while his voice

may not be perfect, has an amazing delivery, and brings new depth to Jesus

with his rendition of "Gethsemane." Yvonne Elliman is remarkably soulful as

Mary Magdalene, and Bob Bingham's low, gravelly bass voice cuts chillingly

through the more serious scenes, helped along by Kurt Yahjigan's falsetto as

Annas. Barry Dennen is a remarkable Pilate, and Josh Mostel makes King

Herod, the Jewish puppet ruler, look remarkably petty and foolish, yet funny in his ragtime burlesque style song. The film also contains Andrew Lloyd Webber's richest score, especially at the end, bringing out the suffering of Jesus. The sound distorts the soldiers laughter, mixing with the vultures crying, and the cross creaking, the hammer pounding in the nails, and the rattle of dice as they gamble for Jesus' clothes, and the sobbing of Mary Magdalene. Jesus voice

remains normal, and his death ends the film, making this, in my opinion, the

most powerful and moving and maybe most accurate version of the Passion.

I've always loved Jesus Christ Superstar, and along with Phantom of the Opera and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat it ranks among the top 3 of Andrew Lloyd Webber's best musicals(well more like a rock-opera strictly speaking). My love for Jesus Christ Superstar was the main attraction into seeing this film, as well as the fact that it was directed by Norman Jewison, director of the brilliant Fiddler on the Roof. As a film, it's not quite as good but I did find myself enjoying the film enormously. I can understand why some mayn't like it so much, the costumes are not very appealing to look at all and the anachronistic touches like the students arriving to put on a show, Judas ducking jet fighters and the Army Tanks made it harder to properly decipher the period. However, it is also very easy to see why people love it. The desert setting is gorgeous and the camera work and editing were great, loved the colour in Herod's setting contrasting to the more purposefully drab moments of the latter part of the film. Lloyd Webber's score is brilliant and Tim Rice's lyrics are very witty, performed with gusto by the orchestra/band. The choreography is very spirited and dynamic, particularly in Superstar, and while the story has some fun moments like Herod's song- some might take offense but I think it's hilarious- and Superstar, and stirring moments like the Hosanna chorus, with I Don't Know How to Love Him, Gethesmane(especially powerful here) and Jesus' death scene it is also deeply moving. The closing shot concluded things beautifully. Jewison allows the performers to have fun and allows time to breathe for the more poignant moments to have their impact. The performances are terrific, a big shout-out to Carl Anderson as Judas, he has an amazing soulful voice that will lift your spirits every time you hear it, and he captures Judas' sorrow and anger with equal conviction. Ted Neeley's high notes have soaring freedom, and he brings a nobility and command to Jesus, while Yvonne Elliman's Mary is very moving. The Pontius Pilate of Barry Dennen is authoritative and troubled, Bob Bingham has a wonderfully booming bass voice that has a really chilling effect and Kurt Yaghjian is equally as menacing and sounds very comfortable in the falsetto range. Larry Marshall's Simon Zealotes is excellent, Joshua Mostel's Herod is hugely entertaining in the funniest moment of the film and the Peter of Paul Thomas shows loyalty, defiance and pathos with aplomb. On the whole, a very enjoyable film that may not rock as much as it could have done but not fully deserving of the flak it's gotten. 8/10 Bethany Cox