Godspell | | Cast : | Lynne Thigpen, Katie Hanley, Victor Garber | | Director : | David Greene | | Studio : | Columbia Tri-Star | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen | | Released Date : | January 01, 1973 | | DVD Released Date : | April 04, 2000 | | Language : | English (Subtitled), English (Original Language), Portuguese (Subtitled), Thai (Subtitled), Korean (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled) | | Audience Rating : | G (General Audience) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 06, 2005 | | Summary | Godspell still stands up . . . | Content
 | I was a teenager when Godspell opened on Broadway in the early 1970s. The music was compelling, the show's concept and spiritual connections was deep and spoke to my heart on a multitude of levels. I recall enjoying the movie when it came out, and hadn't seen it in nearly 30 years when I ordered it from Amazon.
Generally, my expectations and memories were fulfilled. The movie is actually quite well done, both in its performancees and the cinematography/concepts. In particular, the backdrop of the city of New York -- its majesty, awsomeness, and beauty as well as the back alley, trash dumps and poverty portrayed. Indeed, there is a very strange experience in the film when the finale of the song "All for the Best" is shot on the top of the World Trade Center, and the camera pans back to show the two towers against the New York skyline. The combination of the theme of the song (that we will suffer in life, but we wait for heaven's reward), the scene, and the eventual history of 9/11 makes for a most chilling moment.
The cast is, for the most part, simply the Broadway players reprising thier stage roles, and they all do a fine job. Yet we have a very young (and much thinner) Victor Garber making his debut as Jesus, and a very young, dynamic Lynne Thigpen dancing and singing up a storm (her solo "Bless the Lord My Soul," is my favorite number in the show, and it fits her so well with its joyful, gospel-tinged bounciness). Its a shame she's no longer with us.
I think you also have to accept the concept of the original show to enjoy the film. "Godspell" is an allegory, a gentle retelling of the message of the Gospel of Matthew, in particular the parables of Jesus, almost as if each of the parables retold, and the songs, are seperate little vignettes loosely tied together by the common thread of trying to draw closer to God. The presentation of these vignettes is almost like children's theater -- very "over the top" and comical, very much in the style of Vaudville, or kids' cartoons. Jesus is portrayed as a clown. His followers have the mentality of small children. If you can accept the premise, and see through the outer trappings to the tender message at the core, well, then Godspell speaks volumes. When I brought it home, i shared the video with my teenage daughters, who generally like films of musicals, and are both very devoted in thier personal Christianity. Sadly, they didn't get it. The question posed to me was "Is this the Hippie Jesus?" Generation gaps are hard to undestand, I guess.
I have two quibbles with this film. One is a quibble with the concept of both the movie and the original stage play, in that the resurrection of Jesus is not portrayed. I have seen local theater productions remedy this issue at times. As the conerstone of the gospel (see 1 Corinthians 15:14), its a disappointment that its missing, and it sort of leaves the show hanging.
i also am a little disappointed with the difference between the movie and the stage play (although this is minor). The film alters the opening of the show. The play had each cast member enter, singing and representing a different world religion and/or philosophy in a noisy cacaouphony, each trying to drown out the other in a musical number called "Tower of Babel," and then the character representing John the Baptist enters, blowing the shofar and singing "Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord." The film takes a more sublte approach, portaying the cast in thier regular lives, the mundane, the demeaning, the frustrating, the sadness of our day to day lives, when each are drawn to the call of God through the intervention of the "John" character. Its probably more appropriate for a film adaptation, and I suppose it makes the opening more "personal" for the viewer (that is, if you figure out what's going on), butI miss the original opening. It was a more intellectual approach, for sure, but I found it more dramatically effective.
Also, two of the show'songs are cut, and a new song added. One of the songs cut (We beseech thee) was important as a message about Christ's forgiveness and mercy in the face of our sin nature. It was replaced by the "feel good" and vaguely humanistic "Beautiful City," which is more poliically correct, but doesn't really fit into the show's concept.
If you're a "Godspell" fan, you'll enjoy the movie. If you can embrace the film's concept, you'll enjoy the movie. And, maybe if you're like me, just a little nostalgic for the time in your life when you could approach the world through the eyes of a child, I think you'll enjoy this movie. We need a little less cynicism in the world, and a little more child like faith. Give the film a try! |
| Rating | | | Date | July 22, 2005 | | Summary | I love the show, but I HATE this movie | Content
| Let me first tell you about myself before I talk about this movie. I am an active member of the FHSDC (Framingham High School Drama Co.) I have been part of every play since my freshman year. Whether if its on stage or being part of the crew, you will always find my name somewhere in playbook. I am going to be completely honest; I know I am not that good when it comes to acting. So when it comes to being in my school plays, I always find myself in the ensemble cast. Basically that means I am part of the back round characters. But that's not bad, in every play where I have been in the ensemble; I always learn to find the fun in it. I always manage to enjoy my part in the production, even if it is such a small part. And once the play is over, I always look back and realize that I had a great time. This year, my High Schools performed GODSPELL in the spring. However, this year, being my junior year, I decided it was time for me to do something bigger then ensemble. For the past 3 years, all I have been doing was ensemble or some minor backstage position. Because I KNEW that I was once again gonna land in the ensemble, and since it was the last production of the year and I was in the ensemble for the two earlier production, I decided not to be in the cast for GODSPELL. And after watching this movie, which I thought was horrible; I said, "I am DEFINETLY not being in the cast". So I decided to be crew. But enough about me let me talk about GODSPELL.
Basically anybody who is reading should have a good idea about what the plot line is. It is basically Jesus in the 1960's in New York. First there is a small twenty-some group living their daily lives in New York when all of sudden they drop their activities and join John the Baptist in water fountain where they all become baptized. Once they are baptized they meet Jesus. From there on they follow him around New York City and he teaches them passages from the Bible through various different songs an comical moments. All the songs have very catchy tunes. Personally, my favorite ones were "We Beseech Thee", "Light of the World", "Bless the Lord", "Save the People", and "All for the Best" (Those songs boost this movie up to 2-stars). And besides teaching the audience about Bible passages, this musical also shows people the life of Jesus in which he was betrayed by one of his closest friends. That part is a major section of this play; it takes place in the last ¼ part of it. From then on, the musical changes from lively cheery happy atmosphere into a tragedy. By the end of the musical, the audience gets a more positive look on the religion of Christianity.
Now let me explain why I did not like this movie. Personally, it was because the movie was very weird, especially the characters. I know the actors had to portray the characters in their own way, but I liked the ones that my schoolmates portrayed. I though that FHSDC did much better job of presenting this musical then the movie did. They made up characters who very likeable and while the ones in this movie were just annoying and they made up such lame humor. I remember looking at this movie all-weird during its so-called humorous moments. And I also remember me laughing at the jokes that were included in the FHSDC production. By the times this movie was over, I said "Thank God". But when my High school production ended, I looked back and realize that it was a great show and then TOTALLY REGRETTED that I was not in the cast. I was probably not going to be in the cast anyway even if I did not see this movie, but it still shows that my High school must have done a seriously good job performing this show if it made me feel that way. I hope somebody from school taped the play because I would love to own a copy of that. I am gonna end this by saying that I would much rather watch a taping of my High School performing this musical then watching this movie. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 05, 2005 | | Summary | Victor Garber + David Haskell = <3 | Content
| Victor Garber (whom I knew as "the 'Alias' guy" when we got this DVD) is the most phenomenal Jesus I could ever imagine. He has a gorgeous, simple tenor voice and a happy, innocent manner that so perfectly fits the role of Jesus. David Haskell (also in the original cast recording) is the only John/Judas I could ever picture for the role. "All for the Best" is one of the best numbers in the movie. The two together are amazing! |
| Rating | | | Date | May 28, 2005 | | Summary | All For The Best! | Content
| My mom told me about this and I thought it sounded, well, weird. So i watched the trailer online (at least 50 times) and thought it looked great. When my dad FINALLY took me to rent it, i liked it so much that i bought it, and i watch it almost every night.
All of the actors are great, especlially Victor Garber, who was and excellent Jesus, and I loved the way that some of the followers were girls (who said that girls can't be deciples?). the songs are unforgettable, and I can't get enough of the song 'All For The Best'.
This musical gives the church a chance to laugh at itself, and it gave me a more positive and Christian outlook on life. If you are thinking of buying this, then don't hesitate! |
| Rating | | | Date | May 04, 2005 | | Summary | Sweet, Beautiful, and Moving. | Content
| I've loved this show every since I got heavily involved in the theatre when I was in college. This movie would play on VH1 every now and then but I would always catch it just in time to see the cast disappear around the corner singing Day By Day at the very end. Finally, I got my own DVD copy (I have no idea why I waited so long.)
First I will state that this movie must be taken for what it is. It's not a literal telling of the gospel. Rather, it meanders around the parables that were told in the gospel, showing the teachings of Jesus in a wonderfully understandable and accessible way... through humor and improvisational acting. Instead of focusing on the dark drama of Jesus's life, it focuses more on the message than the messenger. It shows hope, love, forgiveness, and rejoicing.
The first 3/4 of the show are fun and frolic, showing the teachings of Jesus through song, dance, and vaudevillian comedy. However, the final quarter focuses on what happens when they reach the end of the journey. Confronted by opposition, Jesus's faith is tested as is the loyalty of the disciples. This is wonderfully exemplified in the song "By Your Side," The only song not written by Stephen Schwartz. Through this song, the disciples give Jesus the strength and love he needs to carry on.
In the final scenes, the heartful and personal goodbyes that Jesus gives to each of his followers in truly heartbreaking, as is the eventual crucifiction. But through it all, the final message is one of hope and rejoicing as they break into song, singing "Prepare Ye The Way of the Lord."
It just goes to show that no matter how it is portrayed, this story and these teachings are a powerful and beautiful message of love and redemption.
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