Jesus, the Gospels, and Cinematic Imagination
Subtitle: Introducing Jesus Movies, Christ Films, and the Messiah in Motion
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Published: 2021
Language: eng
Number of pages: 400
ISBN-13: 9780567693839
Subjects: Literature
Description: Jesus films arose with cinema itself. Richard Walsh and Jeffrey L. Staley introduce students to these films with a general overview of the Jesus film tradition and with specific analyses of 22 of its most influential exemplars, stretching from La vie du Christ (1906) to Mary Magdalene (2018). The introduction to each film includes discussion of plot, characters, visuals, appeal to authority, and cultural location as well as consideration of the director's (and/or other filmmakers') achievements and style. Several film chapters end with reflections on problematic issues bedeviling the tradition, such as cultural imperialism and patriarchy.