I watched Joan of Arc on VHS and I really enjoyed it. I saw it on TV when it came out in 1999. This was a very well made motion picture and it is much better made than the movie theater films. Leelee Sobieski is a very talented young actress and played the part of Joan of Arc very well. I don't know a lot about French history, but I learned a lot by watching this movie. It was nice to watch a film without any profanities and sex scenes. It was also nice that they portrayed Joan as a woman of strong faith in God. The scenery and costumes were done very nicely. All of the actors and actresses did a wonderful job. It would be nice if they made more movies like this, of this quality.
Reviews
4 Reviews
The Greatest Story Ever Told
(1965)
Mediocre film on the life of Christ
4 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
I have watched the Greatest Story Ever Told on VHS tape and just wanted to state my opinions. First of all, this is a very drab version of the Life of Christ on film. I think that Max Von Sydow was miscast as Jesus. He is way too stiff and shows no emotion at all. In the scene where he chases out the money changers in the temple, he looks so stiff and awkward until it is almost very comical. I also didn't like the way the temple was designed and the very drab costumes for the Pharisees. It looked very depressing and dull. I don't know much about ancient Jewish history, but I think the pharisees of Jesus's time wore more elaborate robes and prayer shawls. The pharisees in TGSET looked as if they are going to a funeral. The musical score at the beginning is very beautiful, but it becomes corny at the end of the 1st tape with the Handels Hallelujah chorus being sung. The crucifixion scene is also very fake looking and drab. Of course John Wayne should have NEVER BEEN CAST AT ALL in this movie. He ruins the whole movie. Charlton Heston did a good part as John the Baptist, but they should have not put that awful wig on him. It made him look silly. I think that the casting crew should have let Chartlon Heston grow his own hair long instead of putting that awful wig on him. I think that TGSET is the worst of the old style Biblical epic movies. King of Kings is much better. I gave this movie a 6 out of 10 because Charlton Heston and Jose Ferrer were the best actors and made the movie tolerable to watch.
King of Kings
(1961)
Good religious movie for its time
4 January 2007
I have the DVD of King of Kings and I thought it was a well made motion picture. The cinematography and musical score was very good and Jeffrey Hunter did a good job of portraying Jesus. I don't know why he received so much criticism. I don't think he looked like a teenager. People who put down this movie have to understand that it was made in 1961 and not early 21st century. There was no CGI and very,very few Middle eastern actors that spoke good English at that time. Also at that time, most people in the Western world saw Jesus as a light haired white European, due to the influence of medieval art. Movies were much more difficult to make and took a lot longer time in the 50's and 60's. At least with the films of that time period, they used REAL PEOPLE AND REAL ANIMALS and not CGI. The only parts that I didn't like in the movie was Frank Thring's AWFUL wig and VERY FAKE beard. I thought he looked hideous. I also thought that they placed too much emphasis on Barabbas. They also didn't show enough of the miracles that Jesus did. The actress that played Virgin Mary also looked too old. They should have cast Carmen Sevilla as the Virgin Mary instead. I also didn't care much for the actor that played John the Baptist. He seemed very dull and stiff. The scenery in the movie was very pretty and the Sermon on the Mount scene was the best in this movie. The costumes were done very well. A good, but not perfect movie on the life of Christ.
Jesus of Nazareth
(1977)
The best movie about Christ for all time
1 January 2007
I have this movie on VHS and I usually watch it during Christmastime and Easter. It is by far the most well-made,beautiful film on the life of Christ. Every time that I watch this film I am in awe because it was so well made and accurate. The actors, sets, costumes and cinematography is so well done and this was before CGI came into being. The columns in the temple were absolutely amazing, but what really made it a great motion picture was the portrayal of Jesus by Robert Powell. He is absolutely an amazing actor and was by far the best film Jesus ever. He played the role very seriously and gave Jesus the proper reverence and poise. All of the other actors and actresses were great too. I really liked Olivia Hussey as Mary, she made a beautiful Virgin Mary. The musical score by Maurice Jarre was perfectly done and very beautiful and moving. I think this movie would be a great tool for evangelism, but it may be too long for some people, especially those with very short attention spans. No other movie about Christ touched me the way this one has.I have seen the Passion of the Christ and did not care much for it. Franco Zeffirelli created a wonderful movie and no other film about Jesus Christ can come close to this one.
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