ABC gets into biblical act ('Judas' looks at life of Jesus through eyes of betrayer)

World Net Daily ^ | 3-7-04

[truthandlife]

ABC tonight airs a biblical TV movie of the life of Jesus – this time told through the perspective of the man who betrayed him in "Judas."

The movie is sure to draw comparisons with Mel Gibson's blockbuster, "The Passion of the Christ."

'Judas' airs tonight on ABC Television

It is being well-received by some of the same Christian critics who have praised Gibson's movie – but getting far less attention.

"'Judas' is an extraordinary movie and I recommend it wholeheartedly to the Christian audience," said Ted Baehr, editor of MovieGuide and president of the Christian Film and Television Commission.

The movie is a dramatization focusing on the question of what led Judas to betray the man he called friend and Messiah? The ABC movie covers the two years Judas spent with Jesus.

The story begins at the foot of a cross, where 8-year-old Judas witnesses the crucifixion of his father. Years later, Judas, played by Johnathon Schaech, now 30, working as a wine seller and living with his widowed mother, Rohab. Captured by hooded men and taken to The High Priest, Caiaphas, he is called an "agitator" and warned that rebellion will not be tolerated.

"'Judas' deals with many of the same themes and challenges that 'Passion' does," says director Charles Robert Carner. "And while I am loathe to compare my modest efforts with those of an Academy Award-winning filmmaker, I am nonetheless proud of my film and hopeful that it will attract a large audience."

Carner seems surprised ABC took a chance on this biblical movie and scheduled it for broadcast in prime time even before the success of "The Passion of the Christ" was certain.

"Given today's media and cultural climate of ourtight hostility toward Christianity, I'm still quite amazed that Paramount and ABC supported 'Judas' in the first place," he said.

Judas is the final project of the late Father Ellwood "Bud" Kieser, C.S.P. — founder of the Humanitas Prize and Paulist Productions.

Judas is executive-produced by multi-Emmy Award-winning writer-producer Tom Fontana, who also wrote the screenplay.

[ladtx]

Could this be the definition of "opportunism"?

[longtermmemmory]

The director is a poster here. He wrote that ABC sat on this for two years. It was finished before the Passion was shot.

[longtermmemmory]

Is the Pope from Poland?

[been called a cynic]

"'Judas' is an extraordinary movie and I recommend it wholeheartedly to the Christian audience," said Ted Baehr, editor of MovieGuide and president of the Christian Film and Television Commission.

Does he recommend it to any other audiences, or just the Christian one?

[Lunatic Fringe]

I dont know... I think portraying Judas as someone who betrayed Christ can be seen as anti-Semitic.

[cyncooper]

"'Judas' deals with many of the same themes and challenges that 'Passion' does," says director Charles Robert Carner. "And while I am loathe to compare my modest efforts with those of an Academy Award-winning filmmaker, I am nonetheless proud of my film and hopeful that it will attract a large audience."

Carner = freeper "karnage". Pinging karnage to another article on the movie.

[kjam22]

The story begins at the foot of a cross, where 8-year-old Judas witnesses the crucifixion of his father

This is a good example of why this movie won't work, and why the passion did work. The more fiction you bring into this type of movie, the fewer christians will care anything about seeing it.

[cyncooper]

Ted Baehr, editor of MovieGuide and president of the Christian Film and Television Commission.

Does he recommend it to any other audiences, or just the Christian one?

I would guess he does, and his comment should be taken in the context of his position as president of the Christian Film and Television Commission. Not that he was saying it was "just" for Christians.

[Art C in Rhode Island]

I am growing increasingly angry with this liberal style obsession with making celebrities out of people who do things all wrong.
Judas. Jason Blair, you name it.
There is even a disturbing article coming out of Canada that attempts to portray Osama Bin Laden as a lover of kids and a wonderful father.
Enough to make one upchuck.

[Austin Willard Wright]

You forget the succes of such "fictional" spin-offs as the Robe and Barrabbas.

[Austin Willard Wright]

This is an old theme not something recently invented by Hollywood. The Robe was about the Roman soldier who gambled over Christ's garments and Barrabbas was about the criminal who was pardoned. Both were tremendous successes and examples of good film-making.

[longtermmemmory]

Is there any historical reference for that?

[Agnes Heep]

I find it interesting that in the Gospels, Judas is given a surname, "Iscariot." I find this particularly suspicious because few (if any) of the other figures have distinctive surnames, and "Iscariot," sounds to the ear very much like "Sicarri," the fanatical band of revolutionaries who stirred up trouble prior to the first revolt. Interestingly, Josephus refers to them by such appellations as "bandit," "thief," and "robber."

[newgeezer]

The story begins at the foot of a cross, where 8-year-old Judas witnesses the crucifixion of his father.
...
Judas is the final project of the late Father Ellwood "Bud" Kieser

So, I'm curious. Does this earlier crucifixion come from Roman Catholic tradition? (I tried Google-ing it, but came up empty.)

[laotzu]

The opera Jesus Christ Superstar is the Passion Play from the perspective of Judas.

It is, perhaps, the most accurate, and biblically faithful telling of the final days of the (human)life of Jesus Christ ever told.

[Seruzawa]

I think that maybe people should actually watch the movie before criticzing it. Just like people should actually read the articles on FR before posting comments.

[longtermmemmory]

Didn't Ben Hur have religious "cameo"?

[longtermmemmory]

running thread?

[Austin Willard Wright]

Yes, the scene where Christ's hand is shown giving Ben Hur a drink of water. This was satirized in the SCTV version staring "Curly" as Ben Hur. BTW, what do you get when you cross Ben Hur and Marvin Gay. Answer: Ben Gay.