Godspell

Godspell: A Musical Based on the Gospel According to St. Matthew (1973)

Directed by: David Greene
Written by: David Greene and John Michael Tebelak, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Starring: Victor Garber, David Haskell, Katie Hanley, Merrell Jackson, Joanne Jonas, Robin Lamont, Gilmer McCormack, Jeffrey Mylett, Jerry Sroka, Lynne Thigpen

I thought this movie had something to do with that Robert de Niro one, you know the one where they clone the kid and he turns out to be evil (cos, let's face it, that's what happens when you do cloning). Hoo Lord was I wrong.

This appears to be a musical about... the second coming? Or something. Okay, Jesus appears in Central Park, summons a bunch of people to him, gets them high and then goes on some kind of magical mystery tour around the city, visiting such famous New York landmarks as the Bridge, the Trade Towers and Woody Allen. Anyway, eventually John the Baptist ties Jesus to a fence and watches him OD. That bastard.

It sort of plays like a little kids' show on the Treehouse channel, teaching kids about the message of the good Lord and the lessons in the Bible. Either that or a weird cross between The Wicker Man and Cuckoos Nest reenacted by clowns on meth.

I mean, these people do some pretty weird shit. They raid and vandalize a junk yard, break into a rich guy's house, go on an adventure on a tug boat (singing some song about 'feeling fine and drinking wine'. On a boat...).

Then I guess they start to come down off their high and this big monster shows up, made of what looks like some brooms and a garbage bag. I think it's supposed to represent the Jew but I'm not sure.

Anyway, they end up back at the junkyard, Jesus starting to feel a little paranoid... when the cops show up or whatever and everybody has some kind of seizure.

With uplifting songs! Okay, okay, okay, being an atheist (sort of) I can't really help but make fun of this movie (mind you, I didn't really make fun of The Passion. I took that very seriously... scary fucking movie). But really, there is something really very wrong with this flick.

Still, it was pretty damn funny, and I did learn a bit about Jesus and that (like, if you convert people and tell them about the way of the Lord and stuff like that, you get more points in Heaven - which explains why these frigging people is trying to convert me). Although a lot of this stuff makes no sense whatsoever. I was trying to figure out what the hell they were talking about (I put a pebble in my shoe, and named it Dave. I talk to that pebble...). It was a little disturbing.

And, I mean, if I saw those people coming towards me I would run to join them or nothing. I'd probably think that Heartwood was doing some kind of orientation and quickly walk the other way before they recognized me (I know most people here probably don't know what Heartwood is, but my friends will laugh).

Anyway, I would actually recommend it heartily - it's absolutely fantastic and full of great songs with lyrics like "Oh God, I'm Dead" and stuff like that. Great shit, man...

Heh heh heh

END COMMUNICATION