Bible Films Podcast Matt Page

An Angolan cast bring to life the story of Jesus and his betrayal amongst the dilapidated buildings & surrounding grasslands of Pomfret, South Africa. The cast are veterans of the Angolan Civil War who reflect on their role in the conflict and issues of betrayal, rejection & free will.(Dir: Boris Gerrets, Judas: Jonas Luvango, Jesus: Rafael Siata Temba, Disciples: Former soldiers of 32 Battalion, Mary: Verónica Carols Narrator: Mohau Memeza)

Just in time for the start of the Christmas period my latest podcast is looking at one of the more recent films about Jesus - 2006's The Nativity Story. (Director - Catherine Hardwicke)
(Cast:Keisha Castle-Hughes - Mary,
Oscar Isaac - Joseph,
Hiam Abbass - Anna,
Shaun Toub - Joaquim,
Ciarán Hinds - Herod,
Shohreh Aghdashloo - Elizabeth,
Stanley Townsend - Zechariah,
Alexander Siddig - The Angel Gabriel,
Nadim Sawalha - Melchior,
Eriq Ebouaney - Balthasar,
Stefan Kalipha - Gaspar,
Alessandro Giuggioli - Antipas)

September's podcast is looking at what is arguably one of the best in the genre - Monty Python's Life of Brian (Director - Terry Jones)
(Cast: Ken Colley - Jesus, Sue Jones-Davies - Judith, Rest of Cast - Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam).

It's claimed that Jesus is the most watched film on the planet even though it has no special effects or star actors and is frequently criticised by reviewers. It's also one of the few films to be based on a single gospel rather than all four. (Directors - John Krish and Peter Sykes)
(Cast: Brian Deacon - Jesus, Rivka Neuman - Mary, Joseph Shiloach - Joseph, Niko Nitai - Simon Peter, Mosko Alkalai - Matthew, Kobi Assaf - Philip, Eli Cohen - John the Baptist, , Eli Danker - Judas Iscariot, Peter Frye - Pontius Pilate, Nisim Gerama - Thomas, David Goldberg - Judas son of James, Richard Kiley - Narrator (Luke), Miki Mfir - Simon the Pharisee, Yitzhak Ne'eman - James, Richard Peterson - Herod, Milo Rafi - Simon Zelotes, Gad Roll - Andrew, Alexander Scourby - Narrator, Daud Shah - Adam, Talia Shapira - Mary Magdalene, Shmuel Tal - John, Michael Warshaviak - Bartholomew, Leonid Weinstein - James son of Alphaeus).

After a month's absence I'm back looking at Godspell based on the hit musical Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak. It's one of the more heavily criticised Jesus films as it has not dated at all well, but the musical still remains possible and it's attempts to reinvigorate Jesus's teaching is still interesting today. (Director - David Greene)
(Cast: Victor Garber - Jesus, Katie Hanley - Katie, David Haskell - John / Judas, Merrell Jackson - Merrell, Joanne Jonas - Joanne, Robin Lamont - Robin, Gilmer McCormick - Gilmer, Jeffrey Mylett - Jeffrey, Jerry Sroka - Jerry, Lynne Thigpen - Lynne, John-Michael Tebelak - Pharisee Monster [voice]).

The Passion is a BBC1 drama that aired this Easter in the UK and will be shown in the States next Easter on HBO. The UK broadcast was stripped over 4 episodes between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, though the HBO version might be over 3 or even 6 nights instead. Being a TV drama the series should be coming to DVD in the next few months.(Director: Michael Offer)
(Cast:Joseph Mawle - Jesus, James Nesbitt - Pilate; Ben Daniels - Caiaphas; Stephen Graham - Barabbas; Penelope Wilton - Mary; Darren Morfitt - Peter; David Oyelowo - Joseph of Arimethea; Roger Ashton-Griffiths - Syrian Prefect; Paloma Baeza - Mary Magdalene; Jamie Sives - John; Denis Lawson - Annas; Vinette Robinson - Mina; Lewis Clay - Thomas; Tom Ellis - Philip; Daniel Evans - Matthew; Martin Hutson - Pilate's Secretary; Mark Lewis Jones - Marcus; Esther Hall - Claudia; John Lynch – Chief Temple Guard; Johnny Harris - Asher; Dean Lennox Kelly - James; Stuart Kidd - Simon; Steve Morphew - Thaddaeus;)