Religious Themes in the Movies & Television

Religion in the Movies

Jews in Film and TV

And God Spoke: The Making of -- a Documentary (1993)

Directed by Arthur Borman. Cast: Michael Riley, Stephen Rappaport, Soupy Sales, Lou Ferrigno, Eve Plumb, Michael Medved, Andy Dick. A "mockumentary" about the making of a big budget Bible picture. Producer Steve Rappaport and director Michael Riley have been given carte blanche to make a multimillion-dollar epic based on the Old Testament. One day into production, they blow their budget and are forced to cut corners with a scythe and to scout around for cheap locations in the L.A. area, making do with whatever stars they can afford. 82 min. DVD 3181

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Ben Hur (1959)

Director, William Wyler. Cast: Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, Haya Harareet, Stephen Boyd, Hugh Griffith, Martha Scott. The story of a Jewish nobleman, set in the time of the Roman Empire and the emergence of Christianity. 1994. 281 min. DVD 3370; vhs 999:233 pt. 1-2

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Tuszynski, Susan. "A cold war cautionary tale: heterosexuality and ideology in William Wyler's Ben-Hur." Journal of Popular Film and Television 34.3 (Fall 2006): 116(7). UC users only

The Bible According to Hollywood

Film excerpts. Vol. 1. Intolerance -- The wanderer -- King of Kings (1927) -- Noah's ark -- Sign of the cross -- The crusades -- Susan and God -- Song of Bernadette -- Samson and Delilah -- Fabiola -- Quo Vadis -- David and Bathsheba -- Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima. -- Vol. 2. The robe -- The Egyptian -- The prodigal -- Ten Commandments -- Ben Hur -- Solomon and Sheba -- Story of Ruth -- Esther and the King -- Spartacus -- King of Kings (1961) -- Gospel according to St. Matthew -- The Bible.

In the beginning, there was Cecil B. DeMille -- the pioneer of epic film directors, and the man who started Hollywood's long history of Biblical-themed extravaganzas. This documentary presents a complete look at the history of this motion picture genre through the use of extensive film trailers and the words of directors, producers and stars who comment on how the films were made, why they were so popular, and how they launched the careers of some of Hollywood's biggest stars. c1994. 90 min. Video/C 9318

Big Love(TV, HBO, 2006)

Presents the first season of a television series about a polygamist and independent businessman who lives in Salt Lake City with his three wives and seven children. Cast: Bill Paxton, Bruce Dern, Chloe Sevigny, Harry Dean Stanton, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Ginnifer Goodwin, Mary Kay Place. Contents: Pilot -- Viagra blue -- Home invasion -- Eclipse -- Affair -- Roberta's funeral -- Eviction -- Easter -- A barbecue for Betty -- The baptism -- Where there's a will -- The ceremony. 693 min. DVD 6456

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The Blood of Jesus (1941)

Directed by Spencer Williams. Spencer Williams, who later became Andy on the Amos'n'Andy Television series was the star, director, producer and writer of this film, an unusual piece that offers a glimpse into Southern Baptist life from an African American perspective. 68 min. DVD DVD 1589; vhs 999:928

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Giles, Mark. "The Blood of Jesus: Timeless Black Values." Black Camera - A Micro Journal of Black Film Studies 15:1 [Spring-Summer 2000] p.6-7 UC users only

Strecker, Damien. "No Laughing Matter: Spencer Williams, Jr.'s Christian Moral Vision in "The Blood of Jesus". Black Camera - A Micro Journal of Black Film Studies 20:2 [Fall-Winter 2005] p.6-7

The Book of Life (1998)

Directed by Hal Hartley. Cast: Martin Donovan, P.J. Harvey, Thomas Jay Ryan, Dave Simonds, Miho Nikaido, D.J. Mendel, James Urbaniak. In this dark comedy about the Apocalypse, Jesus arrives at JFK Airport with his assistant, Magdalena. He transfers the "Book of Life" to computer disk and battles the Devil for human souls, with second thoughts about whether these lives are worth saving. 63 min. DVD 3783

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Breaking the Waves (Denmark / Sweden / France / Netherlands / Norway / Iceland, 1996)

Directed by Lars von Trier. Cast: Emily Watson, Stellan Skarsgard, Katrin Cartlidge, Jean-Marc Barr, Udo Kier. Bess, a pious young Scottish woman, prays to God to send her husband, Jan, home from his job on an offshore oil rig. When an accident sends him home paralyzed, she's filled with guilt and submits to his wish that she take on other lovers, convinced that this will aid in his recovery. 152 min. DVD 785

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Brother Sun, Sister Moon (Fratello sole, sorella luna) (Italy / UK, 1973)

Directed by Franco Zeffirelli. Cast: Graham Faulkner, Judi Bowker, Alec Guinness, Leigh Lawson, Kenneth Cranham, Lee Montague, Valentina Cortese, Michael Feast, Nicholas Willatt. A compelling, insightful look at the early years of Saint Francis of Assisi, who abandoned a life of wealth and comfort to seek spiritual values, eventually founding the religious order of Franciscans. 121 min. DVD 2345

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Kozlovic, Anton Karl. "Saint Cinema: The Construction of St. Francis of Assisi in Franco Zeffirelli's Brother Sun Sister Moon (1972)." Journal of Religion and Popular Culture, vol II, Fall 2002

William Johnson. "Brother Sun, Sister Moon." Film Quarterly, Vol. 26, No. 4. (Summer, 1973), p. 60.

Ceddo (Senegal, 1978)

Directed by Sembene Ousmane. A religious conflict characterizes this drama set in late 19th century Senegal when the local king becomes a Muslim and decides to break up the small Catholic congregation in the village of the Ceddo. The people revolt against the change and kidnap a princess. Eventually the kidnappers are killed and the princess is brought back to the village to confront the Imam, as all the villagers are being given Muslim names. This film was banned in Senegal because the government disagreed with the director's spelling of the word "Ceddo," which they insisted should be spelled with one "d." In Wolof and French with English subtitles. 112 min. 999:3113

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The Crime of Padre Amaro (El crimen del Padre Amaro) (Mexico / Spain / Argentina / France, 2002)

Directed by Carlos Carrera. Cast: Gael Garcia Bernal, Ana Claudia Talancon, Sancho Gracia, Angelica Aragon, Luisa Huertas, Pedro Armendariz, Ernesto Gomez Cruz, Gaston Melo, Damian Alcazar. A recently ordained priest is sent to a small parish church in rural Mexico to help an aging priest. Upon arriving at his new post, he meets a beautiful young woman with a religious passion that borders on obsession. Quickly her passion for her faith becomes entangled in a growing attraction to the new priest. When the priest crosses the line that seperates temptation from sin, he finds himself torn between the devine and the carnal, the righteous and the unjust. 119 min. DVD 2297

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The Da Vinci Code (2006)

Directed by Ron Howard. Cast: Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina, Jurgen Prochnow, Jean Reno, Paul Bettany, Jean-Yves Berteloot, Etienne Chicot, Jean-Pierre Marielle, Marie-Francoise Audollent. When respected American religious symbology expert Dr. Robert Langdon is summoned to the Louvre by French Captain Bezu Fache, he soon discovered that he is the number 1 suspect for the murder of a historian Langdon had been scheduled to meet with. Assisted by a French cryptographer and government agent named Sophie, Langdon is challenged to decipher a chain of cryptic codes and puzzles, all the while trying to stay ahead of Fache's lawmen in a chase through the Louvre, and out into the Parisian cityscape, and finally across the channel to England. Special features (Disc 2): "First day on the set with Ron Howard" featurette; "A discussion with Dan Brown" featurette; "A portrait of Langdon" featurette; "Who is Sophie Neveu?" featurette; "Unusual suspects" featurette; "Magical places" featurette; "Filmmaker's journey" a two-part featurette; "Close-up on the Mona Lisa" featurette; "The codes of 'The Da Vinci code'" featurette; "The music of 'The Da Vinci code' featurette. Based on the novel by Dan Brown. 149 min. DVD 6872

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Death of Christ (Pathe, France? 189?)

999:3530

Dekalog (directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski - based on the Ten Commandments) see Eastern European cinema videography

Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954)

Directed by Delmer Daves. Cast: Victor Mature, Susan Hayward, Michael Rennie, Debra Paget, Anne Bancroft, Jay Robinson. Set in Rome after the death of Christ. The mad emperor Caligula is obsessed with obtaining the robe of Christ which has been entrusted to Demetrius, a devout Christian who turns his back on God, enters the arena and becomes the most famous gladiator in Rome. 98 min. 999:3243

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Diary of a Country Priest (Le Journal d'un curé de campagne) (France, 1950)

Directed by Robert Bresson. A young country priest engenders hostility, indifference, and rejection among his parishioners. Stricken by cancer, he dies a lonely death. 120 min. DVD 2475; VHS 999:125

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Dogma (1999)

Directed by Kevin Smith. Cast: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Linda Fiorentino, Salma Hayek, Jason Lee, Jason Mewes, Alan Rickman, Chris Rock, George Carlin. Two banished angels find a loophole that would get them back into heaven. The only snag? They'll be destroying existence in the process. In an effort to stop them, the overworked voice of God taps cynical mortal Bethany to save the world by preventing the angels from reaching their unholy destination. Along the way he meets two unlikely prophets named Jay and Silent Bob, and the quick-witted thirteenth apostle. 128 min. DVD 741

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Exorcist (1973)

Directed by William Friedkin. A young girl becomes possessed by the devil and causes several violent deaths before she can be cured. 122 min. 999:1005

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The Flowers of St. Francis (Francesco, giullare di Dio) (Italy, 1950)

Directed by Roberto Rossellini. Told in a series of simple and joyous vignettes from the daily events and experiences of the Franciscans, conveys the universal teachings of humility, faith and sacrifice of the People's Saint and the order he founded. 87 min. DVD 4441

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Friendly Persuasion (1956)

Directed by William Wyler. Cast: Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire, Marjorie Main, Robert Middleton, Anthony Perkins, Richard Eyer, Phyllis Love. A heart-warming story about the day-to-day experiences of a Quaker family living in Indiana during the Civil War, showing their pacifist religious beliefs, their worldly temptations, their petty feuds, and their reactions in a time of crisis. 137 min. DVD 5562

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From the Manger to the Cross (Passion and Death of Christ: From the Manger to the Cross; or, Jesus of Nazareth: A Review of the Savior's Life According to the Gospel Narrative) (1912)

Directed by Sidney Olcott. Presents a passion play, filmed on location in Egypt and Palestine. DVD 2324

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Genesis (La Genese) (Mali, 1999)

Directed by Cheick Oumar Sissoko. Genesis is given a new spin which recasts a famous story by relocating it in the nation of Mali and using a cast of African actors. Covering Chapters 23-37, it recounts the story of Esau whose birthright is stolen by his brother Jacob in exchange for a plate of beans. This allegorical tale combines an accurate interpretation of the Biblical story with relevant allusions to African history and culture. In Bambara with English subtitles. 102 min. 999:2219

Description from California Newsreel catalog

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Diawara, Manthia. "New Perspectives in African Cinema: An Interview with Cheick Oumar Sissoko." Film Quarterly 41:2 (1987/1988:Winter) 43

Go Down Death! (1944)

Directed by Spencer Williams. Based on a poem of the same title by James Weldon Johnson. Director, Spencer Williams. A minister's reputation is in question as he wavers between heaven and hell. 50 min. DVD DVD 1589; vhs 999:1166

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God's Army (2000)

Directed by Richard Dutcher. Cast: Matthew Brown, Richard Dutcher, Jacque Gray, Michael Buster, DeSean Terry, Luis Robledo, Jeff Kelly, John Pentecost. Life as a Mormon missionary is not what 19-year-old Brandon Allen expected. But persevering in the harsh realities of missionary life in Los Angeles, Brandon soon realizes that his most important convert may be himself. 108 min. DVD 6975

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Gospel According to St, Matthew (Il Vangelo secondo Matteo) (Italy / France, 1964)

Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini. The birth, life, teachings and death on the cross of Jesus Christ presented almost as a cinema-verite documentary. Pasolini limited himself to the account by Matthew: only words written by the Saint are employed; no additional dialogue was written and only scenes described by Matthew are shown. Pasoolini used no professional actors (his mother plays the older Mary). 142 min. DVD 1801; VHS 999:143

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The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)

Directed by George Stevens. Cast: Max Von Sydow, Michael Anderson, Jr., Carroll Baker, Ina Balin, Pat Boone, Victor Buono, Richard Conte, Joanna Dunham, Jose Ferrer, Van Heflin, Charlton Heston, Martin Landau, Angela Lansbury, Janet Margolin, David McCallum, Roddy McDowell, Dorothy McGuire, Sal Mineo, Nehemiah Persoff, Donald Pleasence, Sidney Poitier, Claude Rains, Gary Raymond, Telly Savalas, Joseph Schildkraut, Paul Stewart, John Wayne, Shelley Winters, Ed Wynn, members of the Inbal Dance Theatre of Israel. A drama of the life of Christ, the teacher and saviour, healer of the hopeless and champion of the poor, from Galilee to Golgotha. 199 min. DVD 6151

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Green Pastures (1936)

Directed by Marc Connelly and William Keighley. Cast: Rex Ingram, Oscar Polk, Eddie Anderson, Frank Wilson, George Reed, Abraham Gleaves, Myrtle Anderson, Al Stokes, Edna M. Harris, James Fuller, George Randol, Ida Forsyne, Hall Johnson Choir. All-black cast in Marc Connelly fable portrays the story of God in His heaven and his people on earth as told to a group of Sunday school children. 90 min. DVD 5066; vhs 999:725

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Winokur, Mark. "The Green Pastures as an allegory of Accommodation: Christ, Race, and the All-Black Musical." Film & History 1995 25(1-2): 6-16.

Hail Mary ('Je vous salue, Marie) (France / Switzerland / UK, 1985)

Directed by Jean-Luc Godard. Cast: Myriem Roussel, Thierry Rode, Philippe Lacoste, Malachai Jara Kohan, Juliette Binoche. A film which presents the Virgin Birth in contemporary terms. When a teenage virgin innocent becomes pregnant the girl, her fiance, family, and friends struggle to cope. 107 min. Special feature: Le livre de Marie (The book of Mary), by Anne-Marie Mieville (1985, 28 min). DVD 6375

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Haxan: ett kulturhistorist foredrag i levande bilder i 7 avdelningar (Häxan, Witchcraft Through the Ages) (Denmark / Sweden, 1922)

Directed by Benjamin Christensen. A series of dramatic vignettes exploring the scientific hypothesis that witches of the middle ages and turn-of-the-century psychiatric patients suffer from the same type of hysteria... a witches brew of the scary, the gross and the darkly humorous. 179 min. DVD 2463

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The Holy Mountain (Mexico, 1973)

Directed by Alexandro Jodorowsky. Cast: Alexandro Jodorowsky, Horacio Salinas, Ramona Saunders, Juan Ferrara, Adriana Page, Burt Kleiner, Valerie Jodorowsky. A Christ-like vagrant and thief wanders through a perverse and unfriendly land until he encounters an enlightened one, who gathers the thief and six of the world's most powerful individuals for a spiritual pilgrimage. Non-US format DVD. 114 min. DVD 2955

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Holy Smoke (USA / Australia, 1999)

Directed by Jane Campion. Cast: Kate Winslet, Harvey Keitel, Pam Grier, Julie Hamilton, Tim Robertson, Sophie Lee. While on a journey of discovery in exotic India, young Ruth Barron falls under the influence of a charismatic religious guru. Her desperate parents then hire P.J. Waters, a macho cult deprogrammer, who confronts Ruth in a remote desert hideaway. However, P.J. quickly learns that he has quite possibly met his match in the intelligent and iron-willed Ruth. 114 min. DVD 4031

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Intolerance (1916)

Director, D.W. Griffith. Cast: Lillian Gish, Robert Harron, Mae Marsh, Constance Talmadge, Bessie Love, Seena Owen, Alfred Paget, Mirian Cooper, Erich Von Stroheim. Switches back and forth between four separate stories from Babylonian times to the twentieth century to show humanity's inhumanity and intolerance through the ages. The Babylonian story deals with the fall of Babylon in 538 B.C. The Judean story treats the life of Christ. The French story centers on the Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Day in 1572. The modern story is set in an American mill town and the slum area of an American city. 197 min. DVD 1544; DVD 144; VHS 999:149

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Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)

Directed by Norman Jewison. Cast: Ted Neeley, Carl Anderson, Yvonne Elliman, Barry Dennen A rock opera depicting in song, dance, and music, the story of the last week of Christ's life, his betrayal and crucifixion as seen from the point of view of Judas. 108 min. DVD 570; VHS 999:1960

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Jesus of Montreal (Jésus de Montréal) (Canada / France, 1989)

Directed by Denys Arcand. Cast: Lothaire Bluteau, Catherine Wilkening, Johanne-Marie Tremblay, Remy Girard, Robert Lepage, Gilles Pelletier, Yves Jacques. A Montreal shrine seeks to inspire its congregants by modernizing its staging of the Passion play. A promising cast of vibrant young actors are signed on - one fresh from perfume commercials, another from the pornographic film industry, and another who had an affair with the basilica's priest - quickly drive the production on to become a smash hit. But as the play enjoys success, the actors become more and more challenged to separate their real lives from their lives onstage. 119 min. DVD 3163

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Jesus' Son (Canada / USA, 1999)

Directed by Alison Maclean. Cast: Billy Crudup, Samantha Morton, Denis Leary, Holly Hunter, Dennis Hopper, Jack Black. A rumpled, hapless young man in his twenties, FH bounces through his days with his dreams and hallucinations blurring and merging into reality. The shaky center of his universe is his beloved on-again, off-again, girlfriend Michelle. 107 min. DVD 4977

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Joan of Arc - For various films dealing with the life of Joan of Arc, see MRC biopic videography

Judith of Bethulia (1913)

Directed by D.W. Griffith. Cast: Blanche Sweet, Henry Walthall, Mae Marsh, Robert Harron, Lillian Gish, Dorothy Gish, Kate Bruce A film adaptation of the Old Testament story of Judith and "Captain Holofernes." 115 min. 999:1701

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King of Kings (1927)

Directed by Cecil B. DeMille. Cast: H.B. Warner, Jacqueline Logan, Rudolph Schildkraut, Dorothy Cummings, Ernest Torrence, Montagu Love, Sam De Grasse. An ostentatious retelling of the life of Christ that sealed DeMille's reputation as a master of the biblical epic. The film recounts the teachings of the humble carpenter but also the blasphemies of the Roman Empire in all its sinful splendor. 115 min. DVD 4966, DVD 3628; vhs 999:1701

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King of Kings (1961)

Directed by Nicholas Ray. Cast: Jeffrey Hunter, Siobhan McKenna, Hurd Hatfield, Ron Randell, Viveca Lindfors, Rita Gam, Carmen Sevilla, Brigid Bazlen, Harry Guardino, Rip Torn, Frank Thring, Royal Dano, Maurice Marsac, Gregoire Aslan, Robert Ryan. A large scale biblical epic telling the story of the life of Christ, describing events that took place between Romans and Jews, setting the political background for the life of Christ, and the personalities and ideas of the New Testament. 171 min. DVD 3628

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Kundun (1997)

Directed by Martin Scorsese. A dramatization of the incredible true story of one of the world's most fascinating leaders -- Tibet's current (14th) Dalai Lama -- and his daring struggle to regain independence for Tibet. Powerfully told and set against a backdrop of world politics the film created an international uproar upon its release. 135 min. DVD 305

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The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)

Directed by Martin Scorsese. Cast: Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, Barbara Hershey, Harry Dean Stanton, David Bowie. In this controversial movie, Jesus, as both fully human and fully divine, is viewed as free of sin but subject to all temptations, including sexual ones. Based on the novel by Nikos Kazantzakis. 163 min. DVD 375; VHS 999:1634

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Leaves Out of the Book of Satan (Blade af Satans bog)(Denmark, 1919)

Directed by Carl Th. Dryer. Cast: Helge Nissen, Halvard Hoff, Jacob Texiere. Four episodes showing the activities of Satan through the ages : as a Pharisee at the time of Christ, as a Spanish Grand Inquisitor, as a police officer at work during the French Revolution and as a revolutionary monk in the Russo-Finnish war of 1918. 133 min. 999:1192

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Life and Passion of Christ (La Vie et la passion de Jésus Christ)(France, 1902-1905)

Director, Ferdinand Zecca and Lucien Nonguet; produced in France by Pathe Freres. 31 carefully costumed and staged tableaux which dramatize Christ's crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension. 44 min. DVD 2324

Life of Brian SEE Monty Python's Life of Brian

Life of Christ (Pathe, 189?)

999:3530

Lilies of the Field (1963)

Directed by Ralph Nelson. Cast: Sidney Poitier, Lilia Skala, Stanley Adams. A free-spirited ex-G.I. stumbles upon five German refugee nuns in Arizona and stops to fix their farmhouse roof. Homer discovers that not only will the Mother Superior not pay him for the job, but she also expects him to build their chapel -- for free! 95 min. DVD 4564

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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

Directed by Andrew Adamson. Cast: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent, Kiran Shah, James Cosmo, Judy McIntosh, Elizabeth Hawthorne, Patrick Kake. Four London children are sent to a professor's country home for protection during WWII. There they find a magic wardrobe which leads to a mystical land called Narnia, that has been locked in winter for over 100 years by someone known as "The White Witch." To defeat the Witch, they must join forces with Aslan, the lion God of Narnia, and fight the great battle between good and evil. Based on the book by C.S. Lewis. 135 min. DVD 5387

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Lot in Sodom (1933)

Directors, J.S. Watson Jr., Melville Webber. Cast: Frederick Haak, Hildegarde Watson, Dorothea House, Lewis Whitbeck. A lyrical interpretation of the Biblical Old Testament story based on rhythmical arrangements of symbols rather than on chronological development of action. 27 min. DVD 4955

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Luther (UK / Canada, 1974)

Directed by Guy Green. Cast: Stacy Keach, Alan Badel, Judi Dench, Hugh Griffith, Patrick Magee, Robert Stephens, Leonard Rossiter. Compressing nearly two decades, this is a provocative character study of Martin Luther, his deepening religious dilemmas and his eventual condemnation of the Catholic Church and incitement of the Protestant reformation. Based on the play by John Osborne. 111 min. DVD 1587

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Madeinusa (Peru / Spain, 2006)

Directed by Claudia Llosa. Cast: Magaly Solier, Carlos de la Torre, Yiliana Chong, Ubaldo Huaman. Madeinusa is a 14 year old girl with a sweet Indian face who lives in an isolated village in the Cordillera Blanca Mountain range of Peru. This strange place is characterized by its religious fervor. From Good Friday at three o'clock in the afternoon (the time of day when Christ died on the cross) to Easter Sunday, the whole village can do whatever it feels like. During the two holy days sin does not exist: God is dead and can't see what is happening. Everything is accepted and allowed, without remorse. Year after year, Madeinusa and her sister Chale, and her father Don Cayo, the Mayor and local big shot, maintain this tradition without questioning it. However, everything changes with the arrival in the village of Salvador, a young geologist from Lima, who will unknowingly change the destiny of the girl. 95 min. DVD 6974

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Milky Way (La Voie Lactée) (France / West Germany / Italy, 1969)

Directed by Luis Buñuel. Cast: Paul Frankeur, Laurent Terzieff, Edith Scob, Bernard Verley. A surreal comedy on the history of human folly. Two scraggly hippie pilgrims set out on a modern odyssey that sends them travelling through time to meet Jesus, the Virgin Mary, the Devil, the Marquis de Sade and a multitude of fools and knaves who wielded power in the name of holiness. 105 min. DVD 8288; vhs 999:1062

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Luis Bunuel bibliography

Mel Gibson's Passion: an Interview with Mel Gibson

"In this special edition of "Primetime", ABC News' Diane Sawyer interviews filmmaker Mel Gibson about his highly controversial movie, "The Passion of the Christ." Gibson discusses his own religious beliefs with Sawyer and explains how his faith helped him overcome struggles with addiction and other personal problems at a spiritual low point in his life. He responds to charges that the movie's portrayal of the Jewish role in the death of Christ will encourage anti-Semitism. In addition, he explains why he felt it necessary to exhibit such a graphic depiction of Christ's crucifixion on film and discusses his decision to tell the story in both Aramaic and Latin. Sawyer also interviews Abraham Foxman, the national director of the Anti-Defamation League. Religious scholars, members of the clergy and others assess the film's potential impact." 2004. 40 min. DVD 2679

The Message (Pakistan / Kuwait / Morocco / Libya / UK / Lebanon, 1976)

Directed by Richard Eyre. Cast: Anthony Quinn, Irene Papas, Michael Ansara, Johnny Sekka, Michael Forest. Tells the dramatic story of Mohammed, the prophet who founded Islam. The film starts with Muhammed receiving the Koran from the angel Gabriel and ends at his death. Disc 1. English language -- Disc 2. Arabic language. 91 min. DVD 9147

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Miracle in Rome (Milagro en Roma) (Colombia, 1988)

Directed by Lisandro Duque Naranjo. Cast: Frank Ramirez, Gerardo Arellano, Amalia Duque Garcia, Lisandro Duque, Daniel Priolett. The story of Margarito Duarte, whose 7 year-old daughter dies suddenly. Visiting her grave 12 years later, he finds his daughter's body just as he left it. After his townspeople call the event a miracle, he tries to have his daughter a saint, but it will take a miracle of a different order to get his wish. Original story by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. 76 min. 999:491

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Miracle of Marcelino (Marcelino pan y vino) (Spain / Italy, 1955)

Directed by Ladislao Vajda. Based on the story by Jose Maria Sanchez-Silva. Cast: Pablito Calvo, Rafael Rivelles, Antonio Vico, Juan Calvo, Jose Marco Davo, Fernando Rey. Story of the miracle of a little boy, abandoned at a monastery, who is discovered to be talking with Jesus Christ. 89 min. 999:1196

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Monty Python's Life of Brian (UK, 1979)

Directed by Terry Jones. Cast: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin. The Pythons satirize religion, capital punishment, revolutionary politics, terrorism, graffiti, science fiction, and a host of other topics through the story of Brian, a first-century Judean. 93 min. DVD 2541

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Mother Joan of the Angels (Matka Joanna od Aniolow) (Poland, 1961)

Directed by Jerzy Kawalerowicz. Cast: Lucnya Winnicka, Mieczyslaw Voit, Anna Ciepielewska, Maria Chwalibog. This allegory of good vs. evil, chastity vs. passion, is based on actual events. The Mother Superior of a seventeenth century Polish convent comes to desire the priest investigating demonic possession among the nuns. 108 min. DVD 5536

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Nazarín (Mexico, 1958)

Directed by Luis Bunuel. A humble priest tries to live by Christian precepts and becomes an outcast and an outlaw. Using a variation of the Don Quixote theme applied to religion and hypocrisy, this candid comedy presents the impossibility of spiritual purity in a corrupt world. 92 min. 999:1370

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The Niklashausen Journey (Niklashauser Fahrt) (West Germany, TV, 1970)

Directed by Rainer Fassbinder. Cast: Michael Konig, Hanna Schygulla, Margit Carstensen, Michael Gordon, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Kurt Raab. Can a small group of people start a proletarian revolution, asks the "Black Monk" in a leather jacket. The medieval shepherd, Hans Boehm, claims to have been called by the Virgin Mary to create a revolt against the church and the landowners. The "Black Monk" suggests that he would have more success if he dressed up Johanna and had her appear as the Virgin Mary. 86 min. DVD 1671

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La Noche Oscura (The Dark Night) (Spain / France, 1989)

Directed by Carlos Saura. Cast: Juan Diego, Julie Delpy, Fernando Guillen, Manuel de Blas. In the year 1577 Father John of the cross, poet, church reformer and future saint has been taken prisoner at the Carmelite order in Toledo where he is sentenced to the penance of seclusion and stripped of freedom indefinitely. The guards systematically torture and starve him to break his resistance but the warden, impressed with his candor, gives him pen and paper to write his poems. The dark night explores the thoughts and feelings of Saint John of the cross, his dreams, his visions, and his mysterious spirituality. In Spanish without subtitles. 89 min. 999:3548

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Carlos Saura bibliography

Ordet (The Word) (Denmark, 1955)

Directed by Carl Dreyer. A study of spiritual faith and love; the film tells of the death of Inger in childbirth and her resurrection, a miracle that is seen as the result of human love. The film opens as a family of marshland farmers trail an idiot son (Johannes) who calls himself Christ. It closes as the demented theological student approaches the open coffin of his sister-in-law and, at the urgings of her child, brings her back to life. 126 min. DVD 828; VHS 999:2624, & also available as a less satisfactory print, 999:658

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The Passion of the Christ (2004)

Directed by Mel Gibson. Cast: Jim Caviezel, Monica Bellucci, Claudia Gerini, Maia Morgenstern, Sergio Rubini, Toni Bertorelli, Roberto Bestatazzoni, Francesco Cabras, Giovanni Capalbo. A visually stunning portrayal, including scenes of graphic violence, of the last twelve hours in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In the Garden of Gethsemane near the Mount of Olives, Jesus is betrayed by Judas Iscariot, arrested and condemned to death for blasphemy and brought before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, for sentencing. The roaring crowd demands his death, so Pilate orders his crucifixion. Jesus is severely beaten and made to carry his cross up to Golgotha, the hill outside Jerusalem, where he is nailed to the cross. With his mother looking on, he dies. 127 min. DVD 2897

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Mel Gibson's Passion: an Interview with Mel Gibson

"In this special edition of "Primetime", ABC News' Diane Sawyer interviews filmmaker Mel Gibson about his highly controversial movie, "The Passion of the Christ." Gibson discusses his own religious beliefs with Sawyer and explains how his faith helped him overcome struggles with addiction and other personal problems at a spiritual low point in his life. He responds to charges that the movie's portrayal of the Jewish role in the death of Christ will encourage anti-Semitism. In addition, he explains why he felt it necessary to exhibit such a graphic depiction of Christ's crucifixion on film and discusses his decision to tell the story in both Aramaic and Latin. Sawyer also interviews Abraham Foxman, the national director of the Anti-Defamation League. Religious scholars, members of the clergy and others assess the film's potential impact." 2004. 40 min. DVD 2679

The Passion of the Jew (2004)

Voices: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Isaac Hayes, Mona Marshall, Eliza Schnieder. Originally produced as episodes of the television program South Park in 2004. DVD 6351

Winokur, Mark. "Costume Jewry: South Park's holocaust of The Passion.('The Passion of the Jew' and 'The Passion of the Christ' are compared)(Critical essay)." English Language Notes 44.1 (Spring 2006): 253-257.

Ostrov (The Island) (Russia, 2006)

Director, Pavel Lungin. Cast: Piotr Mamonov, Viktor Sukhorukov, Dmitry Dyuzhev, Yuri Kuznetsov, Viktorya Isakova, Nina Usatova. Ostrov: Somewhere in Northern Russia in a small Russian Orthodox monastery lives an unusual man whose bizarre conduct confuses his fellow monks, while others who visit the island believe that the man has the power to heal, exorcise demons and foretell the future. Brother: The childhood memories and antics of a little boy afflicted with asthma. 112 min. DVD 7743

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Prince of Egypt (1998)

Directed by Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner, Simon Wells. Dreamworks. Voices: Val Kilmer, Ralph Fiennes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock, Jeff Goldblum, Danny Glover, Patrick Stewart. A musical animated adaptation of the story of Moses. Two brothers, one born of royal blood, one an orphan with a secret past grow up the best of friends. But the truth will ultimately set them apart, as one becomes the ruler of a powerful empire, while the other is revealed as the chosen leader of the Jewish people, destined to free them from bondage. 99 min. DVD 1408

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Quo Vadis (1951)

Directed by Mervyn LeRoy. Cast: Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr, Leo Genn, Peter Ustinov. It's 64 A.D. and Rome revels in pomp and debauchery under the mad Emperor Nero. Into this corrupt court comes Marcus Vinicius, a heroic military commander who falls in love with Lygia, only to learn that she is a convert to the new religion of the gentle carpenter from Nazareth. 169 min. 999:2928

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The Rapture (1991)

Directed by Michael Tolkin. Cast: Mimi Rogers, David Duchovny, Patrick Bauchau, Will Patton. A young woman, so unhappy with her life that she attempts suicide, undergoes a religious conversion when she is comforted by members of a cult. Her involvement with the cult leads to a frightening and ultimately tragic denouement. 100 min. 999:3601

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La Ricotta(Italy, 1963)

Director: Pier Paolo Pasolini. Cast: Orson Welles as a director who sets out to make a film about the passion of Jesus. 35 min. DVD 2768

Salome (1922)

Director, Charles Bryant. Cast: Alla Nazimova, Mitchell Lewis, Nigel De Brulier, Rose Dione, Earl Schenck. Salome dances for King Herod and demands that the head of John the Baptist be brought to her on a platter. This edition of Salome includes a choice of an orchestral score composed and conducted by Marc-Olivier Dupin and a score composed and performed by Silent Orchestra (Carlos Garza and Rick O'Meara). 74 min. DVD 4955; DVD 3326

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Samson and Delilah (1949)

Directed by Cecil B. DeMille. Cast: Victor Mature, Hedy Lamarr, George Sanders, Angela Lansbury, Henry Wilcoxon, Olive Deering, Fay Holden, Julia Fay. DeMille's epic production of the Bible story of Samson. The Promised land suffers under the harsh reign of the Philistines, the ancient enemies of Israel. Only the mighty hero Samson dares to resist the oppressors of his people. Unable to subdue Samson with force, the Philistines try treachery and use Delilah, the woman Samson loves, with the promise of a fortune to betray him. 128 min. 999:3394

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Sebastiane (1976)

Directed by Derek Jarman. Cast: Leonardo Treviglio, Barney James, Richard Warwick, Ken Hicks, Janusz Romanov, Neil Kennedy. Describes the last few days of the life of the Catholic martyr St. Sebastian, in particular his relationship with the Emperor Diocletian in 303 A.D., his banishment to a remote outpost of the Roman Empire because of his Christian sympathies, the ambiguous relation with his commanding officer, Severus, and finally his execution by his fellow soldiers. 85 min. DVD 1621

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Derek Jarman bibliography

Sign of the Cross (1932)

Directed by Cecil B. DeMille. Cast: Fredric March, Elissa Landi, Claudette Colbert, Charles Laughton, Ian Keith, Vivian Tobin, Nat Pendleton, Arthur Hohl. Shows the struggle between Christians and pagans in ancient Rome. The half-mad Nero delights in burning the city and blaming the fire on the Christians so he can slaughter them. In the midst of this, Rome's prefect falls in love with a Christian maiden, while spurning the advances of Nero's powerful empress. 90 min. 999:2217

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DeMille bibliography

Simon of the Desert(Simón del desierto) (Mexico, 1965)

Directed by Luis Buñuel. Cast: Claudio Brook, Silvia Pinal, Hortense Hantovena. Bunuel's bizarre, very off-beat film based loosely on the life of the 5th century saint, Simeon Stylites. Simon has stood on top of a pillar in the desert for six years, six weeks and six days. His saintliness and denial prompts the Devil to try and tempt him in a variety of guises (all of them female). A bizarre conclusion, with a hint of nuclear catastrophe waiting in the wings, rounds things off quite nicely in this off-beat film. 45 min. 999:165

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Luis Bunuel bibliography

Sous le Soleil de Satan (France, 1987)

Directed by Maurice Pialat. Cast: Gerard Depardieu, Sandrine Bonnaire, Maurice Pialat, Alain Artur, Yann Dedet, Brigitte Legendre, Jean-Claude Bourlat, Jean-Christophe Bouvet, Pierre d'Hoffelize, Corinne Bourdon. Dossignan is a very zealous rural priest. The dean Menou-Segrais tries to keep him reasonable but Dossignan will be tempted by Satan as he tries to save the soul of Mouchette, a young girl who killed one of her lovers. A film about God's grace and mysticism. Non-US format DVD. In French. 103 min. DVD 3410

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South Park. The Passion of the Jew (TV, 2004)

Based on the characters created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Passion of the Jew: After finally seeing "The Passion of the Christ", Kyle has to admit that Cartman has been right all along about the Jews' role in history. Inspired by Kyle's change of heart and a powerful love for Mel Gibson, Cartman incites many of the film's hardcore fans to band together and carry out its message. Meanwhile, Stan and Kenny also see the movie and embark upon a quest to find Mel Gibson and get their money back. Christian rock hard: When the other boys kick Cartman out of their band, he pulls his own group together to make music for Jesus. While Cartman's "Faith + 1" rockets to the top of the Christian charts, Stan, Kyle and Kenny are arrested for downloading music from the Internet. Red hot Catholic love: When the Catholic Church sex scandal negatively impacts church attendance in South Park, Priest Maxi travels to Rome to confront religious leaders about a solution. 66 min. DVD 2898

Star of Bethlehem (Thanhouser Studios, 1912)

Directed by Lawrence Marston This ambitious film of the birth of Christ was one of the first steps toward true feature-length films (more than 2 reels long). It features sumptuous costumes, crowds of actors and rich staging with a cast of 200 persons. 15 min. DVD 5863; vhs 999:2838

The Suspended Vocation (La vocation suspendue) (France, 1977)

Directed by Raul Ruiz. Cast: Didier Flamand, Gabriel Gascon, Pascal Bonitzer, Maurice Benichou, Francoise Vercruyssen, Frederique Meininger, Edith Scob, Sylvie Herbert. In this examination of the Jesuits and the partisans of the cult of the Virgin Mary, an abbot is suspected of being a double agent for different factions in a Catholic religious community. 96 min. DVD 6572

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Ten (2003)

Directed by Scott Smith. Follows the events of a man who haphazardly breaks the Ten Commandments -- and all before breakfast. A tongue in cheek interpretation of Biblical scripture in modern times. 3 min. DVD 6321

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The Ten Commandments (1923)

Directed by Cecil B. De Mille. Cast: Theodore Roberts, Charles De Roche, Estelle Taylor, Julia Faye, Terence Moore, James Neill, Edythe Chapman, Richard Dix, Rod La Rocque. This early silent Cecil B. Demille production tells the story of how the Israelites left Egypt and acquired the Ten Commandments, as told in the context of a mother trying to bring up her children to believe in God. 146 min. DVD 5328; vhs 999:3395

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The Ten Commandments (1956)

Directed by Cecil B. De Mille. Cast: Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter, Edward G. Robinson, Yvonne De Carlo, Debra Paget, John Derek, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Nina Foch, Martha Scott, Judith Anderson, Vincent Price, John Carradine. The epic story of Moses, the prophet who led his people, the Israelites, out of bondage in the land of Egypt to the Promised Land. 219 min. DVD 5328; vhs 999:852

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Thérèse (France, 1986)

Directed by Alain Cavalier. Cast: Catherine Mouchet, Hel`ene Alexandridis, Aurore Prieto, Sylvie Habault, Clemence Massart, Ghislaine Mona Heftre. A dramatization of the real-life story of St. Therese de Lisieux, a young woman who found personal joy and spiritual liberation within the restrictive traditions of an austere religious order. 90 min. DVD 3428

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Three Godfathers (1948)

Directed by John Ford. Cast: John Wayne, Pedro Armendariz, Harry Carey Jr., Ward Bond, Mae Marsh, Jane Darwell, Ben Johnson. John Ford's Western retelling of the Biblical Three Wise Men tale remains a scenic and thematic masterpiece. Fugitive bank robbers Robert, William and Pedro stand at a desert grave. Caring for the newborn infant of the woman they just buried will ruin any chance of escape. But they won't go back on their promise to her; they won't abandon little Robert William Pedro. 106 min. DVD 5670

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Under Satan's Sun (Sous le soleil de Satan) (France, 1987)

Directed by Maurice Pialat. Cast: Gérard Depardieu, Sandrine Bonnaire, Maurice Pialat, Alain Artur, Yann Dedet, Brigitte Legendre, Jean-Claude Bourlat, Jean-Christophe Bouvet, Pierre d'Hoffelize, Corinne Bourdon. Dossignan is a very zealous rural priest. The dean Menou-Segrais tries to keep him reasonable but Dossignan will be tempted by Satan as he tries to save the soul of Mouchette, a young girl who killed one of her lovers. A film about God's grace and mysticism. Non-US format DVD. In French. 103 min. DVD 3410

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Woza Albert!

Series of sketches organized around the ironic premise that Jesus Christ returns to the self-proclaimed Christian country of South Africa. The film shows the life experience of the writers/actors, as well as the resiliency of blacks in South Africa today. Percy Mtwa, Mbongeni Ngema [writers and performers]; BBC; directed by Barney Simon. 1981. 60 min. DVD 7657 [preservation copy]; vhs Video/C 942