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AND STARRING JESUS AS HIMSELF: CULTURAL CONTEXT AND THE IMAGES OF CHRIST IN NORTH AMERICAN FILM

Dawson, Rebecca
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1178209057

Abstract Details

2007, Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, Popular Culture.
Jesus Christ may appear to be an unlikely candidate for movie stardom, yet few other figures have managed to both captivate and outrage its audience. From early appearances in silent epics to modern kung-fu action-comedies, depictions of Christ have done more than show his life and his message. The directors of these films, by using Christ’s image, have added a new interpretative dimension to the social issues and debate at the heart of each era of filmmaking. Post-Vietnam cynicism, feminism, gay rights, and the Christian Right have all found a champion in the character of Jesus. Jesus becomes malleable in a sense, as his image is changed and reconstituted to express the issues and beliefs closest to the filmmaker. This thesis will examine the evolution of the “Jesus film” in North American cinema, focusing on the varying depictions of Christ within four films; Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter (2001), and The Passion of the Christ (2004). These films may vary in their approach and depictions of Christ, ranging from a feminized neo-hippie to a very masculine and practically indestructible savior, yet they all present an evolution in how Jesus is presented and used in popular culture. Studying these films in terms of genre, subculture, and gender is crucial to understanding how the image of Jesus has been affected by our ever-changing culture. Through these various and distinctly different films, I will show how each film’s depiction of Christ has been influenced through its director, its message, and the culture that produced it. Jesus’ physical appearance, his relationships, and the intent of the filmmaker all help form the cinematic Christ.
Angela Nelson (Advisor)
125 p.
Jesus; Christ; Religion; Film; Masculinity; Culture; Popular Culture; Sexuality; Relationships; Judas; Mary Magdalene; Jewison; Scorsese; Demarbre; Gibson; Director; Hippies; Gay Christianity; Anti-Semitism; Gender

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Dawson, R. (2007). AND STARRING JESUS AS HIMSELF: CULTURAL CONTEXT AND THE IMAGES OF CHRIST IN NORTH AMERICAN FILM [Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1178209057

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Dawson, Rebecca. AND STARRING JESUS AS HIMSELF: CULTURAL CONTEXT AND THE IMAGES OF CHRIST IN NORTH AMERICAN FILM. 2007. Bowling Green State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1178209057.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Dawson, Rebecca. "AND STARRING JESUS AS HIMSELF: CULTURAL CONTEXT AND THE IMAGES OF CHRIST IN NORTH AMERICAN FILM." Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University, 2007. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1178209057

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

bgsu1178209057
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© 2007, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.