So its time for part two lets remind ourselves of the scores from the last blog. 2012 with a score of 101/110, followed by 1973 with 88/110 and bringing up the rear is 2000 with 58/110. We finished off with Judas betraying Jesus to the Jewish Council and Jerome Pradon butchering the amazing works of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Here is the link to part one. I will be adding up the second act together and then adding it all up together
https://rosebud112.wordpress.com/2020/04/10/jesus-christ-superstar-mega-review-part-one/?fbclid=IwAR31zQ0goTHUd_EgO5WdWSq26X50ipc0oXr5bjmEStbSWIszOgQ0lZLXAQI
So time for act two
The Last Supper
In the 1973 version they were in a garden/wooded area. Jesus does the whole bread and wine thing at the last supper and then the mood changes dramatically and Jesus questions whether he’ll be remember or if his men actually care about him. His voice changes and he sounds angry but his face stays the same making him look bored with the whole situation and it’s like he is betraying you and basically sending you to die a very painful and slow death. The scenery though was amazing it actually looks like a garden. Carl Anderson acts out the line “Every time I look at you I don’t understand, why you let the things you do get so out of hand, you’d have managed better if you had a plan” you see the look on his face he is distressed and he is doubting his plan. He is reaching out to Jesus but runs when Jesus attempts to comfort him.
In the 2000 version the singing was not great. It wasn’t the worst singing. It goes the same way he does the bread and wine moments and then Jesus starts to doubt himself and punches the table. The singing is lost at times to make way for acting. During the argument between Jesus and Judas it is a lot of screaming and shouting and the singing is lost completely. Also during “Every time I look at you I don’t understand, why you let the things you do get so out of hand, you’d have managed better if you had a plan” Judas drops to the ground and starts hugging Jesus’s leg, he is heartbroken and you can see that etched all over his face. Wouldn’t be so bad if to start of with Jesus looks so confused. He runs away again when Jesus attempts to comfort him.
In the 2012 version the singing is great, the acting is great. So many emotions are scene during this scene. Jesus is so upset and you can see it. When the beat goes up you see so many emotions go across his face. Also Mary was in attendance to the last supper which makes sense for a later line in a song. Throughout the song Jesus and Judas stare at each other a lot and at times the looks they give each other are full of emotions. Subtle acting at it’s finest. Jesus tell Judas to go and he starts leave before going down to do his insults part. Jesus pushes him over in anger and goes down two steps to gives symbolize that Judas has all the power. He is so upset during “Every time I look at you I don’t understand, why you let the things you do get so out of hand, you’d have managed better if you had a plan” but he also adds an element of anger and storms off.
The winner of this song is actually hard to do because they all have their strength and weaknesses but based on talent the winner is 2012 with a 10/10, followed by 1973 with a 8/10 (would be higher if Ted Neeley would stop looking bored) and finished of with 2000 with a 6/10 (would be higher if they stopped screaming their lines).
Gethsemane
In the 1973 version he sings this song while climbing to the top of a mountain singing about not wanting to die. He is angry and he wants to know if his death with mean anything. Its a very emotional moment. When Jesus finally accepts his fate he sinks to the ground and gets future images of the Crucifixion with the looks of pain and the wounds being the main point of the images. Jesus then questions what is the point and he questions himself about why he is scared. Then it dawns on him that he didn’t start and his fate is out of his hands. He stands up slowly and sings into the sun rise. The acting in the this song is amazing and it makes you wonder if they told him he had certain scenes to focus on singing to save your energy for acting in Gethsemane.
In the 2000 version he sings the song well but he does scream a lot during the song and it is like ouch. The singing when he is building up for the scream then gets a bit out of breath sounding. I again believe this is again a case of singing coming secondary to the acting but it’s not on. Ted Neeley managed it and he was climbing up a mountain. Glenn Carter can certainly manage it on a simple set. After he accepts his fate he does another scream note and drops to the floor. He takes a couple of breaths and then carries on singing. It’s not like this is on stage its on a film. Get him to take the take again. They make this Jesus far to emotional and affects the singing.
In the 2012 version he sings it with emotion and take note Glen carter he still manages to keep his singing ability to great level. He is emotional when he accepts his death and then that turns to anger which is brilliant to watch as a whole. He changes the line from “God, thy will is hard but you hold every card” to “God, thy will be done, Take your own son” which is the first and the only reference in the musical that Jesus is the son of god. Most of the time he is being treated as a politician, a king and a man that will lead them into battle against the Romans.
The winners are joint victory 2012 with a 10/10 and 1973 with a 10/10. 2000 you unfortunately get a 3/10 for weird directing and constant screaming.
The arrest
In the 1973 version Judas kisses Jesus on the cheek with a quick peck and then Jesus is arrested on the spot. The disciples wake up and start to attempt to the guards but Jesus puts a stop to it and accepts his arrest and for the first time tells the disciples that it is all over and Ted has given up on acting again. It was short lived with Gethsemane. He is taken to Caiaphas and the others on the Jewish council. On the walk there people approached him with invisible microphones to ask him questions about his reign. With people speculating he will escape and get free towards the end. Once he is in front of the council. He looks hurt when he they say “Judas Thank you for the victim stay a while and you’ll see it bleed”.
In the 2000 version the scene is started with Judas arriving with guards, he sings to the guards “There he is” and then he sings to himself “Their all asleep the fools” Judas approaches Jesus slowly as you see him shaking his head begging Judas with eyes not to betray him which completely negates the point of the accepting his fate in Gethsemane and he then kisses Jesus’s cheek for far too long it looks weird and when he kisses him Jesus lifts his hands up. Judas then start crying in front of Jesus and the disciples start to wake up but Jesus isn’t being arrested yet. Judas the puts his arms up to waist height of Jesus and Jesus put his hands on either side of Judas’s head but he sees this as a time for a hug. I don’t like it’s Judas that instigates the hug “its like I know I have betrayed you there for sentencing you die painfully and slowly but I need a hug” When they get separated by the guards Judas is holding to Jesus for dear life. As he is dragged he takes a plastic knife of peter and then gets dragged away to be blinded! The crowd shine multiple torches in his eyes which I find weird. I guess its their way of showing he is struggling and disorientated but all I think is what are you doing, your meant to be crucifying him not blinding him. During the bit where “Judas Thank you for the victim stay a while and you’ll see it bleed” Jesus gets taken past Judas and they came face to face and he gives him a comforting look and taps his chest. He has just betrayed you and you have forgiven way to fast.
In the 2012 version they arrive to arrest Jesus and Judas kisses Jesus quickly on the top of the head and walks away but Jesus catches his coat and pulls him to a hug. I like that Jesus instigated the hug. He is the one being betrayed. While he is being taken to the Jewish Councils he is interviewed with visible microphones and the chorus are dressed as journalists and they are followed around by cameras and microphones. The guards had to restrain the journalists to stop them getting to Jesus. Which can be interpreted as a look at modern day journalism doing anything for a story that they’ll interview anyone even though they are in the process of being arrested.
The winner is 2012 with a 10/10, followed by 1973 with a 9/10 and followed by 2000 with a 6/10.
Peters denial
In the 1973 version the singing is great and however the person that plays peter has been taking acting lessons from Ted Neeley. He thinks him raising his voice is acting and its not. The tune to this song is the same as strange thing mystifying. At the end Mary is like “its what he told us you would do, I wonder how he knew”. How does she know she wasn’t at the last super.
In the 2000 version Peter sounds good and acts good and it’s interesting for him to see his desperation increase throughout the song. He drops to the ground as his desperation gets worse. They leave him alone and Mary comes on stage. “Peter don’t you know what you have said, you’ve gone and cut him dead”. Peter gets upset and holds onto Mary as he explains why he did it. You see how upset he is how remorseful he is. It’s sad in a way that the songs getting the higher marks are ones that are sung by side characters. Again how did Mary know what was said at the last supper she wasn’t there!
In the 2012 in this version Mary was actually at the last supper so it makes sense that she knows what was said at the last supper. However this one has a bit of a violent Peter. The lady that said she saw him before got strangled, held by the throat and its weird. Then at the end of the song he smashes a bottle and points it at everyone. Mary has to remove it from him. Peter shouldn’t be that violent.
The winner is 2000 with a 10/10, followed by violent Peter with a 9/10 and bringing up the rear is 1973 with a 5/10.
Pilate and Christ
In the 1973 version Jesus is bought to Pilate and it’s on the edge of a mountain, “Who is this broken man, cluttering up my hallway” what hallway your on a mountain. Your above him on this mountain. I love this Pilate, though he is a calm and camp Pilate. He knows he has the all the power and he loves it. As he does his song he is walking down the stairs and when Jesus gives his answers, you can already see the frustration already that Jesus is not defending himself. He sends Jesus to Herod because he is from Galilee passing the buck on to Herod. The mock of Hosanna is good except for the fact Jesus shows no emotions.
In the 2000 version Pilate is dressed up as a general rather than a judge and he does too much shout singing and I am not a fan. Also he is angry all the way through which isn’t what the words he is singing are saying. The idea is its meant to be calm and then frustration after Jesus doesn’t defend himself. He sends him to Herod and Mary starts screaming which to be honest I am not sure why. The mock of Hosanna is sang well and you can see Jesus look done with it all.
In the 2012 version Pilate is dressed like he is exercising and while he sings part of the song he does press ups on the stairs. It is obvious Jesus has been bought over out of nowhere. So Pilate isn’t ready for him making the “who is this broken man, cluttering off my hallway” make sense. Also Pilate and Jesus both bounce of each other every facial expression conveys many emotions.
The winner is 2012 with a 10/10, followed by 1973 with a 9/10 and 2000 with a low 3/10
King Herod’s song
In the 1973 version Herod is on a boat with a piano and cross dressers. It is a very camp song however when the tempo changes and the mood shifts you get an element of annoyance because he starts shouting and it chucking bread at Jesus. Also it would be better if Jesus I don’t showed a facial expression which wasn’t a piece of wood. Look at the image below can you spot the difference. No. Neither can I.
In the 2000 version Herod was played by the great late Rick Mayall and it has the same problem as Damned for all time. They are asking him to do stuff and then they push him to the floor or pull him on to a piano. It wouldn’t help though the fact that Jesus just looks bored and done all the way through this. In the first few seconds when he see’s Herod he looks like he is ready to nail himself to the cross.
In the 2012 version Herod was played by Chris Moyles and he sings it well. I like the staging of this song as it is done as a game show. “Is he lord or is he fraud, text number now to decide”. It is a good message of how Jesus is basically classed as a celebrity and how one action of a celebrity will change peoples opinion of them. Unless you work for the BBC then they’ll just cover it up. It is interesting to look at in that sense. Jesus being this highly thought of celebrity until his fall from grace.
The winner is 2012 with a 9/10 and joint last is 1973 and 2000 with a low score of 6/10.
Could we start again please
In the 1973 version the song is sang on a mountain near where they are keeping Jesus. The song is sang nicely. Peter’s acting isn’t great but he sings well. The women that play Mary acts it and sings it well. Jesus is seen in like a hallucination to be walk away from them which could be symbolic of the disciples and Mary feeling like he is abandoning them. The fact they shot this on location in good because you see the sweat the tears the desperation. Shame that Mary is the only one doing all of them things in this scene.
In the 2000 version the song is sang on the street. I assume that is the vibe they are going for. During the first verse into the song they are singing it well. However after the first verse we cut away from them and we see that Jesus is being strung up by the guards and they start to beat him up, punching him and pulling his hair while he screams. We don’t hear the screams for a change but don’t worry from Trail by Pilate until he dies all he does is scream. This version sings well and is acted well.
In the 2012 version the song is sang outside the prison that Jesus is being kept in. I have a quick nit pick but Judas is in the circle being looked after even though he has betrayed Jesus and Peter who committed the crime of denying a man three times was cut out of the circle and was being ignored until Mary approached him and gave him a hug wrapping a blanket around him. Other than this song has so much good moments in it like the singing, Mel C uses them big eyes of hers again to express so many emotions. My favorite visual of this scene is the lanterns that are put into the sky over the prison as a way to give Jesus hope.
The winner of this one is 2012 with a 10/10, followed by 1973 and 2000 with a 5/10.
Judas’s death
In the 1973 version Judas runs to council and sings his heart out. Here we see is raw emotion he is so upset that he was going to go down in history as the man that killed Jesus. He stays constantly good throughout the song even when he is about to die. The priests do the line change from “what you have done will be the saving of Israel” to “what you have done will be the saving of everyone” I am not a fan of the line change but I assume as they film in Israel they were worried about offending everyone. I love Judas in this song we so many emotions. In this version nothing has happened to Jesus yet and he’s see Jesus he’s just kneeling and standing blankly into space which is nothing new making the “My god I saw him he looked three quarters dead, he looked so bad I had to turn my head” redundant.
In the 2000 version Judas crawls across a table because he has forgotten how to simply walk around a table. The line about him looking not too great is not redundant. He screeches his words out and he sounds ridiculous. His acting is over the top as well. I don’t like the fact the budget Voldemort grabs his face it’s weird. When he gets dragged backwards on the table he looks insane. He doesn’t look upset, he looks amused and hysterical. When Judas died in this version all I was like was yes thank god for that.
In the 2012 version Judas punches Caiaphas in the face and then drops to his knees in distress. Annas grabs his hair and then pushes him so he is further onto the floor. Once the council leaves. Tim Minchin uses his eyes to express so much sorrow and anguish in the fact he is now going to be seen as the villain in the history books. In this version the lights on the stage turn red as he starts to come to the realization that he was a pawn in gods plan.
The winner is the 2012 version with a 10/10, followed by 1973 with a 9/10 and the last again is 2000 with a 4/10.
Trail before Pilate/39 lashings
In the 1973 version Jesus stands in front of Pilate he is doing piece of wood impression, the tempo starts out slow. The council tell Pilate that they need him crucified and he needed to die. The tempo speeds up as things get more and more desperate. Pilate does a great job in this scene as a man loosing control of the situation, he starts of calm and in control and finishes out of control and he hates it. He says “So you are a king” and Jesus answers “It’s you that say I am, I look for truth and find that I get damned” this him trying to get through to Jesus. You can see the desperation. “Not a thief I a need a crime” he says this to the crowd and you can see how desperate he is. Ted Neeley decided it was time to act again and showed a lot emotions during this scene. He is a man that know he is sentenced to death and there is nothing he can do about it and he portrays that well. During 39 lashes you can see how upset Pilate is to do this but it is down with a whip. Once the lashing were done Jesus is dropped to the floor on his front and he turns around to his back to face Pilate as he looms over him and pulls Jesus into his arms begging him to speak and defend himself. Jesus tells him calmly “There is nothing in your hands all the power you have comes to you from far beyond, everything is fixed and you can’t change it”. Pilate drops him on the ground and straightens up and washes his hands in a bowl and at that point he looks at his most insane as he doesn’t want this. To start of with Ted did some speak singing but overall he sings it well. Herod being in this scene also is a bit weird the idea of him being sent to Pilate is them passing the buck.
In the 2000 version Jesus is tied up with his hands above his head. Pilate comes up from behind him to do some shout singing. He goes away from Jesus and the council tell him that they have no law to put a man to death in a fake bass. The song then starts fast and it’s appears that this Pilate feels out of control from the beginning of the song rather a slow progression into madness. The guards release Jesus so he dramatically falls to the floor and rolls down the stairs doesn’t try to catch himself just let’s himself get chucked around. I do not want to see Glen Carters physiotherapy bill. Again Pilate asks the crowds for a crime. “Talk to me Jesus Christ” Jesus stands up and stares down Pilate which seems to freak Pilate out. It’s like dude your a foot taller than him chill out. He then moves away from him and stands above him before approaching him again. He grabs his arm and hold it up “Behold this man, behold your shattered king” he chucks him on the floor again and Jesus rolls around again. During 39 lashes it is similar to the one at the regents park version where people would approached him and hit him with red paint. He gets released and he rolls away down the stairs again landing on his back. Pilate kneels next to him and pulls Jesus into this arms but this time Jesus’s warning that nothing was in his hands he stands up and he tries to drag Jesus with him. Then they all crowd around Pilate he gives up on singing then and just shouts Jesus to death.
In the 2012 Jesus is presented to Pilate. This direction is similar to the 1973 version as Pilate starts of calm and then acts his most insane at the end of the song. Jesus doesn’t get chucked around as much. This time he addresses Caiaphas when he asks to be given a crime. The 39 lashes is with a whip rather hands hit him with hitting red paint. Ben Forster does sound amazing and his acting is superb you can actually believe he is about to be sentenced to death and there is nothing anything can be done about it. Pilate during his last bit does spit a lot as his anger is being presented.
The winner of this one is a joint one again between 2012 and 1973 with a 10/10. 2000 gets a 6/10.
Superstar/The Crucifixion
In the 1973 version Jesus appears up in heaven where he meets Judas and he questions him as the film kept flashing back to him walking to his Crucifixion. It follows the signs of the cross with him falling down twice each time getting up. Carl Anderson sings this well and the dancing in this scene in a point. I like Judas is in white and the ladies dancing are in white. During the crucifixion he acts like he is being crucified he is breathless and he speaks his lines.
In the 2000 version Judas appears as Jesus struggles to pick up the cross and carry it across a few feet. Jerome Pradone still can’t sing. During the song he keeps speaking to Jesus mouthing stuff to him lovingly and then it would go back to him singing and mocking him. At one point he is standing on the cross and its like no wonder he is struggling to carry it. They hammer the devil metaphor in too much as well Judas is wear red and the women that dancing are wearing red. When Jesus is having the nail put through his hands Judas flinches and its like he feels Jesus’s pain. The cross is the stood up. Jesus does some screaming which is weird considering the fact he is meant to be dying. Even his last line he screams where technically he should be succumbed to suffocation. When he dies we have a problem this problem is a simple problem he’s breathing and he keeps moving his head because struggles to keep it on his chest. When the guards came up to go get him he actively taps the guys back to make sure he was there. It’s like come on.
In the 2012 version Judas comes back and I am like thank god your back, you would believe what is going on in your absence. Tim Minchin singing and acting is on point and is so noticeable. The cross in this version is a part of the set. Once he is up there and the Crucifixion starts he starts of shouting but you can see him getting weaker. When he dies the set in bought down and he is picked up of the cross but the people that were carrying him lifting him up so he was in cross formation again. He’s being carried up in the airs on the stairs but you don’t see him breathing much.
The winner of this one is again a joint tie between 2012 and 1973 with 10/10 and coming in last is 2000 is 5/10.
Out of the second act lets up; 2012 winning with 99/100, 1973 following with 81/100 and last but not least 2000 with 54/100.
Overall:
2012 won with 200/210
1973 came second with 169/210
2000 came in last with 112/210.
Thank you for reading!
