Movie · 1973 · Drama, History · 1h 48m · G · English
Curator score: 6.0/10 (82.2K ratings)
And now the film…
Overview
As played out by a theatre troupe, the last days of Jesus Christ are depicted from the perspective of Judas Iscariot, his betrayer. As Jesus' following increases, Judas begins to worry that Jesus is falling for his own hype, forgetting the principles of his teachings and growing too close to the prostitute Mary Magdalene.
Ratings
Curator score: 6.0/10
IMDb: 7.4/10
Letterboxd: 3.79/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 52%
Metacritic: 64
TMDB: 7.1/10
Director
Norman Jewison
Production
Universal Pictures
Cast
Ted Neeley, Carl Anderson, Yvonne Elliman, Barry Dennen, Bob Bingham, Larry Marshall, Josh Mostel, Kurt Yaghjian, Paul Thomas, Pi Douglass, Robert LuPone, Jonathan Wynne, Thommie Walsh, Richard Molinare, David Devir, Jeff Hyslop, Richard Orbach, Shooki Wagner, Darcel Wynne, Marcia McBroom
Curator Review
Verdict
A wildly stylized, very 1970s rock-opera retelling of the Passion that’s more interested in attitude, performance, and moral tension than reverence. It’s uneven in places, but the music, staging, and bold tonal swings make it a distinctive watch.
Best for
fans of rock musicals and cult cinema
viewers interested in unconventional biblical adaptations
people who enjoy theatrical, camp-adjacent 1970s filmmaking
audiences open to earnest drama mixed with irony and spectacle
Skip if
you want a strictly reverent or traditional religious film
you dislike stagey performance styles and period-locked aesthetics
you need a consistently serious tone
you’re allergic to musical theater
Overview
Norman Jewison’s Jesus Christ Superstar is less a solemn scripture adaptation than a feverish, sun-bleached performance piece. The desert setting, modern costuming, and rock score turn the Passion into something immediate and strangely contemporary, with Judas given real emotional weight as the story’s tragic center of gravity.
Worth noting
What makes it endure is the collision of sincerity and theatrical excess. It can feel playful, even cheeky, one moment and deeply mournful the next, which is part of its charm and part of its instability. The film’s visual swagger and musical energy are often more memorable than its dramatic precision.
Bottom line
For viewers who like their classics a little unruly, it’s a fascinating artifact of early-70s cinema: bold, sensual, and unafraid to look a little ridiculous while reaching for something transcendent. If you meet it on its own terms, it’s an easy recommendation.
Top Letterboxd reviews
roma · 2717 likes
why did they make judas hot i have church in two hours
annabelle (4.5★) · 2579 likes
scattered favorite moments:
1. judas’ thumbs down during “heaven on their minds”
2. judas’ and jesus’ long homoerotic stare during “what’s the buzz/strange thing mystifying”
3. the freeze frame on jesus’ face after the line “hey JC, JC won’t you die for me?” during “hosanna”
4. the slo-mo on the guys doing what appears to be The Worm during “simon zealotes”
5. a chorus faintly singing “piiiiilllaaaate” as the camera zooms way into pontius pilate’s face
6. one of the… more scattered favorite moments:
1. judas’ thumbs down during “heaven on their minds”
2. judas’ and jesus’ long homoerotic stare during “what’s the buzz/strange thing mystifying”
3. the freeze frame on jesus’ face after the line “hey JC, JC won’t you die for me?” during “hosanna”
4. the slo-mo on the guys doing what appears to be The Worm during “simon zealotes”
5. a chorus faintly singing “piiiiilllaaaate” as the camera zooms way into pontius pilate’s face
6. one of the… more
hannah (5★) · 1999 likes
i love this movie about hippies cosplaying biblical figures after probably getting super high
Brîdget (4★) · 1823 likes
“Oh JC, JC, won’t you smile at me”
Jesus: 🤩
“Oh JC, JC, won’t you die for me?”
Jesus: 😟
bridget (5★) · 1456 likes
this is the most aggressively 70s thing i have ever seen and i fucking love it
1979 · Comedy · 1h 34m · R · Curator 8.2/10 (811.1K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Peacock Premium, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus
A very different comedy, but a perfect match for audiences who enjoy irreverent biblical satire and sharp wit.