JESUS OF NAZARETH on Blu-Ray

[AndyDursin]

No idea yet if it's region locked or what...but this would be great to see in HD:

[Paul MacLean]

I'm a little guarded in my enthusiasm -- I never thought the DVD was of exceptional quality, leading me to wonder if a pristine negative or print of the production still exists.

Is this an all-region Blu-ray?

[AndyDursin]

Don't know -- but for you it may not matter!!

The label is reputable at least.

[Paul MacLean]

I'll probably spring for this one. I loaned my Jesus of Nazareth DVD to someone three year ago...and still haven't gotten it back.

[Mike Rhonemus]

I'll probably spring for this one. I loaned my Jesus of Nazareth DVD to someone three year ago...and still haven't gotten it back.

I hope you no longer loan to that person! One of my daughters loaned 2 DVDs to a friends and did not tell me about it until I wanted to watch one of them and could not find it! I had all three daughters to constantly asked if borrower could return them and after 1 1/2 years, we got them back!! The guy has asked to borrow others since and they are instructed to say "NO"!! If he has a problem with that he is to talk to me, needless to say I have never heard from him!

If you get it let me know what you think, I might be interested if it is better than the DVD.

[Paul MacLean]

I hope you no longer loan to that person!

I still loan DVDs to some good friends of mine who live about half a mile away...but anyone else who wants to borrow a movie has to settle for a DVD-R (and some of those people have never returned my DVD-Rs)!

If you get it let me know what you think, I might be interested if it is better than the DVD.

I'll let you know if I do!

[RONDANTO]

Forget the german release of "Jesus of Nazareth " Blu Ray. Picture is washed out. Instead get theMexican release. It is sharp and colors warm You can get the Mexican restored blu ray version at Mixup.com

[AndyDursin]

RONDANTO thank you for the info and welcome to the forum

[Paul MacLean]

Yes, welcome and thanks for the tip!

[AndyDursin]

The Mexican Blu-Ray (region free) is on sale for $16 -- shipping is more expensive however, so it costs about $35 total to the U.S.

http://www.mixup.com.mx/mixup/Product.a ... 6036071647

Note this version is missing (as are apparently most other copies; the 2002 DVD *did* have these sequences in there however) "one continuous chunk that covers both the Zerah and Judas scene and the beginning of the Last Supper" totaling 8 minutes.

[Paul MacLean]

Note this version is missing (as are apparently most other copies; the 2002 DVD *did* have these sequences in there however) "one continuous chunk that covers both the Zerah and Judas scene and the beginning of the Last Supper" totaling 8 minutes.

I've often wondered about this scene, and whether it was cut for time's sake, or the fact that it is invented and found nowhere in the gospels, and (more importantly) turns Judas into a far-more sympathetic character. Indeed it clearly depicts his motive for betraying Jesus as one of a misguided attempt to reconcile Jesus and the pharisees.

I still consider this the best adaptation of the Christ story...except it is too lenient with Judas (who, according to the gospels, was always a greedy and an opportunist, and even stole from the ministry purse).

[mkaroly]

Note this version is missing (as are apparently most other copies; the 2002 DVD *did* have these sequences in there however) "one continuous chunk that covers both the Zerah and Judas scene and the beginning of the Last Supper" totaling 8 minutes.

I've often wondered about this scene, and whether it was cut for time's sake, or the fact that it is invented and found nowhere in the gospels, and (more importantly) turns Judas into a far-more sympathetic character. Indeed it clearly depicts his motive for betraying Jesus as one of a misguided attempt to reconcile Jesus and the pharisees.

I still consider this the best adaptation of the Christ story...except it is too lenient with Judas (who, according to the gospels, was always a greedy and an opportunist, and even stole from the ministry purse).

I know there are a lot of theories out there that try to take some of the heat off of Judas (he was a zealot revolutionary, or he thought that by betraying Jesus that he would actually help to usher in the kingdom more quickly [which is an interesting position to take since Judas clearly didn't understand forgiveness, a key concept in Jesus' ministry and life and death and kingdom theology], etc.). This was a man who walked with Jesus for three years, saw all the stuff that was going on, and received private teaching along with the other eleven (not to mention getting a pretty good seat at the Last Supper!)...yet he did what he did out of greed, fear...kissed Jesus on the cheek to top it all off. I too agree that films tend to portray Judas too leniently, maybe because the depth of the betrayal is too heavy to take and reflect on, but it is interesting to watch all the Biblical epics (KoK, GSET, JoN, PotC, etc.) to see how Judas is treated.

[Eric Paddon]

Yes, showing Judas as tormented, tricked etc. tends more to be the order of the day in these films, with a notable exception being DeMille's "King Of Kings" which portrays him in too melodramatic a fashion as villain (and which of course gives the strange conceit of Mary Magdalene being his mistress before she reforms) and also POTC which shows him more as written in the text.

For the most part though, I tend not to be bothered by a portrayal of Judas that gets it wrong somewhat as I am when I see a film that is written by someone who clearly doesn't get the meaning of the Crucifixion. This is why "The Robe" has become all but unwatchable to me as time goes by because never have I seen a movie that is ostensibly pro-Christian so horribly off-base in its understanding of basic Christology 101, in which the Crucifixion is treated as some horrible mistake of history and in which history is turned on its head by zapping from existence any involvement on the part of Jewish authorities in the Crucifixion (indeed, the Jewish leaders are strangely absent from all facets of life in Judea!).

I have to now decide which films will get their annual viewing from me this season, anchored by my traditional Good Friday viewing of POTC. It's been a couple years since I made room for Jesus Of Nazareth (The old Artisan DVD which is uncut) and I should try to get that in this time since I think it is the best overall telling of events encompassing the Gospels (my only real quibble is that I think the depiction of Pilate is off-kilter and I also regret no scene between Christ and Antipas as is recorded).

[AndyDursin]

Really good transfer on the Mexican Blu-Ray, far superior to the Artisan DVD release. As I was too young to remember this when it originally aired, I've read that the 1977 broadcast on NBC was actually trimmed -- the 1979 RE-broadcast was extended to four parts (which is essentially what's on this disc, with separate credits and such), minus those scenes mentioned above. I'm not sure how essential those bits are, especially if you only watched this when it aired the first time.

Either way, very happy with the purchase. That Mexican website I linked to was very reliable, shipped from L.A. via UPS.

[Eric Paddon]

On the matter of missing scenes, I've never known the Judas/Zerah scene to have been missing in earlier versions. OTOH, what the Artisan DVD had which the original CBS/FOX VHS release did *not* have were two scenes in the first part, one showing the child Jesus climbing a ladder and looking out over Nazareth, and also the "Should I not be about my Father's work?" scene in the Temple of Jesus at 12. Are these scenes in the Mexican Blu-Ray?