The Gospel of John
From SPARK
One-sentence summary
This video is a word for word dramatization of the Gospel of John from the Good News Bible.
Description
From DVD cover:
"For the first time ever, The Gospel of John -- one of the most widely-read and beloved books of the Bible -- comes vividly to life in this three-hour epic motion picture. The sweeping, word for word adaptation of the American Bible Society's Good News Bible translation was written by the celebrated John Goldsmith, directed by the award-winning Philip Saville, and features a cast of over 2500. The magnificent cast includes the inspired Henry Ian Cusick as Jesus, and the distinguished actor Christopher Plummer as the Narrator. The film meticulously re-creates the Biblical era, from its temples and village life, to its richly-textured costume designs faithful to the period, and its haunting musical score complete with sounds of ancient instruments." "Produced by an award-winning creative team under the guidance of an Adivsory Committee of prominent scholars of theology and religion, The Gospel of John is a soaring and emotional journey, a timeless story of the mission of early Christianity." "Dramatically powerful and bold, The Gospel of John provides great insight into the most influential person in world history. Witness Jesus as teacher, rabbi, miracle worker, healer, and a compassionate, loving man who speaks about the truth and the hope of eternal life."
Considerations
The producers have done a wonderful job in fitting Scripture to circumstances. They have also taken care to make the scenery and clothing accurately reflect the time and culture. A large cast of people were used, making many of the large crowd scenes believable. For example, the feeding of the 5000 looks realistic because of the large number of people. All of the actors are well suited to their roles. The Gospel of John Jesus is intense. There are a number of confrontations with the religious leaders, which seem to be more pronounced in the movie than when one simply reads the gospel. Jesus shows no anger in these scenes but he clearly states he is the Son of God and challenges their religious beliefs. These scenes help the viewer to understand why the religious leaders were so opposed to Jesus and wanted him crucified. The film shows clearly the division between those who believed and those who did not.
Limitations
There are a number of special effects that may be hard for people groups not acquainted with this technology to understand. There are times when one film scene serves as the background to another. There are also flashbacks and flash forwards. Most, but not all, of these are indicated by going to black and white. There are also a few overhead shots and a slow motion section. A few times the camera focuses in on just the face of a person. Other things that might be a caution include scenes showing women touching Jesus. These seem to fit in well with the context of the scenes. The one possible exception is the prominence of Mary Magdalene. She first appears after the feeding of the 5000 and is most always with the disciples during the rest of the movie. Several times she is shown close to Jesus and touches him. These observations are only meant as possible cautions. You must view and test this movie with your people group to learn their reaction and identify any scenes, music, or cultural issues that could distract from the message.
Guidelines for Use
This is a wonderful tool for presenting the gospel message. It could also serve as the introduction to a Bible study of the Gospel of John.
Where to Obtain
Link to Producer or Source Organization
Visual Bible International, Inc.
Cost
Available from amazon.com for $11.99 (Jan. 2008)
Producer/Owners
Author/Artist/Producer
Visual Bible International, Inc.; directed by Philip Saville, starring Henry Ian Cusick as Jesus and narrated by Christopher Plummer.
Current copyright owner
GNN International; Visual Bible International, Inc.
Other Information
Reviewed by
VMS staff: Helen M. and Vernon W.
Date
January 2008
