Filmbrain's Screen Capture Quiz: Round 11, Week 3

Years before the radical right claimed him as one of their own, and Mel Gibson turned his final days into a homoerotic snuff-porno film, "Someone Christ" was somewhat of a poster child for the hippie movement, a point not lost on Norman Jewison when he filled a chartreuse microbus full of long-hairs for his cinematic take on the Andrew Lloyd Webber - Tim Rice musical, Jesus Christ Superstar. Regular entrant Paul C. asked, "when and how did Jesus fall out of favor with the left?" That's a good question. On paper, at least, he doesn't seem to represent the values of those who invoke his name the most. But what do I know...I'm a bad Buddhist at best. Quite a few people went the Xanadu route, an understandable mistake. The shot used is an extremely brief moment in the film, and can be found during the showgirls-in-heaven staging of the title song. This week: Ah, those wonderful pre-code years! This film contains one of my all-time favorite musical sequences, set to one of the greatest American standards of any era. Name the film. Submit your answers to this address. Good luck!

Comments

[filmbo]

I rented Xanadu and alas that shot wasn't in the movie. Too bad, for a second I thought you were going for a Gene Kelly connection.

[Jimmy]

I'm not sure it's wise to address the question of Jesus and the left, but then I'm not wise. I think the simple answer is that from the beginning, Communism was at odds with religion. Marx famously called religion the "opium of the people."

However, I suspect Paul C.'s remark has more to do with the American left, or what passes for the left in this country, which has always been at its core very deeply Christian. For one thing, America has a healthy anti-intellectual streak that runs back at least to the Great Awakening of the eighteenth century. Perhaps ironically, the Puritans of New England held scholastic education in great esteem. They founded Harvard, after all. But egalitarian instincts have fueled Evangelical Christianity for centuries in the New World. The same impetus leads Evangelicals away from rigid religious practice and from institutionalized "book learning."

Lest those in the northeast and abroad forget, fully forty percent of the American populace identifies itself as Evangelical Christian. I think this religion-cloaked anti-intellectualism leads to a certain alienation from Christianity on the part of American intellectuals. In the twentieth century, mainstream America raged against "Godless Communism." By the sixties, many options beyond Christianity presented themselves. Atheism became acceptable along with numerous non-European religions (for a time, at least) and some not previously encountered. One cannot shake the feeling that a forsaken God has punished us with the creation of Scientology.

Further, as Thomas Frank wrote in What's the Matter with Kansas? when confronted with perceived threats like Civil Rights and Women's Lib in the latter half of the last century, traditionalist America (comprising small towns, Christians and so on) made common cause with big business. Though the traditionalists continue to get the short end of that stick, I think this alliance has further alienated them from the American left.

I'm not sure how to read your remark, FB, that Jesus "doesn't seem to represent the values of those who invoke his name the most." Do you mean Christians? Or do you mean foul-mouthed Atheist louts like myself who invoke the name of our Lord and Savior more often than the entire College of Cardinals put together?

(That reminds me of my favorite Lina Lamont line from Singin' in the Rain: I make more money than Calvin Coolidge--put together!)

[Filmbrain]

Jimmy --

I was referring to the politicians, pundits, and talk show hosts (to name but a few) who proudly flaunt their Christian beliefs, yet are pro-war, pro-death penalty, anti-immigration, etc. O'Reilly is always going on about the Christian values of America, but damn if I can find them.

I'm no biblical scholar, but didn't JC go on about loving thy neighbor, turning the other cheek, living and dying by the sword, etc?

[Jimmy]

I figured that's what you meant. Ironically, Christ's message in the New Testament is very much in tune with the ideals of the contemporary left, as you suggest (equality, peace, helping the poor). But if you ask me, that has very little to do with Christianity today (in the U.S. or anywhere). Anyway, I fear if I go on any further on this topic, I'll become the target of some Evangelical fatwa, so I'll shut up now.

[burritoboy]

Psssh, you shouldn't make your screen capture quizzes so easy. Once you know who the two actors are in this screen capture, you instantly know the movie - and it's a very great movie and scene indeed.

[Damian]

*sigh*

Man... you know, sometimes I almost wish I wasn't a Christian because then I'd be a lot more popular. If only I could just make myself believe that God and Jesus were/are not real, my life would probably go a lot smoother... for the time being anyway.

Mel Gibson turned his final days into a homoerotic snuff-porno film

I'm not even going to touch that one.

[dubarry]

jesus and the left? 2 words. the berrigans.

liberation theology. read it, know it, love it.