Musical movies may unjustly be the most harshly judged of all film genres. Some classic Hollywood masterpieces translated beautifully to stage (such as "42nd Street" and "Singing in the Rain") and others made a perfect leap from theatre to celluloid (I may mention "Grease", "Rocky Horror"). And others, sadly, never quite succeeded in either medium.
"Jesus Christ Superstar" is such an example. A concept album, originally released in 1970, the live production never quite matched the edgy counterculture light rock of its vinyl counterpart. A first film attempted in 1973 was a minor curiosity, but hardly a cinematic masterpiece. A modernised straight to DVD filmed performance from 2000 was egregiously awful with singing better suited to a fourth grade pantomime.
Now in 2012 the already dated irrelevant show is updated yet again for a turgid interminable arena spectacular that fails both interest and attention. Lord Lloyd Webber received a lot of slack for his uncompromising casting of a reality star in the lead, yet at least the man can hold a note unlike the bizarre and deplorable casting of a failed Australian worst comedian whose unrelenting use of autotune quickly wears thin. Rounding out this pathetic cast of miscast musical misfits is a former Spice Girl who, again, nevertheless reach a high c despite having the acting gravitas of rotting sheep carcass.
"Jesus Christ Superstar" may have been now considered an accurate yet eccentric representation of seventies zeitgeist, but endless flogging of the world's most deceased horse only leaves this bloated earache as enjoyable as Pilate's punishment of 39 lashes.
"Jesus Christ Superstar" is such an example. A concept album, originally released in 1970, the live production never quite matched the edgy counterculture light rock of its vinyl counterpart. A first film attempted in 1973 was a minor curiosity, but hardly a cinematic masterpiece. A modernised straight to DVD filmed performance from 2000 was egregiously awful with singing better suited to a fourth grade pantomime.
Now in 2012 the already dated irrelevant show is updated yet again for a turgid interminable arena spectacular that fails both interest and attention. Lord Lloyd Webber received a lot of slack for his uncompromising casting of a reality star in the lead, yet at least the man can hold a note unlike the bizarre and deplorable casting of a failed Australian worst comedian whose unrelenting use of autotune quickly wears thin. Rounding out this pathetic cast of miscast musical misfits is a former Spice Girl who, again, nevertheless reach a high c despite having the acting gravitas of rotting sheep carcass.
"Jesus Christ Superstar" may have been now considered an accurate yet eccentric representation of seventies zeitgeist, but endless flogging of the world's most deceased horse only leaves this bloated earache as enjoyable as Pilate's punishment of 39 lashes.