This film is just amazing. Considering it's from an Andrew Lloyd Webber (English) musical it's incomprehensible to think that it has not yet had a Region 2 DVD release. (Universal, sort it out!)
Released in 1973, the film is very much of it's time. The music is a combination of Orchestra VS rock band, complete with Wah-Wah guitar and fat-back drums. This is a potent combination alone, but then add in the voices of Carl Anderson as Judas and Ted Neeley as Jesus and you have the recipe for musical meltdown. Carl Anderson captures perfectly the ability to convey Judas' emotions whilst singing. Ted Neeley does this also, portraying a a sympathetic and ultimately, heavily troubled Christ.
I am not a religious person, which, whilst helping me to form an unbiased opinion of this movie, would normally have deterred me from ever watching it in the first place.
...I'm glad I did!
This is the sort of movie I can watch over and over again. The scenery and cinematography are breathtaking, the music and the vocal performances are first class and in an interesting, inventive twist, 20th century military hardware is used by the Roman army, adding a surreal, artistic emphasis.
This is one of those movies you should see at least once before you die.
It is also one of my favourite movies of all time.