Jesus Christ Superstar DVD: 1970's version or 2001 revival stage show?

[Eos]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 5:09pm

Which one do you guys think is better? I'm getting my Holiday wish list together!

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 5:12pm

One vote for the 1970's version (my vote).

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 5:14pm

2001 revival

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 5:23pm

They both have their weaknesses. The original movie is very 70s and just truly bizarre at times. Someone was high on something when they made that movie. I'd pick the 2001 stage version, but only because I can't stand Yvonne Elliman yodeling her way through the score in the movie. But then the 2001 production has Jerome Pradon whining his way through the score so it's really a toss up.

[hak5]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 5:28pm

they also recently released the London Arena Tour version which I like a lot

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 9:04pm

Get every version available because they are all very wonderful in very different ways... IMHO

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 9:08pm

The 1970s film. It IS very 70s, but so is the piece. It IS very weird, but so is the piece. Outside of the original album, I believe it to be the definitive JCS. In all its compellingly silly glory.

[N2N Nate.]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 9:12pm

Revival.

[Eos]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 9:59pm

*sigh* I knew this would happen. What the hell. I'm getting both. I'll be more at ease that way. The revival is freshest in my head, and that's the one I was leaning toward. Even with the flaws you guys have mentioned though, I wouldn't mind the 70's version for nostalgic reasons! Thanks for the input.

[tazber]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 10:05pm

Not to really mess you up, but as someone else mentioned the recent arena tour is very good. If you're going to get two I'd recommend the movie and the 2013 arena tour.

If you can only get one go with the film (1970s).

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 10:22pm

2 votes for the 1970s film
1 (and a half) vote for the arena tour (...why?)
2 votes for the 2001 revival
1 "they all suck" vote
1 "get 'em all" vote

Interesting.

Updated On: 11/12/13 at 10:22 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 10:32pm

Nobody (yet) has been able to improve on the authentic rock voices of the '70s film's three leads. I love the location, I love Norman Jewison's direction, too.

The others don't even compare.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 10:41pm

Anyone see the original O'Horgan production?

[sassylash3s]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 10:50pm

It should be noted that the 2001 version can watched for free on the Really Useful Group's official Youtube channel, which makes owning it much less of a priority in my book.


Edit: Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13UTPSEc2Xk&feature=share&list=SPA1D2B3D8FF75EE94

Updated On: 11/12/13 at 10:50 PM

[Hest882]

Posted: 11/13/13 at 8:02pm

Yeah, get them all. Of all of the editions I still think the movie is hard to top. Also, I know the revival is highly flawed, but I found it had a very different emotional punch that I really like. And Michael Shaeffer's Annas is incredible. Sometimes I listen just for his voice.

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 11/13/13 at 11:52pm

If you can track down the video from Amstetten, it is an interesting watch. It was professionally filmed but never commercially released. Drew Sarich is an awesome Judas, and his suicide scene is excellently done. I know you can see it in full online somewhere.
As far as which to ask for for Christmas, get them all. They each have their pluses and minuses.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/14/13 at 12:24am

I'd vote the movie, as well. Sure, it's dated and maybe "weird" but I find it also quite brilliant and the best sung outside of the concept album. It also makes an argument that JCS works better on record or film than on stage -- though I did overall enjoy the London revival from around 2000 when I saw it live (the New York transfer and filmed DVD are of the later touring edition I believe which works less well.

I'd love to hear from anyone who did see the O'Horgan production. The designs in this 8 minute Tony clip are certainly... interesting. Apparently in one audition O'Horgan had the cast lick honey off each other. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGYi1qJkb0M (Anyone who considers thefilm weird, probably wouldn't know what to make of this.)

I've also always wished I could see more pics or even footage of the original London production which was more basic in approach and a bigger success, running 8 years.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/14/13 at 8:17am

Ah, Mummenschanz, Superstar.

"See my tentacles, I can hardly roll..."

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 11/14/13 at 11:47am

I'd love to hear from anyone who did see the O'Horgan production. The designs in this 8 minute Tony clip are certainly... interesting.

I wasn't there, but I did have the pleasure of conversing with Tom at the start of my career (he was a creative consultant on one of our productions). Being a huge JCS fan, I asked him what exactly was going on with that production. He explained that they'd been trying to get him for the gig for a long time off the back of his success with Hair, and he repeatedly told Robert Stigwood "no." So they engaged Frank Corsaro, an opera director who had experience with multimedia and envisioned a much simpler production using projections and television screens to underline Tim Rice's themes of celebrity and stardom. Corsaro chose the creative team (Robin Wagner designing sets, Randy Barcelo costumes, and Jules Fisher lights, all of whom came up with ideas based on Corsaro's concept that had to be scrapped and re-designed in three weeks when O'Horgan came in), asked for alterations in the opera because it was far too short by theater standards ("Could We Start Again, Please?" and the additional material in the Trial scene about "respect for Caesar" and so forth was the result), and oversaw auditions. So, first things first, when O'Horgan came in, he inherited a team, a work, and a cast that had already undergone considerable development without him.

When Corsaro got in the car wreck that prevented him from proceeding with the show, the calls began again in earnest, and O'Horgan still said "no." Playwright and friend Robert Patrick was witness to the moment when O'Horgan was finally offered so much money to do the job that it would have been an absurdity to refuse. When a director cares more about the dollars and cents they're earning than the work they're doing, the result is going to be less than artistically pure.

As for the explanation of the designs, they expected a whole new concept from the wunderkind, so O'Horgan first tried getting ALW and Rice to write a few additional numbers to help the piece flow better. When they didn't get much farther than what they'd already developed for Corsaro, he felt he'd have to mask the flaws of the work with eye-popping spectacle given his limited schedule. "I had gone to the Museum of Natural History, and there was a whole thing about insects when I was in the process of putting it together. So I thought, maybe I would do this piece as if a further civilization of evolved insects looked back at this primitive society's myth and decided to make a version of it. I don't think anybody ever got that. But if you look at the costumes, for instance, Judas is resurrected as a butterfly, and Christ comes up out of the ground in a chrysalis, and it breaks open and becomes a great moth." A very bizarre, Planet of the Apes-esque approach.

It just goes to show that the piece works in an infinitely transmutable way because it's just lyrics and song titles with no distinct document telling you how to do it.

[StageStruckLad]

Posted: 11/14/13 at 4:19pm

Does anyone know if Ben Vereen was even considered for Jewison's film? I like Carl Anderson in the movie, but he does kind of seem like more of an understudy or national tour Judas. Maybe they were worried that Vereen would overpower Ted Neeley.

[Eos]

Posted: 11/14/13 at 4:42pm

After watching the stage show again on youtube (thanks, sassylash3s), I must own it. I'm kind of in love with Fred Johanson. I will go on and get the original film too, but now I wanna check out the arena tour as well. Thanks for messing me up, tazber.
And I've wondered why Vereen wasn't in the film, myself.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 11/14/13 at 5:11pm

The original leads signed for the film were Jeff Fenholt and Murray Head. Neeley and Anderson blew them out of the water when they were screen tested. Why were they screen tested? Well, it was a consolation prize.

What happened was... Fenholt and Anderson did the initial concert tour. Neeley and Vereen, both Hair ex-pats, auditioned for the Broadway run at O'Horgan's invitation. The producers wanted their guys, O'Horgan wanted his (Neeley initially auditioned for Judas, and then O'Horgan informed him he had Ted in mind for Jesus; so much for overpowering him, Ben and Ted were the original choices). Compromise was Fenholt as Jesus, Vereen as Judas, and Neeley got a chorus role and understudy slot.

A few months into the run, Ben, who wasn't used to singing rock and roll, developed polyps on his throat and needed treatment. He was gone all the way through Christmas. When he came back, he and Anderson alternated in the role (four shows a week each) until Carl and Ted went to L.A. to open the first full national tour (with costumes, sets, etc.) there. Then Ben got fired when he refused to go back to eight a week because he knew it was so strenuous he would only hurt himself again. (He got the last laugh, going right into rehearsals for Pippin.)

After Vereen's firing, he wasn't an option for the film. Or at least that's how it's been told.

Updated On: 11/14/13 at 05:11 PM

[Eos]

Posted: 11/15/13 at 10:14am

Huh. Very interesting, g.d.e.l.g.i. Thanks for sharing those stories!

[StageStruckLad]

Posted: 11/15/13 at 10:45am

Wow, fascinating stuff g.d.e.l.g.i. Thanks!

Posted: 11/15/13 at 3:36pm

Though that insect concept sounds truly bizarre, I actually love that Tony Awards clip. The coreography is so bouncy and totally early 70's! I can definitely see the insect influence in the costumes as well.
Here's a slightly better quality version of the Tony Awards Clip.