Customer Reviews for Baker The Bible on the Big Screen: A Guide from Silent Films to The Passion of the Christ
Baker The Bible on the Big Screen: A Guide from Silent Films to The Passion of the Christ
Hollywood has been producing movies based on Bible stories since 1897. Starting with grainy, silent, mini-Passion stories and moving on to The Passion of the Christ and beyond, bestselling author J. Stephen Lang takes you through the blockbusters and the busts.
More than just a catalog listing, The Bible on the Big Screen gives movie buffs film credits, running times, and release dates. It answers intriguing questions about motives for making the movies, offers critics' reactions, and provides much more insider information. The book is also richly illustrated with film stills from favorite movies.
Average Customer Rating:
(6 Reviews) 6
Rating Snapshot (6 reviews)
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4 out of 4100%customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for The Bible on the Big Screen: A Guide from Silent Films to The Passion of the Christ
Review 1 for The Bible on the Big Screen: A Guide from Silent Films to The Passion of the Christ
Overall Rating:
Date:June 20, 2012
Ruby H.
Location:Fayetteville, NC
Age:55-65
Gender:female
I simply love this book. I discovered christian motion pictures that I didn't know existed.
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Review 2 for The Bible on the Big Screen: A Guide from Silent Films to The Passion of the Christ
Overall Rating:
Probable textbook for a future course I am writing
Date:March 14, 2012
Old Billy
Location:melbourne, Australia
Age:Over 65
Gender:male
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
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5
I am a deep and serious global communication researcher who has recognised God's presence in many motion pictures. I have probably seen a lot of footage the average person has missed, especially the average Christian believer. I have also reviewed cinema for daily newspapers in Canada. This book is high on the consideration list for a world-leading advanced degree course I am building over the next four years.
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Review 3 for The Bible on the Big Screen: A Guide from Silent Films to The Passion of the Christ
Overall Rating:
Date:March 7, 2012
REVT
Location:Dunkirk, NY
Age:55-65
Gender:male
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
This book has provided me with additional material for a small group I am leading called The Movies and Theology. It is a great resource for movies based on the Bible.
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Review 4 for The Bible on the Big Screen: A Guide from Silent Films to The Passion of the Christ
Overall Rating:
Very readable and reliable.
Date:October 11, 2010
Jim Carlstar
Location:Monroe, GA
Age:Over 65
Gender:male
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Much better and more detailed than you get from the likes of Ebert and Matlin. Discloses fascinating background info
and makes interesting comparisons that are right on the mark. It provides good warnings for those who haven't seen a particular film yet and offers insights that those who have seen it may have missed.
and makes interesting comparisons that are right on the mark. It provides good warnings for those who haven't seen a particular film yet and offers insights that those who have seen it may have missed.
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Review 5 for The Bible on the Big Screen: A Guide from Silent Films to The Passion of the Christ
Overall Rating:
Date:July 15, 2010
jonathon
Fascinating reading, due to:* The glimpses into the state of the movie making;* The issues, both technical and non-technical that the director had to deal with;* Describing how the movies differed from the other story lines;The book is about Biblical films shown in a theater for a paying audience:* Films that take their words and narrative from the Bible, with few or no changes;* Films that take a story from the Bible, but make minor changes to it;* Films that create a story about a minor character;* Films based on literature about the Bible;Excluded are films that:* Use a Bible story as a subplot;* Were created for use by churches or parachurch organizations;* Apocalyptic thrillers;Maybe included. Maybe excluded:* Direct to video/DVD/BlueRay movies;* Made for TV movies/mini-series;Some movies are covered, even though they are an exception to the listed criteria.Due to those exceptions, this book desperately needs an appendix listing the 200 odd movies that meet his criteria. An added bonus would be note saying if they had been released in video, DVD, or BlueRay media. (Perhaps CBD could create a category of movies listed in this book, showing what is currently available, and what is no longer available.)
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Review 6 for The Bible on the Big Screen: A Guide from Silent Films to The Passion of the Christ
Overall Rating:
Date:August 23, 2007
R. J. Columbo
According to this engaging book, biblical movies have been generating controversy, and profits, since the 1890s, when three very brief films all titled Passion of the Christ premiered. The book takes us from that period up to the present, devoting a chapter to each film and looking at just how biblical the film was, what motivated its producers and writers, how the public and the critics received it, and whether it is still worth watching. There are some expected pleasures here--Charlton Heston and Cecil B. Demille's memories of filming the Ten Commandments--and some surprises, such as Joan Collins in Esther and the King and Richard Gere in the almost-awful King David. As the book shows, biblical films and their success or failure are a kind of measure of the level of religion in the culture at large. The book also reminds us that, for better or worse, people often get their ideas about the Bible not from The Book itself but from movies, including garbage like The Last Temptation of Christ. I give the author credit for reviewing Last Temptation, Jesus Christ Superstar, and such and managing to find some good in them, even while admitting they are failures in terms of being faithful to the Bible. I liked this a lot, hope it stays in print and gets updated from time to time.
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