The Challenge of the Silver Screen: An Analysis of the Cinematic Portraits of Jesus, Rama, Buddha and Muhammad (Studies in Religion and the Arts)

in 1897 – Only Two Years After The Invention Of Film – The First Feature Film About Jesus Appeared. This And Other Films About Jesus Became Examples For And An Inspiration For Films On Other Important Religious Figures Like Rama, Buddha And Muhammad. Although Religious Leaders Did Not Always Approve Of These Films, They Did Find A Ready Audience Among Believers. this Book Explores These Films And Looks At How These Films Dealt With The Fundamental Question Of Portraying An Individual Thought To Have Either Divine Status Or A Very Special And Unique Status Among Human Beings. This Book Will Thus Benefit Not Only Students Of Religious Film But Also Those Studying The Portrayal Of Central Religious Figures In The Contemporary World. Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 7 Foreword......Page 9 I. Introduction......Page 11 II. Jesus......Page 23 1.1. The First Films......Page 24 1.2. The Silent Films......Page 25 1.3. Later Films......Page 28 2. Analysis......Page 52 3.1. The Visual Representation of Jesus......Page 64 3.2. The Ideological Background......Page 69 3.3. Opposition to the Depiction of Jesus......Page 71 3.4. The Issue of Anti-Semitism......Page 80 4. Many Images, One Jesus......Page 84 III. Rama......Page 89 1.1. A Short Introduction......Page 91 1.2. The Era of Silent Film......Page 92 1.3. The Era of Sound......Page 96 1.4. Analysis......Page 118 2. Historical Background......Page 126 2.1. The Visual Representation of Rama......Page 127 2.2. The Ideological Background......Page 129 3. The Importance of Seeing in Hinduism......Page 136 4. The Modern Ramayana Kathas......Page 138 IV. Buddha......Page 143 1. The Films......Page 145 1.1. The Era of Silent Film......Page 146 1.2. The Era of Sound......Page 150 1.3. Analysis......Page 172 2. Historical Background......Page 178 2.1. The Visual Representation of Buddha......Page 179 2.2. The Ideological Background......Page 183 3. Resistance to Depicting Buddha in Film......Page 193 4. Thanks to the Hindus and the Westerners......Page 195 V. Muhammad......Page 199 1. The Film Itself......Page 200 2. The Film's Relationship to the Muslim Tradition......Page 211 3. Conclusions......Page 220 VI. Jesus Restyled......Page 225 1. The Indian Jesus Films......Page 226 1.1. The History of the Indian Jesus Films......Page 227 1.2. The Content of the Indian Jesus Films......Page 228 1.3. The Background of the Indian Jesus Films......Page 236 1.4. The Indian Character of the Indian Jesus Films......Page 238 2.1. Introduction......Page 239 2.2. Content......Page 240 2.3. Interpretation......Page 243 3.1. Introduction......Page 246 3.2. Content......Page 248 3.3. Retrospection......Page 252 4. Siding with Powerless and Victims of Discrimination......Page 253 VII. Some Conclusions......Page 257 1. Between Tradition and Creativity: The Importance of the Audience......Page 258 2. Film, Narration Modes and Subjectivity......Page 261 3. The Positions of the Actors Playing the Sacred Figures......Page 262 4. The Sacred Environment......Page 263 5. Outside the Cultural Context of the Religions......Page 264 6. Between the Void, Images and Films: Again a Key Position for the Audience......Page 265 Filmography......Page 273 Bibliography......Page 275 Videos......Page 283 Websites......Page 285 Index......Page 287 Jesus. A short history Analysis Historical background Many images, one Jesus Rama. The films Historical background The importance of seeing in Hinduism The modern Ramayana Kathas Buddha. The films Historical background Resistance to depicting Buddha in film Thanks to the Hindus and the Westerners Muhammad. The film itself The film's relationship to the Muslim tradition Conclusions Jesus restyled. The Indian Jesus films The South African Jesus film The Jesus film of the African-American Christians Siding with powerless and victims of discrimination Some conclusions. Between tradition and creativity : the importance of the audience Film, narration modes and subjectivity The positions of the actors playing the sacred figures The sacred environment Outside the cultural context of the religions Between the void, images and films : again a key position for the audience. "In 1897 - only two years after the invention of film - the first feature film about Jesus appeared. This and other films about Jesus became examples for and an inspiration for films on other important religious figures like Rama, Buddha and Muhammad. Although religious leaders did not always approve of these films, they did find a ready audience among believers." "This book explores these films and looks at how these films dealt with the fundamental question of portraying an individual thought to have either divine status or a very special and unique status among human beings. This book will thus benefit not only students of religious film but also those studying the portrayal of central religious figures in the contemporary world."--Jacket