If there is one way to annoy vocal elements of the American population it’s to mention God, Jesus, or Christianity in anything other than a totally positive way in one art form or another, including film.
It’s fine if you follow the accepted details by those who believe and have faith, but veer off course or be in any way critical and you’ve assured yourself some unwanted attention or even some placard-waving protesters.
With that in mind many of these types of film struggle to find financial backing. Kevin Smith had to do things another way in order to get Red State made, and I wonder if a movie adaptation of Jesus of Nazareth will even get that far.
According to Deadline, director Paul Verhoeven has failed to secure backing for the last six months. Unsurprising really, as Jesus of Nazareth offers a revisionist version of the story of Christ, with some of the core beliefs undermined. For example, Jesus is “a radical prophet who performs exorcisms” who was born after his mother was “raped by a Roman soldier.”
Whether you find the subject matter distasteful or otherwise, surely it’s good to explore it in art? Anyone opposed to doing so really cannot have much faith that what they believe is the truth, or they wouldn’t be so afraid of an alternate view being openly discussed. Hollywood needs to grow some balls.
