Search - Jesus: His Life Mystery and Message on DVD

An Informative, Bilingual Documentary

Alejandra Vernon | Long Beach, California | 10/01/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Jesus, His Life, Mystery and Message" is a marvelous film on the life and times of Jesus, and though in its 10 chapters it skips around a bit, and there is an occasional slip in the script, those familiar with Scripture will appreciate this ambitious project, and the content that is biblically based, as well as the visual presentation. An Italian production by the Paulines, with writer/director Alberto Castellani and cinematographer/director Giancarlo Cappellano, it takes us through the significant sites in the Holy Land, and also blends in exquisite works of art, from masters like Duccio and his contemporaries, and iconic treasures of Greek and Russian origin.

It delves into the archeological evidence of the Bible, including the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the many miracles of Jesus, His life as an observant Jew, historical perspectives, and much more. The mixture of music used is also good, and ranges from dramatic melodies to beautiful cantorial singing. This is a 2-sided DVD, with 5 chapters on each side, and is playable in either English or Spanish, and the Spanish narration overall has a better audio quality. It must be noted that the film does not have a Hollywood multi-million $ look, as the color reproduction in the art work is a little off at times, and it is slightly grainy, but not bothersome at all, as the content overrides its flaws. Informative, wonderfully photographed, and occasionally quite moving, this is an excellent addition to anyone's library of Christian films, and will be of interest to those of any faith who wish to learn more about Jesus, and the historical roots of Christianity. I give it 5 stars for making the most of a low budget production. Total running time is 160 minutes.
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