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Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities
Neo-Gnosticism At The Movies, Michael Kaler
Neo-Gnosticism At The Movies, Michael Kaler
Journal of Religion & Film
A number of American films released in the mid/late 1990s drew on, or have been discussed in the context of, gnosticism—a loose, imprecise umbrella term usually applied to a number of heterodox early Christian literary traditions. The Matrix is the most famous of this group of films, which also includes such films as Pleasantville, Dark City, The Truman Show, and Thirteenth Floor. This curious trend would not have been possible had it not been for the emergence of gnosticism in mainstream culture generally; as well, gnosticism’s emphasis on the spectacular, constructed and ultimately illusory nature of apparent reality became especially …
An Old Film In A New Light: Lighting As The Key To Johannine Identity In "Ordet", Richard V. Goodwin
An Old Film In A New Light: Lighting As The Key To Johannine Identity In "Ordet", Richard V. Goodwin
Journal of Religion & Film
In his essay on Carl Theodor Dreyer’s Ordet, P. Adams Sitney draws a parallel between the protagonist, Johannes, and John the Evangelist, author of the fourth gospel. He suggests that the delusional Johannes’s sanity returns upon the recovery of his own name, turning on the invocation of his biblical namesake, John the Evangelist. Compelling as Sitney’s is, however, I argue that we arrive at a more helpful interpretation by attending to an aspect that has been largely overlooked in critical discussion of the film: lighting. Careful analysis of the lighting yields a perspective in which Johannes is understood to …
The Problem With David: Masculinity And Morality In Biblical Cinema, Kevin M. Mcgeough
The Problem With David: Masculinity And Morality In Biblical Cinema, Kevin M. Mcgeough
Journal of Religion & Film
The King David of the Bible, and especially as portrayed in the books of Samuel, is one of the most complex characters in ancient literature. We are told his story from his youth as a shepherd until his death as king of Israel. He kills a mighty warrior with a slingshot, goes to war with his king and later his son, and has an affair that threatens to throw his kingdom into disarray. The stories surrounding David seem perfect for cinematic adaptation yet what makes this character so compelling has been problematic for filmmakers. Here, three types of Biblical filmmaking …
Sundance Film Festival 2018, John C. Lyden
Sundance Film Festival 2018, John C. Lyden
Journal of Religion & Film
Introduction to the Sundance Film Festival 2018.