Take Sides: Jesus Christ Superstar vs. Godspell

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I would pick Godspell on some days but today I'm going with JCS

Michael Costello (MichaelCostello1), Sunday, 19 June 2005 17:20 (twenty years ago)

I was in Godspell in school, and so can still sing many songs from it, but I think JCS wins by having better tunes. However, Godspell is truer to the Gospel narrative.

DV (dirtyvicar), Sunday, 19 June 2005 17:22 (twenty years ago)

JCS by a country mile.

La Monte (La Monte), Sunday, 19 June 2005 17:23 (twenty years ago)

Have seen both (Godspell at a high school, JCS in community theater) and the latter wins handily. Plus, Andrew Lloyd Weber is awesome.

WillS, Sunday, 19 June 2005 18:06 (twenty years ago)

JC by a mile.

Orbit (Orbit), Sunday, 19 June 2005 18:23 (twenty years ago)

I think they're both pretty weak as movies.

That One Guy (That One Guy), Sunday, 19 June 2005 18:26 (twenty years ago)

JCS, absolutely. I always felt a kinship with Judas as portrayed in that. Further, the "Everything's Alright" song is gorgeous and I always well up at the crisis points of the "Gethsemane" song.

Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Sunday, 19 June 2005 20:10 (twenty years ago)

I like the flogging scene.

DV (dirtyvicar), Sunday, 19 June 2005 21:12 (twenty years ago)

Godspell may be truer to the gospels, but Superstar is truer to METAL!

JCS, by a 1000 passus.

shieldforyoureyes, Sunday, 19 June 2005 21:44 (twenty years ago)

JCS, but I like Godspell too.

RS (Catalino) LaRue (RSLaRue), Sunday, 19 June 2005 21:46 (twenty years ago)

I can't remember too much from Gospell, however.

RS (Catalino) LaRue (RSLaRue), Sunday, 19 June 2005 21:50 (twenty years ago)

(d)

RS (Catalino) LaRue (RSLaRue), Sunday, 19 June 2005 21:50 (twenty years ago)

Ian Gillan was the original Jesus in JCS = of COURSE it rules more.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 19 June 2005 21:51 (twenty years ago)

my beloved was telling me about some other Xtian musical, which her school performed because Godspell was considered a bit too out there.

DV (dirtyvicar), Monday, 20 June 2005 16:16 (twenty years ago)

JCS because I own the movie soundtrack for JCS and never want to be involved in Godspell again.

Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Monday, 20 June 2005 18:28 (twenty years ago)

i just bought a wacky early 70's xian rock opera with hal blaine on drums and jim backus as the voice of god. but it isn't better than these two.

scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 20 June 2005 18:33 (twenty years ago)

I know nothing from Godspell aside from "Day By Day", so JCS it is.

Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 20 June 2005 18:54 (twenty years ago)

What? No Technicolor Dreamcoat mentions?

Hillary Brown (Hillary Brown), Monday, 20 June 2005 18:55 (twenty years ago)

Technicolor Dream Coat sucks Andre the Giant's balls.

Michael Costello (MichaelCostello1), Monday, 20 June 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

Is it true that "I Don't Know How to Love Him" is a direct steal of a(the?) Mendelssohn violin concerto?

JCS anyway (though Godspell's is pretty great too)

Joe (Joe), Monday, 20 June 2005 19:25 (twenty years ago)

Did I say "positive mentions"? It does suck balls.

Hillary Brown (Hillary Brown), Monday, 20 June 2005 19:27 (twenty years ago)

I find Godspell to be ENTIRELY unlistenable (especially Jesus....that fuckin' guy, shut the fuck up already!). Godspell may have been exceptionally hokey (if we're talking about the film), but it at least had a memorable tune or two.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 20 June 2005 21:11 (twenty years ago)

I find Godspell to be ENTIRELY unlistenable

Whoops. Brain not functioning. I find JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR to be the ENTIRELY UNLISTENABLE one. Godspell wins by a divine mile.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 20 June 2005 21:23 (twenty years ago)

eight years pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiBi0xMF9UY

christmas candy bar (al leong), Tuesday, 13 May 2014 01:07 (eleven years ago)

three years pass...

i watched john legend superstar TWICE yesterday. i loved it. could watch it again today.

my kid was in the pit band of his school's production of godspell in the big old theatre one town over this year and it was so awesome. they did a great job. made me want to cry.

both musicals make me want to cry because i know the songs so well and because childhood.

i was really impressed with john legend too. never really listened to his music but he really brought it as jesus.

scott seward, Wednesday, 4 April 2018 15:13 (seven years ago)

it's on hulu if you missed it.

scott seward, Wednesday, 4 April 2018 15:14 (seven years ago)

jesus christ superstar is fucking awesome

flamenco drop (BradNelson), Wednesday, 4 April 2018 15:47 (seven years ago)

JCS is one of my favs. I played Pilate once.

I loved the Legend production although he was a bit disappointing (shied away from the high notes, didn't act all that much). but overall it was effing sweet.

fuck the NRA (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 4 April 2018 15:51 (seven years ago)

when I was... 11? something like 11, my sister and I would just watch the '70s movie adaptation repeatedly, for hours (it was this and Grease); at the time I really wanted to hypothetically play Mary Magdalene (because that's what you do when you're 11 and watch musicals repeatedly) but now it would actually be Judas

aloha darkness my old friend (katherine), Wednesday, 4 April 2018 15:54 (seven years ago)

ha, my daughter at 9 was doing the slinkier, Mae West Mary from Godspell, replete w/ boa. "See ya later, I'm going to the back of the thee-AY-ter..."

DACA Flocka Flame (Hadrian VIII), Wednesday, 4 April 2018 16:00 (seven years ago)

I saw the 2003 tour with the godawful Sebastian Bach as Jesus, and I knew it was going to suck, but I went because Carl Anderson (Judas from the 70s movie) was playing Judas on the tour. Even at 58 the dude could wail.

Couldn't believe he died shortly after. I met him and was starstruck.

fuck the NRA (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 4 April 2018 16:01 (seven years ago)

meanwhile, I was half expecting Bach's Jesus to die on the cross with a bottle of Jack in his hand

fuck the NRA (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 4 April 2018 16:01 (seven years ago)

carl anderson was such a badass

flamenco drop (BradNelson), Wednesday, 4 April 2018 16:03 (seven years ago)

hearing those kids do "by my side" this year almost had me crying like a baby. i held it together though. i have such a pavlovian response to this song. both musicals remind me of my late sister a lot too and hearing the music come from her room. such a beautiful song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_R0v1ZWKao

scott seward, Wednesday, 4 April 2018 16:05 (seven years ago)

yeah that one gets me hard too. And "On the Willows"

DACA Flocka Flame (Hadrian VIII), Wednesday, 4 April 2018 16:08 (seven years ago)

gets me hard? lol no

hits me hard!

DACA Flocka Flame (Hadrian VIII), Wednesday, 4 April 2018 16:10 (seven years ago)

i mean it *is* a moving song but

DACA Flocka Flame (Hadrian VIII), Wednesday, 4 April 2018 16:11 (seven years ago)

"By My Side" is great. it brings heavy feelings. an alum drama student from my high school had died tragically I think the year or so after she graduated, and she had been in Godspell, so the cast of the spring musical did "By My Side" in tribute after it ended and one of the audience members was just too emotional to watch the rest of it.

fuck the NRA (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 4 April 2018 17:08 (seven years ago)

if anything JCS makes you really feel for Judas and makes you think God is a bit of a dick, which I expect is the point

fuck the NRA (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 4 April 2018 17:09 (seven years ago)

I love JCS, mum used to play the Australian cast soundtrack all the time - the Jon English one from the 70s, and the Jon Stevens one from the 90s. The new John Legend et al production blew me away, I was made of tears by the end. Everyone was so good!!

Squeaky Fromage (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 4 April 2018 17:15 (seven years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-RXLGxe-9c

mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Wednesday, 4 April 2018 17:36 (seven years ago)

six years pass...

Rewatched the film version of Godspell (1973) last night due to the current Wicked-mania and happened to see the film version of JCS (1973) in the theater with Ted Neely in attendance a few weeks back. Gosh Godspell really sucks! The music is OK and there are 2 or 3 real emotional bangers but it never actually ROCKS. The hippies as vaudeville hobo clowns has aged SO BAD. Jesus is so boring/inoffensive. Just a shallow/empty character in that show. Some killer performances in the movie despite the hokeyness (The DJ from The Warriors is awesome on Bless The Lord.)

On the other hand, Carl Anderson's Judas is more rockin' than ever, and Norman Jewison's direction is more poignant with age. (Filmed in Israel yikes!) There are a couple hokey shots but it mostly works!

I'm grateful both shows exist but damn Godspell is kind of a mess.

kurt schwitterz, Tuesday, 17 December 2024 19:22 (six months ago)


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