Stars: Ralph Fiennes, Michael Bryant, Julie Christie, Rebecca Callard, James Frain, Richard E. Grant, Ian Holm, William Hurt, Anton Lesser

Director: Derek W. Hayes

Summary: This film tells of the life of Jesus Christ as written in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Claymation.

A mother and father in search of help for their sick daughter cross paths with an extraordinary carpenter named Jesus, who has devoted his life to spreading God's word. An amazing miracle brings to light the true meaning of Christ, and the sacrifices he endured for the deliverance of mankind. A compelling story of faith, trust, and devotion. A full-length feature delivering stunning state-of-the-art 3-D clay-animation and a star-studded cast of voice talents including Ralph Fiennes (THE ENGLISH PATIENT, SCHINDLER'S LIST) as Jesus, William Hurt (THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST, THE BIG CHILL) and Julie Christie (DOCTOR ZHIVAGO, FAHRENHEIT 451.) Originally broadcast on ABC television.

WIN DVDs by rating this DVD

Average User Rating:

WIN DVDS by being amongst the first to review this DVD. Reviewing DVDs earns you bonus entries and lets you WIN DVDs!Please login before reviewing this DVD. If you're a new user, register for free and enter to WIN FREE DVDs!

This animated feature-length life of Jesus boasts a stellar pedigree. Originally a BBC Wales production, it showcases the voices of some of Britain's finest actors in any medium: Ralph Fiennes as a brooding and humble Jesus, Miranda Richardson as Mary Magdalene, Richard E. Grant as John the Baptist and David Thewlis as Judas. The lovely, flute-heavy score is by Oscar-winner Anne Dudley (The Full Monty). And clearly a lot of expense has gone into the Claymation-like animation. But while it's hard to find fault with the rendering of this familiar story--it is respectful and definitely done, you might say, by the Book--it would have been nice if there had been a tad more joy, if it walked a bit lighter in its sandals. As it is, all the characters seem consistently subdued, whether they are expressing angst, rage, terror or bliss--none of which is helped by the figures' blank-eyed stares (if animators are becoming ever more sophisticated, why can't they get rid of those creepy blank gazes once and for all?). Still, the weight of having such formidable actors play these familiar roles lends the production a certain credibility, and parents looking for good religious videos that won't insult their kids' intelligence will be thrilled. --Anne Hurley

Aspect Ratio:	1.77 Wide Screen
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Interactive Menus, Scene Access, Trailer, Featurette, Small Miracles, Cast And Crew Interviews
Subtitles:	English
Year:	2000
Release Date:	October 30, 2000
Runtime:	90 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	D 092920
Keywords:	Animated, General, Wide, Screen, Maker, Miracle, Animation, Drama
Genre:	Drama