It Was a Year for Filming Biblically
Christian Bale as Moses in Ridley Scott’s ‘Exodus’ / Photo copyright 20th Century Fox
Bible spin-offs are nearly as old as the Bible itself, but this year saw a couple of big-screen adaptations that were hard to rival in their ambitions, or their controversies.
Darren Aronofsky’s “Noah,” starring Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly, provided a freewheeling version of the flood story, and courted criticism from those upset by its disregard for biblical literalism.
And, more recently, Ridley Scott’s “Exodus” — if anything, even a bigger special effects production than “Noah” — brought on the ire of Twitter with its allegedly racist casting.
Then there were more explicitly Christian-oriented offerings, like the rapture fantasy “Left Behind” and “Son of God,” which was adapted from 2013’s TV miniseries, “The Bible.”
At this rate, it shouldn’t be too long before we get the Michael Bay interpretation of Ezekiel.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
