Psychology and Religion Movie Reviews

This is a collection of Joseph Campbell's lecture series prior to his death in 1987. It is a no-frills presentation with just the documented lectures of an extraordinary teacher and mind. He humanizes many difficult concepts from psychology to religion while taking you through the process of not only what various people believe, but also how they came to those beliefs. His lectures are inclusive of everything from Carl Jung's psychology to American Indian mysticism to the spectrum of Eastern philosophy. Campbells greatest contribution is that in his work he focused not on the differences between various religions and beliefs, but the fundamental similarities we all share.
The series is very well hosted by Susan Sarandon who prefaces each segment and gives you time to reflect on what it is you've just learned. The production value is limited; as I said this is a collection of documented lectures from the mid-80's with just Campbell on a stage or in front of a projected image. However, for anyone interested in a comprehensive and entertaining view of comparitive psychology and formation of belief systems, this is an exceptional series.

Although I would be the last person on earth to try and get someone not to buy a Joseph Campbell book, video or dvd, that is exactly what I am asking you to do. I have the video versions of both the eastern and western traditions. They are a welcome adition to my nearly complete collection of Campbell's work's. Yet I must tell you that this Wellspring DVD of Mythos is an unauthorized production. None of the money goes to the Joseph Campbell foundation as it would if it were an authorized production. The Joseph Campbell foundation sent emails to all their members to ask that they do not support piracy of jcf copyrited materials and not buy this DVD version. The Joseph Campbell foundation will be producing an authorized Mythos DVD set shortly.
Thank you, JMassey
JCF http://www.jcf.org/

If you love Joseph Campbell - his gentle spirit - his charming wit - his extensive knowledge - this DVD is heaven (pun intended - see the last episode, on the Tibetan Book of the Dead). In Mythos you view taped lectures with some beautiful visual aids. That's it. There is no interviewer to interrupt him - you hear what Joe intended to say, his jokes and asides included. I love Joe's books, but I love even more to hear his voice and see his wonderful eyes. This DVD is worth watching again and again.

This 2 disc set chronicles the lives and mysteries surrounding Abraham, Joseph, King David and Jesus. Through use of biblical references and actual historical facts the veiwer gets to know these heroic figures better.

This series available in dvd (along with Mysteries of the Bible-2-Pack) is the best, objective study of biblical history/archaelogical fact I've ever found. Years ago I bought the entire 3 sets on vhs and was spurred thereafter to search longingly for answers to biblical questionable events.I must repeat,if you're a truth searcher, don't miss this. Comment: the editorial review for this incorrectly describes Mysteries of the Bible-2-pack, giving the same review for both sets...it pays to check the customers reviews

This is a great movie, that I remember seeing segments of in grade school. I finally got a chance to see the entire DVD. It is truly a classic. The story is extremely similar to that of the chapter of Genesis in the Bible. There are a few segments that are dry and boring, but it is a very informative and spiritual film. There are a few movies that I would say are better than this one, such as the Ten Commandments. But this is better (in my opinion) than The Bible-Genesis. Buy it today, give it a try, and YOU be the judge!

Charlton Heston who has thrilled me in BEN HUR (for which he won his Academny Award), THE TEN COMMANDEMENTS and my favorite EL CID is remarkable in this telling of the Book of Genesis. This combines his brilliant acting with the magnificent scenery of the Holy Land and it gives us beautiful music and works of art from great masters of the past as well.
What more can one want from entertainment: Inspiration, uplifting and enlightenment -- if you want more than that go to the Bible and read the real book of Genesis or the real Passion of Jesus.
Get this one and you will not regret it.

I had almost forgotten how good the story of Genesis was. How could something this good slip my mind? Charlton Heston is one of greatest actors of our generation, but unfortunately, I can't think of any of the titles of his movies, at this time.

It has been years since I studied Genesis in school... so many years, that I had actually forgotten about many of key elements of the story. That's why I was so happy when I heard that Charlton Heston's presentation of Genesis would be available on DVD. The DVD provides all of us with a helpful reminder about just how powerful the story of Genesis is.

This is a film about a Young girl that is part of the new China. Because she gets the sort end of the stick by the government for being one of the privileged class, she jumps from the frying pan into the fire. Because "God hears the cry of the poor" not the privileged class, and she is still from a privileged class. The acting is great. And Julia Nickson-Sole is convincing as Sung. The film would have been more credible if it was not produced and paid for by a death cult, which uses a person, nailed to a stick and being tortured as their symbol.

Great movie. Gives a new perspective on life as a Christian outside of the US. Very inspiring, I'd have to say it's somewhat life changing. Highly recommend for every Christian

This is my favorite Christian movie. It is also very entertaining.

I saw this on TBN, and i was just surprised that the Actor
that played Jesus Christ actually looked like Christ himself. I really
enjoyed this picture. From all the actors that i have seen
in the past, the one here, John Kay Steele, looks like Christ
even his performance was Magnificent-John Kay Steele played
the Character Beautifully-A Very loving, and Caring Christ...
it was just beautiful. I really would have enjoyed if John
Kay Steele would have played Christ Again in Mel Gibsons Film
The Passion-I think i got that Correct.
Any way, Phenomenal picture, recommend it to All who read this
message. In real life Christ cares for All, no matter the decade, the time
or place, or where one even comes from-Christ just cares/loves You Always & Forever!

This is a very Good Movie of Jesus showing what he went threw for us .. ask him into your heart and he wil ask you into heaven !
Just say " Dear Jesus i ask you into my heart and to be my best friend forgoive me of al of my Sins. In Jesus name

Amen

the life of jesus is one of the best accounts of the life of jesus the actor that played jesus was great made you feel like you were hearing the words from jesus himself all of the acting was great.

As I started out my sophomore year in high school, I had the class honors 10th grade English 230. I learned, soon after school started, that in this class we would be studying mythology. I was very excited as I learned of this information.
Around the 4th week of school, my class watched the first movie of a series, called "The Power of Myth." It was about the life of Joseph Campbell, whom was an expert on mythology. In the video, Bill Moyers interviewed Campbell. Although the video was informative, it was a little dry and not very entertaining. Listening to Campbell and his beliefs was interesting, but otherwise not very enjoyable.
I liked the viewpoints Campbell had on hero's and the examples he gave of such people. He used examples through time and compared them to today. Campbell described the hero's life: the unusual birth, long initiating journey, victory over a battle, mysterious death, and maybe even rebirth. Even though I liked the information given, it took a lot to settle down, pay attention, and watch the video. Overall, I didn't like the video.

In The Power of Myth: The Hero's Adventure (Volume One), Bill Moyers, the show's host, interviews Joseph Campbell, the father of modern myth. The interview is set on George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch in Northern California. The reason for this seemingly random setting is one of the main themes in the movie, which is how George Lucas's Star Wars movies can relate to myths of old. The movie involves many various clips from the three original Star Wars movies (Episode IV: A New Hope, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, and Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi) that depict certain aspects of myths being described in the interview. I think it is very interesting the way that the Star Wars movies are tied right into the interview and how the clips are shown along the way. Joseph Campbell does a very well job describing the myths he told about in the interview and telling how they relate to the Star Wars Clips. I believe this movie is a very complete portrayal of myths that can be a real learning experience for someone new to the world of mythology and even someone learned in the ways of myths. This movie is a bit slow a times, but a powerful movie nonetheless. I would recommend it for an older crowd, just because of the deep and intellectual level of the movie.

Brandon Kryak
Cool-Guy Extraordinaire

I am a sophomore in high school. Recently, during my English class we watched The Power of Myth: The Hero's Adventure Volume 1. I found this biography of Joseph Campbell and his beliefs very intriguing. Although things of this nature normally do not attract me, this video was able to hold my attention. I found it very interesting especially when he talked about a hero having a thousand faces. As the video progressed, I understood more and more what he meant by this. He made me see that anyone can be a hero. Anyone person who achieves something out of the ordinary is a hero. It was also very clever of him to say that a newborn baby is a hero from the start. He said a baby was a hero because they undergo a very large transformation from the womb of the mother to a living, breathing mortal. The more you think about it, this actually makes complete sense. When someone has to give up their infantile characteristics early and start behaving in a more mature state they too are a hero. Such as when a young child has to take on responsibilities normally of and elder, for instance when an older sibling who is also young themselves raise their younger brother and sister. They become heroic figures without even realizing it. I think what I liked most about this moves is that Joseph Campbell was able to speak in laymen terms that any common man or woman could understand even though his is a man of such great brilliance. I would most definitely recommend this video.

"The Last Tempation of Christ" has got to be one of the most controversial movies of all time. And I can certainly see why. (I warn you now, there are many spoilers ahead.) Personally I thought that Willem Defoe was an interesting choice, but the right one. This movie's Jesus is very confused about the message that God, his father, wanted brought to the world. Defoe played the anger, fear, and uncertainty of the cinimatic Jesus beautifly. Barbara Hershey's Mary Magdelin was not a depature from the whore of the Bible, but an expantion on the idea. Here is the only problem I have with the movie; her sex scenes were too graphic, but I can see the point of why it was done that way, I just didn't like it. Harvey Keitel's Judas is more than we usually would think of him. He is not the betrayer, but is acting on Jesus's orders. The rest of the cast is what worthy of their roles; Harry Dean Stanton's Paul is appropiotly fanaticle (but Jesus and Paul never met in the Bible!). And interestingly, David Bowie gives the most low key preformance, if that can be believed, as the judge who condems Jesus, Pontios Pilot. Bowie's statesman is the voice of reason, albiet from Imperial Roman point of view. The biggest complaint of the people was the alleged sex scene between Mary and Jesus. Folks, yes, it's there. But the context is that it is a dream, or an illusion; a tempatation from Satan for Jesus to lead a human, normal life as a man. It is a very powerful movie, and one that should be watched and thought about. Love it or hate it, but watch it and make your own judgement about it.

Is what director Scorcese blurted out to a studio executive when asked why he wanted to do this film. There was one of those silences and then he laughed and went on with his pitch. He said what was in his his heart. Not a good sales tactic generally but there it was.

After the film was completed, Scorsese, a devout Roman Catholic was concerned that people might be offended by the way Judas is presented---he acts on Jesus's orders to betray him. Poor dear, it didn't occur to him that what sent his critics bonkers was a Jesus who wanted to marry and (gasp!) have sex with his wife, Mary Maddelene.

Nikos Kazantsakis masterpiece was faithfully brought to the screen. For the record Nikos, one of the greatest authors of the twentiteth century was a devout Greek Orthodox, and his Christian themes resound in his works.

When writing 'The Last Temptation ' he clearly stated in the foreword that this story was NOT based literally on the gospels, but that he had been inspired by the THEME of the dual nature of Christ, as God and Man.--Which, after all IS the Catholic, Orthodox and Mainstream Protestant theological view of Jesus.

And which has never been adequately portrayed on film before--perfection cannot change, and we've had a hosts of Christs form Jeffrey Hunter 'I was a teenage Jesus' to Max Von Sydow making fools of themselves by speaking VERY slowly and stately in poor scripts , and showing that, gee, they're having a bad night at Gethsemene.

In any case, Kazantsakis went with the idea of what would be the ultimate temptation for a Man who is also The Son of God, and steered his novel brilliantly towards it. Jesus passes the tests in the desert, turning down all the kingdoms of the earth, but on the cross, Satan hits him with the subtle bombshell: To be an ordinary, happily married, family man. In mortal pain, Jesus does not realize what or whom he is dealing with until the very end, when he triumphs.

On film the scene when Satan takes out the nails from the cross is among the most chilling ever filmed. Other great moments are Judas's " These men you've surrounded yourself with---where did you find them? " , referring to the bickering apostles, Peter's terror as they march to their deaths " Master, will there be angels there to greet us , Master? " (It's just too hard), Mary Magdalene accusing Jesus of being a coward who hides behind his mother and now hides behind God---No, folks it is not the letter, but to borrow from St.Paul, it's close to the spirit of The Gospels. Jesus is indeed capable of redeeming mankind because he suffers humiliation, doubt and temptation as all men do. And yes, the film asserts that he is indeed, God.

Well, to the pure all things are pure but to the impure? Suffice it to say that one can rent soft core porn at Blockbuster's but not Scorcese's film. Go figure.

Defoe is great , as is the entire cast. Shot on a shoestring budget, this is a labor of love. A magnificent film.

A sacrament of the cinema.

The Last Temptation of Christ is a splendid movie on all counts. Devout Christian hardliners should stay away though because the story does use quite a lot of poetic license - but it does justify it in many ways. Basically this film caused a ruckus among some Christian hardliners because Jesus has sexual intercourse in the film. "Wait?" I hear you say. "Surely that kind of blasphemy should boast disapproval from every Christian worldwide?" "Neigh" I say. "You do not know why it is there until you see the film in its entirety."

The film is based on Nikos Kazantzakis' 1955 novel which caused such an outrage that the Catholic Church banned it and the Greek Orthodox Church excommunicated him. When Martin Scorsese released the film in 1988 the church stayed somewhat quiet but groups affiliated with Christian rights went spastic when they heard that the movie was in production. Universal who financed the picture arranged a private advance screening for some of these groups because of a fear that it could tarnish their image. The groups went nuts, starting demonstrating on the streets outside cinemas and Christian radio and television shows raved on about the blasphemous film nonstop 24/7 - so of course the whole world ended up watching it and people who knew nothing about it or never went to cinema ended up queuing miles around the block to see it.

In short, God and Jesus are not mocked by any means. In fact they are glorified. Scorsese himself is a fan of big J and it shows in this wonderful and thoroughly engaging film that is probably Scorseses best work. Jesus is a lonely and psychologically disturbed carpenter who is alive during the oppressive regime of Rome. He has hallucinations which drive him to preach the new word of God. His performs miracles and starts a revolt against the system. He doubts his own abilities and confides in many dark secrets with his closets friends. The TEMPTATION in this film is Jesus refusing to acknowledge himself, always failing to become what he was meant to be. There is an excellent twist in this film which does grab you by collar and shakes you around. Very good indeed and nicely executed by Scorsese.

There are some critics about this film but they are usually aesthetic in value, namely the New York accents and some of the dialog is very "Down Town" or "Lower East Side". Apart from that this movie is a wonderful experience and utterly compelling. A big thumbs up for this movie about the big J.

Slavishly faithful to the Gospel of Luke, this by-the-numbers retelling of Jesus's life never develops dramatic momentum. As cinema, it's just plain dull; the photography is washed-out (as it was even when the film was new), the zoom lens is overused, and the special effects, minimal as they are, get really cheesy. Everything is exposition, and it's not terribly competent exposition at that.

Some continuity gaffes create unintentional hilarity. When Jesus dips his head in the water to be baptized; when he lifts up his head, his hair is slightly mussed, but not wet. (This is a miracle we haven't read about, folks.)

Extras are fun, including a short documentary about the Jesus Film Project, which carts this particular film all around the world as an evangelical tool. Especially surreal is an hour-long compendium of pious testimonials from such luminaries as George Bush XLI and David Copperfield (huh?).

The soft but adequate full-frame transfer on this DVD doesn't leave out any significant information -- I suspect the film was shot open matte. But many of the compositions are so inept that you'll swear they were cropped at the sides anyway.

Catholics beware: This film presents a very Protestant-American Jesus, with its emphasis on a "personal relationship with God" and other faith concepts that Mother Church could find potentially heretical. That's no surprise, though, considering that the film was financed by the leader of Campus Crusade for Christ.

Before I begin my review, I must state something: Having Been translated into over 700 languages, this film has been seen by more than 4 Billion people since its release in 1979 (over 60 Million who saw it have dedicated their lives to the blessed Savior).

THE REVIEW
This is a really good film. It has the power to truly change lives. Brian Deacon shines as Jesus. The things that detract from the film are mediocre acting by most of the supporting cast and some choppy editing. Other than this, a truly mesmerizing movie experience. But the best film version of the Gospels is the 2000 Miniseries version starring Jeremy Sisto (I also here that Mel Gibson's film "The Passion" is really good, but I won't decide until I see it this Easter).

Note: This is the 120 Minute Version. I own (and prefer) the 83 Minute Version of the film. Grade: B+

If you seek a Hollywood blockbuster, you must look elsewhere. If you seek a reasonable portrayal with some familiar faces, Jesus of Nazareth (the TV miniseries) is available on DVD. If you seek a truly reverent depiction, made without concern for its commercial viability, you have found it here. This movie presents "the message" in an understated dignified manner - it most closely represents His life as I imagine it.

Well I had to give this 1 star since ZERO was not an option. Depak Chopra is overpormoted. None of his work has any essence or deep value to it. His ideology is nothing more than what you have heard from Norman Vincent Peele in the 20's and 30's revamped for the 21st Century. And that annoying accent of his is too much to handle. Get it used if you have to, there is plenty for sale... That should tell you a lot.

I've purchased so many programs from Nightingale Conant of Deepak Chopra's Audio tapes. The Higher Self, Magical Mind Magical Body, etc. Like the title of this commentary mentions, he never lets me down. He always forces you to think differently on what we call reality. I listen to his programs several times over and each time I pick up something new.

Deepak Chopra is a Harvard trained MD and Former Chief of Staff at Boston Regional Medical Center. Dr. Chopra built a successful endocrinology practice in Boston in the 1980's. His teaching affiliations include Tufts University and Boston University Schools of Medicine. In 1992, he served on the National Institute of Health's Ad Hoc Panel on Alternative Medicine. He advocates transcendental meditation and includes ancient ayurvedic healing methods in his material. I found his books and tapes hard to grasp at first, but on closer listening, I 'got it.' Here health meets spirituality in a thoroughly scientific and sensible context for the purpose of healing. If you don't 'get it' the first time, slow down and try again. Make the effort.

Update: I have read several of Chopra's books and listened to many of his tapes. The value for me has been in learning to relax and in gaining a new perspective on the notion of 'spirituality' in a modern context. Chopra's material is not to be written off as afternoon TV 'pop psychology;' you are NOT going to find out what to do if your man/woman cheats on you! He weaves together such notions as God, health, and meditation with the principles of quantum physics in a convincing and fascinating way. Wonderful material for those who are receptive - and utterly wasted on cynics.

As the story opens, we're immediately handed a mystery: Who is Daniel? What happened in his last days? Is he Dead? If so, how? Through flashbacks, we follow the spiritual transformation, as Daniel slowly awakens to the illusion surrounding him - the lies, the struggle, the social conditioning of everyday life. Overwhelmed by the world coming down around him, Daniel breaks out, disappears, and comes face-to-face with people all around him suffering from various forms of fear and disconnection.

Daniel's awakening allows him a sort of transcendental detatchment, from which he pronounces wisdom, and causes those around him to stop, think, and transform. While I appreciate the spirit of the film and script, I found the nature and ease of these transformations distracting and strained. Daniel seems like a smart and powerful person, and his wisdom is often profound, but even so, the awe-struck reactions he inspires are unrepresentative of the world I know.

Parallel to this, there's a sort of gnawing creepiness about Daniel. Maybe he's really insane? Maybe he's a charlatan? Why not play with these possibilies, and serve back some of the complexity that actually surrounds these issues in real life?

I respect this movie for approaching the human condition in a challenging way, and recommend it to anyone open to Buddhism - anyone who feels the chafe of social conditioning, and wants more... for those on the fence, or for whom "spiritual" is equal parts truth and nonsense... be forewarned...

After seeing Echos of Enlightenment at the Telluride IndieFest 2002 film festival, I was impressed with the professionalism, polish and general look of the film. The story was compelling and interesting and the acting was strong and convincing. I was particularly impressed with Giovanna Brokaw's performance, which although a small role in the grand scheme of the story and picture, comes across very powerfully.

Overall, the film tugged on my emotions on many levels. That's always a good sign for me, as I tend to be a bit cynical about films of this subject matter. However, it was a well-told story with very important social and spiritual messages.

If I were to offer it any criticism it would be that there are scenes that could be shorter and the overall length of the film is slightly longer than necessary. In my opinion it would be a more powerful film if time had been taken to remove unnecessary exposition that doesn't drive the story foreword. But these are such minor, nick picky issues that you would expect from a filmmaker. So, I'll stop my critique at that note and close with saying it is a film worth seeing and watching.

If Echos of Enlightenment is an example of Dan Coplan's true talent and not a `one shot wonder', he has the potential of being a great filmmaker.

Absolutely Essential Viewing for all Humanists.

Selected out of over 2000 entrants, "Echos of Enlightenment" was shown at the 2002 Telluride Film festival as one of only 12 given a platform. Curious to see this film, I was not disappointed, and, in fact, as a result of seeing it on the DVD now available, I sat watching the end credits convinced it is absolutely essential viewing for all humanists, and for that matter, anyone who has ever made a movie, or is thinking of making one.

Although the subject matter is universal to the human condition, it is difficult to imagine "mainstream" Hollywood tackling this in such a head-on manner. Dan Coplan has done this with his first independent feature film.

Mystical in it's approach to the story of an Attorney who disappears in the face of the repellent greed and selfishness of his clients, the entire film, if you see it for no other reason, is remarkable for Dan Coplan's own astonishing and moving performance as the central character.

This stays with you long after you have watched the movie. An extraordinary achievement. Courageous, unstinting and totally honest. Also, as a lay person, you might just look upon the legal profession in a new light. The best of them should watch this movie. The worst of them should be made to watch it. Totally recommended. See it and feel it.