The Challenge of the Silver Screen (Studies in Religion and the Arts)

CONTENTS......Page 6
Foreword......Page 8
I. Introduction......Page 10
II. Jesus......Page 22
1.1. The First Films......Page 23
1.2. The Silent Films......Page 24
1.3. Later Films......Page 27
2. Analysis......Page 51
3.1. The Visual Representation of Jesus......Page 63
3.2. The Ideological Background......Page 68
3.3. Opposition to the Depiction of Jesus......Page 70
3.4. The Issue of Anti-Semitism......Page 79
4. Many Images, One Jesus......Page 83
III. Rama......Page 88
1.1. A Short Introduction......Page 90
1.2. The Era of Silent Film......Page 91
1.3. The Era of Sound......Page 95
1.4. Analysis......Page 117
2. Historical Background......Page 125
2.1. The Visual Representation of Rama......Page 126
2.2. The Ideological Background......Page 128
3. The Importance of Seeing in Hinduism......Page 135
4. The Modern Ramayana Kathas......Page 137
IV. Buddha......Page 142
1. The Films......Page 144
1.1. The Era of Silent Film......Page 145
1.2. The Era of Sound......Page 149
1.3. Analysis......Page 171
2. Historical Background......Page 177
2.1. The Visual Representation of Buddha......Page 178
2.2. The Ideological Background......Page 182
3. Resistance to Depicting Buddha in Film......Page 192
4. Thanks to the Hindus and the Westerners......Page 194
V. Muhammad......Page 198
1. The Film Itself......Page 199
2. The Film\'s Relationship to the Muslim Tradition......Page 210
3. Conclusions......Page 219
VI. Jesus Restyled......Page 224
1. The Indian Jesus Films......Page 225
1.1. The History of the Indian Jesus Films......Page 226
1.2. The Content of the Indian Jesus Films......Page 227
1.3. The Background of the Indian Jesus Films......Page 235
1.4. The Indian Character of the Indian Jesus Films......Page 237
2.1. Introduction......Page 238
2.2. Content......Page 239
2.3. Interpretation......Page 242
3.1. Introduction......Page 245
3.2. Content......Page 247
3.3. Retrospection......Page 251
4. Siding with Powerless and Victims of Discrimination......Page 252
VII. Some Conclusions......Page 256
1. Between Tradition and Creativity: The Importance of the Audience......Page 257
2. Film, Narration Modes and Subjectivity......Page 260
3. The Positions of the Actors Playing the Sacred Figures......Page 261
4. The Sacred Environment......Page 262
5. Outside the Cultural Context of the Religions......Page 263
6. Between the Void, Images and Films: Again a Key Position for the Audience......Page 264
Filmography......Page 272
Bibliography......Page 274
Videos......Page 282
Websites......Page 284
Index......Page 286