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

Cover......Page 1
Title......Page 5
Copyright......Page 6
Contents......Page 7
Foreword......Page 9
I. Introduction......Page 11
II. Jesus......Page 23
1.1. The First Films......Page 24
1.2. The Silent Films......Page 25
1.3. Later Films......Page 28
2. Analysis......Page 52
3.1. The Visual Representation of Jesus......Page 64
3.2. The Ideological Background......Page 69
3.3. Opposition to the Depiction of Jesus......Page 71
3.4. The Issue of Anti-Semitism......Page 80
4. Many Images, One Jesus......Page 84
III. Rama......Page 89
1.1. A Short Introduction......Page 91
1.2. The Era of Silent Film......Page 92
1.3. The Era of Sound......Page 96
1.4. Analysis......Page 118
2. Historical Background......Page 126
2.1. The Visual Representation of Rama......Page 127
2.2. The Ideological Background......Page 129
3. The Importance of Seeing in Hinduism......Page 136
4. The Modern Ramayana Kathas......Page 138
IV. Buddha......Page 143
1. The Films......Page 145
1.1. The Era of Silent Film......Page 146
1.2. The Era of Sound......Page 150
1.3. Analysis......Page 172
2. Historical Background......Page 178
2.1. The Visual Representation of Buddha......Page 179
2.2. The Ideological Background......Page 183
3. Resistance to Depicting Buddha in Film......Page 193
4. Thanks to the Hindus and the Westerners......Page 195
V. Muhammad......Page 199
1. The Film Itself......Page 200
2. The Film's Relationship to the Muslim Tradition......Page 211
3. Conclusions......Page 220
VI. Jesus Restyled......Page 225
1. The Indian Jesus Films......Page 226
1.1. The History of the Indian Jesus Films......Page 227
1.2. The Content of the Indian Jesus Films......Page 228
1.3. The Background of the Indian Jesus Films......Page 236
1.4. The Indian Character of the Indian Jesus Films......Page 238
2.1. Introduction......Page 239
2.2. Content......Page 240
2.3. Interpretation......Page 243
3.1. Introduction......Page 246
3.2. Content......Page 248
3.3. Retrospection......Page 252
4. Siding with Powerless and Victims of Discrimination......Page 253
VII. Some Conclusions......Page 257
1. Between Tradition and Creativity: The Importance of the Audience......Page 258
2. Film, Narration Modes and Subjectivity......Page 261
3. The Positions of the Actors Playing the Sacred Figures......Page 262
4. The Sacred Environment......Page 263
5. Outside the Cultural Context of the Religions......Page 264
6. Between the Void, Images and Films: Again a Key Position for the Audience......Page 265
Filmography......Page 273
Bibliography......Page 275
Videos......Page 283
Websites......Page 285
Index......Page 287