The Bible in Motion: A Handbook of the Bible and its Reception in Film
Berlin; Boston: De Gruyter (2016), xviii, 921 pp.
Series: Handbooks of the Bible and Its Reception, 2
ISBN 978-1-61451-561-6 (hbk); 978-1-61451-326-1 (pdf)
Reviewed in: Journal for Religion, Film and Media (jrfm), vol. 4:1 (2018), pp. 103-105
"This two-part volume contains a comprehensive collection of original studies by well-known scholars focusing on the Bible’s wide-ranging reception in world cinema. It is organized into sections examining the rich cinematic afterlives of selected characters from the Hebrew Bible and New Testament; considering issues of biblical reception across a wide array of film genres, ranging from noir to anime; featuring directors, from Lee Chang-dong to the Coen brothers, whose body of work reveals an enduring fascination with biblical texts and motifs; and offering topical essays on cinema’s treatment of selected biblical themes (e.g., lament, apocalyptic), particular interpretive lenses (e.g., feminist interpretation, queer theory), and windows into biblical reception in a variety of world cinemas (e.g., Indian, Israeli, and Third Cinema)." (Publisher description)
General Introduction: The Bible / Rhonda Burnette-Bletsch, 1
I. BIBLICAL CHARACTERS AND STORIES (HEBREW BIBLE)
1 In the Beginning: Adam and Eve in Film / Theresa Sanders, 17
2 Noah and the Flood: A Cinematic Deluge / Anton Karl Kozlovic, 35
3 It’s All in the Family: The Patriarchs of Genesis in Film / Peter T. Chattaway, 51
4 The Cinematic Moses / Jennifer L. Koosed, 65
5 Samson and Delilah in Film / J. Cheryl Exum, 83
6 There Might Be Giants: King David on the Big (and Small) Screen / Matthew Page, 101
7 Esther in Film / Carl S. Ehrlich, 119
II. FILM GENRES AND STYLES
8 Scripture on Silent Film / David J. Shepherd, 139
9 Film Noir and the Bible / Robert Ellis, 161
10 The Bible Epic / Adele Reinhartz, 175
11 Western Text(s): The Bible and the Movies of the Wild, Wild West / Robert Paul Seesengood, 193
12 Mysteries of the Bible (Documentary) Revealed: The Bible in Popular Non-Fiction and Documentary Film / Robert Paul Seesengood, 209
13 From Skepticism to Piety: The Bible and Horror Films / Mary Ann Beavis, 223
14 “Moses’ DVD Collection”: The Bible and Science Fiction Film / Frauke Uhlenbruch, 237
15 The Word Made Gag: Biblical Reception in Film Comedy / Terry Lindvall und Chris Lindvall, 253
16 Drawing (on) the Text: Biblical Reception in Animated Films / R. Christopher Heard, 267
17 Anime and the Bible / Fumi Ogura und N. Frances Hioki, 285
III. BIBLICAL THEMES AND GENRES
18 God at the Movies / Rhonda Burnette-Bletsch, 299
19 Satan in Cinema / Peter Malone, 327
20 Creation and Origins in Film / Gaye Williams Ortiz, 341
21 The Book of Job in the Movies: On Cinema’s Exploration of Theodicy and the Hiddenness of God / Reinhold Zwick, 355
22 Lament in Film and Film as Lament / Matthew S. Rindge, 379
23 What Lies Beyond? Biblical Images of Death and Afterlife in Film / Sandie Gravett, 391
24 This Is the End: Apocalyptic Moments in Cinema / Tina Pippin, 405
IV. BIBLICAL CHARACTERS AND STORIES (NEW TESTAMENT)
25 Jesus and the Gospels at the Movies / W. Barnes Tatum, 419
26 Women in the Cinematic Gospels / Catherine O’Brien, 449
27 Judas as Portrayed in Film / Carol A. Hebron, 463
28 Jews and Judaism in New Testament Films / Clayton N. Jefford, 483
29 Paul and the Early Church in Film / Richard Walsh, 497
30 Mythic Relevance of Revelation in Film / Meghan Alexander Beddingfield, 517
V. CINEMAS AND AUTEURS
31 David Wark Griffith: Filming the Bible as the U.S. Story / Richard Walsh, 535
32 Alice Guy Blaché and Gene Gauntier: Bringing New Perspectives to Film / Carol A. Hebron, 543
33 Oscar Micheaux’s Within Our Gates: Emergent History and a Gospel of Middle-Class Liberation / Nathan Jumper, 557
34 Cecil B. DeMille: Hollywood’s Lay Preacher / Anton Karl Kozlovic, 569
35 Reframing Jesus: Dreyer’s Lifelong Passion / Caroline Vander Stichele, 587
36 Luis Buñuel: Atheist by the Grace of God / J. Sage Elwell, 599
37 Robert Bresson: Biblical Resonance from a Christian Atheist / Sara Anson Vaux, 609
38 Roberto Rossellini: From Spiritual Searcher to History’s Documentarian / Matthew Page, 623
39 Federico Fellini: From Catholicism to the Collective Unconscious / Marie-Therese Mäder, 635
40 John Huston: The Atheistic Noah / Gaye Williams Ortiz, 649
41 Stanley Kubrick: Midrashic Movie Maker / Nathan Abrams, 663
42 In the Wake of the Bible: Krzysztof Kieslowski and the Residual Divine in Contemporary Life / Joseph G. Kickasola, 675
43 Peter Weir: Man of Mystery, Mysticism, and the Mundane / Anton Karl Kozlovic, 691
44 Cheick Oumar Sissoko: West African Activist and Storyteller / Rhonda Burnette-Bletsch, 701
45 Lee Chang-Dong: Exploring the Hidden Christ / Fumi Ogura und N. Frances Hioki, 713
46 Mark Dornford-May: Transposing the Classic / Samuel D. Giere, 721
47 Serious Men: Scripture in the Coen Brothers Films / J. R. Daniel Kirk, 729
48 Liberative Visions: Biblical Reception in Third Cinema / Antonio D. Sison, 739
49 The Reception of Biblical Films in India: Observations and a Case Study / Dwight H. Friesen, 751
50 “A Ram Butts His Broad Horns Again and Again against the Wall of the House”: The Binding Myth in Israeli Film / Anat Y. Zanger, 763
VI. VOICES FROM THE MARGINS
51 Judaism and Antisemitism in Bible Movies / Adele Reinhartz, 777
52 Ethnicity and Biblical Reception in Eve and the Fire Horse / Stephenson Humphries-Brooks, 793
53 A Slave Narrative for the “Post-Racial” Obama Age / Rhonda Burnette-Bletsch, 807
54 The Temptation of Noah: The Debate about Patriarchal Violence in Darren Aronofsky’s Noah / Erin Runions, 825
55 Gay Male Villains in Biblical Epic Films / Richard A. Lindsay, 843
56 Imperialism in New Testament Films / Jeremy Punt, 853
I. BIBLICAL CHARACTERS AND STORIES (HEBREW BIBLE)
1 In the Beginning: Adam and Eve in Film / Theresa Sanders, 17
2 Noah and the Flood: A Cinematic Deluge / Anton Karl Kozlovic, 35
3 It’s All in the Family: The Patriarchs of Genesis in Film / Peter T. Chattaway, 51
4 The Cinematic Moses / Jennifer L. Koosed, 65
5 Samson and Delilah in Film / J. Cheryl Exum, 83
6 There Might Be Giants: King David on the Big (and Small) Screen / Matthew Page, 101
7 Esther in Film / Carl S. Ehrlich, 119
II. FILM GENRES AND STYLES
8 Scripture on Silent Film / David J. Shepherd, 139
9 Film Noir and the Bible / Robert Ellis, 161
10 The Bible Epic / Adele Reinhartz, 175
11 Western Text(s): The Bible and the Movies of the Wild, Wild West / Robert Paul Seesengood, 193
12 Mysteries of the Bible (Documentary) Revealed: The Bible in Popular Non-Fiction and Documentary Film / Robert Paul Seesengood, 209
13 From Skepticism to Piety: The Bible and Horror Films / Mary Ann Beavis, 223
14 “Moses’ DVD Collection”: The Bible and Science Fiction Film / Frauke Uhlenbruch, 237
15 The Word Made Gag: Biblical Reception in Film Comedy / Terry Lindvall und Chris Lindvall, 253
16 Drawing (on) the Text: Biblical Reception in Animated Films / R. Christopher Heard, 267
17 Anime and the Bible / Fumi Ogura und N. Frances Hioki, 285
III. BIBLICAL THEMES AND GENRES
18 God at the Movies / Rhonda Burnette-Bletsch, 299
19 Satan in Cinema / Peter Malone, 327
20 Creation and Origins in Film / Gaye Williams Ortiz, 341
21 The Book of Job in the Movies: On Cinema’s Exploration of Theodicy and the Hiddenness of God / Reinhold Zwick, 355
22 Lament in Film and Film as Lament / Matthew S. Rindge, 379
23 What Lies Beyond? Biblical Images of Death and Afterlife in Film / Sandie Gravett, 391
24 This Is the End: Apocalyptic Moments in Cinema / Tina Pippin, 405
IV. BIBLICAL CHARACTERS AND STORIES (NEW TESTAMENT)
25 Jesus and the Gospels at the Movies / W. Barnes Tatum, 419
26 Women in the Cinematic Gospels / Catherine O’Brien, 449
27 Judas as Portrayed in Film / Carol A. Hebron, 463
28 Jews and Judaism in New Testament Films / Clayton N. Jefford, 483
29 Paul and the Early Church in Film / Richard Walsh, 497
30 Mythic Relevance of Revelation in Film / Meghan Alexander Beddingfield, 517
V. CINEMAS AND AUTEURS
31 David Wark Griffith: Filming the Bible as the U.S. Story / Richard Walsh, 535
32 Alice Guy Blaché and Gene Gauntier: Bringing New Perspectives to Film / Carol A. Hebron, 543
33 Oscar Micheaux’s Within Our Gates: Emergent History and a Gospel of Middle-Class Liberation / Nathan Jumper, 557
34 Cecil B. DeMille: Hollywood’s Lay Preacher / Anton Karl Kozlovic, 569
35 Reframing Jesus: Dreyer’s Lifelong Passion / Caroline Vander Stichele, 587
36 Luis Buñuel: Atheist by the Grace of God / J. Sage Elwell, 599
37 Robert Bresson: Biblical Resonance from a Christian Atheist / Sara Anson Vaux, 609
38 Roberto Rossellini: From Spiritual Searcher to History’s Documentarian / Matthew Page, 623
39 Federico Fellini: From Catholicism to the Collective Unconscious / Marie-Therese Mäder, 635
40 John Huston: The Atheistic Noah / Gaye Williams Ortiz, 649
41 Stanley Kubrick: Midrashic Movie Maker / Nathan Abrams, 663
42 In the Wake of the Bible: Krzysztof Kieslowski and the Residual Divine in Contemporary Life / Joseph G. Kickasola, 675
43 Peter Weir: Man of Mystery, Mysticism, and the Mundane / Anton Karl Kozlovic, 691
44 Cheick Oumar Sissoko: West African Activist and Storyteller / Rhonda Burnette-Bletsch, 701
45 Lee Chang-Dong: Exploring the Hidden Christ / Fumi Ogura und N. Frances Hioki, 713
46 Mark Dornford-May: Transposing the Classic / Samuel D. Giere, 721
47 Serious Men: Scripture in the Coen Brothers Films / J. R. Daniel Kirk, 729
48 Liberative Visions: Biblical Reception in Third Cinema / Antonio D. Sison, 739
49 The Reception of Biblical Films in India: Observations and a Case Study / Dwight H. Friesen, 751
50 “A Ram Butts His Broad Horns Again and Again against the Wall of the House”: The Binding Myth in Israeli Film / Anat Y. Zanger, 763
VI. VOICES FROM THE MARGINS
51 Judaism and Antisemitism in Bible Movies / Adele Reinhartz, 777
52 Ethnicity and Biblical Reception in Eve and the Fire Horse / Stephenson Humphries-Brooks, 793
53 A Slave Narrative for the “Post-Racial” Obama Age / Rhonda Burnette-Bletsch, 807
54 The Temptation of Noah: The Debate about Patriarchal Violence in Darren Aronofsky’s Noah / Erin Runions, 825
55 Gay Male Villains in Biblical Epic Films / Richard A. Lindsay, 843
56 Imperialism in New Testament Films / Jeremy Punt, 853
