VERHOEVEN TACKLES JESUS
- By Russ Fischer
- Published 04/23/2008
- News
You have only to wait until September to dive into Paul Verhoeven's biography of Jesus of Nazareth. I'll give you a moment to let than sink in.
Now, the bad news. This isn't (yet) a film -- it's a book, written by Verhoeven with Rob van Scheers, according to the Hollywood Reporter. And as you'd expect, it'll be published in Dutch. (An English translation is already being negotiated. Day and date? Maybe.) The filmmaker has wanted to take on Jesus for some time, evidently, and this book represents the first step in a long-range plan to make a film about Jesus based in science and fact rather than religion.
Here are a couple details about Verhoeven's take, which sounds like the Anti- to Mel Gibson's Christ. One of his conclusions deals with the fact that Jesus was probably the son of Mary and a Roman soldier who raped her during the Jewish uprising in Galilee. Verhoeven also claims that Christ was not betrayed by Judas Iscariot.
Increase the chances of a film being crafted from the book by purchasing oodles of tickets to the Verhoeven-directed Thomas Crown Affair 2 (based in part on Jules Dassin's Topkapi) when it comes out next year.
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Comments
Comment #1 (Posted by gridbug)
Not since J.J. used Ned the Wino as the subject for his exquisite Black Jesus portrait has there been something as remotely awesome as a Verhoeven Jesus joint. Hopefully the eventual cimematic version will be laden with massive amounts of full frontal nudidity and over-the-top squib action deluxe!
Comment #2 (Posted by Matt Packer)
First read about this in Van Scheers' Verhoeven biography about 13, 14 years ago and thought, 'this'll NEVER get off the ground.' More than happy to be proved wrong. Bring on the sacrilege!
Comment #3 (Posted by Sam)
What was Brosnan's last hit? Die Another Day? Shame his whole career seems to have died along with his career as Bond. Or maybe he's just been comfortably lounging on his sofa made of money for the past 6 years.
Comment #4 (Posted by Bob)
Brosnan's been doing great work outside of Bond. Check out 'The Matador' and 'Seraphim Falls.'
Comment #5 (Posted by Knugen)
As far as I know the myth of Jesus is derived the myth of Mithra from Persian mythology.
Comment #6 (Posted by Swampcow)
Yeah, Brosnan may not be hitting the blockbuster mark with his non Bond films but they are much better. He has done a great job eschewing his Bond image. Not sure he will have the same success making us forget After Sunset though.
Comment #7 (Posted by Shannon)
Knugen, it's a mixture of a lot of things, including Mithra and Osiris. The question is if the Jesus myth was manufactured out of whole cloth or if an historical Jesus played into those archetypes.
Comment #8 (Posted by J. H. C. (Your Personal Savior))
Congratulations. You're all going to hell!
Comment #9 (Posted by deeplogic)
That's a pretty cool portrait of Dennis Rodman from before his tattoo era.
Comment #10 (Posted by bpvalentine)
Bronson is Bond like in many of his films. Thomas Crown. After Sunset. He's a crook. But a Bond like crook. Even before Bond, he seemed rumored to be the next Bond because of being always Bond like. Barely heard of the other roles since.
Comment #11 (Posted by an unknown user)
I love how people who consider themselves too "educated" to believe in Jesus, always refer to him as a myth. Is it that much easier for you to lump Him in with Zeus than believe?
Comment #12 (Posted by Thor)
@ #11: Why don't you believe in my dad?
Comment #13 (Posted by RRA)
I once had a T-shirt that had the Hulk beating up Jesus, with the text under it: "My Imaginary Friend beats up YOUR Imaginary Friend!"
