Jesus - Der Film

There's nothing in German film history quite like Jesus - Der Film, starting with the fact this is probably the sole joint endeavor by underground artists from the FRG and the GDR. Michael Bryntrupp, the project's mastermind, invited directors and collectives he considered like-minded to each adapt a chapter of the Good Book. Everyone could do whatever they wanted (within limits Bryntrupp monitored); nobody knew (in theory if probably not in practice) how the others were approaching their stories; several chapters were directed by Jesus B. himself. Call it an exercise in muted exquisite corps. The result is closer to the Bible's words and images than the Zealots might have you believe - even if the Maria Magdalena of Doris Kuhn (cf. Morgen) is punished by lingerie-clad ladies, while for Jörg Buttgereit (cf. German Angst) Jesus is a vampire who needs a stake to finally die.