Steven Spielberg in Talks to Direct Biblical Epic GODS AND KINGS

[Optimus_Prime_]

I'd like to see a Biblical Epic that left it a little more unclear as to whether this is God, some hallucination or some natural event they just don't understand yet. Something epic, but where it's more from the perspective of the people so you can appreciate why they may have come to the conclusion that this is the work of a God, rather than having it spelled out for you. Something more grounded that doesn't assume the past was some supernatural wonderland. Something that obeys the rules we understand as they apply to the modern world.

 

[Venomfan]

its almost impossible to do that with moses' story. the sea splitting in half and then crushing the egyptian army? there is no way to show that without it clearly being divine intervention. same with frogs falling from the sky and staffs turning into snakes.

one thing that should be shown, because it never is, is that moses' brother aaron did all the talking because moses was afraid and maybe a stutterer

 

[Roose Bolton]

I'd like to see a Biblical Epic that left it a little more unclear as to whether this is God, some hallucination or some natural event they just don't understand yet. Something epic, but where it's more from the perspective of the people so you can appreciate why they may have come to the conclusion that this is the work of a God, rather than having it spelled out for you. Something more grounded that doesn't assume the past was some supernatural wonderland. Something that obeys the rules we understand as they apply to the modern world.

There's a Jesus film in the works where he's not divine but rather a radical revolutionary that lead a violent war against the Romans. The director of Robocop is doing it.

 

[Spider-Who?]

I get Prime's point though. I think making it like that might be seen as an attempt to make it "comfortable" for non-religious viewers, which I'm not sure how I feel about...taking out the God out of a Bible movie, I mean.

There are ways it could be done, though. There is evidence of frogs (and other animals/objects) falling from the sky in modern times - the explanation suggested being that a cyclone swallows up animals and then spits them out miles away. As for the Red Sea splitting...scientists postulate that a volcano/earthquake near Greece caused the tides to change, which allowed the Red Sea to appear to "split" (side note: I recently watched a documentary where an archeologist claimed to have discovered an "armies worth" of objects - chariot wheels, armor, etc) buried in the bottom of the Red Sea using sonar imaging). I personally don't mind them using more...plausible...reasons for events, so long as it doesn't undermine the story and religious nature of it, that being said, I consider myself to be a religious person (not so much practicing these days), but the idea of a higher power using nature to create "supernatural events" doesn't hinder anything for me. It's how the filmmakers would present it that is the question.

 

[Spider-Who?]

There's a Jesus film in the works where he's not divine but rather a radical revolutionary that lead a violent war against the Romans. The director of Robocop is doing it.

I don't even understand how this works, even from a secular stand point. Is this supposed to be some intentionally ridiculous thing, or is he going to actually try to make it "legit"?

 

[Roose Bolton]

I don't even understand how this works, even from a secular stand point. Is this supposed to be some intentionally ridiculous thing, or is he going to actually try to make it "legit"?

Well the director didn't try and sell it like it was the real story or anything like that, it was more that he thought that Jesus was very similar to Che and other revolutionaries and used that comparison as a basis for a film. He was trying to do it straight but at the same time acknowledged that it wasn't what he believed.

 

[Spider-Who?]

Hmm. I don't think anyone would argue that he wasn't a revolutionary, but he certainly wasn't for violence, and didn't really have much to say about Roman Occupation - "render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's" is about it. I'm kinda interested to see what he expects to do with it.

Great. Now all I can think of is that recent SNL skit.