View Chapters

Book: Representations of Antiquity in Film

Chapter: The Judean People’s Front and Jesus’s Mod Tour Bus: Musicals and Comedies Set in the Ancient World

DOI: 10.1558/equinox.39764

Blurb:

Moving away from the epic tradition, Chapter 5 examines comedic and subversive treatments of the ancient world in film. It discusses vaudeville traditions in comedic musicals about ancient Rome and traces this through to Jesus Christ Superstar. It relates this to British comedic traditions such as the Carry On series and Monty Python’s Life of Brian also discussing American satire in Mel Brooks’ films and more recent attempts (like Meet the Spartans).

Chapter Contributors