Director: Pier Paolo Pasolini
Year: 1964
Country: Italy
Language: Italian
Length: 127 mins
Format: PAL | R2
Colour: Black & White
Aspect Ratio: 1.66: 1
Alternate Title: Il Vangelo Secondo Matteo

Synopsis

Pasolini's vision is both deeply religious and determinedly political, with the Messiah portrayed as a peasant outcast, driven by anger at social injustice (in keeping with his idea of Jesus Christ as the greatest revolutionary of all time, Pier Paolo Pasolini considered casting Jack Kerouac or Allen Ginsberg in the role). Performances by an entirely non-professional cast, impressive cinematography and an inventive use of music, from Bach to Billie Holiday, combine to great effect in this film often cited as Pasolini's masterpiece. The film won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival and was immediately hailed by many critics as the best film adaptation of the life of Christ.