‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ Is the Only Easter Movie That Matters

Looking for the best Easter movies to watch on Netflix? Well, I’m sorry to tell you this, but the only true Easter movie on Netflix is the 2011 animated film Hop. If you have small children in the house, you might be able to stomach Russell Brand as the voice of the Easter Bunny. But if you don’t have kids, that’s really no way to celebrate what Catholics call “the holiest of the year” and what Animal Crossing calls “Bunny Day.”

The actual best Easter movie in existence is, of course, the 1973 film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd’s rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar. Tragically, the 1973 Jesus Christ Superstar is not on Netflix, but it is available to rent or purchase on Amazon Prime Video, iTunes, Google Play and other various digital content platforms. Aren’t they always telling you in church that if you really loved Jesus, you’d be willing to cough up money for him? I suggest you go ahead and buy it, so you can watch this masterpiece every Easter, as has become tradition in my household.

Though Broadway aficionados (rightly) mock Andrew Lloyd Webber for Cats, it’s widely agreed that Jesus Christ Superstar, a retelling of the last week of Jesus’s life from the Bible, is a legitimately great musical. Every single song slaps—and yes, I’m including “Pilate’s Dream” when I say that—and while it may not be exactly biblically accurate, it’s a heartwrenching story of love and betrayal. But what really sells the film, which was directed by Norman Jewison, is the aesthetic.

Remember back when Twitter was arguing about what is and is not “camp?” I’m here to settle that debate nearly a year later: The 1973 Jesus Christ Superstar is the highest form of camp. On the one hand, it’s impossibly silly in that specific ’70s type of silliness. King Herod is a flamboyant shirtless man who sings show tunes and throws bagels at Christ. Judas wears a hot pink V neck with a V that stretches all the way down to his crotch. Caiaphas wears a giant poofy hot with a bejeweled medallion, while his soldiers wear skintight purple tank tops that show off their oiled biceps. And the fringe. My god, the fringe. The fringe is endless, and it is glorious.

On the other hand, it’s art. It was shot on location in Israel, in ruins, national parks, and other Middle Eastern locations. It stars the talented actors from the original Broadway show—Ted Neeley as Jesus, Carl Anderson as Judas, and Yvonne Elliman as Mary Magdalene—who each take their roles absolutely seriously, and infuse every lyric with emotion and heart. It’s many anachronisms, from the tanks that chase Judas across the desert to the paparazzi of “reporters” who accost Jesus before his trial paralleled then-anxieties surrounding the Vietnam War and modern-day media. And yes, there are some excellent dance numbers.

After you’ve watched this perfect campy film, you can also catch the 2018 production of Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert this Sunday—aka Easter Sunday, aka today—on NBC at 7 p.m. (ET/PT). You also have a few more hours left today to stream the 2012 stage version of the musical starring Tim Minchin, Melanie C, and Chris Moyles on YouTube.

Of course, neither of those productions quite nail the camp aesthetic of the 1973 masterpiece. But the music is still very good.

Where to watch Jesus Christ Superstar