Format: Streaming video from Hulu+ on laptop.
This one is going to be rough. Keeping in mind that I do my best to maintain an open mind for all films, it is impossible not to pre-judge some films. I knew going in to Il Vangelo Secondo Matteo (The Gospel According to St. Matthew) that it was a biblical story following the life of Christ. Despite my lack of belief, I’m okay with this. I’m happy to watch something in which I have no spiritual investment. Plenty of films of religious impact have impacted me regardless of my beliefs. No, the problem with Il Vangelo Secondo Matteo is that it is an almost direct interpretation of the biblical gospel, including a great deal of dialogue taken directly from scripture.
It would be easy to suggest that this is cause of my problem here, and it is, but not for the reason you may think. No, the problem is that it’s nothing new. Hell, I grew up going to church and spending Sunday afternoons in youth group meetings. I know about the Sermon on the Mount and the loaves and fishes. I’m aware of the stories of healing lepers and cripples and the water into wine. Pasolini’s film is less an interpretation of these stories and more the most direct and literal version of the gospel that he could manage to present. It’s just miracle-miracle-miracle, platitude-platitude-platitude, crucifixion, resurrection. Seriously, if have any background in Christianity, you know these stories and can almost feel what is coming next.
