Godspell : 35th Anniversary Edition (DVD)

An exhilarating musical re-telling of the parables of Jesus.

The Gospels according to ’60s hippie counterculture in a film version of the stage musical. Jesus’ life and teachings are illustrated in storytelling and songs (“Day by Day”) and New York City locations.

The film opens with youthful city dwellers from various walks of life dropping their activities to follow John the Baptist (David Haskell from the original New York production). They sing (“Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord”) as he leads them into a fountain where they are (metaphorically) baptized. There they meet Jesus (Victor Garber). Frizzy hair and mime makeup aside, the handsome young Garber (Titanic, Annie) is convincing in his film debut. Once baptized, they follow him around various scenic New York locations, singing and acting out passages from the Scriptures.