By Nell Geraets
One of the best things about Christmas is snuggling in to watch It’s a Wonderful Life or Love Actually for the millionth time. The same can be said of Halloween, if you replace yuletide cheer with the spooks and spells of Hocus Pocus or your favourite horror film.
Movies are a staple of these holiday periods, so much so that cinemas host re-runs of classic horrors every Halloween and an entire US television channel, the Hallmark Channel, is dedicated entirely to festive favourites.
There seems to be an endless supply of Christmas and Halloween films. So, where are all the Easter movies?Credit: Compiled by Bethany Rae
Not every holiday is made for the silver screen, however.
When was the last time you watched a film purely to get into the Easter mood? Despite being a major holiday that often lines up with the school break, Easter movies remain rare compared to other holiday counterparts. Why isn’t this season, one so popular among families, tailored to film?
Nothing like a bit of death during the holidays
There may not be many Easter films, but there are some great Easter films.
William Wyler’s 1959 religious epic Ben-Hur follows a Jewish prince forced into slavery by his Roman childhood friend in Jerusalem who then slowly regains his freedom and enacts revenge. Starring Charlton Heston (Planet of the Apes), it took over one million feet of film and about 10,000 extras to create. It’s set during the life of Christ, and Jesus himself makes an appearance which gives the film a technical Easter feel.
Another example is Norman Jewison’s 1973 musical hit, Jesus Christ Superstar. This is a masterclass in rock operas, based on a concept album composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber (The Phantom of the Opera). Depicting Jesus’ final week before his crucifixion (much of it seen through the lens of one of his disciples Judas), it cleverly intertwines biblical elements with the hippie movement and youth culture of the 60s and 70s.
These are both biblical films, (loosely) set around the Passion of Christ, the final period before the crucifixion of Jesus. Regardless of how extraordinary these films are, they ultimately revolve around death. Not just any death, but a public execution of a prophet. They also explore slavery, illness (leprosy) and deep-seated betrayal. Safe to say, this doesn’t exactly scream “family holiday fun time”.
Jesus Christ Superstar upset some viewers, who argued it was too sympathetic towards Judas.Credit: Universal Pictures
Granted, Christmas films, like Love Actually, can be tear-jerkers, and Halloween flicks, like The Haunted Mansion (2003), can be spooky, especially for kids. But key to these movies is the happy ending. Easter films, many of which are biblical, teach a lesson rather than fill you with merriment or adrenaline. And let’s face it, many of us watch films during the holidays to switch off our brains, not to challenge it.
Religion vs entertainment
Biblical films must carefully walk a tightrope between respectfully representing religious doctrine and providing entertainment.
At the time of its release, Jesus Christ Superstar was criticised for denying the divinity of Christ and shining Judas (who famously betrayed Jesus to the Romans) in a sympathetic light. There was also outcry over the implied sexual tension between Jesus and Mary Magdalene, as well as the exclusion of Jesus’ resurrection and ascension to Heaven.
A scene from The Passion of the Christ, which was based on the Bible gospels.Credit: AP
Perhaps even more controversial was Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ (2004), which follows Jesus on his final day before crucifixion. It was a box office hit, grossing over $954 million worldwide; however, its use of violence was too gratuitous for some, while others argued it was antisemitic in positioning Jewish people as Jesus’ enemies (not helped by the fact that Gibson has himself used racial slurs and antisemitic remarks).
The Easter Bunny problem
Secular Easter films, such as Hop (2011) and Peter Rabbit (2018), have generally failed to win over audiences and consequently lack the nostalgia that Christmas films like The Santa Clause thrive on.
This is arguably down to the season’s mascot: the Easter Bunny. A humanoid talking rabbit sneaking into homes to fill kids’ pockets with chocolate? They say never accept candy from a stranger, let alone an alien creature. Admittedly, Santa sneaks into homes too, but at least he’s human.
Unlike Christmas and Halloween films, which place the season at the forefront, Easter films don’t tend to fixate on the holiday. For example, while watching Easter Parade (1948), a musical about a Broadway star trying to find a new dancing partner, it’s easy to forget it’s set during Easter while being swept up in song and dance. And in The Rise of the Guardians, which sees holiday figures like Santa, Jack Frost and the Easter Bunny join forces to battle against the evil Pitch, Hugh Jackman’s Bunny merely offers occasional comic relief.
Other holiday films are easily identified by their decorations and distinct colour themes. As soon as you turn on Jack Carpenter’s Halloween, carved pumpkins greet you, and in The Polar Express, you’re welcomed into a cosy snow-covered world. Easter arguably has pastels and baby chick figurines, but this is tenuous given that could easily be mistaken for a baby shower or child’s birthday. Without its own “trademarked” aesthetic, Easter films could look like anything and therefore be watched at any time of the year.
Whether because it’s too heavy, too controversial, too unsettling, or simply undefined, Easter has not had people running to the cinemas. Perhaps a more well-rounded mascot and a slightly less earnest approach could have people trading in their hot cross buns for movie tickets.
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