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THE
HISTORY CHANNEL
Jesus: Hollywood vs. History INT.– TV SET: THE
HISTORY CHANNEL – OPENING.
Medium shot of LIAM NEESON (played by Colin Firth) seated on directors chair. Looks directly into camera and speaks. LIAM
(slowly and in Irish
accent)
Good evening, I’m Liam
Neeson. ‘The Last Temptation
of Christ.’ ‘The Passion of the Christ.’ ‘Jesus Christ Superstar.’ Films which tell the story of the carpenter from Nazareth, aka Jesus, to varying degrees of historical accuracy. Though perhaps the most controversial film about the life of Christ is probably one you’ve never heard of, because it was never released. Shot in 1974, ‘JC Godson & Company’ was directed by and starred one Benjamin Alfred Hill, better known as Benny Hill. CUT TO picture of Benny Hill in a pink cardigan saluting. LIAM
Primarily known for his
naughty slapstick routines,
Hill hoped the film would prove to critics he could act. Here now, a never-before-seen clip from Benny Hill’s epic, ‘JC Godson & Company.’ SHOW CLIP: Benny Hill tied on the cross, head lollying back and forth, eyes rolling,. Two monks are standing solemnly facing him on either side. Suddenly the monks’ robes fall off to reveal two young girls in 1970s-style bikinis. Benny, looks up, eyes alight in delight. He jumps down (cross and all still attached) and proceeds to chase the girls around in a frolicking manner. Two additional bikini-clad join in the romp, and they all end up chasing him. LIAM
(monotonously droning on) Needless to say the
film was a disaster. Paramount
called it unwatchable and not good. Benny Hill was emotionally crushed, dying just...18 years later. As for Jesus, though he died on the cross, he will always live forever on in film. For the History Channel, I’m Liam Neeson. |