BIBLE NEWS: The Bible in Movies

The recent release of a movie loosely based on the story of Noah has brought back the question of adapting Bible stories for the big screen and whether there is a "religious market" for films.  While Noah is being judged by most reviewers as "not very Biblical", there are other films out there making a bigger impact.

God’s Not Dead, about a Christian college student confronted by an atheist professor, opened last weekend with a remarkable $9.2 million in just 780 theaters, and it grossed another $9.1 million after expanding into 398 more theaters this weekend, for $22 million total. At this pace, it could easily clear $50 million as it plays into the Easter holiday weekend, a robust result for any independent film, let alone one explicitly geared toward a Christian audience.

Are Christian filmmakers changing Hollywood?

It is unlikely you missed the impact of the movie Fireproof, along with such Christian-themed movies such as The Chronicles of Narnia and The Passion of the Christ. Now, Hollywood itself is taking note of Christian filmmakers and their influence on the culture.

Instead of just complaining about sex and violence, Phillips says, Christians must make films that reflect their own values. He says he started the film festival five years ago when he realized that Christians were losing the hearts and minds of the young.

"What is the single biggest influence on our families?" he asks. "I wish I could tell you the biggest single influence were churches, but that regretfully is not the case. The truth of the matter is, it is the media the people take in which are shaping and forming ideas."

Bible is coming to the BBC

There is one thing that even the most ardent atheist will agree on. The Bible has been a central book for European culture. Even those who don't believe its words know that the images and stories of the Bible have shaped Western civilization for thousands of years. Now, the BBC is ready to acknowledge the importance with a television miniseries set for release in 2009.

The international co-production, to be broadcast in 2009, will combine drama and computer-generated imagery.
The BBC plans to hire a well-known actor, whose identity has yet to be disclosed, to narrate the series.
According to the corporation, each episode will concentrate on the humanity, "miraculous experiences" and epic encounters in the Bible's stories.

Of course, there is no way to know how close to the Bible the Beeb will stay. Some past works have been faithful to scripture, and others have gone far afield in the name of "poetic license". Here is hoping they have learned from the "Passion of the Christ" and will try to stick to the Biblical narrative.