Scholars at the American Academy of Religion Discuss "Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter"

Scholars at the American Academy of Religion Discuss "Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter"
di Massimo Introvigne


Controversial Canadian movie Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter, directed by Lee Gordon Demarbre, was shown to a capacity crowd of scholars at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) in Toronto on November 23, 2002, and discussed in two different sessions.

For those who have not seen it, the movie is a bizarro crossover between blasphemous comedy and horror. It opens with vampires suspiciously operating in daily sunlight, inducing two priests to call in for help none less than Jesus Christ himself. The Lord agrees to intervene, performs a couple of miracles in order to prove that he is indeed the Son of God, gets an haircut and an ear piercing, and is attacked by a gang of atheists. He defeats them by showing a truly divine command of martial arts. Back to the apartement the local parish has prepared for him, he finds there Mary Magnum (i.e., obviously, Marry Magdalene), a curvaceous fighter who attacks him but is, however, on his side, and belongs to a secret organization of vampire hunters whose existence is known only to the Vatican (her business card, however, has an E-mail address at vatican.com, while – perhaps unbeknowst to the scriptwriter – the correct address should be vatican.va). Jesus and Mary prepare their stakes to battle the vampires, but the first encounter show that they are not that easy to get, even by hunters endowed with ultimate supernatural powers. In fact, a crazy doctor has discovered that replacing their undead skin with fresh skin taken from newly deceased lesbians make them immune to sunlight. They also have double agents among the Catholic clergy, ready to betray Jesus and his friends. Mary is turned into a vampire,and Jesus is left bleeding in a back alley. In a modern retelling of the Samaritan story, a policeman and a priest ignore him, and the only person who cares is a transexual prostitute.

At this stage, with the movie becoming increasingly bizarre, Jesus decided he needs help and enlists Santo, a well-known figure in the old Mexican wrestling movies (where, of course, he did fight vampires). Santos and Jesus trace the vampires back to a night club, where Santo falls in love with a lesbian. Both Santos and Jesus are captured by the vampires but in the final battle they defeat them. Jesus, now in his full power and glory, turns Mary back into a human being only to discover that she, too, has turned lesbian during her short existence as a vampire, whilst Santo’s love interest, also duly resurrected, is at least bisexual. The movie concludes with a Canadian version of the Sermon on the Mount in a park, so politically correct that Jesus tells the audience not to believe his words merely because of himself and to rather trust their own judgement.

This looks very much like a farce à la Monty Python, only much worse and calculate to enrage Christians (actually, during the show at the AAR some veiled female Moslem scholars did leave the room finding the movie blasphemous – Jesus Christ being obviously a prophet for Islam). It is a testament to the deeply secularized nature of English-speaking Canada that there has been, apparently, very few controversy. As a farce, the movie was a hit with the younger scholars at AAR but left the older more cold and perplexed.

In the sessions, some scholars suggested however that the movie is not perceived as a mere farce. According to Laurel Zwissler, from the University of Toronto, a sizeable portion of the viewers she surveyed did identify with Jesus Christ as superhero (although of course the comedy element could not be lost to anybody). Making Jesus Christ into a superhero (with limitations as well as superpowers) is a way to make him relevant again, Zwissler said, in a deeply secularized society such as modern-day Ontario. AAR scholars tried to interpret the movie’s theology. If there is one, it is obviously liberal, with Jesus Christ refusing to condemn homosexual as well as etherosexual prostitutes, and a transvestite cast in the role of the good Samaritan. The Sermon on the Mount would please the Jesus Seminar more than Jean Paul II (who, in fact, calls Jesus on his cell phone during the sermon in the movie; Jesus would only talk to him later, however, and we may only suspect what the conversation will be about). Mary Magdalene is duly sexy and feminist, with reminiscences (Zwissler said) of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, although she is much more similar to Joe Benitez’s The Magdalena, who in her own comic series battles vampires and is part of an unbroken chain of vampire hunters going back to the Magdalene of the Gospels. Zwissler did mention some comics, but they are those where Jesus Christ is portrayed as a vampire (taking to extremes the eucharistic metaphor in Dracula), whose message is reversed here by making Jesus Christ into a vampire hunter.

Discussions at the AAR prove that vampire themes are relevant to the religious scholars (another paper discussed several characters in the Buffy TV series and their relationships with evil), and that the movie has potential for generating theological discourse, but whether this is caught by the average viewer remains to be seen. Many will only see the farce, and as a farce the movie is blasphemous (although theologians in the AAR panels were quick to remember that blasphemy may be the mask for a secret prayer). Others would regard Demarbre’s Jesus as just a bit too much politically correct.


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Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter
(Canada)


By KEN EISNER
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An Odessa Filmworks (Ottawa) production, with support from the City of Ottawa and the Independent Filmmakers' Cooperative of Ottawa. Produced, directed, edited by Lee Gordon Demarbre. Screenplay, Ian Driscoll.

With: Phil Caracas, Murielle Varhelyi, Maria Moulton, Ian Driscoll, Josh Grace, Jeff Mottet, Tim Devries, Tracy Lance, Erica Murton, Glen Jones, Jose Sanchez, Mike Funk, Lucky Ron, Johnny Vegas.


The Rideau river runs red in "Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter," a cheeseball spoof proving that there's life in Ottawa, even if the undead do stalk the halls of Parliament. Grainy 16mm pic, which got an honorable mention at this year's Slamdance fest and will be offered in the Cannes market, is now being self-distribbed on alt-arthouse circuit, where it should build a small-but-religious following.
Canada's own Ed Wood, the multi-hatted Lee Gordon Demarbre, previously delivered campy "Harry Knuckles and the Treasure of the Aztec Mummy." Here, he sends up Bible epics, Hammer horror pics, rock musicals and chopsocky cheapies in a tale that poses the Second Coming as an occasion for some serious ass-kicking. Jesus makes his comeback when some punked-out priests plead for help in warding off vampires that are draining the capital city of its finest lesbians.

The Son of God (Phil Caracas) survives an attack by snaggle-toothed suckers, including the svelte Maxine Shreck (Murielle Varhelyi), but his beard-and-sandals look doesn't: A red-suited Emma Peel type (Maria Moulton) assists in a makeover that leaves him looking like Scott Bakula on casual Friday. He then goes after the evildoers, eventually calling upon a masked Mexican-wrestling star to make things right.

Fundamentalists may be offended by the plot description of a kick-ass Jesus who uses kung-fu to wipe out lesbian vampires. But for most others, including religious people, the film is too silly to offend.

Although pic contains virtually no religious or social commentary, Demarbre is nothing if not ambitious; his big musical numbers feature actual choreography, and he goes in for the occasional gory spectacle and slapstick gag -- all done on a budget that would barely buy matzos for a Passover party.

More than one option(Person) Jose Sanchez
Driver, Layout Artist, Makeup
(Person) Jose Sanchez
Actor
(Person) Jose Luis Sanchez
(Person) Jose Sanchez
Sound
(Person) Jose Sanchez
(Person) Jose Sanchez

More than one option(Person) Ed Wood
(Person) Edward D Wood Jr

Camera (color, 16mm), Demarbre; music, Grahan Collins, Hammerheads, others; production designer, Josh Grace; set decorator, Cort Dewan; costume designer, Zoe Ashby, Karen Fries; sound, Petr Maur; choreographer, Ken Godmere; assistant director, Mark Pollesel. Reviewed on videocassette at Victoria Film Festival, Feb. 10, 2002. (Also in Slamdance Film Festival and Cannes Film Festival -- market.) Running time: 85 MIN.




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Date in print: Sun., May 12, 2002,
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117917701.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0

LOADED BIBLE-WIKIPEDIA

Loaded Bible
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Cover to Loaded Bible #1.

Cover to Loaded Bible #2.
Loaded Bible: Jesus vs. Vampires is a comic book written by Tim Seeley, with art by Nate Bellgrade published February 2006 by Image Comics. The story is about an apocalyptic future where Jesus Christ must save America from vampires after a nuclear war. A follow-up was released May 2007 called Loaded Bible 2: Blood of Christ and it takes place right after the first one. Loaded Bible 3: Communion is being released February 20, 2008 and will the be the conclusion to the first part of the series.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loaded_Bible

TIM SEELEY:LOADED BIBLE

by Daniel Robert Epstein
Tim Seeley is best known as the penciler of dozens of Devil's Due books and the co-creator of the cult favorite Hack/Slash. Now he's strutting out another creator owned book with penciler Nate Bellgrade in a one-shot called Loaded Bible. The book is set in the near future where after America has become a fervent Christian nation, the usually quiet vampire segment of the population has made its move which caused a nuclear war. The only chance the world has left is the second coming of Jesus Christ. Now instead of loaves and fishes he's got a sword and pistols.
One wouldn't expect a comic book that has Jesus Christ spouting off lines that would make Arnold Schwarzenegger wince to have a strong political substance. But Seeley has managed to infuse his book with intelligence, wit and stupidity all at the same time.
Newsarama: Are people attacking you and Loaded Bible yet?
Tim Seeley: Initially I was thinking "Wow, it's been light so far." But Image got a letter yesterday that was basically someone saying that they're not going to purchase anymore Image books and they're going to encourage others not to purchase Image books for supporting books like Loaded Bible and Battle Pope. I was like, "Yeah. I guess I expected this." But it is surprising when it happened. I'm sure by the time the book comes out, either people will attack it in a knee-jerk reaction or they'll just realize that it's not specifically criticizing Jesus or something. It's more about religion and church and state and then also about stupid action scenes. So hopefully they'll get that and won't just knee jerk.
NRAMA: You and your brother, Steve, came up with this, right?
TS: Yeah. Actually it's really old. It was one of those things we first came up with when I was 18 years old. We started saying, "Loaded Bible. Yeah. We've got to do that comic someday." Initially it was just more of the just fun and crazy idea of having Jesus fight vampires, which changed over the years partially. They released a film that was basically just the fun aspect of that called Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter.
Then I started getting angrier politically, so I wanted to slide more of that in and make it at least partially relevant.
NRAMA: You used to draw G.I. Joe, right?
TS: Yep. Now I'm currently drawing the Forgotten Realms stuff.
NRAMA: It's funny that now you're attacking the stuff that Joe kind of espouses.
TS: Yeah, In its way G.I. Joe does espouse that but it's also generally supposed to be for kids so it's always skirted any political aspect. That's why Cobra has always been very generalized and has very vague motivations of world dominance. I think G.I. Joe has really always avoided that thing. I do think that the adult fans tend to be the more conservative types. I hope it doesn't sound like hypocrisy coming from me. There's definitely ways to do that kind of book and not have it be political and I think G.I. Joe is the best example of trying to pull that off. They're very sensitive about doing anything with actual terrorists and stuff. Hopefully it doesn't come across I'm this guy that's like, "Oh, I'll draw the stuff, but I'll start talking shit about everything else."
NRAMA: It is just G.I. Joe…
TS: Yeah. It's really more of a kid thing. When I worked on G.I. Joe, I wouldn't try to cram my little political beliefs into it like making Cobra clearly this religious regime or something.
NRAMA: Are you a very political person, or is it just impossible to not be a political person now?
TS: I've always really been interested in politics and trying to see the world run the way that it says it wants to be run or the way that it was intended to be, especially this country. I think in the current political climate it is impossible to not to be galvanized and it's impossible to not to have any opinion because it's so extreme. The current administration is about as gung ho in one direction as you can get. It just seems like there's so little room for middle ground anymore.
NRAMA: How did Loaded Bible become this pastiche of action films as well?
TS: Originally that's what it was going to be. When I first started plotting this story with my brother, it really was just the gimmick of "what Blade Runner-esque wacky ideas can we throw into this?" The things that are in there now are really just the leftovers. It's so unnecessary sometimes to make something completely preachy. Give them a good time for god's sake. I didn't want it to be as mindless as something like [the movie] Ultraviolet, but it definitely was intended to have things that make you chuckle because they are twisted and fun. There's no reason not to have some little die-hard foul laughs at a comic book about Jesus in the future.
NRAMA: Putting the World Trade Center burning on the very front page really lays all the cards out on the table.
TS: Yeah. Pre 9/11, the Bush administration was really just a lame duck. It wasn't until they had something to push and something to fight against that they became this really powerful aspect in this country. Anyone who was on the fence picked a side, because now it was about Operation Eternal Justice and us versus them. I thought it was a combination of things. I thought it was all about freedom of religion or from religion and it became this thing where it's Christianity versus Islam. That's really the starting point of when people became angry about what's going on now.
NRAMA: How come you didn't draw Loaded Bible?
TS: Same reason as usual. I just get too busy. It's always that thing where you want to do a little of both, but in this case it was just time. I would've loved to draw it, but I think Nate kicked my ass so hard that I'm glad I didn't touch a pencil on this thing.
NRAMA: How'd you find Nate?
TS: He was given to me by [Walking Dead creator] Robert Kirkman, who is an old friend of mine. I went through two artists on this book basically. One of the things you learn about working on an Image book is that all these people are going to be doing this book for free off the front end. They don't know how much money they're going to make. When it comes down to it, they could make nothing. So I had two artists that started and they couldn't finish. Finally I was just so frustrated, I called Kirkman. He seems to have this amazing ability to have all these great artists at his beck and call. So I was like, "Oh great and powerful Kirkman, could you please give me some artists because I am not having any luck?" He said, "Oh yeah. I've got a perfect guy for you." He hooked me with up with Nate and [inker] Mark Englert. They did an awesome job. Those guys are so interested in making sure it looked good that they went out of their way to make themselves look good, which ended up making the whole book look good.



NRAMA: Why did Loaded Bible go to Image and not Devil's Due?
TS: There are a few reasons. I love Devil's Due, so it's not like any "Fuck you guys" thing. I always wanted to do a book for Image by myself because I think it's one of those things that can give you a good resume point. Also I really like Image. There. Also I knew that if I did it at Devil's Due I wasn't going to be able to advertise it because Devil's Due is primarily a licensing company. They do G.I. Joe and stuff like that. I knew it wasn't going to be possible for me to like put an ad for Loaded Bible in the newest issue of Snake Eyes. Image is known for Battle Pope and other stuff. It just makes more sense for them to put this stuff out than it does for Devil's Due.
NRAMA: How do you like the whole process of working with Image?
TS: I liked it a lot. It's a learning experience. I'm lucky because I know how it works. I've seen it done and I've put together books. You're dealing with putting the book together; getting your artists to get their shit done and you're doing promotion for yourself. If I didn't have previous experience in this, I probably would be a babbling incoherent wreck at this point. It's a lot of work and it's really worth it.
NRAMA: Is Loaded Bible a one-shot?
TS: Yep, but there will be a sequel. It's going to be like Caine from Kung Fu, yeah. He's going to be walking the world. The second one will probably be more about Jesus. But after this, it will be more Jesus and crazier vampire death scenes.
NRAMA: Touching on your other projects, what's the status of the Hack/Slash movie?
TS: I read a treatment yesterday. I'm impressed because what I've read so far is really good. I wasn't sure about it but now I'm actually excited. Any time you go into this, you just remember everybody's horror stories. You start thinking "Bulletproof Monk the movie! Oh fuck." But so far, so good.
NRAMA: Is the girl from Sleepaway Camp supposed to be in it?
TS: No. That would be awesome though.
NRAMA: I wasn't sure.
TS: I would love that. If I ever have anything to do with anything involving Sleepaway Camp, consider me the happiest guy on fucking Earth. That's one of my favorite slasher films.
NRAMA: Will you be credited as executive producer and co-creator?
TS: I think my credit on the film is "created by Tim Seeley and Stefano Caselli," which is more than enough for me. I'm a comic guy. My interest is purely in doing a comic and having it come out and then going to see the movie and being happy with it. That's good enough for me.
NRAMA: Do you ever want to make movies?
TS: No, I'm a comic guy. I think if I ever decided to work in film, it would be on a very basic level where I'd take out a loan for a few thousand bucks and make some cobbled together Troma-esque films. I don't think I would ever go directly to Hollywood and try to like weasel my way into directing the latest Mission Impossible. I'm glad there are people that are all about that thing, but I'm just not that talented.
NRAMA: Has there been a bump in sales with Hack/Slash since the announcement of the movie?
TS: Yeah, there has. The sales of the trade paperback went up which is just so weird to me. I guess people get excited like, "Oh Hollywood cares. It must be good." Hopefully the movie will be great and people will be interested in seeing the source material. Then Hollywood will want to buy Loaded Bible and make a movie out of that, which everyone will hate.
NRAMA: Is the movie going with a whole new slasher or is it going to be a pastiche like you do in the comic?
TS: It's a combination. The story's pretty fun, but it is like a combination of the comics that you've seen before with some new, completely different shifts on it.
Loaded Bible is 48 pages, priced at $4.99 and will be in comic book stores May 24
Keep checking out the official website of Tim Seeley for updated info on Loaded Bible and its eventual sequel: http://www.timseeley.com/

LOADED BIBLE :JESUS vs VAMPIRES-BLASPHEMOUS COMIC

Loaded Bible: Jesus vs Vampires

Book Released: 24 May 2006
Review posted: 03 June 2006

Writer: Tim Seeley
Artist: Nate Bellegarde
Publisher: Image Comics



3.00 out of 5 Stars


Reviewed by Adam White






Ever since I first heard about it I had been excited about Loaded Bible; I mean, who wouldn’t like Jesus fighting vampires (except nutty religious zealots, of course)? It was just a strange enough concept that I thought it would either be utterly brilliant or complete rubbish, so imagine my surprise when I actually ended up feeling conflicted about the final product.

Tim Seeley definitely has the right ideas, and also unveils a frighteningly accurate potential future for those of us in the States. Seeley creates a believable Jesus that is neither corny nor sappy (as in many portrayals), and a Jesus that relies on his own humanity rather than
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Seeley creates a Jesus that relies on his own humanity rather than others’ notions of him as a religious symbol.

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others’ notions of him as a religious symbol. The main vampire characters are interesting if brief and provide both contrasts and similarities to the religious warmongers ruling the world in the book. There were some great one-liners, but most were there for the sake of being there and didn’t flow naturally with the dialogue. The revelations of this future Jesus’s origins come as a believable surprise, yet also unfold too quickly. Which is my main complaint about the story — this story told in 48 pages should have been told in at least sixty issues. Loaded Bible has many layers that Seeley could have richly explored over the course of a great series, yet because the market will not sustain any new ideas or ongoings at the moment he was forced to cram it all into a one-shot. So my problem is not so much the concepts in the book but the brevity that was forced on the creators involved.

The art from Nate Bellegarde suited the book well, with eerily deformed vampires and taciturn clergymen. I felt that Jesus sometimes looked as emaciated as the vampires, but not enough to take me out of the story at hand. The subject matter might have drawn other artists in the direction of cartoony satire, but Bellegarde rightfully gave the book the gritty, primal treatment it deserved. I believe that Bellgarde would have grown with a longer series as well and only improved with each issue.


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Loaded Bible has many layers that Seeley could have better explored over the course of a long series, yet the market’s atmosphere forced him to cram it all into a one-shot.

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I guess I hyped myself up on Loaded Bible too much before I actually read it, which is always a danger, but the more I think about it the more I see a potential Preacher stamped out before it began by a violently apathetic readership. That makes me extremely sad, because we could use more longterm series that explore issues beyond costume changes and endless resurrections (ironically enough). So while Loaded Bible was an entertaining diversion of a one-shot, it would have really flourished as long-form series in the tradition of Preacher and Sandman.



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