For more than 2,000 years, people have been talking about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. And at least since the Middle Ages, they’ve been talking about it on stage.
The Thorn is essentially a modern iteration of the age-old Passion Play—a theatrical extravaganza filled with song, dance and aerial acrobatics all designed to highlight the greatest story ever told. Countless people have seen The Thorn live over its 25-year history, but now Its stage is about to get a whole lot bigger. A cinematic version of the production is coming to theaters beginning March 6, courtesy Fathom Events.
I had a chance to talk with John Bolin, the creator and director of The Thorn. We chatted about the show’s humble beginnings, its creative flourishes and the process of bringing this stage production to the big screen. Watch below to hear our conversation.
The Thorn will be in select theaters beginning March 6. If you’d like to see it, don’t dilly-dally. It’ll only be playing for a very limited time. You can buy tickets at the Fathom Events website.
3 Responses
-I really hope it’s reverent and respectful to our lord and savior, and not blasphemous like a lot of movies I could mention (looking at you, The Last Temptation Of Christ).
I didn’t read the book, but I enjoyed the movie. I don’t think it was meant to be an assertion of “the way things actually were” (I’ve seen some people criticize even movies that have magical gimmicks like alternate universes, as if fiction can’t just be fiction instead of the director’s dogmatic portrayal of how s/he thinks the world is), so much as a regular fantasy story. But after watching that movie and re-watching The Passion back to back one Easter years ago, I think I’m done with seeing crucifixion scenes in movies. You might like Scorsese’s own “Silence,” which I thought was a very challenging film (as was what I read of the book) but ultimately a reverent if complex one.
-The Last Temptation of Christ is a rare example of a serious filmmaker exploring his own Christian faith, rather than a more general idea of spirituality. It’s not a perfect film, but it’s a passionate, personal and unique one.