17

FRIDAY

As of 1991, according to an out-of-print movie-trivia guide, Jesus Christ was only the second-most-depicted historical figure on film, with 147 recorded portrayals. The top-spot honors belonged to Napoleon, with 194. Whether the King of Kings has caught up with the diminutive megalomaniac in the last 13 years is anyone’s guess, but one thing is certain: With the exception of Monty Python’s and Martin Scorsese’s masterworks, most movies about Jesus suck. Consider the 1973 adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar. With grade-school level choreography and director Norman Jewison’s (what a name) camera lingering so long on the musical numbers, it’s easy to forget the film is supposed to be a kinetic rock opera. Still, given last spring’s controversy surrounding Give ’Em Hell Mel’s flick (the most boring snuff film ever made), it might be nice to check out this piece of spiritual hippiedom, in which an African-American Judas gets to be the hero. The film starts at 7 p.m. at the Library of Congress’ Mary Pickford Theater, 101 Independence Ave. SE. Free. (202) 707-5677. (Paul Morton)