Join this week’s guest Meghan Bell author of the The Cassandra Complex and I on the thirteenth episode of In Kino Veritās — a podcast where the guest picks a film, we both watch, and discuss.
We don’t simply review films but dive deep into their themes, characters and cultural context. In this episode Meghan & I go to some interesting places discussing the 1973 film adaptation of the Broadway hit Jesus Christ Superstar. Our conversation was an interesting one to say the least. Keep an open mind and enjoy mes amis!
Where you can stream Jesus Christ Superstar
(Use your local library to get a physical copy for free)
Main Points
* Guest Introduction – Megan Bell, author of The Cassandra Complex, joins In Kino Veritas to dissect the psychedelic, spiritually charged 1973 musical Jesus Christ Superstar. Known for her essays on childhood, myth, and societal archetypes, Bell brings a unique blend of mysticism & critical insight.
* Film Selection & Personal Connection – Bell selects JC Superstar as a film with lifelong resonance. She describes it as a work that feels “channeled,” where each contributor seems to tap into a divine creative current.
* Musical as Sacred Form – The discussion frames musicals as primal vehicles for spiritual truth — older than language, rooted in the body. Bell favors the direct emotional force of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice over the intellectual density of Sondheim.
* Divine Fractals & Erotic Devotion – Bell identifies the film’s spiritual fractality: every element, from Yvonne Elliman’s tenderness to the cinematography’s desert mysticism, reinforces a transmission of holiness. Theon asserts the erotic & the sacred are not in conflict; they’re braided throughout.
* Mary Magdalene’s Dilemma – Mary emerges as the film’s emotional center. She’s torn between loving the mythic “Superstar” and dealing with the wounded, exhausted man beneath. Bell presents a theory: Mary and Jesus are married, and Peter — played by a real-life porn actor — may be her lover.
* Jesus’s Burden of Fame – Ted Neeley’s performance is read as the portrayal of a man shattered by the weight of symbolic projection. Jesus is not worshipped by the camera, rather he is pitied. He’s tired, isolated, and aware he cannot save anyone without annihilating himself.
* Judas as Tragic Devotee – Carl Anderson’s Judas isn’t framed as a traitor, We feel he acts as Christ’s most devoted follower. His betrayal is rooted in anguish over the message being co-opted and misunderstood. His suffering is portrayed as deeper than Christ’s.
* The Love Triangle – Bell argues for a Peter–Mary–Jesus triangle, focusing on the duet “Could We Start Again Please?” and Peter’s conspicuous proximity to Mary throughout the film. It’s not framed as jealousy.
* Psychedelic Christianity & Early Church – The conversation touches on The Immortality Key, mushroom cults, and the likelihood of early Christians using psychedelics. The film’s dreamy aesthetic reflects this hypothesis — a faith experience rooted in altered states.
* Fame as Crucifixion – The label “Superstar” becomes a curse. Jesus becomes an icon others use but no longer hear. The film treats fame as a kind of slow execution—performed not on the body, but on the soul.
* The Ending’s Metaphysics – In the final scene, all actors return to the tour bus — excepting Jesus. Judas lingers. Mary stays behind. The suggestion is clear: those closest to Christ remain haunted. Everyone else moves on.
* The Message Cannot Save – Bell closes on the idea that Christ’s teachings, the psychedelic sacraments, and mythic archetypes can only point toward the wound. They cannot heal it. Christ’s exhaustion comes from knowing this and carrying it anyway.
* Favorite Song – Bell picks “Heaven on Their Minds” as the apex of the genre. Carl Anderson’s performance combines vulnerability, fury, and prophecy—musical theater at its most potent.
