The Disciple ( El discípulo )

The Disciple (DVD) (*)

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Original Title: El discípulo
Screened, competed or awarded at:
Other Film Festival Awards

Language Selections:
English ( Dolby Digital Stereo )
Spanish ( Dolby Digital Stereo )
Spanish ( Subtitles )

Product Origin/Format:
Spain ( PAL/Region 0 )

Running Time:
98 min + 50 min extras

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen (1.85:1)

Special Features:
Anamorphic Widescreen
Documentary
Interactive Menu
Scene Access
Trailer(s)

Movie filmed in 2010 and produced in:
Spain ( Spain, Portugal )

Directed By:
Emilio Ruiz Barrachina

Written By:
Stephen Hughes
Emilio Ruiz Barrachina

Actors:
Marisa Berenson ..... Maria
Giovanni Bosso Cox ..... Saint John Apostle
Guillermo Casta ..... Roman Soldier
Karim El-Kerem ..... Thomas
Ruth Gabriel ..... Maria of Magdala
Carla Gil ..... James' Wife
Christopher Gilling ..... Simon
Stephen Hughes ..... Caiaphas
Juan López-Tagle ..... Roman Soldier
Michael McDonald ..... Centurion
Ciro Miró ..... Andrew
Carlos Mundy ..... Husband at caanan wedding
Miguel Oyarzun ..... Bartolomé
Joaquín Perles ..... James
Juanjo Puigcorbé ..... Pilate

Synopsis:

In his childhood Jesus witnesses the death of his father Joseph in a confrontation with Romans military troups. Years later, he becomes the favorite disciple of John the baptist, leader of a group of Macabee that anounces the arrival of the kingdom of heaven, in which the Romans would be expelled. When John the baptist is beheaded, Jesus reorganizes the group in order to assault Jerusalem's temple

From a non-mythical perspective, The Disciple presents with high production value, the life of Jesus from a daring new angle: a human, without divinity, fallible and warrying disciple of God and the People on very real ground. According to the Old Testament, specifically the book II Maccabees, a hundred and sixty years before the birth of Jesus, Yahweh sent his legions of angels to expel Israel from the Seleucus, the last invaders of the Jewish settlements before Rome. A group of their descendants whose leader was John the Baptist and who lived on the banks of the Jordan River, believed that God would send them the same help he had sent their predecessors and prepared spiritually and physically for the imminent arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven. This kingdom was to begin with the expulsion of the Romans.The film unfolds on two planes: The main one, which portrays the life of Jesus from this new point of view; and a secondary one, which, through various scenes distributed throughout the story, gradually reveals to us the way in which Luke the Evangelist and John the Apostle, some 60 years after the death of Jesus, argue over the the stories being told that placed the Evangelists under the orders of Paul in the recent New Testament books.The favorite Disciple of Baptist is Jesus, who makes his vows of nazir, as spiritual guide and will be in charge of begging Yahweh so that the angels come to help his people when they enter the temple of Jerusalem. John tells Jesus that he is certain, according to what the signs announce, that they will have to do as Judas Macabeo did when he entered Jerusalem on a white doney and fought against the conquerors before God sent his angels armed with swords of fire.Pontius Pilate is informed of the activities of the rebels and immediately orders Herod to arrest and imprison the leader. John the Baptist is taken to the Maqueronte prison. Jesus, confused and bewildered, needs to talk to his master so he would tell him precisely what to do.The leaders of the armed fight are Simon and Jonathan Ben Hanán, who train the men with wooden swords while they study the way to find real arms.Jesus visits John the Baptist in prison and this causes the wrath of Pilate who orders to immediately behead him. John has the time to give Jesus the necessary indications to set off towards Jerusalem and announce in towns and synagogues the prompt arrival of the Kingdom of God urging men to repent of their sins.The Maccabees divide into groups and agree to meet shortly before the Jewish Passover on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Along the way the same chapters of the canonical Gospels will be repeated, but in historical circumstances in which they acquire a full meaning.The rebels come to Judas Iscariot (Iscariot literally means: Supplier of Arms) and ask him to get them real arms so that they can confront the Romans, at least, the necessary time for Yahvé to send his angels.At Cana´s wedding, Jesus meets Maria of Magdala, he cannot touch women due to his votes of Nazarite. But she seduces the nazir and makes him break his vows.Jesus flees to the desert and begs God´s forgiveness. The entire film will keep the dramatic force of a troubled man who has broken his word and has no certainty of forgiveness from God.Finally, having been able to find the arms thanks to the Money given by Joseph of Arimatea, they gather in the Mount of Olives. Half the men enter the city with palms and branches which conceal their swords. The other half, under the command of Jonathan Ben Hanan, hide behind a pass to ambush and stop the Roman legion coming from Ceasarea to double the guard of the city during the Passover.But the angels do not descend to the explanade of the temple, Jesus thinks it is all his fault, so he accepts the prison and his death as a deserved punishment. Pilate judges him and orders him to be crucified according to the strict Roman Law which punishes with crucifixtion the crime of sedition or the attack against the interests of the Roman Empire. Each offence had a clearly specified punishment, for which there is no doubt that Jesus was executed for a clear crime of sedition.

The Disciple tells the Biblical story from a completely secular perspective. Jesus is a mercenary out to avenge his father's death and to drive the Romans from his land. And it's set to a Flamenco soundtrack. Gypsy music from Spain might seem a long way from Galilee. But, as the The World's Gerry Hadden explains, it fits.

This product was added to our catalog on Saturday 25 February, 2012.

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