I've spent the past couple of days on movies, so as this is Sunday, what about the best religious films of all time? In the USA, christianity dominates, so there is a tendency of just including them in any list.- For example, Wikipedia has a page on the Christian film industry, listing the 10 highest grossing Christian films. Revenues from the worldwide box office.
- #1 The Passion of the Christ $662.3 million
- #2 Heaven Is for Real $101.3 "
- #3 The Shack $ 96.9 "
- #10 Breakthrough $ 50.4 "
- Same for Yardbarker, for the 25 greatest are all from Western Civilization.
- Church Times from the UK has the 50 top religious films, but again, only European/American.
IMDb in its 100 Religious Films of All Time, however, inserts a few from other parts of the world.
#1 A Promise, 2013, got 51 reviewers and 92 audiences contrasting ratings from Rotten Tomatoes. Never heard of this film. The producing company, Open Road Films, lost more than $100 million. #1???? I must be missing something. So I searched and found the whole 1 hr 38 min film. Good luck. I don't plan to watch it.
#2 Barabbas, 1961, with Anthony Quinn, Silvana Mangano, Arthur Kennedy Ernest Borgnine, Jack Palance, etc., from Nobel Prize-winning novel of the same title. Rotten Tomatoes ratings of 89/67.- #3 The Bible in the Beginning, 1966, produced by Dino De Laurentiis, directed by John Huston, recounts part of Genesis, starring Richard Harris, Franco Nero, George C. Scott, Ava Gardner, Peter O'Toole, etc. This film was conceived to be the first in a series retelling the Old Testament, but sequels were never made. Want to watch the entire almost 3 hours production? Click here. I might someday return to watch it.
- #4 Bilal and #5 Bruce Almighty with Jim Carrey, JenniferAniston and Morgan Freeman.
#6 Bu ken qu Guanyin, 2013, a Budhhist film from China. Also called Avalokitesvara, and if so, here is the 1 hr 41 min film. Not for me.- #7 China Cry: A True Story (this is the whole 1 hr 48 min film), 1990, an American movie and true story starring Julia Nickson-Soul, France Nuyen and James Shigeta. Rotten Tomatoes audiences rating of 85.
Among others you might remember are #11 Elmer Gantry, #13 Evan Almighty, #18 Heaven Is for Real, #20 Islam: Empire of Faith, Joan of Arc with Ingrid Bergman, #25 Joan of Arc with Peter O'Toole, #26 The Passion of Joan of Arc, #27 The Story of Joan of Arc, #40 The Wonderful World of Disney (no kidding), #51 The Greatest Story Ever Told with Max von Sydow and Charlton Heston, #63 The Passion of Christ with Mel Gibson, #67 The Song of Bernadette with Jennifer Jones, #69 The Ten Commandments directed by Cecil D. Demille in 1923 (he was born in 1881), #79 same, also directed by Cecil B. DeMille in 1956, #71 The Ten Commandments in 2007 starring Ben Kingsley and #99 The Bible.- Ten Divine Religious Films by Films Fatale.
- The Most Successful Religious Movies at the Academy Award by Complete Pilgrim.
- 25 best religious movies, according to critics.
- Finally, the All Time Worldwide Box Office for Religious Movies.
| Rank | Released | Movie | Worldwide Box Office | Domestic Box Office | International Box Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2004 | The Passion of the Christ | $622,313,635 | $370,782,930 | $251,530,705 |
| 2 | 2014 | Noah | $352,831,065 | $101,200,044 | $251,631,021 |
| 3 | 2014 | Exodus: Gods and Kings | $268,314,513 | $65,014,513 | $203,300,000 |
| 4 | 1997 | Hercules | $250,700,000 | $99,112,101 | $151,587,899 |
| 5 | 1998 | The Prince of Egypt | $218,613,188 | $101,413,188 | $117,200,000 |
| 6 | 1956 | The Ten Commandments | $85,431,454 | $85,400,591 | $30,863 |
| 7 | 2014 | Son of God | $70,949,793 | $59,700,064 | $11,249,729 |
| 8 | 2017 | The Star | $62,606,549 | $40,847,995 | $21,758,554 |
| 9 | 2006 | The Nativity Story | $46,309,644 | $37,629,831 | $8,679,813 |
| 10 | 2016 | Risen | $46,244,066 | $36,880,033 | $9,364,033 |
| 11 | 1953 | The Robe | $36,010,887 | $36,000,000 | $10,887 |
| 12 | 1966 | The Bible | $34,903,530 | $34,900,023 | $3,507 |
| 13 | 2016 | Os Dez Mandamentos: O Filme | $31,689,514 | $31,689,514 | |
| 14 | 1951 | Quo Vadis? | $30,028,983 | $30,000,000 | $28,983 |
| 15 | 1949 | Samson and Delilah | $28,823,536 | $28,800,000 | $23,536 |
| 16 | 2018 | Paul, Apostle of Christ | $26,078,500 | $17,547,999 | $8,530,501 |
| 17 | 2002 | Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie | $25,608,779 | $25,571,351 | $37,428 |
| 18 | 1973 | Jesus Christ Superstar | $24,593,103 | $24,477,615 | $115,488 |
| 19 | 2022 | The Chosen Season 3: Episodes 1 & 2 | $14,679,641 | $14,612,089 | $67,552 |
| 20 | 2024 | The Chosen: Season 4 Episodes 1-3 | $14,409,169 | $14,409,169 | |
| 21 | 1951 | David and Bathsheba | $14,000,000 | $14,000,000 | |
| 22 | 2006 | One Night with the King | $13,725,032 | $13,395,961 | $329,071 |
| 23 | 2023 | His Only Son | $13,506,715 | $12,084,084 | $1,422,631 |
| 24 | 1999 | The Omega Code | $12,678,312 | $12,610,552 | $67,760 |
| 25 | 2018 | Mary Magdalene | $11,995,000 | $124,958 | $11,870,042 |
| 26 | 1959 | Solomon and Sheba | $11,016,094 | $11,000,000 | $16,094 |
| 27 | 2024 | The Chosen: Season 4 Episodes 4-6 | $9,482,744 | $9,482,744 | |
| 28 | 1983 | Hercules | $9,466,655 | $9,466,655 | |
| 29 | 1988 | The Last Temptation of Christ | $8,373,585 | $8,373,585 | |
| 30 | 2023 | Journey to Bethlehem | $7,768,171 | $6,820,796 | $947,375 |
| 31 | 2024 | The Chosen: Season 4 Episodes 7-8 | $7,729,064 | $7,729,064 | |
| 32 | 2001 | Megiddo: Omega Code 2 | $6,047,691 | $6,047,691 | |
| 33 | 2023 | The Chosen Season 3 Finale | $5,589,387 | $5,525,069 | $64,318 |
| 34 | 2018 | Samson | $4,892,438 | $4,719,928 | $172,510 |
| 35 | 2023 | Christmas with the Chosen: Holy Night | $4,676,000 | $4,676,000 | |
| 36 | 2003 | The Gospel of John | $4,234,355 | $4,068,087 | $166,268 |
| 37 | 2018 | Nativity Rocks! | $4,121,839 | $4,121,839 | |
| 38 | 2017 | Is Genesis History? | $2,570,355 | $2,570,355 | |
| 39 | 2007 | The Ten Commandments | $1,051,907 | $952,820 | $99,087 |
| 40 | 2021 | Witnesses | $855,765 | $855,765 | |
| 41 | 2021 | Lamb of God: The Concert Film | $744,812 | $744,812 | |
| 42 | 2023 | The Oath | $509,470 | $509,470 | |
| 43 | 2024 | The Chosen: Season 4, Episodes 1 and 2 | $494,501 | $494,501 | |
| 44 | 2015 | David and Goliath | $316,117 | $316,117 | |
| 45 | 2023 | Met Opera: Nabucco | $193,409 | $193,409 | |
| 46 | 2013 | Final: The Rapture | $124,561 | $124,561 | |
| 47 | 2020 | Before the Wrath | $108,998 | $108,998 | |
| 48 | 2014 | The Principle | $89,543 | $89,543 | |
| 49 | 2017 | Grain | $74,017 | $74,017 | |
| 50 | 2014 | A Long Way Off | $28,951 | $28,951 | |
| 51 | 2020 | The Penitent Thief | $23,823 | $23,823 | |
| 52 | 2014 | The Savior | $14,808 | $14,808 | |
| 53 | 1964 | Il vangelo secondo Matteo | $2,637 | $2,637 | |
| 54 | 2019 | La Feliz, continuidades de la violencia | $480 | $480 |
Finally, back to The Bible, for most of you viewing this posting are probably more familiar with this book than other religious ones.
- There have been over 100 films based on just the Old Testament, most in the U.S. and Italy.
- The first came in 1897: The Horitz Passion Play, American made in what is now the Czech Republic.
- Cost $10,000.
- But the value today ranges from $315,000 to $16,400,000, depending on the parameter used.
- Not sure if there is a second film, with Oberammergau in title from 1898, but maybe not.
- Amazingly enough, Rotten Tomatoes reviewers gave it a 100 rating.
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Peak years for Biblical movies were around 1910, including the 1913 Quo Vadis? (the full movie), said to be the first successful feature-length motion picture, with a running time of 2 hours, lavish sets and 5,000 extras. Quo Vadis? means where are you going, and the film has to do with religious persecution, in this film, by Nero. RT 84/73.- Cecil B. DeMille's 1923 The Ten Commandments showed spectacular special effects for the parting Red Sea, which you can see by clicking on that link. RT 86/73. He followed up in 1927 with King of Kings (all 2 hr 38 min, with key scenes in color), RT 70/71.
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- Also in this silent era, was the 1925 Ben-Hur, (all 2 hr 21 min), starring Ramon Novarro, the most expensive film of its time, with spectacular scenes.
- By Darryl F. Zanuch, some talking scenes in the 1928 Noah's Ark, (1 hr 39 min full film) and synchronized music, RT 57/45.
After World War II, there were several high grossing religious epics as vehicles for the biggest stars.- Highest revenues in 1949 was Samson and Delilah, another Cecil B. Demille direction, with Hedy Lamarr as Delilah and Victor Mature as Samson. RT of 56/59.
- 1951 was a big year:
1956: Charlton Heston in DeMille's The Ten Commandments, also with Yul Brynner, Yvonne De Carlo, etc. Biggest moneymaker that year, and was nominated for 7 Oscars. RT 84/87.- 1959: William Wyler's Ben Hur. Largest budget of $15 million for those days. 100 wardrobe fabricators and 200 artists and workmen. Used widescreen format. Won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Director and Actor. RT 85/89.
If it was biblical, the film censors tolerated some sex and violence. However, Demille said, "I am sometimes accused of gingering up the Bible with large and lavish infusions of sex and violence. I can only wonder if my accusers have ever read certain parts of the Bible."[7]
Beginning in the 50's, movies had to compete with television, so the industry turned to lavishments and larger screens, all well-suited for religious epics.
However, by the mid-1960s, several major biblical films flopped. Remakes, The Greatest Story Ever Told and King of Kings, were commercial failures. Bible epics fell out of favor.- More so when King David also failed in 1985.
There were some successes in this period with the 1973 rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar (RT 50/76) and the 1979 Monty Python's Life of Brian. (RT 96/93). But these were linked to the attitude of that day, not really historical.- There was a come back in 2004 with Mel Gibson's The Passion of Christ grossing $370 million, the record for an independent film. RT 49/80.
I'll end with a 2020 full movie, Finding Jesus.
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