The Spirit of the Book

THE BIBLE: Epic TV Miniseries          By: Mark Burnett & Roma Downey       5 Stars

I love the word epic. Unfortunately, I believe it is misused with such menial and ordinary things. Usually I don’t agree with those who use the word to describe something. The Bible production states it is an “epic miniseries” and this is one of the few times I agree. Let me state that again. The Bible miniseries is EPIC!!!

With the history channel hosting this event, it should come as no surprise when the photography is exquisite with powerful colors. It enhances the story and will leave you in complete awe. Even minor details seem to be meticulous planned and placed. *There are so many beautiful moments, but a few of my personal favorite scenes for photography and color are those depicting water, such as around the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee.

You can’t disagree with the theme or dramatization of The Bible. Mark Burnett and Roma Downey did their best to stay true to the spirit of the book, as they continuously show before each segment. Obviously not all of the stories can be told from the Bible, but the ones that were seem to be as authentic as possible. It is so authentic that I wish the series could be longer.

While watching the extras on the cast, Roma comments on how many know Jesus as meek, so by default His portrayal is cast as small in stature. However, Roma and Mark believed that Jesus should still be a tall and strong man, yet one who is still humble and gentle, someone who can be the lion and the lamb.

Diogo Morgado’s portrayal as the Savior of the World left me completely overcome with emotions which are difficult to describe. Here are some of the inadequate descriptions I can give: eyes which pierce your soul, endearing demeanor, compassionate, merciful, charitable, meek, humble, courageous; heartbreaking, glorious, inspiring…

I think what mattered most was how you could feel the power Jesus contained, yet he was still gentle, kind, and perfectly serene in even the most horrid circumstances. Everything you need to know about the scene is clearly written on Diogo’s face, but even more important was his eyes. They are soft, kind, wise, all knowing and more. Diogo has a miraculous way of invoking complete empathy for each scene and it is done in a most natural and believable way.

Another casting remark came from Mark, who provides insight into what Roma believes makes a great casting fit: truthfulness and authenticity; instead of merely watching you feel as if you are with the characters on screen. This is exactly how The Bible is. It is impossible to fully describe how you feel while watching the miniseries. My descriptions are completely inadequate. Instead you should watch it for yourself. However, many scenes are hard to watch (sometimes almost impossible) because of violence. You might want to prescreen and decide what is appropriate for children and sensitive people to watch.

You can read more about it or purchase it at http://www.history.com/shows/the-bible. While you are there, you can feel free to send me a copy. J 

Here is an article, providing a little more information on the powerhouse that is The Bible http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/05/showbiz/tv/mark-burnett-the-bible-record-ratings-ew Then while watching a little bit more before I had to return the DVDs to the library, I ran across this article: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=25837057&nid=1016&title=nbc-announces-sequel-to-the-bible-miniseries Happy Day!!! 

P.S. It has been a while since I watched these, but I wanted to read the book as well, which took a little bit longer to get around to. Another quick look at the History Channel website shows the miniseries has received three Emmy nominations. One nomination is for Outstanding Miniseries or Movie and the others are for Sound Editing and Sound Mixing. The next award show is on March 11, 2013. Send happy thoughts their way.

 

THE STORY OF GOD AND ALL OF US      By: Mark Burnett & Roma Downey   4 Stars

The Story of GOD and All of Us consists mainly of the storyline Burnett and Downey used to script The Bible miniseries. It is their understanding of the stories found within The Old and New Testaments within The Bible.

When I picked the book up, I wondered if I would be looking at a script, but really the book is a fictionalized version of the stories. Yes, many of the moments come directly from the histories we know as found in The Bible, but some liberties were taken so the story would flow in a fictionalized dramatization. It is basically the same format you will see within the miniseries.

The main differences you will find between the book and the miniseries is the addition of small details. These details may include the names and back stories of people shown within the miniseries, whom are not always recognized by the viewer. Other details exist such as emotions and small actions that are not know, but are merely guesses about what could have happened in such situations.

While this book is well written, I only gave it 4.5 stars. I did learn things that weren’t entirely understood, but made more sense through the book. Other insights didn’t exactly agree with the understanding my religion has taught, but for the most part this book seemed to stay true to The Bible. I couldn’t give it 5 stars for as good as it is, it could never compete with the original Bible. Even the authors hope that the reader will be inspired to read and reread the greatest and most epic version of all, The Bible.