The Book of Life
a film by
Hal Hartley (1998)
featuring Martin Donovan, PJ Harvey, and Thomas Jay Ryan
Cast
Martin Donovan – Jesus Christ
PJ Harvey – Magadalena (aka Mary Magdalen)
Thomas Jay Ryan – Satan
Dave Simonds – Dave
Miho Nikaido – Edie
DJ Mendel – the Almighty’s Lawyer
Katreen Hardt – Secretary to the Almighty’s Lawyer
James Urbaniak – James the Baptist
With an outrageous lightness of touch, lucidity, and intelligence, Hal Hartley re-imagines the apocalypse as foretold in Christian tradition. He asks the simple question: would Jesus really put up with this madness? Told with great energy, style, and curiosity, The Book of Life is a humanistic deconstruction of western values and a vigorous exercise in what was in 1998 the new digital media, an unrelenting kaleidoscope of fast moving images and heart-pounding music perfectly capturing a techno-driven, computerized, and postmodernist world. Thoughtful, respectful, funny, and very bold in its assertions, the film was cited by the New York Times as “…whimsical yet deeply serious…”
The Book of Life was commissioned by European TV as part of a series called “2000 Seen By” in which various filmmakers were asked to tell a story that takes place on the last day of the 20th century.
The film contains music from PJ Harvey, David Byrne, Yo La Tengo (who also appear in the film as a Salvation Army Band) and many others.
Hal Hartley, PJ Harvey, and Martin Donovan in the middle of Park Avenue, February 1998.
A FILM BY HAL HARTLEY – LA SEPT, ARTE, HAUT ET COURT AND TRUE FICTION PICTURES PRESENT – THE BOOK OF LIFE – STARRING MARTIN DONOVAN, PJ HARVEY, THOMAS JAY RYAN – PRODUCED BY HAUT ET COURT, PARIS – PRODUCERS THIERRY CAGIANUT & MATTHEW MAYERS FOR TRUE FICTION PICTURES - EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JEROME BROWNSTIEN – CAMAER & LIGHTING JIM DENAULT – SOUND JEFF PULLMAN – EDITOR STEVE HAMILTON – SOUND DESIGN DAVID PATERSON – ART DIRECTION ANDY BISCONTINI – ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS SIMON ARNAL SZLOVAK & CHELSEA FUHRER – WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY HAL HARTLEY
