Variety has criticized films that are ahead of their time. Take for example the TV movie A CHILD CALLED JESUS, starring Matteo Bellina. Variety complains about long shots, excessive makeup, amateur sets, unrealistic dialogue and unsynchronized dubbing.

But many people who have seen this film have praised it for its uniqueness compared to other Jesus films. Just visit www.imdb.com for reviews about this film. If you watch it, you will be mesmerized by the long shots; you will see that the makeup is NOT excessive (the actors have very natural skin tones compared to Cecil B. de Mille actors); you will observe that the sets are as natural as they should be in a Middle Eastern country; you will appreciate the dialogue as the words would personally touch you; you will tolerate the dubbing because this isn't even the fault of the filmmakers.

I am glad that this book is recommending the watching of this film to help readers understand the Jesus they never knew. Although it may seem that some parts are apocryphal, they do not necessarily go against the Gospels. These unbiblical scenes "could have happened" -- for didn't the evangelist John say that Jesus did so many things that they couldn't be fit into the Gospels?

If you are interested in owning an English copy of A CHILD CALLED JESUS, kindly email me at jaeho-treble2668@mailblocks.com .