Spetters (1980)
When first released in Holland, Paul Verhoevens coming-of-age tale was attacked by the Calvinist church for its presentation of Christianity as outdated and morally warped. As usual, Verhoeven had the last laugh. While some of the more Christian characters come in for stick, the films highly sexed storyline explores temptation and sexual conquest in an oddly moral way. The role of Fientje, the whore of Babylon who seduces our three leads, is to convey the idea that meaningful relationships cannot be based on sexual pleasure.
Superman: The Movie (1978)
Another obvious choice, but a good one nonetheless. Shooting from a script by
Mario Puzo (The Godfather) and helmed by the director of The Omen, the first Superman film has rich Christian themes which are embedded in the original comics but which are mostly or completely absent from the sequels. In addition to Kal-El being sent to Earth to save mankind, the film (and to some extent Superman II) explores the troubled relationship between father and son within the Holy Trinity.
Taxi Driver (1976)
No list of subversive Christian allegories would be complete without
Taxi Driver.
Martin Scorseses unique take on
Paul Schraders script finds
Robert De Niro as Gods lonely man, working in the modern day equivalent of Sodom and Gomorrah. But instead of simply trying to lead a good life or do the right thing, Travis Bickle turns violence and retribution on those he deems most deserving, to the point where he threatens to tip over into the darkness himself. But both Scorsese and De Niro hold their nerve, resulting in a groundbreaking 1970s classic.
The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1972)
There are many horror and thriller films which use Biblical concepts as a plot device Se7en and End of Days being two mainstream examples but none of them are as purely enjoyable as
The Abominable Dr. Phibes, a campy, schlocky 1970s B-movie featuring a fine performance by
Vincent Price. Price plays a mad scientist who lost his face in a car crash, and whose wife died on the operating table. Hell bent on revenge, he unleashes the ten plagues of Egypt on those connected with her death, culminating in a creepy setpiece involving acid and a very unsettling ending.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
Alongside its insightful and multi-layered commentary on obsession and celebrity culture,
Andrew Dominiks epic Western is also a gripping retelling of the story of Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus. Robert Ford is presented as a man utterly enthralled by the myth and potential of the Christ-like Jesse James, and who turns against his idol once the man starts to deviate from the myth. Having killed his messiah for his own short-lived fame, Ford descends into a place as dark as Judas, and both characters are unable to live with what they have wrought.