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Movies/Scenes Representing
Pentecost/Holy Spirit
 | The Legend of Baggar
Vance (2000)
 | I see this movie as a portrayal of how the Holy Spirit
comes out of our darkness (fear, doubt) to bring the gift of
shalom--wholeness, well being, peace. The Holy spirit is a guide, a
teacher. In the movie he doesn't force, only reminds and encourages a
young man to commit to living life to the fullest. (Esther Schmidt) |
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| Chocolat
(2000)
| I was immediately struck by the use of the wind in the
movie, and Jesus' comment that the wind/spirit
blows where it will. The wind blows open the
church doors. Perhaps an attempt by the Holy Spirit to open up and renew
the congregation? But the Conte de Reynaud bolts the doors agains the
wind. For all his devotion, he cannot (until the end) accept the work
of the Holy Spirit, because he craves order and
traquility above all-even above the work of the
Spirit. It is the wind who blows Vianne and Anouk
into town, and it is Vianne who is able to
breathe new life into the community-even into the
Conte! (Lorinda H.M. Hoover) |
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| Being
John Malkovich (1999)
| In the very strange 1999 surrealist movie "Being John
Malkovich", someone discovers a portal into
Malkovich's mind, enabling visitors to see and
experience things through his body and to influence his actions. He becomes
aware of what's happening and finds the portal himself. At the climax
of the movie, there is a bizarre but powerful
scene when he enters the portal, being swept down
a dark tunnel with a roaring sound to emerge as a
participant/observer in his own world. He discovers that everyone has his
face and his voice, and every word spoken is his name.
Connections with the Pentecost story: - the
paradox of the creator entering his own creation by an unexplainable
power; - the potential of the portal to
connect people in an unprecedented kind of
indwelling; - the portal is exploited by those who
find it - selling access, allowing it to be used
to violate someone's integrity - reminds me of Simon the Sorcerer
(Acts 8), and all who abuse the gift of the Spirit for their own ends
or to manipulate others.
- seeing the face of Malkovich everywhere reminds me of the Spirit making
Jesus present through us in a new and all-encompassing way. We are
recognisably Christlike though still ourselves, and all we say and do
is 'in his name'. It's a frightening moment in the
movie, because Malkovich has no wish to become
omnipresent as a Christ-figure, the but the image is
powerful. (Marnie Barrell,
Auckland, New Zealand) |
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| The Truman Show (1998)
| What about the final scene of The Truman Show! The
friend went to the basement to find Truman (The empty tomb). He was not
there! He was in a boat on the water. Notice the drowning scene when he
is laying on the boat with arms spread out and left for dead. Notice his
gasp for air, his new life, resurrection? When he reaches the end of the
set and notices the sky is only a painted canvas, Truman ascends the
stairs to hear the voice of his creator. Interesting twist eh? He then
goes forth into the unknown darkness of the world to live in the world!
Not unlike the gift of the Paraclete? (submitted by David W. Girod,
Durham, NC) |
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| The 6th Man (1997)
| Angels in the Outfield and The 6th Man
are both stories that could easily used to talk about the way angels
or the Holy Spirit are our power for living the Christian life.
(submitted by Pastor Clint Lutz) |
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| Angels in the Outfield
(1994)
| Angels in the Outfield and The 6th Man
are both stories that could easily used to talk about the way angels
or the Holy Spirit are our power for living the Christian life.
(submitted by Pastor Clint Lutz) |
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| Star Wars
(1977)
| In the first Star Wars film (actually Episode IV) Luke
learns to use "the force" by dueling with a satellite droid.
As Obe-wan encourages Luke to "feel the force," Hans Solo
comments that he doesn't believe in hokey religions and superstitions (paraphrased).Moreover,
he suggests that he can utilize his own wits to take care of himself. I
used it to suggest that many of us in the church live our lives as if we
feel the same way. (submitted by Larry Trotter, Lenoir City TN) |
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| The Music Man (1962)
| The "rush of a mighty wind" opens the school
doors and fearful, Professor Harold Hill and the pathetic River City
Boys "band" receive a power (from on high?). A great crowd
gathers at the sound of 76 trombones and they're marching, still, right
today! Play with this - it keeps getting better! (Interesting to
note that "each one heard in their own language" - as the
mother was able to identify the "voice" of her son's
instrument, "That's my Barney!") (Steve Schick, Fenton, MI) |
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| The Wizard of Oz (1939)
| The cyclone in the Wizard of Oz:
 | Things were normal, grumbly, not very happy, until
THE WIND came. |
| Picked up the house, Dorothy, Toto and all, and
took them to a place where NOTHING WAS THE SAME |
| Little people dancing around |
| Monkeys who could fly |
| Unexpected dangers |
| Friends with unexplainable gifts--Courage,
Compassion, Wisdom--without anything to offer a rational explanation
for their presence |
| The Emerald City--beautiful, full of promise
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| HERE'S THE RUB: At least on the surface, the Wizard
was a fraud. But was he really? He put on a big show and was just a
normal guy with a great need for attention and adoration. I know
clergy like that. |
| BUT--The Wizard knew Dorothy had what she needed
all along to take her back home |
| What about when she got back to Kansas? Was
everything at home different? No, DOROTHY WAS DIFFERENT! She
experienced her life with a soul made light by the wind, with eyes
made bright with the spark of the Holy Spirit. |
| (submitted by Katherine M. Glenn) |
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Index
of Movie Titles
Index
of Movie Themes
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