Sling
Blade
(1996)
- Information at Internet Movie Database
- "Scripture on the Silver Screen," Adele Reinhartz, Journal of Religion and Film, 1998.
- "The Messianic Figure in Film: Christology Beyond the Biblical Epic," Matthew McEver, Journal of Religion and Film, 1998.
- Cinema in Focus, a social and spiritual commentary by Hal Conklin and Denny Wayman.
- Hollywood Jesus visual review
- "Sling Blade: A Simple Man...A Difficult Choice," Steve Lansingh, TheFilmForum: Christian Conversation about the Movies.
- Themes
- Baptism
- Karl is baptized toward the end of the film, before he kills Frank. (Has he already decided to do so?)
- Call
- Karl's call to give up his freedom and his soul in order to help Frank and his mother.
- Clean/Unclean
- Karl and Vaughn are both scorned by Doyle for their kindnesses to Frank and Linda because they are "unclean" characters.
- Eucharist
- Karl [as Christ figure] accepts an invitation to dine at the home of Vaughan, along with Vaughan?s companion and a mentally handicapped woman from the dollar store. The parallels with the Lukan portrait of Jesus are obvious. In Luke?s Gospel, Jesus is always sitting down at a meal, going to, or coming from a meal. In first century Palestine, the Pharisees are often portrayed as declining to dine at the table with certain people, using this as the ultimate insult in their culture. Social and religious ostracism were part of the conventional wisdom of the day. By contrast, Karl, like Jesus, dines with people whom conventional religious wisdom would label "sinners." ("The Messianic Figure in Film: Christology Beyond the Biblical Epic," Matthew McEver, Journal of Religion and Film, 1998.)
- Father types
- "The greatest irony of Sling Blade is the depiction of who might be able best to fill the role of father-figure for the boy. It might be the formerly institutionalized, mentally challenged man with an institutionalized past. Or it might be the persecuted, homosexual male with little future. Both would be better than Doyle Hargraves (Dwight Yoakum)." ("The Messianic Figure in Film: Christology Beyond the Biblical Epic," Matthew McEver, Journal of Religion and Film, 1998.)
- Judgment
- Karl brings judgment to Doyle for his cruelty and violence toward Frank and his mother.
- Redemption
- "By viewing the film from a theological perspective, Karl?s act of vengeance is also one of of atonement. He feels that those who commit murder will go to "Hades." Therefore, Karl has done more than give his life for the happiness of a child; he has sacrificed his soul." ("The Messianic Figure in Film: Christology Beyond the Biblical Epic," Matthew McEver, Journal of Religion and Film, 1998.)
- Sacrifice,
Saving/Savior
- "To understand the depth of Karl?s sacrifice for Frank, one must pay careful attention to a particular night-time conversation between the two, three-quarters of the way through the film. It is at this time that Karl first relates the details of being given his baby brother to bury in the backyard. Frank is appalled by the story and remarks that those who willingly commit murder "will go to hell." Karl agrees." ("The Messianic Figure in Film: Christology Beyond the Biblical Epic," Matthew McEver, Journal of Religion and Film, 1998.)
- Suffering Servant
- Karl and Vaughn are both scorned by Doyle for their kindnesses to Frank and Linda because they are "unclean" characters.
- Baptism
