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In Spain there’s a new movie out about the life of Jesus Christ. It’s called ‘The Disciple’. It tells the Biblical story from a completely secular perspective. Jesus is a mercenary out to avenge his father’s death and to drive the Romans from his land. And it’s set to a Flamenco soundtrack. Gypsy music from Spain might seem a long way from Galilee. But, as the The World’s Gerry Hadden explains, it fits.

• Ircania Producciones

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JEB SHARP: In Spain, there’s a new movie out about the life of Jesus Christ. It’s called The Disciple, and it takes some liberties with the biblical story. For one thing, it’s set to a flamenco soundtrack. Here’s The World’s Gerry Hadden.

GERRY HADDEN:  The Disciple is controversial on many levels. For starters, Jesus isn’t the son of God; he’s an angry Jewish revolutionary bent on getting rid of the Romans. Jesus is played by the actor Joel West, from the TV show CSI: Miami.

JESUS:  You think I have come here to bring peace to the world. In all truth, I have not. No, I have come to sow discord.

HADDEN: To stop him, his mother, Mary, hires a call girl, Mary Magdalene, to calm his rebellious spirit.

MARY: Only a woman like you could distract him from his dreams. And put his feet back on the ground.

HADDEN: The Disciple hasn’t gotten great reviews here. Not surprisingly, the Catholic Church has slammed it. But one aspect of the film has received universal high marks. The flamenco soundtrack.

SPANISH SINGING

HADDEN: This song is called Anguish. It tells of Jesus’ faith that God will send an army of angels to help him in battle. The Disciple’s writer and director, Emilio Ruiz Barrachina, says he chose Flamenco for many reasons.

SPANISH SPEAKING

HADDEN: “First,” he says, “many who study flamenco say that its origins not only begin in India, but also with ancient Jewish music. If you listen to that it sounds like flamenco. The singing. Also flamenco has a force in the singing that transmits loneliness and anguish and anger.” And that, in a nutshell, describes Barrachina’s Jesus. He’s a man torn between the precepts of his Jewish faith and earthly temptations.

SPANISH SINGING

HADDEN: Bringing to life Jesus’ inner turmoil is renowned flamenco singer Paco del Pozo. Del Pozo says when he first read the script he had doubts about participating. He and his family are practicing Catholics.

SPANISH SPEAKING

HADDEN: He says, “When I told my mother about it she was shocked. ‘Paco,’ she said, ‘this goes against our beliefs.’ But I sat her down,” he says, “and explained what it was all about and she was okay with it.” Then del Pozo says came the biggest challenge. Giving voice to the figure he considers the most important in the history of mankind.

SPANISH SPEAKING

HADDEN: He says, “I sang those verses as if they were the last verses that I was ever going to sing.” The author of these flamenco couplets is Spanish poet Felix Grande. Grande points out that modern flamenco is only about 150 years old. Historically it has nothing to do with the life of Christ. But spiritually, he says, they’re a perfect fit.

SPANISH SPEAKING

HADDEN: “Poetry,” he says, “is about understanding the origins of fear, of scorn, of hate and exploitation, of love, of love’s loss. This is ancient stuff. So flamenco, even though it’s relatively young, can be easily applied to life going back two or three millennia.”

SPANISH SINGING

HADDEN: “What will become of me, woman, what will become of me? Without God’s forgiveness, without my innocence, without you? What’s happening to my body is beyond my strength. Not even the will of God can extinguish this fire.” Even Catholic reviewers praised the flamenco music. Director Barrachina says they must not have paid attention to the heretical lyrics. The Disciple just finished its run in Spanish theaters. Barrachina is now looking for a US distributor. For The World, I’m Gerry Hadden, Madrid.

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