Norman Jewison made a deliberate effort to ensure authenticity by filming portions of this adaptation of the Lloyd Webber/Rice musical in Israel. Ted Neeley portrays the central figure and is supported by Carl Anderson as Judas and Yvonne Elliman as Mary Magdalene, who bring fresh perspectives to the stage performances depicting the life of Christ. While Neeley possesses a recognizable appearance for the role, I personally found his performance lacking; the songs themselves don’t particularly help matters. As the narrative progresses, Anderson and Elliman truly shine, heading up an ensemble that blends historical and contemporary music and dance alongside various visual elements in an attempt to update (with a 1970s sensibility) this controversial story. Josh Mostel provides an amusing portrayal of King Herod, and Barry Dennen is also effective as the troubled Pilate, but ultimately the film feels dominated by Anderson’s depiction of Judas. The locations are well utilized; Douglas Slocombe skillfully employs ancient structures alongside modern lighting to add depth beyond what was seen on stage—though at times it does feel too similar to that original production. It was undoubtedly innovative in its time, yet decades later it almost veers into being a send-up reminiscent of "Life of Brian" (1979). Nevertheless, songs like “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” “Everything's Alright,” “Heaven on their Minds," and the impactful "Gethsemane" contain strong lyrics that advance the story of Jesus’ final days. I appreciated seeing this live, but the film didn’t resonate with me as much.

Source on TMDB