Exodus (2007 British film)

Last updated

Exodus
Exodus 2007 British poster.jpg
Film poster
Directed by Penny Woolcock
Written byPenny Woolcock
Produced byRuth Kenley-Letts
Andrew Litvin
Starring Bernard Hill
Clare-Hope Ashitey
Daniel Percival
Louis Constant
Tom Wiles
CinematographyJakob Ihre
Music byMalcolm Lindsay
Release date
  • 4 September 2007 (2007-09-04)(Venice) [1]
Running time
111 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Exodus is a contemporary retelling of the Biblical story of Exodus, that was released in 2007. It was directed by Penny Woolcock and was shot on location in Margate, Kent, England. The film, which had a working title 'The Margate Exodus' features the burning of a large sculpture of a man made out of waste by Antony Gormley. The film was shown on Channel 4 on 19 November 2007.

Contents

Synopsis

The leader of the country, called Pharaoh (who is plagued by voices), declares war upon society's 'undesirables'. Drug abusers, refugees, criminals and the homeless are all considered equally worthless and entered into a restricted ghetto, called 'Dreamland' (set in a then dilapidated fun fair of that name, since restored), where they cannot leave.

When Moses learns he was adopted by Pharaoh and is actually the son of an asylum seeker, he shuns his life of privilege to lead the ghetto's inhabitants in a revolt against his father.

A series of 'plagues' echoing the biblical story attack the inhabitants of the 'promised land' including algal blooms which turn the sea red (like the first plague of turning the River Nile to blood) and a computer virus (possibly a modern reworking of the sickness in live stock plague).

The plagues are treated as acts of terrorism by those in the promised land and violent reprisals are sought against those in Dreamland.

Related Research Articles

The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Bible. It is a narrative of the Exodus, the origin myth of the Israelites leaving slavery in Biblical Egypt through the strength of their deity named Yahweh, who according to the story chose them as his people. The Israelites then journey with the legendary prophet Moses to Mount Sinai, where Yahweh gives the Ten Commandments and they enter into a covenant with Yahweh, who promises to make them a "holy nation, and a kingdom of priests" on condition of their faithfulness. He gives them their laws and instructions to build the Tabernacle, the means by which he will come from heaven and dwell with them and lead them in a holy war to conquer Canaan, which has earlier, according to the myth of Genesis, been promised to the "seed" of Abraham, the legendary patriarch of the Israelites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moses</span> Abrahamic prophet

Moses was a Hebrew prophet, teacher and leader, according to Abrahamic tradition. He is considered the most important prophet in Judaism and Samaritanism, and one of the most important prophets in Christianity, Islam, the Baháʼí Faith, and other Abrahamic religions. According to both the Bible and the Quran, Moses was the leader of the Israelites and lawgiver to whom the prophetic authorship of the Torah is attributed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Land of Goshen</span> Place in Egypt given to the Hebrews by the pharaoh of Joseph

The land of Goshen is named in the Hebrew Bible as the place in Egypt given to the Hebrews by the pharaoh of Joseph, and the land from which they later left Egypt at the time of the Exodus. It is believed to have been located in the eastern Nile Delta, lower Egypt; perhaps at or near Avaris, the seat of power of the Hyksos kings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crossing the Red Sea</span> Part of the biblical narrative of the Exodus

The Crossing of the Red Sea or Parting of the Red Sea is an episode in the origin myth of The Exodus in the Hebrew Bible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jochebed</span> Mother of Aaron, Miriam, and Moses in the Bible

According to the Bible, Jochebed was a daughter of Levi and mother of Miriam, Aaron and Moses. She was the wife of Amram, as well as his aunt. No details are given concerning her life. According to Jewish legend, she is buried in the Tomb of the Matriarchs, in Tiberias. In the New Testament, she is praised for her faith in God.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Creeping Death</span> 1984 single by Metallica

"Creeping Death" is a song by American thrash metal band Metallica. It was released on November 23, 1984, as the lead and only commercial single from their album Ride the Lightning. Written from the perspective of the Angel of Death, "Creeping Death" describes the tenth plague of Egypt. It is often thought of as one of the band’s most popular songs and is currently the second-most-played song live by them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plagues of Egypt</span> Ten disasters inflicted by God on Egypt in the story of the Exodus

In the Book of Exodus, the Plagues of Egypt are ten disasters that Yahweh inflicts on the Egyptians to convince the Pharaoh to emancipate the enslaved Israelites, each of them confronting the Pharaoh and one of his Egyptian gods; they serve as "signs and marvels" given by Yahweh in response to the Pharaoh's taunt that he does not know Yahweh: "The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD". These Plagues are recited by Jews during the Passover Seder.

Haman is a person mentioned in the Qur'an where he appears as court official of the Firaun of Exodus, and associated with him in his court at the time of the Islamic prophet (Musa), Moses in Christianity and Judaism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Exodus</span> Founding myth of the Jewish people

The Exodus is the founding myth of the Israelites whose narrative is spread over four of the five books of the Pentateuch. The narrative of the Exodus describes a history of Egyptian bondage of the Israelites followed by their exodus from Egypt through a passage in the Red Sea, in pursuit of the Promised Land under the leadership of Moses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shemot (parashah)</span> 13th portion in the Jewish cycle of weekly Torah reading

Shemot, Shemoth, or Shemos is the thirteenth weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the first in the Book of Exodus. It constitutes Exodus 1:1–6:1. The parashah tells of the Israelites' affliction in Egypt, the hiding and rescuing of the infant Moses, Moses in Midian, the calling of Moses, circumcision on the way, meeting the elders, and Moses before Pharaoh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Va'eira</span> Fourteenth portion in the annual Jewish cycle of weekly Torah reading

Va'eira, Va'era, or Vaera is the fourteenth weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the second in the Book of Exodus. It constitutes Exodus 6:2–9:35. The parashah tells of the first seven Plagues of Egypt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bo (parashah)</span>

Bo is the fifteenth weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the third in the book of Exodus. The parashah constitutes Exodus 10:1–13:16. The parashah tells of the last three plagues on Egypt and the first Passover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pharaoh's daughter (Exodus)</span> Adoptive mother of the prophet Moses

The Pharaoh's daughter in the story of the finding of Moses in the biblical Book of Exodus is an important, albeit minor, figure in Abrahamic religions. Though some variations of her story exist, the general consensus among Jews, Christians, and Muslims is that she is the adoptive mother of the prophet Moses. Muslims identify her with Asiya, the Great Royal Wife of the pharaoh. In either version, she saved Moses from certain death from both the Nile river and from the Pharaoh. As she ensured the well-being of Moses throughout his early life, she played an essential role in lifting the Hebrew slaves out of bondage in Egypt, their journey to the Promised Land, and the establishment of the Ten Commandments.

<i>The Exodus Decoded</i> 2006 television film directed by Simcha Jacobovici

The Exodus Decoded is a 2006 documentary film by "investigative archaeologist" and filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici and producer/director James Cameron. It aired on April 16 on The History Channel. The documentary proposes naturalistic origins for the plagues of Egypt as described in the Book of Exodus.

<i>The Ten Commandments</i> (miniseries) 2006 American TV series or program

The Ten Commandments is a 2006 miniseries that dramatizes the Biblical story of Moses. It aired on ABC.

<i>Plague Songs</i> 2006 compilation album by various artists

Plague Songs is an album of songs about the ten Plagues of Egypt described in the Book of Exodus performed by various artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jewish mythology</span> Body of myths associated with Judaism

Jewish mythology is the body of myths associated with Judaism. Elements of Jewish mythology have had a profound influence on Christian mythology and on Islamic mythology, as well as on Abrahamic culture in general. Christian mythology directly inherited many of the narratives from the Jewish people, sharing in common the narratives from the Old Testament. Islamic mythology also shares many of the same stories; for instance, a creation-account spaced out over six periods, the legend of Abraham, the stories of Moses and the Israelites, and many more.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pharaohs in the Bible</span> Pharaohs mentioned in the Bible

The Bible makes reference to various pharaohs of Egypt. These include unnamed pharaohs in events described in the Torah, as well as several later named pharaohs, some of whom were historical or can be identified with historical pharaohs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Finger of God</span> Phrase used in the Bible

"Finger of God" is a phrase used in the Torah, translated into the Christian Bible. In Exodus 8:16–20 it is used during the plagues of Egypt by Pharaoh's magicians. In Exodus 31:18 and Deuteronomy 9:10 it refers to the method by which the Ten Commandments were written on tablets of stone that were brought down from Mount Sinai by Moses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biblical Egypt</span> Ancient Egypt as it is portrayed in the Bible

Biblical Egypt, or Mizraim, is a theological term used by historians and scholars to differentiate between Ancient Egypt as it is portrayed in Judeo-Christian texts and what is known about the region based on archaeological evidence. Along with Canaan, Egypt is one of the most commonly mentioned locations in the Bible, and its people, the Egyptians, play important roles in the story of the Israelites. Although interaction between Egypt and nearby Semitic-speaking peoples is attested in archaeological sources, they do not otherwise corroborate the biblical account.

References

  1. "Exodus".