Where To Watch Weird Al Yankovic Play Jesus Christ In ‘Simpson’s’ Director Mark Kirkland’s New Film [Video]
As if reality couldn’t get any weirder, Grammy award-winning artist and comedic actor Weird Al Yankovic hilariously plays Jesus Christ in Mark Kirkland’s short film The Moving Picture Co. 1914, a silent film about a young actress trying to make it big in Hollywood.
Mark has directed nearly 80 episodes of The Simpsons, winning 3 Emmy Awards for that show, according to Entertainment Tonight, but returned to his cinematic roots for his new flick, which can be seen on Vimeo. The vintage-style offering, which used old and new filming techniques and camera equipment to re-create the feel of an old-style silent movie, tells the story of an actress, obviously in 1914, trying to get discovered and make it big in cinema. Being a silent film, that means “telling the story with gestures and facial expressions by the cast.”
Everything goes wrong for the bumbling ingenue, who has to cry on cue but unfortunately develops a case of the hiccups. That is, until a hero arrives. Flip to minute 11 to see a strangely bearded Weird Al in his Jesus Christ role, tossing food around in a twisted remake of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Although Jesus Christ is a popular topic in talkies, it’s not often to see him portrayed by a comedic actor.
Although best known for his silly yet culturally relevant parodies of popular songs, Yankovic also is a talented comedic actor, and doesn’t disappoint in this latest cinematic role as Jesus Christ. Weird Al recently made headlines when he sang a duet with an autistic teen, as previously reported by the Inquisitr.
The Moving Picture Co. 1914 is headlined by Weird Al, and also features one of history’s 10 most influential cinematographers, Haskell Wexler. According to the official site, Wexler “shot much of the slapstick fight scene footage while acting as ‘Action Cameraman.'”
On May 21, Weird Al, who’s in the middle of a world tour right now, tweeted about his participation, writing, “Simpsons director…decided to make an authentic silent movie using 100-year-old equipment, because why not?”
Simpsons director @markk1914 decided to make an authentic silent movie using 100-year-old equipment, because why not? http://t.co/0BWegiKBh3
— Al Yankovic (@alyankovic) May 21, 2015
Although Mark Kirkland is best known for his directorial talents on The Simpsons, according to The Moving Picture Co. 1914‘s official website, he “studied Chaplin, Keaton and Laurel & Hardy, as a kid, and with a Super 8 camera his dad gave him, he made films inspired by the classic comedians and developed an interest in visual, cinematic storytelling.”
Due to privacy settings, The Moving Picture Co. 1914 can’t be embedded, but to watch Weird Al play Jesus Christ, visit the film’s official website, The Moving Picture Co 1914.
