The Second Greatest Story Ever Told
Supposedly the "Greatest Story Ever Told" is the story of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. That's why the first film in my list, which is about Jesus, is called that. The reason I have that first in the list is to hide my nominations for the status of the Second Greatest Story Ever Told. After the obligatory nod to the Jesus story, I will list ten contenders for Second place, listing in reverse so as we count up the list we count down to the story I consider the Second Greatest Story ever told. Two caveats: 1) I am using films, that doesn't mean I'm thinking the film is the best version of the story, just a good pointer to the story that's been told many ways. 2) I am not considering stories created in my lifetime because there just hasn't been time to tell if they'll last, no matter how I think Star Wars or Harry Potter will, it's still just too early to say.
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- 11 titles
- DirectorGeorge StevensStarsMax von SydowDorothy McGuireCharlton HestonAn all-star, large scale epic movie that chronicles the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsRay WinstoneCrispin GloverAngelina JolieThe warrior Beowulf must fight and defeat the monster Grendel, who is terrorizing Denmark, then Grendel's Mother, who begins killing out of revenge.The Christian telling of a heroic Pagan monster slayer.
- CreatorDonnie LeapheartStarsBrad JamesStephen CaudillNicky BuggsThe series follows the title character "Osiris", a man with an eternally extended warranty on life. He can never stay dead. If killed, he resurrects in EXACTLY 37 minutes, every time.I'm using this story about someone like Osiris for pointing to the real myth of Osiris, Isis, Set and Horus.
- DirectorWolfgang PetersenStarsBrad PittEric BanaOrlando BloomAn adaptation of Homer's great epic, the film follows the assault on Troy by the united Greek forces.From the argument of the Goddesses to Odysseus arriving home.
- DirectorJong-seong KimStarsSo-jin YangSam-kyeong YuJe-kyeong LeeChina's greatest tale that was based on the real journey of a Buddhist monk to India to get the Buddhist scriptures and is also the source of the monkey king who eventually in retelling turned into the Dragon Ball hero of Go-Ku!
- DirectorRichard DonnerStarsChristopher ReeveMargot KidderGene HackmanAn alien orphan is sent from his dying planet to Earth, where he grows up to become his adoptive home's first and greatest superhero.The last son of Krypton, raised in all American Smallville and earth's greatest hero. It's also a love story of a triangle where two parts of the triangle are the same person.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsRussell CroweCate BlanchettMatthew MacfadyenIn twelfth-century England, Robin Longstride and his band of marauders confront corruption in a local village and lead an uprising against the crown that will forever alter the balance of world power.Robin Hood and his merry men hide in Sherwood Forest to steal from the rich and give to the poor.
- DirectorCecil B. DeMilleStarsCharlton HestonYul BrynnerAnne BaxterMoses, raised as a prince of Egypt in the Pharaoh's household, learns of his true heritage as a Hebrew and his divine mission as the deliverer of his people from slavery.Moses, ten plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, Egypt and Passover!
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsMichael KeatonJack NicholsonKim BasingerThe Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being Jack Napier, a criminal who becomes the clownishly homicidal Joker.A tragic murder and a wounded orphan determined to out "dark" the forces of darkness.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodViggo MortensenIan McKellenGandalf and Aragorn lead the World of Men against Sauron's army to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring.Tolkien's masterpiece of Hobbits and Elves and Orcs and a Ring of Power and a mythic backstory that's thousands of years old.
- DirectorJohn BoormanStarsNigel TerryHelen MirrenNicholas ClayMerlin the magician helps Arthur Pendragon unite the Britons around the Round Table of Camelot, even as dark forces conspire to tear it apart.This is the Second Greatest Story Ever Told. The Matter of Britain, the story of King Arthur, runs deep in the blood of all the West with it's wonder of a magic sword, a fellowship of law, order, chivalry and service around a round table, a noble and doomed king, a holy quest for the Grail, and the most tragic love story ever told. Honorable mention contenders that didn't make it into the top ten: Hercules, the Aneid, the Ring Cycle, Sinbad, Gilgamesh, Zorro, Frankenstein, Dracula, the Life of the Buddha, and Promethius.
