Newsboys: Down Under the Big Top (1996) feat. Josh Martin
Explicit content warning
11/27/22 • 75 min
This straight-to-video oddity from the vast catalog of legendary Christian rock band Newsboys is a nostalgic favorite for fans of the group who love Newsboys’ classic mid-90s albums including “Going Public” and “Take Me to Your Leader”. DOWN UNDER THE BIG TOP is a comic fantasy film starring the band as the reluctant heirs of a dilapidated circus, faced with the difficult task of coming up with exciting acts and making “megacash” by bringing the show back to life. That’s as far as the plot really goes — most of the film is just an excuse to see your favorite Newsboys getting pies to the face or making Christian music industry in-jokes. CCM (contemporary Christian music) super-producer Steve Taylor, who directed this film, makes a cameo alongside other musical powerhouses such as prolific bassist Tommy Simms. The silly gags of DOWN UNDER THE BIG TOP aren’t without their dark undertones — lead vocalist John James was likely performing in this film while in the throes of his addiction issues that would cause him to leave the group the following year, although fortunately he has since recovered. Still, DOWN UNDER THE BIG TOP is a charmingly bizarre artifact of a time when CCM had a huge cultural impact, and Newsboys were the genre’s most beloved ambassadors. Returning as a guest to our show is our friend and resident CCM expert Josh Martin, a film curator behind Uncomfortable Brunch and Orlando Pop-Up Movie Services, who filled in our analysis of this film with his intricate knowledge of Newsboys lore.
Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncomfortablebrunch/
View our full episode list and subscribe to any of our public feeds: http://boysbiblestudy.com
Unlock 2+ bonus episodes per month: http://patreon.com/boysbiblestudy
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This straight-to-video oddity from the vast catalog of legendary Christian rock band Newsboys is a nostalgic favorite for fans of the group who love Newsboys’ classic mid-90s albums including “Going Public” and “Take Me to Your Leader”. DOWN UNDER THE BIG TOP is a comic fantasy film starring the band as the reluctant heirs of a dilapidated circus, faced with the difficult task of coming up with exciting acts and making “megacash” by bringing the show back to life. That’s as far as the plot really goes — most of the film is just an excuse to see your favorite Newsboys getting pies to the face or making Christian music industry in-jokes. CCM (contemporary Christian music) super-producer Steve Taylor, who directed this film, makes a cameo alongside other musical powerhouses such as prolific bassist Tommy Simms. The silly gags of DOWN UNDER THE BIG TOP aren’t without their dark undertones — lead vocalist John James was likely performing in this film while in the throes of his addiction issues that would cause him to leave the group the following year, although fortunately he has since recovered. Still, DOWN UNDER THE BIG TOP is a charmingly bizarre artifact of a time when CCM had a huge cultural impact, and Newsboys were the genre’s most beloved ambassadors. Returning as a guest to our show is our friend and resident CCM expert Josh Martin, a film curator behind Uncomfortable Brunch and Orlando Pop-Up Movie Services, who filled in our analysis of this film with his intricate knowledge of Newsboys lore.
Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncomfortablebrunch/
View our full episode list and subscribe to any of our public feeds: http://boysbiblestudy.com
Unlock 2+ bonus episodes per month: http://patreon.com/boysbiblestudy
Subscribe to our Twitch for monthly streams: http://twitch.tv/boysbiblestudy
Follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/boysbiblestudy
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/boysbiblestudy
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End of the Spear (2005) TEASER
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We celebrate Thanksgiving weekend by investigating a Christian film with a “wacky” clash of cultures between white, first world Christians and the indigenous peoples that fascinate them. In this case, END OF THE SPEAR is based on the true story of American missionary Nate Saint (yes, that’s his name) and his crew trying to teach the uncontacted Waodani tribe about Jesus by flying a plane to the jungles of Ecuador in 1956. Their first attempt does not go well. To be frank, the five men get their entire shit absolutely speared within minutes of setting foot on the Ecuadorian beach. But this story doesn’t end here — the missionaries’ wives, and young Steve Saint (son of Nate Saint) return to forgive the Waodani for their rash actions and save the tribe from a polio epidemic. The movie ends with the civilized Waodani dressed in what looks like JCPenney basics, begging the missionaries to stay, much like the story of the first Thanksgiving. Using this movie as a jumping-off point, we ponder: is Christian missionary work noble or savage?
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Faith Filled Christmas (2017) TEASER
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Our month of Christmas movies begins with this ambitious inspirational comedy about senior citizens gone wild. Simon and Emily Fairway are a devout Christian couple who live in a senior living facility in Florida. FAITH FILLED CHRISTMAS follows each of them individually as their paths branch off for separate days of fun. Simon hangs at home with his fellow retirees while his mischievous friend Byron secretly organizes a “Geezer Olympics” physical fitness competition unbeknownst to the facility’s strict headmistress. Meanwhile, Emily has a day out with her family, who happen to be an atypically structured and ethnically diverse group due to the Fairways’ participation in the foster system. It’s a cute combination of stories with genuinely wholesome themes such as diversity, respect, and care for the less fortunate. However, the film is not without its flaws. The character “Guru” is just an Indian guy stereotype played for laughs, which is a weird standout in this film that’s all about how people of different races can co-exist respectfully. Also, shallow criticisms of Islam, and a bizarre invocation of the tragic Orlando nightclub shooting of 2016 raise eyebrows during a scene where Christian teens are proselytizing on the beach. Still, we highly recommend this film if for no other reason than its climactic final scene of senior citizens partying hard to the song “That Junk is Crazy” by Christian EDM artist J-Dub.
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