They’re Not Just Bad, They’re Stupid and Ugly, Too: The Depiction of Baal-Worshipers in Nest Entertainment’s Animated Stories from the Bible

 

Published in Culture, Entertainment, and Bible (ed. George Aichele; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 2000).

Abstract

The adaptation of any written work for the screen inevitably involves a variety of semiotic transformations. Nest Entertainment's Animated Stories from the Bible is no exception. In particular, the transition from a strictly verbal medium to a visually rich medium results in an additional "layer" of depiction. Nest's Elijah installment in the Animated Stories from the Bible series provides an interesting test case. In the video, the prophets of Baal are visually "otherized" using visual cues that can be expected to be "decoded" negatively by Nest's predominantly conservative Jewish and Christian audience. These transformations have the effect (among others) of implying a starker conceptual difference between Baalism and Yahwism than is evident from the biblical and ancient Near Eastern source material. The video's script also calls for the Baal worshipers to behave as buffoons. On the other hand, Elijah is visual characterized as a commanding presence, physically powerful and professionally competent. A(n unforseen) consequence of these depictions is that Elijah's status as an "underdog" in 1 Kings is lost. Instead, the video never leaves any doubt that Elijah will emerge victorious — even if he has to beat up his opponents to come out on top.

Related Links

• The Nest web site
• A stele bearing a typical image of Baal