The Last Temptation of Christ

I remember when I went to watch its premiere in New York City, there were some fanatical "believers" who actually tried to stop the audience to actually enter the movie theater in order to view it...I was one of those viewers, and I remember that one of those knuckleheads, sitting on the stairs grabbed me by the seams of my pants and tried to physically block me from entering. Thinking that this was not enough he yelled something about "a curse that would befall me, together with the loss of my sacred soul and finally the doom of excommunication".Well, I was raised a catholic, but very soon detached myself from any kind of mumbo-jumbo in any form and fashion. Today I live happily and have never been plagued by demons nor zombies.Perhaps I am too much of a pragmatic, but fact is that I have lived a full life without any nightmares what-so-ever, due to this fact.After such a treatment, I was expecting to watch a kind of catholic "The Exorcist" filled with demons splattering peas and creamed spinach, all over Jesus, or worse, that Jesus would do so himself...What I was dished up with, was nothing new to me. Whoever studies a bit carefully the historic period of these events, will sooner or later cross some documents that tend to corroborate the theories examined in Martin Scorsese's movie. Even Kazantzakis must have discovered them, and just limited himself to make sense out of it all and put it down in novel form.Nothing shocking in this.Besides, if one would stop just for a moment to reflect who the people were who lived in Palestine in those years, would know that common people had enough to struggle with, not to be so devoted to the first guy who would call himself a Messiah.People were more down to Earth and less leaping across golden clouds in a nice blue sky. They were occupied by the Romans, and the Romans at that time and in that place were just behaving as the Waffen-SS did on the Eastern Front in World War II.Either you obeyed and submitted, or you were dead meat.No wonder then some scenes, very human ones at that, when Judas, and even Peter accuse Jesus of being a coward. Of course, the Apostles are a far cry from the fairytale version we have in the Gospels or even in other Devotion oriented pictures of yesteryear.But because of this, they truly come through as true, living, breathing, and yes, bleeding human beings. Not puppets, not just silent followers, or dreamers, but factual friends of Jesus, concerned with his actions and his behavior, if not his image.And Jesus himself comes through as a man. Not a divine being, but just a man. In this there are many parallels even in Greek, Persian and Sumerian religious mythology. Just look for instance Herakles or Hercules if you prefer, being put on Earth by Zeus in order to be tested as a human being.Jesus has only become divine after his crucifixion, not before.Also to be noted, was the many doubts Hebrews had about the mere existence of an actual Messiah figure. They didn't even know if it was one person, or a group of persons, who had to walk the Earth to be recognized as such.Moreover, many behave as if Jesus had been a sort of a Christian pastor or a monk. Far from all this. He was Hebrew by birth and Jew by religion.Besides what is the importance of all this?He came to save all Mankind, not just a group of morons, or at least this was his original intention.Remains to be seen and to be proven if he truly managed to succeed in this or if he failed.After all there is no more justice nowadays in this world than there was back then.And who is really and closely following his teachings?We don't even respect the basic ten commandments. OK, we may not kill, nor steal, but all the other commandments? C'mon, be honest...Ever watched "The Godfather"?Well, this would teach you more about our failings as so-called Christians than any scripture.And to all those who "think" they are born-again Christians or just Christians I would suggest to look deeply into a mirror and tell themselves what they truly see in it and whether or not they like what they see mirrored in it.Isn't it written "do not onto others, what you..." etc. and so forth, or even "do no judge others, lest you..." and yadi-da and yadi-di.Of course I just cite these passages losely, also because I do not really remember their original formula. But you grasp the idea...This movie to me is probably an appropriate companion to "The Passion of Christ" and completes, together maybe with the more "devoted" "Jesus of Nazareth" TV-Miniseries directed by Franco Zeffirelli the entire lifespan on Earth of a man known as Jesus, who by his deeds, his doubts and his final courage and endurance, managed to enter in some way our own hearts and become to some of us, an example, a guru, a teacher, a master and to others, simply the Messiah.May it be as it may, there has never been another tale such as this one, and amazing it still is.I can guarantee you this. If I had been in his place, I would have chosen to live a long life and forgotten all about the scriptures, even if this would have meant to go into exile into a foreign land.The doubts he had and has in this Motion Picture are those each and everyone would have, if we were confronted with such a choice: to die nailed on a Roman Cross, after being whipped almost to death, and all this in the slowest way possible.Those who would do so without a doubt or simply going to their death in this way, with a smile on their faces, are either insane or were dropped on the floor when they were babies.Criterion has done a marvelous job with this DVD, cleaning the image up and even the sound is discreet.A last word of warning.If you are a true believer, stay away from this movie, it may offend some of your beliefs, but if you can stay open minded and objective, then this movie will please you.Only remember, just bits and parts, diverge from the original story told by the gospels, the rest is deja-vu.The acting is up to par. Willem Dafoe as Jesus is acceptable, but has somewhat the appearance of bum, rather than a Rabbi. Harvey Keitel steals the show in this movie. His forceful interpretation comes through loud and clear.I can highly recommend it. You may still learn a thing or two...

"The Last Temptation of Christ" is easily the hardest film I've ever tried to review. My father is a Lutheran minister, and I gladly share that I believe in Jesus as my Savior. I also am a huge admirer of Scorsese's works ("GoodFellas" and "Raging Bull" are my two favorites). I knew this was going to be a difficult movie to watch, but the movie's bizarre style still sinks in my memory and won't let go.The movie, based on Nikos Kazantzakis' novel, is a fictional depiction of Jesus and the people he encountered. Kazantzakis' story is a significant departure from the biblical account: Jesus Christ is a conflicted, struggling, and imperfect being. We first see him being driven to insanity because he ignores God's commands, and then builds crosses to punish himself. He is clearly tempted by Mary Magdalene's beauty, but reluctantly resists the sexual urge. Judas (Harvey Keitel), the disciple who betrays Jesus, is actually his closest companion in this story. Judas has a kind of "tough love" --- he'll serve his master wherever he goes, but does so more out of loyalty than out of compassion. He's also a militant patriot for the Jews, but cannot understand why the spirit is the most crucial aspect of one's self-preservation. After Jesus spends some time isolated in the desert, he accepts his role as God's instrument of salvation. Christ does not always know how to fulfill this purpose, but that is part of the 'character' - he struggles to let himself go free and let the Word flow through his mouth.I mention these details because if you expect a biblical retelling of Jesus' final days on Earth, you'll be too surprised to pay attention to what's on the screen. Besides, all of that description I just gave is just the opening plot in a nutshell.Martin Scorsese always finds a way to put a new spin on a conventional topic. Oddly enough --- and this is not a criticism --- "The Last Temptation of Christ" doesn't feel like it's one of his movies. It's a rare Scorsese flick where the writing brings more to the table than his eye-pleasing style. I don't see this as Scorsese's movie, but author Kazantakis' fictional work come to life.This is one bizarre piece of filmmaking. The characters don't have consistent accents, most notably Keitel's Judas sounding like he's from Brooklyn. Peter Gabriel's musical score, as his DVD extra explains, uses authentic Middle Eastern instruments, but also some electronic chords that sound like "Miami Vice" had a say in the soundtrack. The characters' different roles in this story versus the biblical text are obvious. To name a few, John The Baptist comes off as a maniacal enthusiast with a powerful message behind his madness, and Pontius Pilate is just a direct speaker of hard truths rather than a heartless dictator. In fact, the dialogue in this movie is very direct and to-the-point. It's rarely poetic or metaphorical, but about as straight-forward as you can speak.What's most noteworthy about this film is that the temptations of Satan aren't glaringly evil, but rather more subtle and beautifully disguised. For example, when Jesus is near death on the Cross, Satan doesn't show up as a demonic being & begin to taunt Jesus. Instead, an angelic girl with a soft voice makes explains why God DOESN'T want Jesus to sacrifice himself. I won't reveal what happens next, but what follows is probably what got detractors so upset --- more on that later.My only complaint, as far as filmmaking goes, is that the disciples aren't given much depth. I can see why they are compelled to follow Jesus, but with the exception of Judas, they are written as pawns of a higher purpose with little to contribute. Then again, Jesus appropriately does most of the talking.Although I believe some objections to this film are overly strong, I can see why some people opposed it back in 1988. I'll admit it: I am slightly uncomfortable that Kazantzakis explored this subject by anachronistic means --- in other words, he tries to find the truth throught fictional juxtapositions. However, "The Last Temptation of Christ" is a movie that gets me talking about the subject. God has allowed me to view this fictional work so that I can find the motiviation to explore this subject with more urgency.Here's the key message of the film:Jesus overcame his obstacles and temptations in order to save us. In this account, he doesn't sacrifice himself because he 'knew' it was the right thing to do. Jesus only completely accpets his Crucifixion when he finally 'wants' to be the Savior. That's the origin of the heated debates surrounding this controversial tale. There is no disagreement that Jesus Christ wanted to do God's will, but the question that divides is this: "Did he ever struggle to serve God, or was he perfect at all times?"My interpretation is that God created human beings to be free-willing ministers of faith. God did not want robotic servants, but wanted people to fear his power yet embrace his undying love. I believe when it comes to his Son, God did not want a robotic sacrifice. He instead wanted a divine being (his Son the Christ) to give himself freely. I know that doesn't answer the question of who's right, but like Spike Lee's "Do The Right Thing", this movie refuses to answer all of your questions...it wants YOU to start asking them.How you view this movie depends on where you stand with religion and God. Because I've been raised around Lutheranism my entire life, the differences between the film's plot and the biblical text are jarring and a little uncomfortable at times.The comparisons to Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ", another excellent movie, are almost unavoidable. I believe Gibson's film is more visceral and gut-wrenching, yet a little incomplete. Kazanztakis' described his exploration of this subject as "the eternal conflict between the soul and the flesh" --- I don't fully embrace his efforts, but it is thought-provoking and not without merit. I wish that he stuck to a more literal interpretation of the Bible, but "The Last Temptation of Christ" poses bold questions that Christians and theologians should consider.I can't say whether you'll love this film, or completely reject it. What I guarantee is that when you're done watching this film, you're gonna be talking about it. Any movie that inspires thoughtful discussion deserves credit.EXTRAS* The Commentary by director Martin Scorsese, screenwriter Paul Schrader, actor Willem Dafoe, and producer Jay Cocks is a good listen. Even though the four recorded separate tracks that were edited together for one Commentary, they rarely repeat each other. Not quite as good as a Kurosawa film's Criterion commentary, but still a keeper.* Peter Gabriel's featurette on how he recorded his music score is interesting. He talks about which instruments he used, and briefly discusses his research.* There's a weird VHS video where Scorsese recorded some on-the-set footage back in 1987. It's mildly entertaining.* There's also a photo gallery that shows some magazines & book references that Scorsese used inspire his look of the film. The film's production might not have been worth all the preparation, but it's refreshing to know that Scorsese never gets lazy.

Whilst the quality of the picture appears much improved from the dvd that used to be for sale, this still has "edits" - just before they get to the scene where Magdalen is about to be stoned Judas says "It's Magdalen, she deserves it." but this has been muted on the old dvd release and this bluray version. The same with people flailing themselves in the scene with the Baptist - that has been blurred out a la MTV swearwords - why??? Its obvious that the film isn't advocating the stoning of women

worth buying especially those whom are sceptics

Excellent Service. Very Quick. The product itself is amazing. Well worth it.

good ok

Martin Scorsese has always had a feel for aesthetics. The combination of music, colours and moods are usually what stands out in his films; and again and again he has proven to be an expert of period/historical pictures. "The Aviator," "The Age of Innocence," "Gangs of New York," "Kundun"; all films have one thing in common, whether they are good films or not, and that is that they're believable from a cultural and historical perspective. Scorsese understands something that few modern filmmakers do: that the setting of the story, the time and place, is not important. There are things that transcend time and place, things that are universal. As is the case with his adaptation of the Greek orthodox writer Kazantzakis' fictional account of Jesus Christ, "The Last Temptation of Christ." The film has an undeniably modern angle, but it works, perhaps even more so, because it reevaluates and probes certain fundamental aspects of the Jesus myth: his divinity vs. his humanity. This is of course the crux of the film, and why it sparked such controversy when it came (mainly from religious fanatics who hadn't ACTUALLY seen it!) But today, some twenty-plus years later, its outrageous blasphemy is less obvious, particularly in the wake of things like Mel Gibson's "The Passion of Christ." "Can we finally look at The Last Temptation of Christ?" the filmreviewer David Ehrenstein asks himself in the DVD booklet. I think we can, and we can enjoy it, for it is a truly beautiful film. The Maroccan landscapes, the atmospheric soundtrack by Peter Gabriel, the colours and the surreal images, the devotion and honest love in every actor's face, all add up to a wonderful viewing experience. It is a little on the long side (two hours and a half) but it is never boring, particularly because the Christ myth is so profoundly important and inherently captivating, even if you're not a believer of any kind. The Christ myth is a perfect "saga," because no matter what you do with it, and there are endless variations and interpretations one can put to it, no matter how it is treated it will always be interesting, because the fundamental qualifications are already there at the bottom of it. I don't think it's unChristian to question Christ's divinity, and the "last temptation" act at the end is not blasphemous or outrageous in any way. Willem Dafoe is the most beautiful and suitable Jesus I have ever seen, and I have seen them all. Granted, it takes a minute or two to get used to the supporting cast (seeing all these New Yorkers portraying ancient Jews may be odd to some), but it's a welcome change from the well-spoken BBC English one is used to from previous Jesus films. Also, seeing the stereotypes reversed and removed is a breath of fresh air; Judas is here not a traitor, but Jesus' closest friend and supporter. In fact, he at first refuses to hand Jesus over to the Romans, the Messiah has to insist on it before he agrees. What Scorsese has done is what he always does, whether it's a story about film moguls, gangsters or apostles: he shows human beings trying to be human beings, trying to do the right thing. I would even go so far as to say that "The Last Temptation of Christ," although it requires a degree of patience and open-mindedness (like all good films), is the best Jesus Christ film and the best of all of Scorsese's past and present masterpiece films. The Criterion edition does the film justice, as it should. Extra features are few but fascinating (a laidback interview with Peter Gabriel, a behind-the-scenes home movie on the location of "Christ," where everyone is just relaxed and happy, and some of the standard supplements fare). To any serious film collector or Criterion Collection-fan, this is an essential component of your collection.