Directed by:
Martin ScorseseScreenplay:
Paul SchraderCinematography:
Michael BallhausComposer:
Peter GabrielCast:
Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, Verna Bloom, Barbara Hershey, Roberts Blossom, Gary Basaraba, Barry Miller, Paul Greco, Irvin Kershner, Victor Argo, John Lurie (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
This striking vision from the mind of director Martin Scorsese offers an allegorical interpretation of the last days of Jesus Christ, based on the book by Nikos Kazantzakis. Based strictly on Kazantzakis's book, the film has a very different focus than past portraits of the "Messiah." This Jesus (Willem Defoe) is a man wracked with doubt over his position among his followers and fear of the role God has chosen for him, as well as the pain that must accompany it. He is unsure whether the messages he receives come from God or Satan, and he is tempted by a mortal life filled with earthly possessions and sensual love, resulting in a controversial, though genuinely sympathetic, account of Christianity's most revered figure. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (7)
The Last Temptation of Christ is Scorsese’s best non-Mafia picture. Need I say more? Need I emphasize Dafoe and Keitel’s performances of their lives? Or the atmospheric soundtrack? Do I really have to mention the theological level of this picture and its philosophical aspects that will remain troubling you long after? Describe the wave of outrage of the general public (I recommend the book Banned Films)? No, I think that there isn’t much point and it would be like taking coals to Newcastle... And anyway, this is one of those rare examples where the movie adaptation is better than the (already excellent) book it’s based on.
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Admiration and disinterest, but that’s already characteristic of my approach towards the films of Martin Scorsese. Objectively, I acknowledge that they are perfectly executed, but I’m simply unable to fully enjoy them. I’m giving The Last Temptation of Christ a fairly high rating mainly because of the surprise at the end – a very smart script – but I’m not likely to watch it again.
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Martin Scorsese and his version of Christ's journey to Golgotha. The ending had to be very controversial, but it is clear that both the author of the original material and the filmmakers themselves contemplated over the entire essence of Christ as a symbol. Did he really want to be that symbol? A great depiction of the fact that even Jesus was human, just like anyone else, that he had doubts. The symbol was born out of a person, a real figure, but why couldn't a symbol be created by someone else's account? Is the Bible a text sent by God? Someone had to write it. Of course, Christianity, just like any other religion, is made up, but as we can see, it is well made up.
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Jesus Christ is quite a common theme in many films, and I personally think that filmmakers will be drawing from it for a long time to come, because the life of this biblical figure still has much to offer. Martin Scorsese retells the life of Jesus in his own way, and even though the masses of believers rebelled against such a controversial interpretation, as a religiously neutral person, I was comfortable with this portrayal. Actually, in retrospect, I don't see anything that outrageous about it. There is a certain departure from the Bible that is quite clear, but it all dissipates like steam over a pot at the end. Making a parallel life of Jesus was a challenge, and Scorsese managed to handle such a thorny subject to perfection and still apply his directorial skills. Also worth mentioning is the performance of Willem Dafoe, whose unmistakable and in a way charming facial expressions added to the overall impression. The well-placed cinematography and the fitting music are just more icing on the cake. In short, a film that may not appeal to everyone, but managed to thrill me with its unusual execution.
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A brilliant reflection on the nature not only of Christianity, but of faith in general. A film with a thought-provoking screenplay that shatters the conventional views of dogmatic individuals who may not like Scorsese's thoughtful, different view of the figure of Jesus Christ. It’s also brilliant visually. The crucifixion scene is compositionally stunning, and note also that in the Stations of the Cross to Golgotha Scorsese was inspired by the paintings of the old Dutch masters, I mean the posture of the people, their gestures and expressions. I consider the burning down of cinemas by radical Christian groups at the premiere of the film to be the result of a profound misunderstanding of Scorsese's seminal work. PS: Gabriel's unconventional soundtrack is equally brilliant.
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