Last Temptation of Christ, TheDirector: Martin ScorseseGenre: Drama Publisher: Universal Released: 1988 MPAA Rating: R Cast: Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, Barbara Hershey |
A Review by John Nesbit
11/27/2001
Why all the controversy?
Raised Roman Catholic, Scorsese once considered going to seminary but chose film instead, often specializing in character studies of tortured men, like Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver and Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull. In a sense, The Last Temptation of Christ is Scorsese’s most personal and intimate film because it shows Jesus Christ as a tortured man, grappling with the same spiritual issues Scorsese has.
Right-wing fundamentalists have come out so strongly against The Last Temptation of Christ because it depicts the dual nature of Christ as fully divine and fully human. If strict religionists would look closer, they could more theologically object because Scorsese treats Christ as a metaphor for the spiritual struggles that man goes through.
But the general reason and the literary reason are not what inspire the negative reactions. Many church organizations have come out so strongly against the film because of the "blasphemous" scene that shows Christ making love with Mary Magdalene after marrying her. Most of the protesters have not seen Last Temptation, and the argument that this marriage scene actually takes place in Christ’s imagination when he’s on the cross doesn’t matter. The mere thought that He would have a sexual aspect is abhorrent to some Christians.
If you can appreciate Last Temptation as an artistic expression for a spiritual struggle and have no problem viewing it with the knowledge that Christ will be used as a metaphor, you will see that Scorsese has crafted a powerful and profound film about spirituality, about the human condition where we see that it is not God who finds us, but it is we who find God.
Some highlights
The screenplay focuses on three main characters: Jesus (Willem Dafoe), Mary Magdalene (Barbara Hershey), and Judas Iscariot (Harvey Keitel).
In the beginning, Jesus is plagued by overwhelming migraine headaches, feelings he’s being watched and sounds of birds of prey following him. This is how God makes himself known to Jesus in the beginning, so He attempts to rid himself of this headache by deliberately pulling away from God. To do so, Jesus uses his carpentry skill to construct crucifixion crosses that the Romans use against the Jews.
Jesus makes his way into a village to the local house of prostitution where Mary Magdalene is practicing her craft in full view of an international cast of men, but this is not where people get upset. Jesus resists any temptation here, but he soon confesses to a mystical monk that He is not perfect. Jesus says he blushes when he sees a woman, is a liar, a hypocrite, proud, but most of all is afraid: "My God is fear—you look inside me and that’s all you’ll find."
Indeed later, during a crucial turning point where Jesus realizes the power that He actually has, look at the fear in Dafoe’s eyes when he brings Lazarus back from the dead. Fear is the primary motive behind everything Jesus does throughout Last Temptation, even when He eventually accepts his fate.
In this version of the Christ story, Judas plays a vital "everyman" role. He is completely loyal to Jesus, but He questions why His plans continue to change and is thrown into conflict when Jesus informs him He is to be sacrificed and that Judas must turn him in. Though this challenges Christians from the typical role Judas plays in the drama, this doesn’t cause nearly the consternation the last temptation does when Satan comes to Christ on the cross in the form of a young girl.
Film elements
The Last Temptation of Christ is a far more intimate view of Christ than any other film version I can think of. What other film dares delve into Christ’s spiritual crises and His struggles let alone allow him any form of sexuality (even if in a hallucination)? This is definitely no objective museum piece.
Part of the reason for the intimacy results from the relatively low budget Scorsese had to operate on. Instead of filming in Israel, he had to choose the less-expensive Morocco. Scorsese also had to use the same small town to represent different locations, so the camera shots are much tighter with the actors instead of seeing a lot of broad vistas.
With the limited budget Scorsese ends up with an initial temptation scene that uses very simple effects but works well. In turn we see a cobra, lion, and fire with voiceovers by Magdalene, Judas, and a combo of Scorsese and Leo Marks. The lack of dazzling special effects gives the film an authenticity that could be compromised with a slicker production.
Scorsese did quite a bit of historical research and decided that in a land and time where travel was limited to foot and donkey methods, it was unlikely to have massive amounts of people crowding the hills for Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. So we see a much smaller and more intimate crowd. If Mary Magdalene’s appearance shocks you, credit Scorsese’s research for that. A "working woman" entertaining a cross section of humanity at that time was likely to have tattoos. The temple scenes are much more accurate than what you’ll see in the biblical epics as well; they really were bloody with numerous sacrificial goats and sheep.
After seeing Willem Dafoe’s depiction of Christ, it’s hard to imagine that Scorsese originally considered Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, Aidan Quinn, and Eric Roberts. Dafoe communicates Scorsese’s vision of the tormented Christ coming to grips with his spirituality and ultimate contentment with his mission very well.
Barbara Hershey, who actually gave Scorsese the Kazantzakis novel back in 1972 and suggested he do a film version, plays Mary Magdalene quite naturally, while Harvey Keitel shows why he is one of our finest character actors. Keitel submerges himself into his Judas role, and emerges powerfully as the only character who understands Christ’s true role.
One of the most outstanding aspects of Last Temptation is the incredible score composed by Peter Gabriel. It combines indigenous music from the Middle East and North Africa with folk music and some rock sounds, often with a driving "primitive" drum beat to create a unique, ethereal sound. Even if you have reservations about seeing the movie, check out the soundtrack. It may be listed under New Age music in some stores.
Finale
Although I can understand why some Christians may have difficulty with some of the images of Christ, The Last Temptation of Christ is hardly blasphemous in spirit. The main forces behind its creation come from an eclectic Christian background—Scorsese is Roman Catholic, screenwriter Paul Schrader is Dutch Calvinist, and novelist Nikos Kazantzakis is Greek Orthodox—and they have blended their backgrounds to make a film geared towards western audiences.
Last Temptation can prove extremely valuable for discussing the station of Christ. Jesus presents the same ideas that were debated at the Council of Nicea that He is "the Son of Man—the Son of God—God." Don’t expect the pale and passive Christ in this version, but a flesh-and-blood version who struggles and questions before finally accepting His destiny on the cross, closing with "it is accomplished." In a sense Scorsese has sparked more spiritual thinking with this film than he could have by going into the priesthood. It’s a pity that a few closed-minded people have prevented it from reaching a larger audience.
I highly recommend watching the Criterion DVD version with its outstanding extra features. There’s a documentary about the making of Last Temptation, an interview with Peter Gabriel about the music, and an excellent commentary with Martin Scorsese, screenwriter Paul Schrader, and Willem Dafoe. The film itself is fascinating and deep enough to warrant multiple viewings, so you may decide to purchase it. After all, you may not find it at your local Blockbuster.
© Copyright CultureCartel.com 11/27/2001
