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Summary: Just read the Bible
Review: What?.....I'm done........just read the Bible....You want to know about Christ? Then JUST READ THE HOLY BIBLE!!!!
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Summary: An excellent DVD with a great commentary track.
Review: This DVD is incredibly well produced. The commentary track was entertaining, enlightening and provocative. Regardless of what you feelings about this film are, the story is detailed and complex. Scorsese and the other commentators really break down the narrative into simple understandable elements.
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Summary: Brilliant, Breathtaking, and Inspiring
Review: Anyone of open mind should see this amazing film. Neither Scorsese's film nor Kazantzakis's novel claim to be "new gospels", and perhaps that is a shame, for I'd rather believe in a Christ who overcame internal conflict and torture, a man who realized his oneness with God rather than God taking the form of Man. Forget what the fundamentalists say--they haven't seen this movie and never will. There is absolutely nothing exploitive about this movie. It is instead one of the most tasteful, intelligent, and loving interpretations of the life of Jesus ever captured. The acting is terrific, especially Dafoe, who I never imagined could give such a delicate yet powerful performance. Hershey also gives a career performance as Magdalene, but the film really belongs to Harvey Keitel (Judas), who gives a performance worthy of his character's redemption. Scorsese's direction is married perfectly to the music of Peter Gabriel (the album 'Passion', by the way, is a masterwork in itself). Open your heart, watch this movie, and be filled with spiritual love and grace, regardless of your religious persuasion.
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Summary: A Challenging, Intense and Wholly Spiritial Masterpiece!
Review: Scorsese's "Last Temptation" is a great and challenging film. This is NOT some salacious, blasphemous movie! Quite the opposite, this is a serious, very spiritial examination of the great sacrifice that Jesus made. In fact, if detractors of this film(most of whom have never even seen this or are seriously misinformed)would take a look they would see a highly original, reverent film that presents a very personal view of Jesus and the sacrifice he made for us. Martin Scorsese is probably our finest filmmaker. His very best work has always tackled "Catholic" themes. Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull are all brilliant examinations of sin, guilt, and redemption. So it's no wonder Scorsese chose to adapt Kazantakis' book. Last Temptation ranks as one of his VERY best films, right up there with the aforemntioned films if not of a piece with them. This is one of Scorese's most personal films (then again, all his films are, Scorese being the most personal of American fimmakers). We are taught that Jesus was the Son of God and the Son of man. If he is both, then Jesus was subject to the same pain, guilt, and temptations that we all have. Scorese presents most of the major events of Jesus' life: the Sermon on the Mount(a GREAT scene), the passion in the desert, the Last Supper, ect. Through this all Jesus continually questions why he must suffer, why must he be the One with this "burden". Willem Dafoe is incredible in this most difficult role. The final 40 minutes of this film are absolutely powerful when Jesus is on the cross and in absolute agony he is presented with one final temptation. This is the scene that most people question or are offended by. The scene is fascinating, not offensive, and presented by Scorsese in a very careful and tasteful fashion. I dont want to reveal what occurs, that's for you to discover. Let's just say, that Jesus rejects this temptation presented to him and resumes his place on the Cross and fulfills his destiny. The way Scorsese presents the events in the film, makes this final scene all the more powerful. Scorsese really shows us the sacrifice Jesus made for us, he shows us what Jesus gave up for us and how much he really loved us to do this for us. This doesnt sound blasphemous to me at all. Ironically, this is probably the most "devout" religious film Ive ever scene. Technically, the film is brillant. Scorsese really does'nt know how to make a boring shot. The camera work is incredible! Peter Gabriel's music is astonishing, the acting is GREAT (esp. Dafoe, Hershey, and yes Keitel's rather eccentric performance) This is a great film, please give it a chance.
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Summary: This "RESOLUTION" was settled me finally to look the film!
Review: Text of the Resolution Presented to North Texas Presbytery (PCA) condemning the film, The Last Temptation of Christ Whereas among the sins forbidden in the first commandment are "misapprehensions, false opinions, unworthy and wicked thoughts of" God (WLC 105); and Whereas among the sins forbidden in the second commandment is "the making any representation of God, of all or of any of the three persons, either inwardly in our mind, or outwardly in any kind of image or likeness of any creature whatsoever" (WLC 109); and Whereas the third commandment further requires "that the name of God, His titles, attributes, ordinances, the word, sacraments, prayer, oaths, vows, lots, His works, and whatsoever else there is whereby He makes Himself known, be holily and reverently used in thought, meditation, word and writing; by an holy profession, and answerable conversation, to the glory of God, and the good of ourselves, and others" (WLC 112); and Whereas it is required in the fifth commandment of superiors (i.e. church governors) toward inferiors (i.e. those under under their charge) that the former "instruct, counsel, and admonish them; countenancing, commending, and rewarding such as do well; and discountenancing, reproving, and chastising such as do ill" (WLC 129) and that among the sins forbidden to superiors regarding inferiors is "careless exposing, or leaving them to wrong, temptation, and danger" (WLC 130); and Whereas among the sins forbidden in the ninth commandment are "concealing the truth, undue silence in a just cause, and holding our peace when iniquity calleth for either a reproof from ourselves, or complaint to others (WLC 145); and Whereas the current film "The Last Temptation of Christ" is a clear violation of the first, second and third commandments; and Whereas there is distress on the part of many of the people of God in this land over the content of this film; and Whereas the civil magistrates of the city of Dallas, TX, as well as other communities have condemned the film; and Whereas all the people of God, but particularly the church's governors are to be "the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14); and Whereas it is a function of the Church "as a kingdom and government distinct from the civil commonwealth" to "proclaim, to administer, and to enforce the law of Christ revealed in the Scriptures" (PCA BCO 3-3); Be it therefore RESOLVED that it is the sense of this body that the film "The Last Temptation of Christ" is idolatrous and blasphemous and attempts to bring shame upon the person of our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Who was and continues to be holy, harmless, and undefiled. And be it further RESOLVED that any person under the charge of this body should consider the act of attending this film to be a violation of the commandments of God and therefore sinful. And be it further RESOLVED that peaceful demonstrations by Christians in an attempt to instruct and counsel others to boycott this film are hereby encouraged. (Text of Resolution presented by Richard Bacon on September 13, 1988, to FPCR Session and passed by them as a Resolution to present to North Texas Presbytery in the October meeting of presbytery.)
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Summary: Not a historial docu-drama...but a reference to the spirit
Review: I saw this movie the first week it hit the theater (one of the few that would play it). It's prehaps one of the best cinematic epics I've ever seen. I say this because it hit on all levels. The photography, the soundtrack (prefect) and the story all work together. Just to clarify for those people offended by this movie, if you had bothered to read the book, you'd understand that this is NOT a historical docu-drama which claims Jesus was 'naughty'. This work is a metaphor for man's struggle between the earthly/profane and the spiritual/devine. Thats all. The story uses the life of Jesus for serveral reasons. First, most western audiences know it. Trying to do a movie about Buddha drives most American audiences away or leaves them scratching their head since they don't know the story. Most folks are familar with Jesus and understand that he was supposed to be 'holy' and therefore they can play with this idea, this struggle between the nature of man and spirit in a known story. That's all folks. If you're looking for a "Ten Commandments" pseudo-historical recreation, this isn't it. This is a meta level movie. It's not about the life of Jesus in any way, it's about your life.
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Summary: Hey Mary, me tangere!
Review: A fantastic package, as Criterion usually does. The most interesting information describes in detail First Century rituals/techniques involving crucifixion as performed by Romans. The funniest bit is Willem Defoe explaining that Martin Scorsese insisted the actor smoke in a trailer instead of outdoors, fearful that any photographs of Christ smoking a cigarette would get out into the public and cause hysterical people to become apoplectic. One of the few thoughtful films of the last twenty years with many elements that roll around then stick in your head. Great assembly of veteran character actors and once you get used to how Defoe's mouth moves, it's difficult to imagine a more powerful performance.
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Summary: I almost believed in god again
Review: When I saw this movie, it presented a totally different side of the Jesus Christ story that had never dawned on me. Portraying Jesus as a hesitant hero was the stroke of genius that the authors of the bible missed out on. If in the future people believe in god it would be because they read this and believed it was another gospel of Jesus Christ.
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Summary: This is a superb version of an excellent film
Review: This is THE version of the film with all the extras. I own the soundtrack CD and it is one of my favorites: Peter Gabriel is fantastic. This story of faith and torment is Art with a capital "A". Kierkegaard would have loved this movie.
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Summary: A Masterpiece that is Spirtually moving
Review: In this reverential, and spiritually moving retelling of the Jesus story, director Martin Scorsese has made his finest film. The story dares to explore the human side of Jesus instead of depicting him as the religious cypher that is typical of the other movies that have been made about the life of this flesh and blood man. The film explores the implicit conflict between Jesus' human side, and his manifest destiny as the son of God. Assertions by Amazon's reviewer that this film is no more accurate, or relevant than "The Life of Brian" are ridiculous! Almost nothing is known about the historical life of Jesus, and that life IS open to meditation, and speculation. By the way, the character of Jesus, doesn't have "sex with Barbara Hershey" as Mike Bethany implies (this is a "dream" sequence, part of both the Temptation, and Jesus' vision of what it would mean to have a human life!) The dialogue of the movie is decidedly modern and is meant to approximate common speech: the fact that it is not a literal translation gives it the beauty of the ordinary, the sense of way the real people talk in real life; which in turn gives the ideas and action of the film a modern urgency and connection. Willem Dafoe, despite his blond hair and blue eyes (Jesus is usually Europeanized to fit the expectation of modern Christians who wish to see him in the image of themselves), is tremendous in this challenging role, that calls for him to be both believably "real" and spiritually compelling. It is sad to think that Dafoe has worked so little of late; he is one of the best actors of his generation. In Fact, the acting, all around, with Barbara Hersey, and Harvey Keitel in particular, is laudable. I love the period detail of this film: Morocco, I think, stood in believably for the Middle East, and in the cameras continual sweep of the dry hills, and plateau's, one gets a feel for the harsh, yet beautiful landscape that Jesus walked. Peter Gabriel composed, and assembled a particularly evocative score, that combines synthesizer and traditional rhythms. Those "Christian" groups that picketed this film, either didn't see it, or are simply closed minded, for this is truly one of the most deeply and affirmingly religious films ever produced!
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