THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST

US, 1988, 156 minutes, Colour.
Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, Barbara Hershey, Victor Argo, Harry Dean Stanton, Verna Bloom, David Bowie.
Directed by Martin Scorsese.

Thirty years before The Last Temptation of Christ, Jules Dassin had filmed one of Nikos Kazantzakis' novels, He Who Must Die, another story of the putting on of a Passion Play, this time in a Greek village, and its effects on the people in the village and the paralleling of characters with those of the Gospels. In 1988, Kazantzakis received not only fame but notoriety.

The Last Temptation of Christ, based on his novel, was released in 1988. However, it had been in pre-production in
the early 80s which means that it belongs in conception to the period of Jesus of Nazareth. When, finally, it was made and released, it was a decade later and the times had changed. The hostile reaction to Last Temptation of Christ came before the film's release. Many conservative groups in the United States claimed that the film was blasphemous because it showed Jesus marrying and his sexual activity. Another fear at the time was that it also had homosexual overtones. Reference was made to a first draft of the screenplay, specifically Jesus in his relationship to John the Baptist, and the nature of the kiss at Jesus' Baptism. (It seems that a reference to Isaiah 6 and the burning coal searing the prophet's lips before he could preach was misread in a homosexually suggestive way.) Demonstrations were held around the world and a petition put Universal Studios to destroy the negative.

On release, the movie did moderate business. There were some initial vociferous protests at cinemas. And then the movie went to video. However, it seemed to be mainstream Christians, as well as director Martin Scorsese's many fans, who appreciated the movie and what it was trying to do. The novelist, Nikolas Kazantszakis, was a member of the Greek Orthodox church. Many of his co-religionists took a dim view of his novel. Kazanszakis said that he was writing a novel based on the Gospels, not a Gospel. This allowed him the literary permission to speculate on Jesus' character, the events of his life and death and his motivation.

The last temptation itself was not, as many protesters believed, a sexual temptation, but the temptation to ordinariness. In the famous final half-hour of the movie, Jesus is hanging on the cross. The soundtrack fades indicating that Jesus is losing consciousness of what is around him. The angel from the temptations in the desert
comes to tell him that he can get down from the cross, that he does not have to die. God thinks that he has done enough. Jesus can now come down and live an ordinary life. He can marry (and a sexual encounter is shown in a brief long shot), have a family and live quietly at Nazareth. But Paul visits and complains to Jesus that he, Paul, is preaching a Christ crucified and that Jesus should have died on the cross. The remaining apostles visit Jesus in his old age and urge him to get back on the cross.

Jesus comes back to consciousness on Calvary. He has been tested and tried, 'tempted' (in the words of the Letter to the Hebrews) as we all are except that he did not turn away from God. He did not sin.

The temptation was to give up his mission in life.

Between King of Kings and The Last Temptation of Christ there was only a quarter of a century, but by the 80s, audiences were not satisfied with a plain presentation of Jesus of the Gospels with the Gospel as screenplay. Audiences were more prepared to think and feel through the experience of Jesus.

The Jesus of Last Temptation is human while not being a superman. In fact, it is after the temptation and in his giving his life, his dying, that he becomes more than the ordinary human. This Jesus is definite in his attitudes but is also tormented and hesitant in doubt. He can confront but he can also feelingly comfort. He is a down-to-earth character but he is also visionary. Maybe because this is an American production, most of the time he seems more extraverted than introverted. This 'human' Jesus is portrayed as 'everyman': he is uncertain about himself but knows that he has had an experience of God which demands of him that he go out, preach, teach, mix with ordinary people and offer them deep hope and salvation.

1. The immediate American and overseas response to the film? Accusations of blasphemy, sight unseen? On the interpretation of Christ? The validity of the uproar? The film in itself?

2. The work of Nicholas Kazantzakis? His whole body of work? This novel within it? Fidelity of the film to the novel? The Greek background, Crete? The Greek interpretation, characters, language, ideas? The traditions of Greek Orthodox theology and piety? The transition from novel to cinema? A Greek novel transposed to American cinema? Successful or not?

3. Kazantzakis and his own spiritual journey? The opening quotation: the conflict between flesh and spirit, spiritual growth, conflict in soul? The book not based on the Gospels? How grounded were they in the Gospels and theological interpretation?

4. Questions of the humanity and divinity of Jesus Christ? The claims of the Gospels? Theology? Church councils and teaching? Theological interpretation? Representations of Jesus in Christian art? The perspective of the Greek Church? Eastern church and western church? The backgrounds of philosophy and theology, theological language? The presentation of Jesus as human, as calling himself sinful, as tempted, as experiencing all human experiences, with the exception of sin? His options? Jesus being called by God and his achievement as Redeemer and Saviour?

5. The serious minds behind the film? Accusations of parody and satire? An alternate vision of Jesus? An alternate cultural perspective from that of the West? The perspective of Martin Scorsese, of Paul Schrader? How well was the screenplay grounded in the Old Testament and the New Testament?

6. The use of Moroccan locations for Israel? The dust, the mountains, the villages, the desert, the towns, Jerusalem? Decor and costumes? A de-glamourised presentation of the Gospels? In comparisons with the art tradition? Scorsese using the art tradition (e.g. the Last Supper), commenting on it (Sacred Heart, Stigmata)? The de-glamourised characters and costumes? The musical score and its eastern melodies and
chorus?

7. The length of the film, the impact, possible editing? The structure: realism, fantasies and dreams?

8. The portrait of Jesus: Willem Dafoe and his performance? Caucasian appearance? The contrast of the Jesus character with other characters? Middle-eastern? His work in Nazareth, making crosses, the choice of the worst job to get away from God? The impact of God in his life? His dreams and torments, the opening sequence, the image of the bird clawing inside him? The intensity of his call? His friendship with Judas, admiration for him? The Zealots? The criticisms of his cross making and collaboration with the Romans? Carrying the cross and measuring himself on it? The reaction of the crowd, Mary Magdalene spitting at him? His spiritual experiences, dreams, the serpents from inside him, God's call? His decision to leave, the farewell to Mary, his calling himself a bad son? His self-image and accusations of sinfulness? To the town, Mary's clients, going to the Magdalene, waiting all day? Not going in, the clash, the memories, his asking her forgiveness and kissing her foot, leaving? The search in the desert, the dead master, the advice and discussions from the man in the desert? Learning, becoming stronger, more self-confident, wanting to teach? Judas coining to kill him, Judas unable to kill him, his conversion, following Jesus as master? The conditions about the Zealots? His speaking, the following of the other apostles? The group, eating the apple - and the miracle of the apple tree:(symbolically, cinematically and visually)?

9. His going to the Baptist, the Baptist and the range of converts. their behaviour, appearances? His being in the line of the fierce prophets, the quotations from Isaiah? The baptism, the discussion with Jesus, baptising him, kissing him and passing on God's Word? Jesus going into the desert, the traditions of the temptations, drawing the circle, the snake, the lion and his defying it, the apple tree? The flame - and the spirit that would be seen later?

10. The presentation of the miracles of Jesus - realistic, symbolic? The perspective of the Gospels? Jesus' joy in healing, exhaustion, the crowds coming to him? The spit and the healing, the lepers? The parable of the sower, his speaking of the Beatitudes and making them personal to his listeners? Cana and the turning of the water into wine, the merriment of Jesus dancing, his going to visit 1Martha and Mary and their hospitality and friendship?

11. The attack on Mary Magdalene, the stoning, Jesus intervening, asking for the innocent to throw stones, the challenge to Zebedee, Mary and her gratitude, following him, her discipleship, support? The memories of their childhood, Jesus as virginal?

12. Jesus as prophet, the quotations, the emphasis on zealotry and the sword, Judas and the Zealots, the Zealots and their reaction to Jesus? Jesus' visit to Nazareth and the rejection? His seeming rejection of Mary and the explanation that she was a disciple and would be honoured? The significance of Jesus taking out his heart and holding it up, the focus on the heart? The blood flowing from Jesus' wounds? The blood from the apple? The symbolism of blood throughout the film?

13. The sequence of the raising of Lazarus, Lazarus coming out, the impact on Jesus, the Zealots, especially Saul, coming to interrogate Lazarus and kill him?

14. Jesus and the entry into Jerusalem, the triumph, his speaking, their turning on him?

15. Judas and his dilemma, watching Jesus, God calling him to be the instrument of Jesus' death? The good man called for a difficult mission? God's role and call - and the reluctance of the prophets, for example Jeremiah? The sketch of the other apostles, their presence in the group, arguing amongst themselves about who was the greatest, Peter ultimately denying Jesus?

16. The presentation of the Last Supper: the bread and its being shared, the men and women present, the wine and Peter tasting the blood, the sequence of the lambs being taken to the slaughter and the blood coming from the lamb sprinkling the altar? The symbolism of the Old Testament, especially Exodus 24?

17. The agony in the garden, Judas going from the supper, coming to arrest Jesus, kissing him, the slicing of the ear and Jesus restoring it? Jesus in the forecourt, Peter's denial, the interrogation by Pilate and his suave manner, elegant accent? Jesus tormented, stripped, scourged, crowned, shown to the public?

18. The carrying of the cross and the memories of the early part of the film, the stark realism of the nailing of Jesus and the thieves to the cross (and echoes of the nailing at the beginning)? Jesus naked on the cross, agony, forgiving his killers, the jeers and mockery of the crowd, Mary and the women at the foot of the cross? Jesus feeling abandoned and forsaken?

19. The options of Jesus on the cross - in his fantasy in frustration and abandonment? The Angel of Light coming and freeing him from the cross, his coming down, the people still jeering but the audience not hearing, them? Into Jesus' mind and emotions? The explanation by the angel that Jesus was free, that God didn't want him to die? The Magdalene washing his wounds, the marriage ceremony and the preparations, Jesus as married, the sexual encounter, domestic sexuality, children? Mary's dying, Jesus' grief and blaming himself? Marrying Mary, his relationship with Martha? Jesus as ordinary, in the village, his children, becoming older? Paul's arrival and his zeal, his preaching Jesus dead and crucified, Jesus confronting Paul, Paul telling Jesus to die and to get back on the cross? Peter and the apostles visiting Jesus dying, Judas and his coming, feeling that he was betrayed, explaining to Jesus what was actually being asked of him? For Jesus to get back onto the cross? The revelation that the childlike angel was really Satan in disguise? The flame of the temptation?

20. Jesus back on the cross, his agony, giving forth his spirit, his grief and surrender?

21. The vision of Paul, the preacher, responding to human needs for God, having to invent Jesus if he didn't exist?

22. The fidelity of the film to the Gospels, possible interpretations, imaginative and poetic interpretations, theology and piety? The message of the film about religion, God, heroism, the significance of Jesus?