The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)

The life of Jesus Christ, his journey through life as he faces the temptations that all humans face during their lives, and his final temptation upon the cross.

Director:

Martin Scorsese

Writers:

Nikos Kazantzakis (novel), Paul Schrader (screenplay)

Stars:

Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, Paul Greco

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Willem Dafoe	...	Jesus
Harvey Keitel	...	Judas
Paul Greco	...	Zealot
Steve Shill	...	Centurian (as Steven Shill)
Verna Bloom	...	Mary, Mother of Jesus
Barbara Hershey	...	Mary Magdalene
Roberts Blossom	...	Aged Master
Barry Miller	...	Jeroboam
Gary Basaraba	...	Andrew, Apostle
Irvin Kershner	...	Zebedee
Victor Argo	...	Peter, Apostle
Michael Been	...	John, Apostle
Paul Herman	...	Phillip, Apostle
John Lurie	...	James, Apostle
Leo Burmester	...	Nathaniel, Apostle

Storyline

The carpenter Jesus of Nazareth, tormented by the temptations of demons, the guilt of making crosses for the Romans, pity for men and the world, and the constant call of God, sets out to find what God wills for him. But as his mission nears fulfillment, he must face the greatest temptation: the normal life of a good man. Based, not on the Gospels, but on Nikos Kazantzakis' novel of the same name.

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Plot Keywords:

temptation | cross | roman | blood spatter | hypocrisy | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 September 1988 (Netherlands)

Also Known As:

Passion

Filming Locations:

Ait Benhaddou, Ouarzazate, Morocco

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$8,373,585 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Cineplex Odeon Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

164 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

As of January 2002 the film cannot be shown on public television in Bulgaria. The National Television had scheduled it for showing but the Bulgarian Orthodox Church managed to get a forbidding order and the Council of Electronic Media banned it.

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Goofs

The onscreen crawl at the beginning of the film misquotes the preface to Kazantzakis' novel by misspelling the word "principal" as "principle": "My principle anguish and the source of all my joys and sorrows from my youth..." A number of critics noted the error at the time of the film's release, but it has not been corrected for any of the home video versions.

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Quotes

Jesus: Brothers, my old friends! Listen to me! It's me the prophets preached about. God talked to me in the desert; he gave me a secret and told me to bring it to you. Didn't you hear me coming? I ran here to Nazareth, where I grew up, to bring you the news. The word of God is here now.
Voice in Crowd: You work miracles. Make a miracle for us. Make us believe in you. Otherwise, go away.
Jesus: The Messiah doesn't need miracles. He is the miracle. Now he's here. Are you ready for me? I'm here to tear down everything around ...

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Crazy Credits

During the end credits, Peter Gabriel, composer for the film, credits all the people that used instruments for the music.

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Connections

Featured in Indie Sex: Censored (2007)

User Reviews

Scorsese and Kazantzakis ask the right questions.

If you want a new perspective on an old story this film is for you. I can see why so many devout christians were upset about this film because it really presents a Jesus that is threatnig to traditional beliefs. If you have read Kazantzakis' novel the intro outlines he true nature of this story. It deal primaraly with the idea of being both human and god and what kind of implications that might have had on Jesus as an individual. Scorsese shows us Jesus' personal stuggle to try and deny his importance as he wants to reced into the life of a normal person. At no time did Scorsese or Kazantzakis claim this story to be anything but fiction, however it does make you wonder about the psyche of "the christ."