THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST
Martin Scorsese
1988

Like all adaptations of the Gospel to film Scorsese borrows from, adds to and subtracts from scripture. The key in all of these film is in what ways the directors modify the story. In the case of The Last Temptation of Christ the changes were bound to rile some feathers upon release.

Notes
The Last Temptation of Christ

Anyone attempting to present the story of the Gospels through film must
first determine whether they are going to stick with the script or
whether they are going to make modifications to emphasize a specific
aspect of Christ's life.

If a director decides to stick to a script then he will ultimately need
to pick one of the four Gospels to be his guide; merge key elements of
all the Gospels together; or create a Gospel of his own.

Films like Pasolinis "Gospel According to St. Matthew" or the more
recent release of Philip Saville's "The Gospel of John" attempt to stick
to the Biblical script.

Films like Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ" take one portion of
Christs life and then grow a script around that moment. In the case of
Gibson's film there is plenty of artistic license taken; to such an
extent that it distorts Biblical truth.

In Scorcese's case he has done away with Biblical truth, nearly
altogether. While the Gospels are a resource for this film, they are
not the text from which the film is based. Any time we get a
re-presenting of the Gospels this goes whole heartedly against Paul's
comman not to add to nor take away from scripture.

To this some argue that in film artistic license is allowed. What I see
in films like the Last Temptation is that people are interested in
Christ. People have developed misconceptions of Christ. People have
sought to make Christ their own and in doing so discredited the Gospel.

The Last Temptation of Christ offers some very real questions. In it
there is a very frank portrayal of Christ's relationship with his
disciples and others around him. While the film moves presents another
gospel, the historical narrative, the events occurring in the film are
still drawn from the traditional script.

And now my notes on the film.

Mixed in with the Biblical narrative are other ideas baked up by Nikos
Kazantzakis and featured in his fictional account called The Last
Temptation of Christ.

Kazantzakis - "The dual substance of Christ - the yearning, so human, so
superhuman, of man to attain God. has always been a deep mystery to me."

Notable difference between Christ's will and that of God the father.

Scorcese employs Rosselini style shooting.
Taking advantage of the look of acertain part of the world.
In this case shot in Morocco.

The Gospel according to Scorcese and Kazantzakis.
Borrows from a number of historical sources including traditional
Gospels.
The work loosely uses the shell of the traditional Jesus story.
For the most part this is an extra-biblical rendering.
The movie does not claim to be a reflection of the actual synoptic
Gospels as witness by the.

Disclaimer.
This film is not based upon the Gospels but upon this fictional
exploration to the eternal spiritual conflict.

Peter Gabriel's lush soundtrack employing indigenous music from the
region is one of the highlights of this film. In part the impetus to
start the Real World label.

As an aside, I had sat down with John Lurie, who plays James, not long
after the release of the film. He was out promoting the Lounge Lizards
release at that time, but we did discuss "Last Temptation" a bit. He
talked about how Scorsese brought in all these indigenous musicians who
were staying in tents in the Moroccan desert where they were shooting.
At night Lurie would hop from tent to tent with his saxophone performing
with some of these groups. I think the soundtrack to this movie,
particularly the CD that was released strictly comprised of the
indigenous tracks, is very powerful.

Let's dive into the movie. I identify the chapter titles as indicated
on the DVD.

The Feeling Begins

Opens with Jesus (Willem Dafoe) laying on the sand.
Thinking to himself - "the feeling begins tender, loving; then the pain
starts claws digging in."

<Paul Schrader - Jesus with the ultimate headache.>

Jesus the carpenter making the cross for the Romans.
Judas - "You are a Jew killing Jews."
Judas - "How will you pay for your sins?"
Jesus - "With my life for I have nothing else."

Jesus - "Please I beg you Judas don't get in the way."

Condemned to Die

Jesus carving the cross for a man guilty of prophesying the coming of a
Messiah.
Woman spits in Jesus' face because he is supporting the Roman effort.

.condemned for sedition, lifting hand against Rome, rallying the people
to revolution, promising that a messiah would come from among the people
to rise up and destroy Rome..condemned to die by Rome and all the gods
of Rome.

Magdelene

Jesus with mother.
Arguing if the voice inside is God or the devil.

Christ by the water.
The veiled women.
In the city where sin is rampant.
Christ encounters a man whom he questions first.
The man then leads him to the den of the prostitute Mary Magdelene
(Barbara Hershey).
He waits - not for a turn with her - but to go speak with her.

Again, the myth of Magdalene as prostitute is perpetuated.

I need you to forgive me.

Magdelene - "What are you doing here?"
Jesus - "I want you to forgive me. Before I go."
Magdelene - "It's not that easy."
Jesus - "God can save you. He can take you away from this."

Jesus - "I'll pay my debt."
Magdelene - "Pay it and go away."

Magdelene - "You want to save my soul - (bares breasts) this is where
you'll find it.
You're the same as all the others only you
can't admit it. You're pitiful.
I hate you. Here's my body.save it."
Jesus refuses her.
She responds - "Is that the way you show you're a man?"

She stays with him.
Magdalene - "I do remember when we were children.
Never have I felt so much tenderness as I did to
you then.
All I wanted was you and nothing else."
Jesus still a virgin.

The tattoos on Magdelenes hands are another touch related to the culture
and history.

The Master

Jesus to the desert.
To the Essenes.
Shown a hut.
Man - "I know who you are."
Sleeps.
In the morning.
The dead master of the monastery is the same man who had appeared to
Christ.
Other man - "His spirit recognized you - you are blessed -
God makes himself known to you - sometimes I
think I feel him but."
Jesus - "Do you think it's a blessing to know what God wants?"

Jesus - "I'm a hypocrite, a liar, prideful - I don't steal, fight,
lie, kill because I am
afraid - I want to rebel against everything, against
God but I am afraid..You
want to know who my God is - fear - you look inside
me and that is all you
will find."

Jesus - "Lucifer is inside me. He says to me, 'You're not the son
of King David.
You're not a man. You're the son of man. And more.
The son of God.
And more than that God."

Purified

Cobra appears in Christ's tent.

Jesus - thoughts - 'Everything is from God. Everything has two
meanings.'

Man - "You have been purified. God has blessed you.
Now you have to go back and speak to people. Do you
love mankind"

Jesus - "I see men and I feel sorry for them."

Judas (Harvey Keitel) appears - "I have orders to kill you."

Jesus - "Here's my neck. Cut it."
Judas - "What kind of man are you?"

That's really what this movie seeks to explore.
What kind of man was Jesus? Emphasis on the man.
If he was fully man, wouldn't he be tempted like all men?
Since all men are tempted with sexual sin, would not Christ too have
been tempted by this?
This is the thought process this film follows.

Judas - "Tell me your secret."
Jesus - "Pity.pity for men. Everything is a part of God."
Judas - "You're not afraid of dying."
Jesus - "Death is a door that opens." (A very Universalist
notion.)
Judas - "If I don't kill you then what?"
Jesus - "I will speak to people."
Judas - "What will you say?"
Jesus - "I will open my mouth and let God do the talking."
<pause>
Jesus - "Maybe God didn't send you here to kill me.
Maybe he sent you here to follow me."

The Sermon on the Mount

Judas - "If you stray from the path I will kill you."

Men dragging Magdelene by the hair. About to stone her.

Jesus - "I don't want this." - "Who has never sinned? Who? Which
one of you
people has never sinned? Whoever that is come up
here and throw
these (stones)"

Jesus - thinking - 'What if I say the wrong thing?....What if I say the
right thing?'

Parable of the seed.

Jesus - "What are you hungry for? What are you thirsty for? For
justice. For respect."

Scoffers. Some call him a lunatic. Some laugh. Some misunderstand.

The Foundation

Calling of the disciples.

Judas - "I'm not like these other men. They're good men - but they're
weak. Look at me.If I love someone I'd die for them. If I hate someone
I'll kill them.The other day you said if a man hits you you'd turn the
other cheek. Only an angel could do that.or a dog."

Jesus - "We both want the same thing"
Judas - "We both want freedom for Israel."
Jesus - "No. I want freedom for the soul."
Judas - "That's what I can't accept. That's not the same thing.first
you free the body then you free the spirit. The Romans come first. You
don't build a house from the roof down. You build it from the
foundation up"
Jesus - "The foundation is the soul."
Judas - "The foundation is the body. That's where you must begin."
Jesus - "No. If you don't replace the spirit first and change what's
inside then you're only going to replace the Romans with someone else
and nothing ever changes. Even if you're victorious you'll still be
filled with the poison. You've got to break the chain of evil."
Judas - "How do you change then?"
Jesus - "With love."

Close knit relationship between Jesus and Judas from the beginning.

Judas - "The zealots ordered me to kill you."
Jesus - "What made you change your mind?"
Judas - "I decided to wait. I thought maybe you were the one.to unite
us."
Jesus - "How could I be the Messiah? When those people were torturing
Magdeline I wanted to kill them.yet when I opened my mouth.out came the
word Love."

Part of being human is temptation.is fear. But would God have given
himself up to that to experience as man?

Christ bites from an apple. (Symbollic of Adam?)

John the Baptist

Music stirring people into a frenzy. Bodies flailing. Ecstatic
experience at the water. Firy "preaching" of John the Baptist.

John The Baptist - "Who are you?" in anger
Jesus - "Do you recognize me?"
JTB - "Who are you?" in confusion
Jesus - "Do you know the prophets? What does Isaiah say?"
JTB - "He says prepare the way of the Lord. Are you telling me that's
you?"
Jesus - "I don't know - tell me." - doubt
JTB - "Why are you here?"
Jesus - "To be baptized."
JTB - "No. I don't dare. If you're the master then you have to baptize
me."
Jesus - "Baptize me." - commands

later.

JTB - "love is sweet as honey, but it's also blood"
Jesus - "but isn't love enough"
JTB - "No. Look at the world around you plague, war, corruption, false
prophets, false idols, worship of gold - nothing is of value. The tree
is rotten - you've got to take the axe and cut it down."
Jesus - "If I was a woodcutter I'd cut; if I was a fire I'd burn; but
I'm a heart so I love and that's all I can do."
JTB - "I'm a heart also, but I can't love what is unjust.on the day of
the Lord, blood will come from wood."

The questions posed in ACTS - and the answers that Paul gives are not
understood. We see this in the screenplay for this interpretation of
the life of Christ.

JTB - "The God of Israel is the God of the desert. If you want to speak
to Him you'll have to go to the desert."
Jesus - "Thank you baptist."
JTB - "Be careful. God isn't alone out there."

Judas has been observing this exchange.

Speak To Me In Human Words

Jesus in the Desert

Draws circle in the sand.

Jesus - "Whatever path you want I will take - love - or the axe - or
anthing else.you have to tell me."

Snake comes into the circle. - "I feel sorry for you..Why are you trying
to save the world? Aren't your own sins enough for you? The
arrogance." - tempts with woman, family.

Jesus - "After ten days the hunger went away."

Lion approaches him - tempts with might.

Jesus - "I never wanted a kingdom on earth. The kingdom of heaven is
enough."

Fire appears. - tempts with ruler over living and dead.

The apple which drips blood.

Satan - "We'll see each other again."

Apparation of the axe - of JTB - "take the axe. Take this message to
everyone." - chops down the tree of the fruit of temptation.

Return From The Desert

Appears to Mary and Martha. News that the Baptist is dead.

The disciples waiting. Starting to show remorse. Longing for past
life.

"The words are still important." "Why?" "Because people believe
them.What if he IS the Messiah?"

Judas - "Peter. You're as steady and solid as a rock. No one can
change your mind. What good are you?"

Jesus returns.

Jesus "John baptized with water and they killed him. I baptize with
fire."

Jesus - "I have an invitation for you.I'm not inviting you to a
celebration. I am inviting you to a war."

Jesus pulls out his heart.

Jesus - "This is my heart. Take it. God is inside of us. The devil is
outside us in the world all around us. We'll pick up an axe and cut the
devils throat. We'll fight him wherever he is - in the sick; in the
rich; even in the temple. I'll lead you. If you have sheep give them
away. If you have a family leave them."

Jesus - "I believed in love. Now I believe in this." - holds up axe

Casting Out Devils and Working Cures

Casting out demons. Healing the blind. Performing all sorts of
miracles.

Jesus at the wedding at Caana. Water turned into wine.

Rejected At Nazareth

Addresses the men of Nazareth.

"Make a miracle for us. Make us believe in you."

Jesus - "I'm here to tear down everything around you and replace it with
a world of God."

"Go home. You're a demon. You're possessed. Get away from here."

On the road to Jerusalem. Mary approaches, "Jesus, come home."
Jesus - "I don't have a mother. I have a father in heaven. Who are
you? I mean really.who are you?"

Lazarus

Intense wailing. Disciples roll away stone. All cover mouths because
of the stench.

A bit more anger behind the actions of Jesus. Even in the waking of
Lazarus.

Hand laced with rigamortis reaches out. Jesus pulls on the hand. The
man comes out. The hands return to normal. The man embraces Jesus.

The Saint of Blasphemy

Jerusalem

Detail of scene in Jerusalem. The selling of pigeons (for sacrifice)
the blood rolling from the temple (from sacrifice).

Jesus - "We came here to pray.look at this." - commenting about the
money changers
Goes into a rage turning over the tables . Throwing money.
Jesus - "This is my father's house. It is a place of worship.not a
market."
Jesus - "God doesn't need a palace. He doesn't need Cyprus trees or
dead animals. He doesn't need shekels."
Jesus - "I'm throwing away the law. I have a new law and a new hope."

Priest - "Has God changed his mind about the old law?"
Jesus - "No. He just thinks our hearts are ready for something more
that's all."
Jesus - "I am the end of the old law and the beginning of the new one."
Jesus - "Didn't they tell you. I'm the saint of blasphemy. Don't make
any mistakes. I didn't come here to bring piece. I came to bring a
sword..this temple will be torn down in three days. There won't be one
stone left to build with..God belongs to the whole world.You think
you're special (addressing priest) God is not an Israelite."

The Shadow of the Cross

Saul confronts Judas.

Saul and Lazarus.
Saul - "Which is better - death or life?"
Lazarus - "I was a little surprised. There wasn't that much
difference."
Saul kills Lazarus. Destroys the evidence in a sense.

Jesus tells Judas of vision with Isaiah
About lamb led to slaughter.
Judas - "Now you have to die? What good will that do?"
Jesus - "I have to die on the cross and I have to die willingly."
Judas - "You have to die on the cross and what then?"
Jesus - "I come back to judge the living and the dead."

Disciples talk of setting up a new government; of ability to worship
freely; of fear of being persecuted themselves; of uncertainty of what
Christ will do.

King of the Jews

Enter the King of the Jews on donkey. People waving palm fronds.

This tale borrows strongly from the traditional Gospels.

Difference here in that Jesus gets off the donkey and begins destroying
the merchant stands and money changing station.

Waiting For The Sign

Jesus - "I'm here to set fire to the world.God is here. I'm here. And
I'm going to baptize everybody with fire."

It is out of violence that he draws the attention and is arrested -
versus out of peace and prayer in the Gospels.

The disciples plead for him to take up the sword. "We came to fight -
not to die."
Judas - "You knew it would be like this. Do it." - Jesus' hands bleed.
Jesus - "Judas. Stay with me. Don't leave me."

Escape from the crowds.

Jesus - "I wish there was another way. I'm sorry but there isn't."

Jesus - "You once told me if I moved one step from revolution you would
kill me.You have to keep your promise. You have to kill me."

Judas does not want to follow through with this, "If you were me could
you betray your master."

Jesus - "No. That's why God gave me the easier job. To be crucified."

The Last Supper

Blowing of the shofar - signification of the Passover. Lamb being
sacrificed. Symbolism. Ritual cleansing in baths. Bloodied robes -
spattering blood at each doorway.

Jesus and disciples gathered for meal. Historically correct setting and
placement of people. The women - Mary, Martha, Magdeline and Mary
(mother) - are also at the table.
Take this bread.now drink this wine.

Judas takes leave.

Jesus, "Let him go..I want to tell you something."

Do I Have To Die

Gethsemane. Jesus, "Wait for me here.."

Jesus - "Father in heaven. Father on earth. The world that you created
that we can see is beautiful. The world that you created that we can't
see is beautiful too. I'm sorry father that I can't see which is more
beautiful."

Jesus - "I never asked you to choose me. I always did as you said. .
Now you're asking me to be crucified. Now I'm asking one last time do I
have to die."

John (?) - "Is this your answer?"
Jesus - "Alright but please give me the strength."

Judas - "Welcome rabbi." - kiss.

Pontius Pilate

PP - "So you are the King of the Jews."
Jesus - "King is your word."
PP - "You are Jesus of Nazareth?"
Jesus - "Yes. I am."
PP - "Well that's what they are saying. You are the king.the Messiah.
They also say that you do miracles. Is this good magic or bad magic?
Could we have some kind of a demonstration. Can you do a trick for me
now, see?"
Jesus - "No. I'm not a trained animal. I'm not a magician."
PP - "That's disappointing. This means you're just another Jewish
politician."

The interchange between PP (Bowie) and Jesus reminds me of how there are
those who attempt to buy into the Jesus philosophy - without accepting
Jesus as truly being God.

PP - "You do understand what has to happen. We have a space for you on
Golgotha."

Jesus is beaten.

The beating is brutal. The scene is short. The crowns are long - again
historically accurate.

Golgotha

The crowds.

Peter denies Christ thrice.

Arial view of Christ carrying the cross bar. The mocking, toothless
grins of those in the street. The veiled women turn their eyes.

Golgotha. Looks more like the research drawings presented on Discovery.
Less like the crosses of standard Hollywood fair.

Jesus - thought - "Mother. I'm sorry for being a bad son."

The method on which he is bound to the cross again historically correct
according to research.

Jesus - "Father forgive them." - thunder

Why Have You Forsaken Me

Wind storm.

Jesus - yells - "Father. Why have you forsaken me?"

Storm calms.

There is a girl at his feet. "I am the angel who guards you. "He's
tested you and he's happy with you." "Let him die in a dream - but let
him live his life." The girl/angel removes the crown and the nails.

Jesus - "I don't have to be sacrificed" A - "No. No you don't."
Jesus - "I'm not the Messiah." A - "No. No you're not."

The angel is really Satan. Tempting Christ into a normal life as a man.

The World of God

The angel walks him into nature to survey a beautiful landscape.
Jesus marries Magdelene. She nurses his wounds from the cross.
Love scene with the savior. Magdelene conceives.
She is struck dead by God.
Jesus takes an axe.
A - "What are you going to do? Are you going to kill God?"
Takes axe to the earth.

There's Only One Woman In The World

A - "There's only one woman in the world. One woman with many faces.
One woman with many faces." - tells him that Mary (Lazarus' sister) now
carries his son.

A - "This is the way the savior comes. Gradually, from place to place -
from son to son."

Mary and Martha - Is it really you? He's real like us. They cook for
him and the Angel.

Jesus returns to carpentry. The angel stays and attends to him. He has
children with Mary.

Jesus - "I'm ashamed when I think of all the mistakes I've made.of all
the wrong ways I've looked for God."

He lays with Martha as well. There are many children.

Paul

Jesus steps away to see the speaker.

Paul is preaching in the square. "I was one of the worst sinners. I
lied, I stole, I cheated, I killed anyone who broke the law of Moses and
I enjoyed it. Because I thought I was doing God's will. And on the
road to Damascus."

Position Paul like a street preacher. More car salesman/traveling
medicine show than.

Jesus - "Did you ever see this Jesus of Nazareth with your own eyes." -
"He's a liar."

Encounter between Jesus and Paul.

Jesus - "Don't go around telling lies about me."

P - "Do you see how unhappy they are? Do you see how much they are
suffering? Their only hope is the resurrected Jesus."

P - "I created the truth out of what people needed and believed. If I
have to crucify you to save the world then I will crucify you. And if I
have to resurrect you then I'll do that too, whether you like it or
not."

Jesus - "I won't let you. I'll tell everyone the truth."

P - "You don't know how much people need God. . People will do anything
for Jesus Christ. . My Jesus is much more important - much more
powerful."

Moving On

The aged Jesus. The angel is still in attendance.
Jesus - "Remember when Mary and I planted these vines?"
A - "You know this will all pass."
Jesus - "Are you leaving me?"
A - "We have to move on."

The siege of Jerusalem by the Romans.

Christ the old man on his death bed. Peter and Nathaniel and John
appear to him.
Peter - "God told us you were here."
Peter - "They destroyed the temple just as you said."
Judas also comes.
Judas - "Traitor! Your place was on the cross. That's where God put
you. . We did what we were supposed to do - you didn't."
J - "I don't understand?"
Judas - "Rabbi, you broke my heart. . I am the lamb, you said. . And I
loved you so much - I went and betrayed you. . What business do you
have being here? . What's good for a man is not good for God. . He
was going to be the new covenant, now there is no more Israel."

The angel - was really Satan - "I told you we would meet again."

Judas - "If you die this way there is no salvation."

It Is Accomplished

Jesus - "Father take me back."

Return to the cross. To the weeping. To the pain.

Jesus - "It is accomplished."

Closes eye.

Credits Roll

Scorcese's Research
Scorcese looked to Art, Books, Magazine Articles, and other Films,
mostly Biblical Epics.

Painting - Bossch - "The Ghent Christ Carrying the Cross (Ecce homo)"
Painting - Messina - "Crucifixion"
Painting - Rembrandt - various Passover paintings

Magazine - Biblical Archaeology Review - "Crucifixion - The
Archeological Evidence," Vassilios Tzaferis, vol xi, no 1, jan/feb '85
Magazine - National Geographic - Oct '85 - inspiration for tattoo
designs on Magdelene

Book - Life of Appolonius of Tyana, Philostratus, trans. FC Conybeare
Book - New Testament, Challoner-Rheims version
Book - Revolution in Judea: Jews and the Jewish Resistance, Hyam
Maccoby, Taplinger Pub, '73
Book - New English Bible: New Testament, Oxford Univ Press, 1961
Book - Jesus the Jew: A Historian's Reading of the Gospels, Geza Vermes,
Fortress Press, 1973
Book - To Change The World: Christology and Cultural Criticism, Rosemary
Ruether, 1981
Book - The Gnostic Gospels, Elaine Pagels, Random house, 1979
Book - The History of Ancient Israel, Michael Grant, Scribner's Sons,
1984
Book - The Bible as History, 2nd Rev Ed, Werner Keller, 1980
Book - Handbook of Life in Bible Times, JA Thompson, Intervarsity Press,
1986

Film - Piero Pasolini's "Gospel According to St. Matthew" 1964
Film - Barabas, 1962, Richard Fleischer
Film - The Bible.In The Beginning, John Huston, 1977
Film - The Greatest Story Ever Told, 1965, George Stevens
Film - King of Kings, 1927, Cecil B DeMille
Film - King of Kings, 1961, Nicholas Ray
Film - Quo Vadis, 1951, Mervyn Leroy
Film - The Robe, 1953, Henry Koster