The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)

May 28, 1988 (US) • Drama • 164m

Overview

Jesus, a humble Judean carpenter beginning to see that he is the son of God, is drawn into revolutionary action against the Roman occupiers by Judas -- despite his protestations that love, not violence, is the path to salvation. The burden of being the savior of mankind torments Jesus throughout his life, leading him to doubt.

Director

Martin Scorsese

Writers

Nikos Kazantzakis, Paul Schrader, Jay Cocks

Top Billed

Willem Dafoe

Keywords

christianity traitor roman crucifixion longing moral conflict easter spirituality cross temptation mary magdalene jesus christ antiquity jesus

Where to watch

Rent

Buy

Top Billed Cast

Willem Dafoe

Jesus

Harvey Keitel

Judas

Paul Greco

Zealot

Steve Shill

Centurian

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

Andre Gregory

John the Baptist

Peggy Gormley

Martha, Sister of Lazarus

Randy Danson

Mary, Sister of Lazarus

Robert Spafford

Man at Wedding

Doris von Thury

Woman with Mary, Mother of Jesus

Tomas Arana

Lazarus / Crowd Member

Alan Rosenberg

Thomas, Apostle

Del Russel

Money Changer

Nehemiah Persoff

Rabbi

Donald Hodson

Saducee

Harry Dean Stanton

Paulus

Peter Berling

Beggar

David Bowie

Pontius Pilatus

Juliette Caton

Girl Angel

Mohammed Mabsout

Other Apostles

Ahmed Nacir

Other Apostles

Mokhtar Salouf

Other Apostles

Mahamed Ait Fdil Ahmed

Other Apostles

Russel Case

People at Sermon

Wanja Mary Sellers

People at Sermon

Donna Magnani

Crowd Member (voice)

Penny Brown

Crowd Member (voice)

Gabi Ford

Crowd Member (voice)

Dale Wyatt

Crowd Member (voice)

Domenico Fiore

Crowd Member (voice)

Ted Rusoff

Crowd Member (voice)

Leo Damian

Crowd Member (voice)

Robert Laconi

Crowd Member (voice)

Jonathan Zhivago

Crowd Member (voice)

Illeana Douglas

Crowd Member (voice)

D.J. Sharp

Crowd Member (voice)

Khalid Benghrib

Dancer

Redouane Farhane

Dancer

Fabienne Panciatili

Dancer

Naima Skikes

Dancer

Souad Rahal

Dancer

Otmane Chbani Idrissi

Dancer

Jamal Belkhayat

Dancer

Giovanni Cianfriglia

Roman Soldier (uncredited)

Martin Scorsese

Isaiah (uncredited)

Crew

Martin Scorsese

Director

Nikos Kazantzakis

Novel

Paul Schrader

Screenplay

Barbara De Fina

Producer

Harry J. Ufland

Executive Producer

Peter Gabriel

Original Music Composer

Michael Ballhaus

Director of Photography

Thelma Schoonmaker

Editor

Cis Corman

Casting

Laura Fattori

Production Manager

Joseph P. Reidy

First Assistant Director

Fabio Jephcott

Second Assistant Director

Ahmed Hatimi

Second Assistant Director

Julie Alter

Additional Casting

Geraldine Peroni

First Assistant Editor

Philip Stockton

Supervising Dialogue Editor

Todd Kasow

Music Supervisor

Jeffrey Stern

Sound Editor

Thomas A. Gulino

Sound Editor

Ron Bochar

Foley Supervisor

Eliza Paley

Foley Editor

Gail Showalter

Foley Editor

Steven Visscher

Foley Editor

Marc S. Shaw

ADR Editor

Lisa J. Levine

ADR Editor

Bruce Pross

First Assistant Sound Editor

Ron Bochar

Foley Artist

Douglas Murray

Sound Recordist

Mario Tursi

Still Photographer

Florian Ballhaus

First Assistant Camera

Amelio Verona

Sound Mixer

Rachel Griffiths

Script Supervisor

John Frankish

Assistant Art Director

Alberto Tosto

Assistant Set Decoration

Elio Altamura

Property Master

Bona Nasalli-Rocca

Wardrobe Supervisor

Manlio Rocchetti

Makeup Supervisor

Luigi Rocchetti

Makeup Artist

Mario Michisanti

Makeup Artist

Maurizio Silvi

Makeup Artist

Zhor Bennani

Assistant Makeup Artist

Aldo Signoretti

Hair Supervisor

Mirella Ginnoto

Hairstylist

Claudia Bianchi

Hair Assistant

Ferdinando Merolla

Hair Assistant

Zineb Bendoula

Hair Assistant

Sergio Serantoni

Key Grip

Jay Cocks

Additional Writing

Martin Scorsese

Additional Writing

Skip Lievsay

Supervising Sound Editor

John Beard

Production Design

Andrew Sanders

Art Direction

Giorgio Desideri

Set Decoration

Jean-Pierre Delifer

Costume Design

Tom Fleischman

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Orlando Ragusa

Stunts

Giovanni Cianfriglia

Stunts

Jay Cocks

Writer

Reviews

CinemaSerf

⭐ 7/10

August 20, 2024

I come to this film as a bit of an agnostic, and so I rather appreciated the innovative take on the biblical events surrounding the life of Jesus Christ. It's an excellent Willem Dafoe who takes on that role as he roams the land of Palestine trying to spread a message of love. It's clear at the start that this is not Gospel-based, and that becomes evident as his closest ally is the sceptic "Judas" (Harvey Keitel) and by the fact that he makes a living making the cross-beams for the crucifixion crosses that the Romans use to execute his fellow citizens. As the story evolves, we are introduced to the characters who ended up being his apostles and we uncover more of a man who is constantly facing temptation - of the spirit and of the flesh - at the hands of a father who seems determined to test the very fabric of his son's essence. It largely follows the well trammelled path of previous "King of Kings" style chronologies but there are plenty of variations in the detail of the characterisations and some of the more memorable quotations and "miracles" are adapted. That doesn't always work and many of the most significant phrases from Christian literature are delivered a little underwhelmingly. A bit like saying "Alas poor Yorick - he used to be a mate of mine..." sort of thing, and that's where it feels a little uncomfortably akin to "Life of Brian" (1979). It's the last forty minutes that offers us much of the potency of the film (and it's title) and that's where the story becomes much more provocative - both intellectually and physically. In hindsight, given the way the life of Jesus is continually depicted as having/living, this offers us a perfectly rational continuation of his forty day ordeal in the desert and it also imbues the man with an innate degree of humanity and frailty that I found touching and plausible. It also quite openly postulates that "God" might be vengeful, might not be this benign entity and that perhaps deities in general are a creation of mankind's necessity for hierarchy and search for an understanding of the inexplicable rather than evidentially based on some miraculously benevolent being whose love of his children (us) is boundless. Barbara Hershey provides an emotionally engaging performance as the prostitute Mary Magdalene and there's the odd laugh in here too (especially if you are named Judith) to temper the accruing intensity of the story. I didn't really love the photography, and the occasional use of slo-motion seemed a bit incongruous, but that's nit picking. It's thought-provoking regardless of whether or not you have a religious frame of mind, and though a little on the slow side out of the starting gates, matures into something that challenges established and contrary perspectives and is well worth a watch.

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Recommended Movies

The Da Vinci Code

The Passion of the Christ

Bruce Almighty

It's a Wonderful Life

Status

Released

Original Language

Budget

$7,000,000

Revenue

$33,773,585

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The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)

Nikos Kazantzakis, Paul Schrader, Jay Cocks

Where to watch

Top Billed Cast

Crew

Reviews

CinemaSerf

Recommended Movies

The Da Vinci Code

The Passion of the Christ

Bruce Almighty

It's a Wonderful Life

Status

Original Language

Budget

Revenue

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