The Last Temptation of Christ
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The Last Temptation of Christ

Year:
Duration:
164 min
Genres:
Drama
IMDB rate:
7.6
Director:
Martin Scorsese
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 5 nominations
Details
Country: USA
Release Date: 1988-09-22
Filming Locations: Ait Benhaddou, Morocco
Earnings
Budget: $7,000,000
Opening Weekend: $401,211 (USA) (14 August 1988)
Gross: DEM 1,647,309 (USA) (14 December 1988)
Cast
Actor
Character
Randy Danson
Randy Danson
The Last Temptation of Christ
Alan Rosenberg
Alan Rosenberg
The Last Temptation of Christ
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
Robert Spafford
Man At Wedding
Doris von Thury
Woman with Mary, Mother of Jesus (as Doris Von Thury)
Tomas Arana
Lazarus
Del Russel
Money Changer
Nehemiah Persoff
Rabbi
Donald Hodson
Saducee
Harry Dean Stanton
Saul
Peter Berling
Beggar
David Bowie
Pontius Pilate
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
Mary Seller
People at Sermon
Donna Magnani
Crowd Member (voice) (as Donna Marie)
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) (as Jonathon Zhivago)
Illeana Douglas
Crowd Member (voice)
David 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
Rod Dana
Soldier. (uncredited)
Leo Marks
Satan
Did you know?
Trivia
Universal Pictures agreed to produce the film if Scorsese then did a commercial film. That was Cape Fear (1991).
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Ed Harris was considered for the role of Jesus.
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When the film was finally green-lit in the mid-1980 Martin Scorsese offered the role of Jesus to Aidan Quinn who had initially been cast during a previous attempt to make the film. Scorsese then considered both Eric Roberts and Christopher Walken before casting Willem Dafoe.
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Goofs
The film opens with a printed text, translated from the writings of Nikos Kazantzakis. It contains the line "My principle anguish and source of all my joys and sorrows from my youth onward has been the incessant, merciless battle between the spirit and the flesh." The word "principle" is used incorrectly, the correct context is "principal." This mistake has not been corrected in any home video release despite being widely noted ever since the movie first came out.
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Camera shadow is cast over Jesus and other characters just before he is baptized by John The Baptist.
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The state of Mary Magdalene's robe when confronted by Jesus at the beginning.
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Quotes
John The Baptist: God demands anger!
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Jesus: [Opening lines] The feeling begins. Very tender, very loving. Then the pain starts. Claws slip underneath the skin and tear their way up. Just before they reach my eyes, they dig in. And I remember. First I fasted for three months. I even whipped myself before I went to sleep. At first it worked. Then the pain came back. And the voices. They call me by name. Jesus.
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Jesus: [men are grabbing him, demanding a miracle] Don't touch me! You're filled with hate, get away! God won't help you!
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Faq
Q
Is this film based on the Bible? Can it be considered an adaptation of the Bible?
A
Yes and no.The film is based on the novel by Nikos Kazantzakis which itself was based on the stories of the Gospels.There is a disclaimer at the beginning of the film that explicitly states that the film is not based on the Gospels and departs from the commonly accepted Biblical portrayal of Jesus.Therefore, the film is NOT an adaptation of the Biblical stories of Jesus, but more a religious parable about the struggle between temptations and personal responsibility.
Q
Why was this film controversial?
A
At the time it came out The Last Temptation of Christ generated a lot of controversy from religious groups, most of whom had not watched the film. Some of the gnostic elements of the film, which suggest that Jesus was tempted by earthly desires such as lust, anger and fear, generated a lot of controversy.The film's final act, which depicts a hallucination that Jesus has while dying on the cross, is widely considered the main source of the controversy surrounding the film. He pictures his life as it would have played out had he NOT died on the cross; namely, it depicts his fathering children first with Mary Magdalene and then Mary of Bethany. The depiction of Jesus as having a sexual relationship with Mary Magdalene outraged the film's critics.More can be read about it here.
Q
Was Nikos Kazantzakis a Christian? Is Martin Scorsese?
A
Nikos Kazantzakis, the man who wrote the novel that this film is based on, considered himself an agnostic as he did not subscribe to any religious dogma. However, he was known as a deeply spiritual man who was constantly searching for answers to metaphysical and existential questions. He searched for answers not by becoming a religious man but by traveling all over the world and exposing himself to a variety of opinion, cultures, and religions.Martin Scorsese was raised in a devout Catholic household, but he has described himself as a "lapsed Catholic." He has said that there's no way he could escape his upbringing, and the effect of this upbringing can be seen in all of his films, none more so than this film.
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Photos from cast
Randy Danson Alan Rosenberg
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