Episode 80: The Last Temptation of Christ

2 Responses to “Episode 80: The Last Temptation of Christ”

1. 

   Bob K March 5, 2013 at 7:18 pm #

   Great show as always. Very thought-provoking and celebratory of both Christ and cinema. As proof, here are some thoughts that were provoked:

   Firstly, you’ve probably looked this up by now but the story with the hanging is “Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce, which has been adapted several times, most famously on _Alfred Hitchcock Presents_, and is considered seminal to a lot of movies that it would be a spoiler to list.

   Second, a big question I think of when I see an “Owl Creek” story is “How much does this experience matter?” The rope is going to pull taught regardless of what the hanged man does, after all. In _Last Temptation_, however, there’s not only the fact that he could walk off the cross at any point (which this film illustrates so vividly), there’s also the metaphysical point that if God has a dream, is that less real then our reality? When Willem-Jesus changes his mind on his death bed, is he really just changing his mind back on the cross or is he actually re-writing the whole story? In which case the Paul we see isn’t just a supposition, he’s a real man who plants a seed of doubt (or is it faith?) that literally changes the world. I don’t think there’s an answer to that, but I think the question is there.

   Third, I can’t think of that section of _Last Temptation_ anymore without thinking of _Donnie Darko_. Just a fact.

   Fourth, and this one is less related, I love how the “angel devil” illustrates that, once you start accepting convenient logical arguments without properly examining them, you can stray further and further from yourself, as Willem-Jesus does when he starts sleeping with his wife’s sister. If anyone’s wife or partner suspects them of adultery in their heart, I strongly suggest trying out the “There are not many women…there is one woman, with many faces” line if you’d like to get a truly righteous punch in the face.

   Last, I need to see the film again to be sure, but I think that the city which is burning is Jerusalem, as it did historically about that time. This by the way is described excellently in the fascinating book _Rome Vs. Jerusalem_, which explores how the antipathy of pagan Rome for the Jews was replaced by an opposite but strangely equal one on the part of Papal Rome.

   That’s it. Found myself agreeing with you guys more than usual. Though I think, whatever else you say about Keitel’s performance, that wig was an enormous mistake.

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2. 

   Nathan Johnson March 8, 2013 at 11:38 am #

   “I think my faith is strong enough to withstand some sacrilege.”

   I like that courageous attitude. I wish more would adopt it. In my case, it was difficult for me to step outside of a fundamentalist mindset—and I didn’t choose to watch R-rated movies until I was 23. The Last Temptation of Christ, which I found both engaging and spiritually enriching upon that initial viewing, was one of the first among those movies.

   With regard the discussion about Biblical authenticity, in the same way, I wish more Christians would not only read their Bibles from beginning to end (in my experience, very few have); but more importantly, I wish more would take the time to examine the cultural and historical context under which it was written. For example, understanding Yahweh’s roots in Caananite polytheism provides some perspective as to this deity’s violent and jealous nature in the Old Testament. In the case of The Last Temptation of Christ, it’s helpful to understand the varying perspectives of the Gospel writers. Intentional or not, I can’t help but feel that Martin Scorsese portrayed the Jesus of Mark—a decidedly human Jesus struggling with his own humanity—as opposed to the Messianic Jesus of Matthew, the prophetic Jesus of Luke, or the man-God of John.

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