Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7089 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-04-14
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Full Screen, PAL
• Original language: German, French, Italian, Spanish, English
• Subtitled in: German, English, Danish, Finnish, Polish, Turkish, Hungarian, Portuguese, Bulgarian, French, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, Czech
• Dubbed in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 164 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
It isn't difficult to imagine why this 1988 retelling of the Crucifixion story was picketed so vociferously on its release in the US--this Jesus bears little resemblance to the classical Christ, who was not, upon careful review of the Gospels, ever reported to have had sex with Barbara Hershey. Heavily informed by Gnostic reinterpretations of the Passion, The Last Temptation of Christ (based rather strictly on Nikos Kazantzakis's novel of the same name) is surely worth seeing for the controversy and blasphemous content alone. But the "last temptation" of the title is nothing overtly naughty--rather, it's the seduction of the commonplace; the desire to forgo following a "calling" in exchange for domestic security. Willem Dafoe interprets Jesus as spacey, indecisive and none too charismatic (though maybe that's just Dafoe himself), but his Sermon on the Mount is radiant with visionary fire; a bit less successful is method actor Harvey Keitel, who gives the internally conflicted Judas a noticeable Brooklyn accent, and doesn't bring much imagination to a role that demands a revisionist's approach. Despite director Martin Scorsese's penchant for stupid camera tricks, much of the desert footage is simply breathtaking, even on small screen. Ultimately, Last Temptation is not much more historically illuminating than Monty Python's Life of Brian, but hey, if it's authenticity you're after, try Gibbon's. --Miles Bethany

Customer Reviews

Open Minded
Anyone interested in religion and frightened off by all the negative hype when this was released should see this film. The first time I watched it, out of curiousity, and although quite lengthy, (stick with it) the last hour blew me away!
As a fan of Keitel anyway, (he plays Judas) and DeFoe, their combined presence is ample to engross the movie fan, add David Bowie's understated pilate and Peter Gabriel's score, Barbara Hershey (say no more), this is a film to be reckoned with. For those with religious views, I'd like to say that I'm a confirmed Christian, and this film played a part in strengthening my faith.
It's a profound experience...

Crispy and Spicy.....
A depiction of Christ's life including a vision of what his life might have been like had he not been crucified...(!)

As screenwriter Paul Schrader explains on the commentary track included on this disc, those who were horrified by "The Last Temptation of Christ" picked the wrong reasons. Most of the controversy focused on a scene in which Jesus and Mary Magdalene make love, but that, of course, only happens in the dying Christ's imagination, as Satan is tempting him with visions of the normal life he has given up. The real heresy in "Last Temptation" (which Schrader adapted from the novel by Nikos Kazantzakis) is its depiction of Judas as Jesus' most loving and loyal disciple, chosen for the difficult act of betrayal necessary to ensure human salvation. Nobody noticed, and so a film intended as a reverent, deeply serious exploration of faith was widely understood, for better or worse, as blasphemous.

The story explores the real life of our world...

Last Temptation of Christ
I really enjoyed this film and I recommend it to Christians and Non-Christians. I was not offended, but rather intrigued. Jesus is tempted to live a normal life and being part human, it would be a natural thing to do However, he does his duty and chooses to go back to the cross. The last scenes were tremendous.
A well acted, directed and produced film.