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| THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST (1988) |
As an exhausted, dying Jesus hangs on the cross and rejects one last elaborate temptation to renounce his role as the Son of God, I have never been more moved by a motion picture.
Martin Scorsese’s “The Last Temptation of Christ” created major controversy when it played theaters in the fall of 1988, primarily from right-wing, fundamentalist religious fanatics who missed the entire point of the film.
Led by the Rev. Donald Wildmon and the American Family Association, opponents objected to several scenes – including the film’s climax in which Jesus is tempted by Satan who appears in the form of a beautiful young girl.
In that sequence, Jesus sees what life would be like if he denied his role as Savior. He marries, has children and grows old. When Jesus rejects Satan, accepts his destiny and willingly dies on the cross to save us, Scorsese movie packs powerful jolt.
