It's been years since I've watched Scorsese's Last Temptation, and Joyce was keen to see firsthand what all the controversy was about. She had a very religious upbringing which extended well into her adult life and is well versed in bible stories, so it was very enlightening to have her alongside to separate "fact" from fiction for me.
The film begins with Jesus' adult life as a carpenter and follows his progression from self-realization as an unlikely messiah to death on the cross. However it's the balance between human and divine that Scorsese seemed most eager to explore and he did so by filtering the story through the interrelationships of Jesus with Mary Magdelene and Judas, brilliantly played by Willem Dafoe, Barbara Hershey and Harvey Keitel, respectively.
The story travels through several familar biblical events, all depicted with a gritty, human reality, to the inevitable, gruelling crucifixion (no whistling here, folks). But it was the subsequent coda of the last temptation that enraged Christian zealots the world over. I won't spoil it for those who have yet to see the film but, if you have any interest in Christianity, it deserves to be seen. Based on Joyce's reaction, chances are you won't be offended regardless which side of the theological fence you sit on.
The DVD ain't no Blu-ray but, as always, Criterion does a fine job, and the disc includes a very informative commentary among other features.
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