Just saw The Last Temptation of Christ

[diebitter]

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DB, I think you should give the flick another chance. It's far from bland. Heck, it has Willem Dafoe as Christ! I could watch him boiling eggs and it would be pretty compelling.

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Indeed, which it was why it was a disappointment to me when I saw it. I couldn't believe he could be made so mundane (Defoe as an actor, I mean). I've liked Defoe ever since seeing him in a weird little biker flick called 'The Loveless'.

[Blarg]

DB, I believe this is proof that you have a gay crush on Willem Dafoe and are trying valiantly to surpress it. I urge you to give in to your love and see the movie again.

[mosta]

I like it a lot. The main negative I have with it is: Harvey Keitel. But I've always been surprized how few people share my sentiment. (eg I though his bit in Pulp fiction was sheer torture.) Maybe I have a bigotry against his speech impediment (inability to get more than about three syllables out per breath).

[diebitter]

[ QUOTE ]
DB, I believe this is proof that you have a gay crush on Willem Dafoe and are trying valiantly to surpress it. I urge you to give in to your love and see the movie again.

[/ QUOTE ]

Okay I watched Last Temptation of Christ again, and enjoyed it, and indeed saw its virtues more clearly, the second time. The first time I just found it flat, dull and a little indulgent, but it's much better than that. Suprisingly enough, I sort of found the only interesting thing about it was the lack of fuss around the miracles - which I thought was an interesting approach, but sucked from a dramatic point of view.

On rewatching... I was wrong. Scorsese doesn't have lack of fuss about the miracles at all (well maybe the odd one, like turning wine to water). Lazarus rising is a wholly filmic scene, as is the scene where Jesus appears to be curing the mad, who rush up to him one by one. Defoe is great here, in fact I didn't see a hollow performance at all (even David Bowie as Pilate worked really well).

So, there you go, sometimes a film that you didn't like is worth a second chance.


Also, fellow filmies, wondered what you thought of 'Passion of the Christ'. I found it a compelling and actually beautiful work (and I talk as an atheist), but most filmies I know think it sucks. ny opinions on this one?