The First Stone - THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST (1988)

What better way to close out the calendar year than a tip of the hat to one of the medium's most critical artists - meditating on one of the most critical icons in our cultural consciousness? In The Last Temptation of Christ, Martin Scorsese and Paul Schrader interrogate the dual nature of Jesus, the man and the messiah, and the tribulations that torture him on the path to his destiny. Importing some New Wave flavor and dare we say transcendental tendencies into the desert landscapes of Morocco, this controversial but incredibly candid portrait now stands as some of their most harrowing work to date, spearheaded by the spellbinding humility of Willem Dafoe's performance. Join your hosts on their own proverbial fork in the road, as the nature of faith, humanist compositions, and mysterious signifiers of this masterclass both amaze and confound!

Dolly Back wishes you and your loved ones a happy holiday season, dear listener!

David Ehrenstein's Criterion Essay - The Last Temptation of Christ: Passion Project

Roger Ebert's Review - A New Testament story in an Old Testament land