When The Last Temptation of Christ originally opened on August 12, 1988, it was playing at the Northpoint Theater in San Francisco. This was not one of my usual movie venues in The City, but there was such buzz about the film I wanted to see it nevertheless. I don’t remember who I saw it with, although it was probably Philip, a very cute bear I was dating whom I met—at The Detour nonetheless—the night of the Pride Parade the previous June.
Philip is a story unto himself and maybe someday I’ll share it. He’s no longer with us, another victim of the early 90s, so I’ll be kind because I do have mostly fond memories of our time together.
Anyhow, the release of the film was highly controversial, drawing significant protests, which led Universal to release it six weeks earlier than originally planned. Despite opening in only 123 theaters across the United States and Canada, it grossed over $400,000 in its opening weekend.
Frankly, I’m surprised it grossed that much.
The film didn’t move me one way or another. The strongest memories I have of it (I only saw it that once) was of the dream sequence (?) Jesus was having as he hung on the cross wherein had gone on to live a “normal” life and raise a family, and the protestors who greeted us as we left the theater, threatening us with hellfire and eternal damnation.
I do remember laughing in their faces.
But the music was ambient and haunting, and that’s what prompted me to purchase (and recently repurchase) the CD. With a few exceptions, I’ve never been a fan of Peter Gabriel’s work, but for some reason Passion really captured me.
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