The Orlando Sentinel from Orlando, Florida • Page 94

F-4 The Orlando Sentinel, Sunday, August 14, 1988 REVIEW Other opinions premely joyous. During the compelling Sermon on the Mount scene, Dafoe is particularly adept at handling the naturalistic dialogue. The traditional poetry of the speech has been sacrificed, but the actor finds an ease and freshness in the sermon that begins matter-of-factly with the words, "I'm sorry, but the easiest way to make myself clear is to tell you a story." Others in the cast are also good: Harvey Keitel (Blue Collar) is a fiery Judas, and Barbara Hershey (Hannah and Her Sisters) makes her Mary Magdalene smolder. Also appearing in this film are Harry Dean Stanton as Paul, David Bowie as Pontius Pilate, Andre Gregory as John the Baptist and Verna Bloom as Mary the Mother. For Biblical literalists, the most upsetting portion of the movie is likely to be its final half-hour, during which Jesus fantasizes about leading a normal life, including marriage (to Mary Magdalene), sex and fatherhood.

The sexual encounters are brief, clearly meant to illuminate the movie's themes rather than to titillate the weak. In any case, the dream sequence, as a whole, meanders. It is superseded, artistically, by the scene directly preceding it: the crucifixion. As Jesus is beaten, whipped, crowned with thorns and nailed to the cross, you have to gasp at the power of the horrifying images. No Scorsese fan will be shocked to learn that it is during some of the film's violent, bloody passages (and there are a number of them) that the director is at the top of his form.

The Last Temptation of Christ is not a movie for everyone. It is obviously not for the 30 or so Greek Orthodox demonstrators who assembled outside the Biograph to protest the film before Friday's matinee, calling it "pornographic," "blasphemous" and simply "a disgrace." Those questioned seemed about as eager to encounter a fictionalized Jesus in the theater as John Dillinger was to meet his maker outside of it in 1934. It also is not, we must assume, for the others around the country who have tried to get the movie banned, including Winter Park Commissioner Tom Ivey and George Crossley, host of a religious talk show on an Apopka radio station. But for some of those watching the film at the Biograph Theater and at the other places where it is playing, The Last Temptation of From F-1 Considering the intensity of the national protest that preceded Friday's openings, one of the most striking things about the Universal Pictures production is that it is, essentially, an art movie. this should have been obvi-.

ous from the nature of the materi--al and the low (by Hollywood stan- dards) budget of approximately $7 million, but The Last Temptation of Christ is a small, serious-minded picture whose natural audience would also have been small and serious-minded if not for the flap it prompted. And even with the curiosity inspired by the controversy, there may be a limit to the number of people who will be willing to sit through a nearly three-hour motion picture that confronts deeply spiritual matters, features only minimal nudity and contains absolutely no car chases. The weaknesses and strengths of this movie are those of many an art film. It has a tendency to be ponderous, to take itself so seriously that it sometimes ceases to engage the viewer. And the symbolism is often Ingmar Bergman hazy.

(What does it mean for an apple to have blood for juice, anyway?) Scorsese and Schrader have been more penetrating in the past when they've explored the themes of Jesus' story less directly, in contemporary settings with modern characters. On the plus side, Schrader's dialogue, though sometimes cryptic, is intelligent and remarkably unpretentious under the circumstances. And Kazantzakis' concept of stressing Jesus' humanity is, though infuriating to some, an intellectually fascinating notion. In directing his actors, Scorsese has urged them to avoid the elevated diction that plagued the Biblical spectaculars of Hollywood's past. Most of the actors speak more or less naturally, in a variety of American accents.

And though this does at times sound strange (even comic), it generally serves to give the film immediacy. As Jesus, Willem Dafoe (Sgt. Eli-as in Platoon) offers a brilliant, even inspired, performance. Da-foe's character is strong and charismatic, though extremely troubled and ever-questioning. As we saw in Platoon, this actor has eyes that can, as the occasion requires, become suffering or su NBC From F-1 15) to hype the remainder of its schedule.

Following hot on the heels of the ratings-rich Series the week of Oct. 24 are premieres of Family Ties, Hunter, Something Is Out There and Tattinger's, the new drama from the makers of St. Elsewhere. Night Court, Cheers, LA. Law, Miami Vice and Baby Boom, a comedy modeled on the movie, premiere the week of Oct.

31. Tartikoff is holding back his Tuesday night lineup Matlock, In the Heat of the Night and Midnight Caller, a drama about a cop turned radio-talk-show host until late November because he doesn't want them competing against the 18-hour ABC miniseries War and Remembrance, airing Nov. 13-23. Why is NBC able to get its shows on the air so much faster than the other guys? Here again we see the marriage of good and lucky. Because he had more hits than the other networks, Tartikoff was able to place more early script orders in anticipation of a strike.

And then there were shows such as LA. Law and Miami Vice that simply had scripts left over from last season dumb luck. The easiest thing to rush onto the air is a half-hour comedy and NBC has more of those (14) than ABC (10) or CBS (8). The toughest haul is a drama, especially a new one, which is why you won't be seeing Co-lumbo part of ABC's Saturday Mystery Movie until at least January. What are ABC and CBS going to be doing with all that ripad air time in Sep- Tartikoff tember and October while NBC is getting fat off the Olympics and World Series and series premieres? For starters, ABC is hoping for long and dramatic divisional playoffs in major league baseball (the norm of late) that begin Oct.

4 and could last until Oct. 13 if the National League series goes seven games. ABC also hopes to grab some early attention with the of Monday Nigh Football It ii Here is a sampling of what other critics have said about The Last Temptation of Christ, which opened Friday: Janet Maslin, The New York Times: "What emerges most memorably is the film's sense of absolute conviction, never more palpable than in the final fantasy sequence that removes Jesus from the cross and creates for him the life of an ordinary man. Though this episode lasts longer than it should it finally has the mightily affirmative, truly visceral impact for which the whole film clearly strives." Gene Slskel, Chicago Tribune: "All of the uninformed protest will only serve to fuel attendance for what turns out to be a very fine, thoughtful and beautifully performed rumination on Jesus and the difficulty of living according to his principles." Sheila Benson, Los Angeles Times: "At the bottom of the controversy is an intense, utterly sincere, frequently fascinating piece of art by a director for whom, clearly, the message of Jesus' life has immediacy and meaning. The film's greatest virtue may be its vision of Jesus' time; its biggest drawback is the deliberate flatness and banality of the words used to convey it." Hal Hlnson, The Washington Post: The "provocative, punishing, weirdly brilliant adaptation of Nikos Kazantzakis' novel has a feverish intensity.

It is a work of great seriousness by one of the country's most gifted filmmakers. There is also a substantial portion of hooey in it." David Ehrensteln, Los Angeles Herald Examiner. "Without question one of the most serious, literate, complex and deeply felt religious films ever made. Brilliantly directed by Martin Scorsese, this adaption of Nikos Kazantzakis' novel will surely be discussed and dissected by both theological scholars and jhoughtful moviegoers for years to come. Moviegoers expecting the salacious thrill show trumpeted by the religious right are going to be very disappointed." ASSOCIATED PRESS Christ presents intriguing ques-, tions in an occasionally impressive manner.

Those with the opportunity and patience to experience it may appreciate (if not always enjoy or understand) the filmmaker's sincere attempt to come to terms with his faith and to share his struggle with others through a cinematic fiction. As the movie begins, you can almost hear Scorsese whisper, "I'm sorry, but the easiest way to make myself clear is to tell you a story oblige and carry some high-quality, low-rated shows such as The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd and A Year in the Life don't understand the man. He is, above all, a competitor who loves winning for the sake of winning, and he doesn't care if victory arrives in the form of quality such as Cheers or dreck such as A Different World. "In order to get into the ring against somebody else you have to think that you have a shot at beating them the other networks in every single time period," Tartikoff "Otherwise you should come up with a different schedule." Victory in "every single time period" that's the goal at NBC these days, and Molly Dodd and A Year in the Life clearly became obstacles to that goal of an unbeaten season. More than ever, Tartikoff seems obssessed with winning.

"I don't want to coast," he said. "I don't want to preside over the slow decline of NBC." When dynasties crumble it's often because the leaders forget what they stood for in the beginning and lose the ability to see themselves clearly. There were hints that Tartikoff may be reaching that stage. During the strike he went over a lot of old shows and scripts, Tartikoff said, "and the one thing you do realize is that television was, once upon a time, a much more varied marketplace. There were a lot more interesting ideas out there." Obviously it didn't occur to Tartikoff that he helped make television a much less varied market place when he canceled Molly Dodd and A Year in the Life.

There is such a thing as poetic justice, even for Teflon presidents. For President Reagan, who campaigned on a pledge never to compromise with hostage takers, it was the arms-for-hostages scandal. For President Tartikoff it could be Roseanne. The story is now part of TV legend of how ABC rejected The Cosby Show, allowing Tartikoff to pick it up and build an empire. Roseanne, which Tartikoff calls a "daring comedy," ended up on ABC because he rejected it first.

Too risky. Too "daring" isn't that the word we used to associate with NBC? "If that one Roseanne comes back to bite me," Tartikoff said, "it will be the first one." Someone's got to be jirst. Pt I I -'J i I 4 SAT. AUG 3j one Sept. 5, featuring the Washington Redskins and New York Giants.

Before that, ABC plans to counter the Olympics with "comic relief," a mix of series reruns (Who's the Boss, Growing Pains, etc.) and one-time comedy specials such as Gary Shandling Alone in Las Vegas. ABC had announced it would rerun the miniseries North and South during the World Series, but that might change if some regular series can be whipped into shape. Example: The ABC comedy Roseanne starring porky "domestic goddess" Roseanne Barr had eight scripts ready to go when the strike ended. CBS is countering with new made-for-TV movies, motion pictures making their network debuts (White Nights, Agnes of God) and specials such as Roger Rabbit: In Search of Toontown, a look at the making of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and a two-hour tribute to Jackie Gleason. CBS will put a "phantom" new season on the air in early September in the form of two new series Live! Dick Clark Presents, a live variety show, and a sitcom called First Impressions plus new episodes of an old series (and a good one), The Cavanaughs.

But do not be deceived. Those shows are not on CBS' new fall schedule, whenever it arrives. Right now that appears to be late October. ABC's Brandon Stoddard predicted, just before the strike ended, that his new shows likely would premiere "right before or after War and Remembrance." While ABC and CBS are hoping merely to survive this season, NBC finds itself in a position to possibly thrive as never before. Tartikoff deflected speculation about the largest winning margin in history of the Nielsen ratings, but clearly he likes winning and hates losing.

Yes, Tartikoff knows about losing. Like President Reagan, President Tartikoff took a bullet albeit a metaphoric one in his first year. Tartikoff was 0 for 9 his first time out of the gate as chief programmer in 1980 all his new shows got the Nielsen ax. Being last made it easier for Tartikoff to stick with low-rated shows such as Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere that made Tartikoff and NBC synonymous with "quality" television.

But those who thought that spectacular material success, Nielsen success, would enable Tartikoff to exercise a bit noblesse a rv I il Nsi I 1 i a Vil i I Ulf I it fp" it, kill! if l- SUN. HON. TUE. WED. THUR.

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