Universal Asked to ‘Destroy’ Scorsese’s Film About Christ

An ad-hoc coalition of Southern California religious leaders has called for Universal Pictures to abandon plans to release the controversial “The Last Temptation of Christ”--and to destroy the film’s prints.

The plea was made at a press conference held Tuesday at the Registry Hotel--located in Universal City, just down the road from Universal Pictures, which plans to release the film on Sept. 23.

The religious leaders assailed Universal for its “decision to denigrate the contribution of Jesus Christ” and called its planned distribution of the movie an “affront to Christians and to those on an honest, spiritual search for him.”

Significantly, the news conference was held in the same room where a year ago Pope John Paul II asked leaders of the entertainment industry for understanding and compassion in the presentation of Christian values. Universal chairman Lew Wasserman was the host of that meeting.

“It is in that spirit, the spirit of Lew Wasserman, the spirit of the Pope . . . that we call this meeting today,” said Larry Poland, an evangelical activist who heads a group called MasterMedia, which ministers to members of the entertainment industry.

Added Poland: “May God work (this) out to the best of all of us.”

Poland was flanked by Bill Bright, president and founder of the Campus Crusade for Christ; the Rev. Jack Hayford of the Church on the Way; the Rev. Lloyd John Ogilvie of Hollywood Presbyterian Church; and Christian marketing consultant Tim Penland, who was previously associated with the “Last Temptation.”

In a statement made to more than 120 members of the news media, the group outlined its objections to the film adaptation of Nikos Kazantzakis’ 1955 novel.

The group said:

--That the film portrays Jesus Christ as a “mentally deranged and lust-driven man who . . . in a dream sequence comes down off the cross and has a sexual relationship with Mary Magdalene.”

--That Universal Pictures violated written agreements to give a select group of Christian leaders a screening “far in advance of the release date,” which the religious leaders said would have allowed them to make suggestions to the film makers.

--That Universal’s attempt to “profit at the box office at the expense of millions of American Christians . . . represents a frightening example of a major film studio’s setting aside public responsibility for financial gain.”

Universal issued a press release responding to the group’s charges. The company said it “stand(s) behind the principle of freedom of expression and hope(s) that the American public will give the film and the film maker a fair chance.”

Universal also said that “these individuals declined an invitation to see the film and consequently much of what they are saying is inaccurate and exaggerated.”

The press conference was taking place while a select group of church leaders were viewing the film in New York.

Poland said he refused an invitation to attend that screening of the film because “we have no hope for it.”

The objections of Poland and his associates are based on two versions of writer Paul Schrader’s “Last Temptation” scripts and on reports of “one unnamed source inside Universal Pictures who has seen the film.”

Said Penland: “We know enough about it to know it could be very damaging to the cause of Christ.”

Bright, who said he had “many sleepless nights after reading the script,” said it made him angry. “How could anyone do this to the most wonderful man who ever walked the face of the Earth?” he asked.

Hayford likened the depiction of Christ in the script to a caricature and said it was as if George Washington was portrayed as “a combination of Benedict Arnold and Gomer Pyle.”

Ogilvie called the “Last Temptation” “the most serious misuse of film craft in the history of movie making” that “will add to the moral decay of our time.”