Pilgrimage to L.A. Needed to See Film

County residents tempted to see “The Last Temptation of Christ” when it opens Friday will have to head to Los Angeles, a Universal Pictures executive said Tuesday.

The Martin Scorsese film, which some Christian religious figures contend is disrespectful about Jesus, will open in Chicago, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and Washington as well as Los Angeles, according to William Soady, president of Universal Pictures Distribution.

The film is opening Friday in Los Angeles at the Cineplex Odeon Century City Cinema.

“No decision has been made about any wider release (beyond the eight cities),” Soady said. “We don’t have (any other) cities or markets figured out, (but a general release of the picture) will happen eventually.

“I’m going to make my decision as to the next markets based on numbers, the things that are taken into consideration in motion picture release,” Soady said. “Audience reaction is certainly a factor.”

Soady said he had not discussed releasing the film with any theater owners in the county.

On Saturday, the president of the county’s largest theater chain, Newport Beach-based Edwards Cinemas, announced that he would not show the film on his 150 screens if he found that it “denigrates” Jesus.

However, the president, James Edwards III, said he would withhold making a final decision on screening the film at any of the chain’s 80 county screens until he sees it.

The fundamentalists’ attacks on the film makers and Universal executives, some of whom are Jewish, have been characterized by some as anti-Semitic. The fundamentalists have been led by the Rev. Donald Wildmon of Tupelo, Miss.

Protesters held a mock crucifixion Tuesday in Universal City, in which a bloodied Jesus screamed in agony as a man costumed as Lew Wasserman, chairman of Universal’s parent company, MCA Inc., nailed him to a cross.