Martin Scorsese used David Bowie as a distant and almost sympathetic Roman to tell a unique story about Jesus.
The Man Who Fell to Earth.Labyrinth.The Prestige.
Even when playing real-world scientist Nikola Tesla inThe Prestige, each of these performances captured Bowies ethereal public persona.
The Last Temptationcertainly takes liberties with the usual Passion Play reading.
In Scorseses telling, when this Pilate even meets Christ, it is inside of the Roman governors stables.
Even then theres more than a little condescension when he asks Jesus to perform a miracle for him.
When none is forthcoming, Pilate wearily decides that hes just another Jewish politician.
For most of the two-and-a-half-minute scene, Scorsese and cinematographer Michael Ballhaus emphasize Pilates distance from Jesus.
The scene begins in a wide shot, showing the physical space between them.
As the camera cuts to closer shots, Jesus and Pilate rarely appear in the same frame.
That decision flies in the face of common sense.
After all, hes in a scene with Jesus, proclaimed as God in the form of human.
Shouldnt Dafoe be playing the alien one here?
So the human qualities and focalization through Jesus makes injection of an Earthly kingdom feel strange.
But the real testament to Bowies skill comes when the scene changes and Pilate sits next to Jesus.
But when Jesus explains that change will happen with love instead of killing, Pilate cannot continue.
Killing or loving, its all the same.
It simply doesnt matter how you want to change things.
We dont want them changed.
After that last line, something remarkable happens on Bowies face.
Pilates still looking down at Jesus, still condescending to him like the powerful Roman official that he is.
But when Jesus looks back and refuses to respond, Pilates face drops.
The corners of his mouth turn downward.
A sadness creeps into his eyes.
In the World, Not Of the World
Where does Pilate go?
The answer is, of course, back to the safety of his Roman home and lifestyle.
They belong to different worlds.
