Posted on 05/12/2006 2:12:02 PM PDT by wagglebee
"Da Vinci Code director Ron Howard has said there would be no disclaimer in the film labeling it as a work of fiction and Catholic League President Bill Donohue is deeply disturbed by Howards stance.
"The book which the film is based on begins with three facts, all of which are malicious lies, yet Ron Howard says no disclaimer is needed because this is a work of fiction, Donahue said in a statement. "He is disingenuous.
As Donahue points out, the following got a disclaimer in a fictionalized TV show or film:
Asians: "Year of the Dragon
Blacks: "Birth of a Nation
Gays: "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Jews: "Merchant of Venice
Mormons: "Big Love
Muslims: "True Lies
Native Americans: "Pocahontas II
Nearsighted: "Mr. Magoo
Wolves: "White Fang
Donahue declares: "Thats right even wolves merited a disclaimer. Disney put a disclaimer in White Fang saying there is no evidence of a healthy pack of wolves attacking a human in North America.
"Forget about wolves. If Howard were as sensitive to Catholics as those responsible for La Vita E Bella were to Jews, he would have acceded to our request to inject a disclaimer. That 1998 film a dark comedy about the Holocaust opened with a voice-over saying it is a fable. So is The Da Vinci Code.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times on Sunday, Howard rejected calls for a disclaimer, stating: "This is a work of fiction that presents a set of characters that are affected by these conspiracy theories and ideas. Those characters in this work of fiction act and react on that premise.
"Its not history. To start with a disclaimer spy thrillers dont start off with disclaimers.
However, in the book the movie is based on, author Dan Brown claims on the first page that "all descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals in this novel are accurate, indicating the book is based on historical fact.
Donahue said in his statement: "John Calley, a co-producer of The Da Vinci Code, has admitted that the film is anti-Catholic.
"Apparently, Ron Howard is more of a gambler than I thought. Had he done what other directors have done before him and put in a disclaimer, the risks to his reputation would have been minimal. Now its show time for Mr. Howard, and not just his movie.
Figures.
Agreed! Polanski did an excellent job of capturing the satirical paranoia of Ira Levin's novel.
And that is what I have done, decided for myself, and you seem to have a problem with that.
That one I have not seen. Is that it? I think so.
No problems. Just the idea of someone trying to impose their values on you by merely making a movie.
Rent "Cinderella Man" you won't be dissapointed.
Killer Kane is dead?
Oh sob, I didn't even know he was sick.
It was very sudden. He succumbed in just a few hours.
The book/movie should be offensive to all Christians because, whether fiction or not,
(1) it portrays Christ as a liar and a fake;
(2) it denies the most central tenets of Christianity -- the divinity of Christ and the Resurrection;
(3) It portrays a Christian Church of almost a billion members as conspirators who have perpetrated a fraud on the entire world for the last 2,000 years; etc.
If you are not offended by this, then how about I write a book about your mother and portray her as a lying crack-whore? Hey, what's the problem? It's only fiction, right? Right?
Do you get it now?
If that motto works, advertisers will next work on "It's three, three, three mints shows in one!"
And if that motto is successful or marginally so, guess where it goes from there.
And his last sensory impression was the smell of ozone.
It is a Hollywood movie. It is, by definition, a work of fiction. What other disclaimer does one need?
(1) it portrays Christ as a liar and a fake
Do you get it now?
___________________
But as Christians, we're not called to be offended, we're called to share the gospel of Jesus. Don't go see the movie if your offended by it. I'm not a Tom Hanks fan so I won't see it - I do agree that it is terribly offensive to try to show Jesus anything less than perectly sinless - BUT it's not up to us to be offended if people choose to not believe the same as us. That's what makes us different than the muslims who believe they have to kill and make others see their point. That right there is the core of Christianity - God gives us the choice to believe or not believe and no one twists our arms.
I remember back in the '80s the movie "The Last Temptation of Christ" came out. From what I heard of it, it was vile and nasty. I was a little girl and had no desire to see it, but I remember people saying, "No one is going to tell me I can't see that movie." I would have hoped that the Catholic church would have learned from that. A movie that most people wouldn't have bothered with became a movie to go see because it was forbidden.
Think however you'd like, it's really no skin off of my back.
Have a good evening! :)
No disclaimer on my DVD at all.
Of course there's also no disclaimer on my copy of Blazing Saddles either.
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