'Da Vinci Code' opens with estimated $29 million

CNN ^ | 5/20/06 | AP

[Aquinasfan]

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- "The Da Vinci Code" banked an estimated $29 million at the box office on its first day in theaters, an industry official said Saturday, positioning the film to turn in the strongest opening weekend for any movie this year.

[DJ MacWoW]

He doesn't debate, he insults. And he never answers a post with facts in it. Just keeps pushing heresy.

[durasell]

Aren't there any good movies out there?

[Despot of the Delta]

I agree with his statement. In the same breath I would say, "...being Baptist does not make you a Christian... being a Protestant does not make you a Christian."

Would you agree to the modified message?

What is in one's heart makes them a Christian.

[Revolting cat!]

It is fiction guys

Thanks for letting us know at last. Who knew?

I have an independent brain

Yes, you and 60.5 million others (Doubleday figure.) 5 trillion flies can't be wrong!

[Revolting cat!]

Is it FICTION?

[Revolting cat!]

Is the book really in the FICTION section of bookstores?

[Revolting cat!]

But is it really FICTION?

[marajade]

"It belongs in everyone's library since the second half has to be watched over and over...Like Return of the King."

In ref to King Kong? I've owned it since the first day it came out and still haven't seen the second half of it.

[Revolting cat!]

Tell me, is it true that it's a NOVEL?

[marajade]

Its got the 12th highest three day gross since they've been tracking box office and you think that that is bad?

[TET1968]

"In ref to King Kong? I've owned it since the first day it came out and still haven't seen the second half of it."

Somebody should have warned you.
The movie does not really begin until the mad monkey appears. Sorry.

[joesbucks]

With so many people having read the book, a huge opening was inevitable.

A huge openning was inevitable because of the half cocked way Catholics and other Christian demoninations have acted over the past few weeks.

I don't have an easy answer on how they can educate their believers without sounding kooky to the masses. But clearly, they jump the shark with their actions.

[mtbopfuyn]

My post #3 update - we saw the movie today and it was pretty good. A bit on the ewww factor with the gore but otherwise pretty good. Thumbs up for Tom Hanks and Ron Howard, but then they usually do deliver. Depite the critics, whom I never believe, it clipped along at a good pace and didn't seem at all like 2 1/2 hours. BTW, a Baptist church group had reserved a private viewing in the theater later tonight.

[Revolting cat!]

Funny, that 'FICTION' refrain. ('FICTION' always capitalized for some odd reason. A conspiracy of some sort?) But never, ever is the question asked (by the promotors of the notion that all criticism ought to be dismissed) just what is 'FICTION', as if there were general agreement that anything at all is allowed and should be tolerated in fiction. Mark Steyn observed that the book and the movie are for non-readers, or, I would add, non-discriminate readers, the kind of readers who won't notice or won't be bothered by the bad writing and cliches in the Hairy Potty books (7 cliches per page on the average, I estimate.) And of course those who criticize such books on aesthetic grounds are 'elitist'.

But the question of what is and isn't allowed in fiction is an interesting one, and I must say the "it's FICTION, people" parroting on these pages surprised the heck out of me, but at the siame time reminded me of a collection of Umberto Eco's lectures collected in a book titled Six Walks in Fictional Woods. As a semiologist, Eco can get pretty dense, but this one is short and well worth the effort.

[pbear8]

Cardinal Mahony is a very poor example of anything, but so is the Rev Jesse Jackson. It does not follow that Catholics are not Christians. Read your history, someone wrote and protected the Bible.

[Irish Queen]

First thing maine-iac7 do you believe Dan Brown's ideas about who Mary Magdalene was?

Second, I did not pan Dan Brown as a writer. It's obvious that he writes very well - enough to sell millions of books worldwide. Is he the best writer of suspense novels or historical fiction in the last 100 years, probably not. Does he include real historical facts in his book? Of course he does. But He does not seem to be the kind of writer who is driven to fact check each and every detail. By its very construct a historical fiction book must be placed firmly within the boundaries of real time and space. If Dan Brown wrote The DeVinci Code without historical elements he'd have to title it something other than the DeVinci Code. Unless the creator of the code was Vinny DeVinci, a housepainter from Trenton, New Jersey.

Thirdly, I did not accuse Dan Brown of plagiarizing another's writer's story plot. It is a well structured story, with enough twists and turns to make for a real summer page turner. Fourthly, my comments about some folks being Dan Brownite's was not a put-down of the author. Instead it was a comment of the intense devotion some readers toward Dan's Brown's fictional story. At times devotees of certain books or series remind me of the Cargo Cult in the South Pacific. During WWII certain native people created a religion from the abandoned cargo and military surplus left on their islands. Some folks seem to do the same things with certain books, such as the Harry Potter Series, the books of Arthur C. Clarke,

[mtbopfuyn]

As well as ancient writings, there are several NON-fiction books in print currently, many written before Brown's, on these same subjects. Nothing in the book/movie was a 'new' premise to me, as I have been reading these for a couple decades now. If a thing cannot take the LIGHT of day - oh well...

Same here. I've heard these tales for years and never heard of anyone getting all hyper about them. But I do find it peculiar that some so called Christians on here have suddenly usurped God's powers and condemned my evil soul to eternal damnation for daring to go see a FICTIONAL movie.

[maine-iac7]

those Blue Apples?

;o)

[mtbopfuyn]

How would you like it if someone wrote a book where you were the main character. They used your real name, birthdate, town you live in, job etc..., but than had you patronizing prostitutes or being into S&M or some such.

Hmm, just exactly what page does it state Jesus was into S&M? Of course, you wouldn't know because you're too high and mighty to read such trash. Please, in the future, don't speak of what you don't know.

Also, learn the difference between "than" and "then".

[marajade]

I guess I should consider myself grateful then that I didn't make the mistake of seeing in the theater as well as buying it on DVD. Thankfully, I didn't.