I detest this smarmy girly-hack. And he certainly isn't advancing his case academically by peppering his site with more crossy-legged modelling pics than Christy effen' Turlington.
Posted on 08/08/2005 4:55:49 AM PDT by Antioch
THE film version of The Da Vinci Code is attempting to reduce the offence that the best-selling book caused to Roman Catholics.
Sony Pictures, the studio behind the film starring Tom Hanks and Sir Ian McKellen, is reported to have been so concerned that it has consulted Catholic and other Christian specialists on how it might alter the plot of the novel to avoid offending the devout.
Film officials have held talks with Catholic groups and other organisations despite Dan Brown, the author, insisting that “it’s only a novel and therefore a work of fiction”, The New York Times reported yesterday. The Catholic League is calling for Ron Howard, the film’s Oscar-winning director, to include a disclaimer acknowledging that the movie is fiction. The Da Vinci Code, which is being filmed this summer with locations including Winchester Cathedral and Rosslyn Chapel, near Edinburgh, is based on a novel that has sold 25 million copies worldwide. Among its more controversial claims is that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, a former prostitute, and that she bore him a child. This has been denounced as virulently anti-Catholic and a risible hoax.
Opus Dei, the Catholic organisation, is particularly concerned about its own depiction, because it is a central villain in the book. Its members are depicted acting unethically for the sake of God, the Church or Opus Dei, whereas the organisation is a Roman Catholic institution that adheres to Catholic doctrine and condemns immoral behaviour. “The novel portrays Opus Dei in a completely inaccurate way,” Brian Finnerty, a spokesman for the group, said. “We wrote to the studio, expressing our concern. They sent back a reply that was polite but non-committal; but Opus Dei is completely unlike the portrayal in the novel. “It is about ordinary people trying to find God, not about searching for the Holy Grail. It’s ordinary Catholics trying to come closer to God in their day-to-day activities and it is a mainstream part of the Catholic Church. It’s been blessed by all the Popes since the earliest years.”
The studio has been asked to consider whether the central premise — that Jesus had a child with Mary Magdalene — could be more ambiguous and whether the name of Opus Dei could be removed.
Condemnation of the book has been widespread. Last month the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales denounced it as logically and historically flawed. In March the Vatican appointed a top cardinal to rebut what it dismissed as lies, distortions and errors.
Carl E Olson, a Catholic and co-author of The Da Vinci Hoax, a book rebutting the The Da Vinci Code, predicted that many religious people would be offended unless the film bears a pale resemblance to the book — which, he accepts, would risk alienating fans. Dismissing the novel as “trash” and “poorly written”, he said that its historical claims could be torn apart. Sony declined to comment .
What?
You mean this book isn't totally accurate history and theology?
I'm shocked, shocked.
Actually, I'm not. There were a lot of twits in the 70s who were convinced Robert Anton Wilson's Illuminatus Trilogy was true, even though it was proclaimed as part of "Operation Mindf**k".
So9
You'd think that most people wouldn't need a disclaimer that this story is fiction. However a disturbing number of people who have read The DaVinci Code believe that it is true, or that the conspiracies put forth in it are real. This encourages anti-Catholicism, since the Church is portrayed as a big mean bad guy that hides the truth from the people and hates women.
The author, Dan Brown, does not discourage this interpretation of the DaVinci Code. In the forward to the book, he talks about how various places and people mentioned in the book are real, as if he's trying to give the story some factual legitimacy. He mixes fact with fiction - mentioning real events in medieval and Church history and then asserting that the Illuminati were a real group of people. He provides accurate and sometimes unflattering facts about Opus Dei, but does nothing to deflect the implication that members of OD are homicidal, modern day Torqemadas like his OD character in the book. I'm hardly a fan of Opus Dei, but the portrayal of them in DaVinci Code is unfair and slanderous.
There is no way that a film can clean up the errors completely. It's going to confuse more people and really, the studio that releases it should be boycotted.
I have an idea!!
How about if they modify the plot to reveal that the entire Davinci Code story is an invention of a underground marxist leftist communist organization. The intention of this malevolent group of flamboyant villains is to subtly bring discredit to the catholic church as a method to crowbar their way into the mainstream clergy. The plot would have to unfold through the story as it explains how this group of radical leftist ideologue jihaadists infiltrated the priesthood in the 50's in order to gain access to the children. The substrategy is that they intend to destroy the religious foundation of this nation in order to pave the way for their institution of the brutal soviet style communist regime they have always dreamed of.
no?
Okay, I'll seek counceling.
Why should it clean up errors?
IT'S FICTION
It's not supposed to be true, and anyone stupid enough to believe it is deserves whatever they get.
This material has all been used in fiction before, it's all recycled.
Getting in a flopsweat over fiction is a tacit admission that your belief system is fragile.
SO9
I picked up his first book at an airport layover. I read three chapters and tossed it into the trash. The man HATES the Church. That, is very evident.
I haven't read the book, nor will I. His writing in the first book was just pitiful.
I don't care how much they change this plotline. The fact remains it is a blasphemous satanic attack on the Divinity of Christ and the Eurcharist.
Now that I know that Ron Howard is the director, there isn't a chance that I'll see this movie.
"Getting in a flopsweat over fiction is a tacit admission that your belief system is fragile."
Nope. Not fragile at all. Grief stricken is more like it. If you are Catholic, then you understand the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. If you are not Catholic and do not understand who He is and why He is reverenced, I won't explain.
What others believe is not my problem. The Offense, with a Capital O to Christ is my grief.
I wish I could agree with you. The only thing is, I've seen and heard lots of Catholics reading this book. They enjoyed it. Some of the dumber ones were even intrigued by it - "it makes ya think, ya know?" While the vast majority of Mass attending Catholics I know said it was a work of enjoyable fiction. Unfortunately, not everyone is tuned into the attacks on our Church.
I don't think Catholics will stay away in droves. In fact, in places like Philly, where the majority religion is Catholicism, I'm afraid the majority of the moviegoers will be Catholic.
I detest this smarmy girly-hack. And he certainly isn't advancing his case academically by peppering his site with more crossy-legged modelling pics than Christy effen' Turlington.
If you haven't read the book, you really have no right to comment on it's content and especially call for banning.
I have read it and wasn't struck by lightening. It's a good read which should cause more to rush to their bibles and other sources if only to satisfy their curiosity and clear up any conflicts. And, though it's been said many, many times before and apparently needs to be said again, it's FICTION.
Sadly, I've heard similar endorsements from a couple of Italian cradle Catholics I know. Maybe I just prefer not to imagine the wafer-thin catechization so many Catholics receive. One actually said to me "why couldn't Jesus' decendents be here among us? Nobody reeeeally knows!" The irony of ironies is that the real truth of the Church, it's power, history, influence and drama is forsaken for such lame counterfeit conspiracy theories that are simple amusements but which change nothing in our lives.
Thanks for your honest input.
BTW, there are brochures that debunk the book fomr a Catholic Publisher. I'll look today and see who prints them. (Sunday Visitor?)
"Getting in a flopsweat over fiction is a tacit admission that your belief system is fragile."
That's a stunning line, and one I hope you don't mind if I borrow.
Never understood why so many get their panties in a bunch over this book.
I'm sure they did; Catholics like Richard O' Brien, Andrew Greeley, Ted Kennedy, whatever.
Culture matters. The only people that downplay that with it's only fiction nonsense are liberals. It's funny how 30 second cigarette commercials and marketing in all its forms is too influential but entire movies and books have no affect on anyone. That type of atomistic approach to a cultural ethos is the problem.
Dear Antioch,
You offer an excellent commentary on Sony's predicament.
Thanks.
sitetest
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