So I went to see the "Da Vinci Code" this weekend....

[WolverineDG]

and to my surprise, I enjoyed the movie more than I enjoyed the book. Quite honestly, I got frustrated with the writing, as it seemed Brown would describe a scene in which the main character(s) are about to be offed & then use that time to natter on for 20+ pages on something obscure, then go back to the action JUST BEFORE the axe fell. Or something. Sure the movie kind of thunks at the end, but then, so does the book (IMO YMMV). It does make me wonder if the movie critics who panned this movie are on the take from someone. IT'S A MOVIE, just like the Jesus Chainsaw Massacre "Passion of the Christ." I had no plans to see the movie at all until people started getting their panties in a twist about it.

The first time I saw it on Saturday (yes you read that right), I went with a friend & her mother & uncle. All of them are Catholic. Let's just say I'm indifferent. ;) We all enjoyed the movie. I had other errands in SA to run, but by evening, I was at another movie theatre because I wanted to see "V for Vendetta." As I drove up to this theatre, though, there were protestors, one of whom was holding a sign that read "Hollywood is throwing Christians to the Lions." FOR.CHRIST'S.SAKE. That's a bit much. So, being in a bit of a pissed off mood, I decided to "strike back" & go see the movie again. I actually liked it even better the second time, since I got time to notice all of the symbols Ron Howard was throwing into the scenery. Think the tiling in the bathroom or the way the books were stacked was a coincidence? Hmm, not. :) The evening show was sold out & the audience reacted more to the funny parts than the morning audience did. Not sure why.

As I left the theatre, the protestors still weren't bothering anyone & no one was bothering them, so I just walked on by. The people I do have a problem with are those like Tweety, who should know better as he should have actually READ THE DAMN BOOK BEFORE CRITICIZING IT. One of the characters in the movie actually states that the group doing the persecuting is NOT the Catholic Church NOR Opus Dei, but another group called "The Council of Shadows." So if anyone keeps whining about how Hollywood is picking on the poor Catholic Church & Opus Dei, you might want to point this out.

This morning, however, I was killing time in a bookstore & found an illustrated version of "The DaVinci Code," so I started thumbing through it to look at the artwork, minding my own business. Then some woman comes up with a friend & starts making snide remarks about all the books coming out in conjunction with the movie (well, DUH, it's called making money), & then points to me & says "See, people are so stupid. They read something in a book & think it's real." :grr: I looked her in the eye & said "So by your logic,if I read the Bible & believe what is in that, then I'm stupid." ::crickets::

Go see the movie. It's a good murder/suspense/action flick. Besides, you'll piss off the religious right. :)

dg

[RevCheesehead]

1. I can't believe that woman said that about you!

And to say it loudly enough that you'd hear it. How fucking rude.

I'm thinking of going, for exactly the same reasons. This here is Catholic country, and there are a number of frightened conservatives. :)

BTW, I preached today on "The Jesus Code," and brought along my copy of The DaVinci Code. Just tryin' to make it all relevant. O8)

[WolverineDG]

4. Just like a good teacher

you can turn anything into a good lesson. :)

dg

[SharonRB]

2. We did go see it Saturday night after I spoke to you, DG

We all liked it a lot. I didn't think we were going to have any protesters -- there were none there when we bought our tickets -- but when we came back for the movie after we went and had dinner there were a few people with signs walking outside the theatre. I was really tempted to say to them "What is it you don't understand about the meaning of the word 'fiction'"? But I didn't. However, we ran into a couple we know and she said she did say something pretty close to that to them. I'm glad someone did.

And, everyone I've spoken to or read here on DU who has seen it liked it a lot. People even clapped in the theatre when it ended.

Our local reviewer gave it a D. You may be right that the critics are being paid off by someone. The moviegoing public seems to be in total diagreement with most of the critics from what I can tell.

[WolverineDG]

3. Wouldn't be the first time

Sheesh. What's wrong with a movie that just entertains, fer cryin' out loud? Did you see the promo for "An Inconvenient Truth"? They showed it at the first showing I saw on Saturday & it looks good. At the other theatre, they showed the "World Trade Center" promo, though. Really sobered up the audience there. I don't recall anyone applauding at either showing (except my friend & I clapping at the "Inconvenient Truth" promo). :)

Glad you got to go see it. You needed some diversion after your garage sale from hell. :)

dg

[Greylyn58]

5. I'm interested in seeing the movie

but these days with my limited funds, I have to pick and chose what I throw it away on.

That being said, all the controversy surrounding this movie(the protesters, the religious getting their panties in a twist) reminds me of what happened years ago when Monty Python's Life of Brian first came out.

The religious around here in Charlotte just went bonkers threating a boycott of the theater that was to show it--even before the movie was released. Two weeks before the movie was to show, the theater crumbled and dropped their planned run of the movie. Thankfully another place picked up the movie and refused to knuckle under when the same tactics were tried. This theater even offered a free showing of the movie to the local pastors to prove to them it wasn't as bad as they thought.

Some of the clergy took them up on it(most said they didn't like it, but changed their minds about its content)but the most vocal refused and made plans to picket outside every day the movie was shown. They even had prayer circles, praying for us poor sinners going in to view it.

My best friend and I were and still are huge Python fans and saw the movie multiple times. We even went so far as to write fan letters of support to them. What was happening(ie: the boycott and theater dropping the movie) was all over the news. I was surprised and tickled when I received letters back from John Cleese and Terry Jones--John even sent me buttons with pictures from the movie.(they are my prized possessions to this day.)

Boycotts sometimes do exactly the opposite of their intent--they draw attention to that which is being boycotted. I really think the movie lasted longer and took in more money(at least in Charlotte) then it possibly would have because of the stink the local churches caused.

[RevCheesehead]

6. What a great story!

And I'm jealous. You got a letter from John Cleese? :wow: I adore him!

[SharonRB]

7. Did it strike you when they talked about Rome

before the fall, when the religious zealots were trying to take over the country, how similar it was to the U.S. today? I couldn't help making the comparison, although I know that was never Dan Brown's intent. I've been saying for a long time that we're just like Rome was before the fall. I hope we can stop these people before the same thing happens to us.

[Berry Cool]

8. I don't know what it is

but I just can't bring myself to care about this book, or movie, at all. :shrug:

[WolverineDG]

9. There are many similarities between Rome & the US

especially with this power grab that shrubbie's doing.

There was a lot of religious turmoil at the time as well but as the characters in TDVC point out, who was persecuting who? Was it really "Lions 7, Christians 0" or was it the other way around (once Christianity became popular among the wealthy instead of the poor & the slaves)?

I do, however, have no doubt, that the early Church selectively picked which Gospels to include & which to suppress, especially those relating to the position of women in Christianity & in society, as well as the creation of a church hierarchy.

And perhaps people would have been less likely to believe or give some credence to this "dark con of man" had we not recently seen our government pull off the same thing to justify the invasion of Iraq.
:think:

dg

[Patsy Stone]

10. I'm going this weekend.

Can't wait to piss off the Religious Right! And I don't give a hoot what critics think about anything -- except when I'm the one offering the criticism, of course.

:)

I'll look for Ron's Easter Eggs. Thanks for the tip. I love Audrey Tatou. I heard she was bad. :( Was she bad?

[WolverineDG]

11. I don't think so

the worst part was Tom Hanks' hair.

dg