Da Vinci Film Storm
Tom Hanks, left, and French actress Audrey Tautou, center, arrive with director Ron Howard. “The Da Vinci Code” opens the 59th International film festival on Wednesday (May 17). (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
The Da Vinci Code movie has raked up much controversy worldwide. In India, Christian and Muslim groups have demanded that the film should be banned.
In India, which is home to 18 million Catholics, the head of the Catholic Secular Forum has begun a ‘hunger strike until death’.
Joseph Dias said he wanted others to join him and pledged to continue until the film was banned.
His organisation has described The Da Vinci Code as “offensive” because it breaches “certain basic foundations of the religion”.
The Indian protests follow other demonstrations in several Asian countries.
Islamic clerics in Mumbai (Bombay) backed a call by Catholics for a boycott of the film on Tuesday.
The blockbuster has caused outrage among many Christian organisations, including senior officials at the Vatican.
Indian officials have held a special screening of controversial Hollywood blockbuster The Da Vinci Code after protests by Christians.
Government officials and Catholic leaders viewed the film after broadcasting minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi received over 200 complaints.
Mr Dasmunsi said opinions would be sent by Friday to censors who would take a final decision on the film’s release.
Mr Dasmunsi said the government was being “careful” over the film.
“We are a secular country. On any sensitive issue, we should take action after we examine every aspect,” he told the Associated Press.
The film received its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday.
India’s Central Board of Film Certification cleared the film on Monday, saying it would give it an adult rating if the film-makers agreed to a disclaimer at the start of the movie saying it was a work of fiction.
The film, which stars Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou and is directed by Ron Howard, is based on the novel by Dan Brown. It revolves around a theory that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and their descendants survive today.
The cast of the film travelled on a specially-painted Eurostar train from London to Cannes on Tuesday in preparation for the film’s premiere.
Together McKellen and Bettany prevent the film from being a £125m critical disaster.
But the truth is, the wide appeal of The Da Vinci Code book coated the film in critic-proof armour long before it was even made.
“With 50 million copies of the book sold worldwide, it is virtually guaranteed to be a commercial hit.
“HOLLYWOOD faced the wrath of Christian groups as it unveiled its $200 million (£106 million) adaptation of The Da Vinci Code (Jack Malvern, Ruth Gledhill and Alex Derry write).
“British Roman Catholics added their voices to protests taking place from Italy to the Far East in anticipation of a film that Christians believe subverts the story of Christ.
“The calls for disclaimers and boycotts are the largest protest for any film since the controversies over The Last Temptation of Christ in the 1980s and The Life of Brian in the 1970s.
“British priests, monks and theologians called for a disclaimer after a survey suggested that 60 per cent of readers of Dan Brown’s book believed that Christ could have fathered children.
“Christians in India, Italy, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea and the Philippines also condemned the film as cinemas prepared for a worldwide release. Yes, the film is a cat’s cradle of lunatic ideas with lashings of religious psychobabble,but it’s infinitely easier to forgive than the book that begat it.”
21 Responses to “Da Vinci Film Storm”
Idiots, all of them. Remember the Muslim cartoon controversy? We are dealing with the same stupid, closed minded tendencies here.
I hope the guy on the hunger strike dies from starvation. That would mean one less ding dong on the planet.
If anyone going to this movie does not know that a big budget Hollywood movie is fiction they should join the guy on the hunger strike.
I feel sorry for people who are so insecure about their belief that they would feel threatened by a movie, one of thousands produced yearly…. Little people, little minds.
How nice of them to appoint themselves as public police dogmas
Let them protest a work of fiction—-as long as we still have our first amendment rights, they can’t keep movies like this from being made. If the Christian Right doesn’t like it they can stay home and watch Pat Robertson stick his foot in his mouth!
While I agree their protesting the movie is silly, it is hardly the same as the Muslim cartoon controversy. I don’t see anyone threatening to behead Tom Hanks and the rest.
Equating the normal protesting done by Catholics and Protestants over movies like this to Islamic fanatics threatening death is nonsense.
Oh yes, the reviews of the movie are horrid. Not that that will matter, the fans of the book will go regardless of protests or bad acting/scriptwriting.
It’s very interesting that many Christians are far more upset about this movie than they were about Mel Gibson’s “The Passion,” a film which grossly misrepresented the origins of both Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism. I may write a post on this later.
Excellent point Holly!
Not that surprising. It all boils down to one little word. It rhymes with “schmex” and according to many of these protest groups, treating it with anything but revulsion is worse than breaking all ten commandments and lighting a stack of bibles on fire.
David, I agree that there is definitely a difference in degree. The extremism is far worse with the cartoon controversy, however there is a certain similarity in the closed mindedness and paranoia. I should have been more specific.
This is a first. The movie isn’t even out yet and it’s already a “blockbuster” LOL!
As a Christian and a Catholic I am not upset with either this movie or The Passion. However, I don’t think that Passion grossly mistated the origins of Christianity or Rabbinic Judaism. In fact, I don’t recall it discussing either in any detail since that was not what they movie was about.
David, I can provide you bibliographies of the errors in “The Passion.” One of my friends was on the committee of Catholic and Jewish scholars who reviewed the script for the USCCB.
My friend Michael Cook’s faculty webpage: http://www.huc.edu/faculty/faculty/cook.shtml
Here are some of his articles that are available online at his webpage:
* “The Bishop’s Cop-Out” in The Forward (site registration required) (2004)
* “Some Jewish Reactions to Mel Gibson’s film, The Passion of the Christ” (2004)
* Excerpts from Postings Concerning: ‘Our Gibson Strategy,’ including a ‘Checklist’ of 48 critical motifs to look for in the Mel Gibson film, The Passion of the Christ” (2004)
* “An Insider’s Account of the Mel Gibson Ordeal,” Chronicle Issue 63 (2004) – available in PDF format
* “Jewish Understandings of the New Testament,” Chronicle Issue 58 (1999) – available in PDF format
Some Other Resources:
AJC American Jewish Committee – The Passion: A Resource Manual in pdf format
Reform Judaism’s CIA Special Page on Mel Gibson’s Passion
Pharisees and Saduccees
Source of Jesus’ Great Commandment: The Hebrew Bible, Deut. 6:5 &Leviticus 19:18.
FAQ: The ADL and Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ”
I am aware that some of the Jewish community found the movie to be offensive, and according to them, historically inaccurate. And I was also aware that their concerns were shared by some Christians. However, many religious scholars felt it was accurate, or as accurate as any movie made in Hollywood could be.
As for me, it tracked quite nicely with what I was taught in Catholic school and I personally felt it was a important film.
would like to see every Christian protest and boycout any and every book that
Dan Brown’s writes from here on out
I would also like to see every Christian protest and boycout any and every movie that Ron Howard directs or has any part of just how long should we set by as you destroy life’s and families with you’r so called entertainment,
Christians should also protest and boycout
Tom Hanks
Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen and Paul Bettany and any other actor that had part in this move,
In addition, not go too see or buy
Any films moves or books these actors play in or have any part of
Come on people you had to read this book before you took the part you sold your God for the big lights
You have attack my God my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
You will have to answer to my God for what You have do, its not hurting any one with true Faith in Christ
However, it is the souls that are lead away from the truth that God will hold each and ever one that had a part in this book and movie accountable for
I pray that you all repent and start trying to fix what you did because my Lord Jesus Christ is coming back soon
Tim Wright
Relax, Tim. This book and movie are hardly a threat to the Christian faith. You should have seen the furor created over “The Exorcist” and “The Omen.” Now, those movies created some stir and even got better reviews. However, Christianity hardly suffered a body blow because of them. You didn’t see young girls come home from sunday school to consult their Ouija boards… well, not any more than they already were. Lots of people thought those things were great 30 years ago. Did these factors harm Christianity? Nope. Disco is a mere shadow of itself, but Christianity is doing fine. So, relax. God isn’t nearly as vulnerable as you fear. As you say, anyone with a strong faith isn’t going to be bothered by “The DaVinci Code”, and anyone whose faith could be shaken by such a thing would have their faith shaken by their morning horroscope or an Ouija board.
David, this is completely false: “many religious scholars felt it was accurate”
Tim, I’m sorry that you practice idol worship.
The Indian protestors have just ensured that the film becomes a “blockbuster”!!!!
Creativity always induces anger. Shows most of us have little tolerance. “Little people, little minds” is an apt description.
The whole affair has little to do with religion, but more to do with history.
Adult or Universal, I’m preparing to see the movie at the first opportunity.
Swaaraj, you are welcome to join me!!!!
Why would you expect historical accuracy from a work of fiction? Who thinks that each book or movie based on a historical event must be thoroughly researched to make sure there are no factual errors? Should all other forms of entertainment be subject to the same expectations? If so kindly stop watching the TV show 24 . This is getting insane. Who looks to books or movies like this for an actual history lesson?