Hollywood puts its faith in holy films

Times Online ^ | 04/23/06 | John Harlow

[Varda]

Hollywood is so "religious" to follow up two Christian movies that do well it releases a movie claiming Jesus is a liar and a fraud. Oh yeah, that's faith all right.

[Bernard]

Would Hollywood consider "Dogma" to be a religious movie? After all, it had religious themes, and sort of a happy ending...

[AmericanChef]

Much as they clearly haven't "gotten it" yet, this could be a start to something better. I'm actually encouraged. It'll take years, but you have to start somewhere.

[Reaganesque]

Woodie Allen, when he was still doing standup, once told a story about how he went trick or treating on Halloween, dressed as a ghost, while he was travelling in the South and ended up following the wrong bunch of people and ended up at a Klan rally. He desperately tried to fit in by saying "you all" and "grits" multiple times. If anyone asked him a question he would answer: "Oh, grits! Grits!!"

Hollywood, in a desperate attempt to fit in with the religious crowd and make money off of them, is shouting "Oh, GOD! GOD!!" with all the sincerity of Woody Allen at a Klan rally.

[Mrs. Don-o]

"Holy films": Da Vinci Code and the Philip Pullman trilogy.

Next: "Vegan films": Supersize Burger and Meet the Beefeaters.

"Jewish films": Protocols of the Elders of Zion, and Hamas Heroes.

"Black films": Birth of a Nation, and David Duke, Man of Destiny

[BunnySlippers]

Not necessarily. I don't often go to movies but I do buy them. I just bought "Memoirs of a Geisha" which is a Spielburg film and have watched it three times. I have the 2 disc version. The values expressed in the film are good ones and it is entertaining.

The commentary on the second disc is simply wonderful showing how the set was built and various shots were done, some with mind boggling technology. You know, the technology that American film makers are known world wide for ... the stuff we see but don't notice because we are so enchanted with the film.

American movies can make dreams come true ... not many countrie's films even attempt the feats that we do. American innovation at its best.

And I bought all 4 seasons of 24. I got hooked and watched them one after one at home ... actually while I was playing online. Kiefer Sutherland is terrific as Agent Jack Bauer saving the US and on call for the President.

If you get them be sure and watch the extras ... more of that American moviemaking know how!

[Criminal Number 18F]

Effing amazing.

The Passion of the Christ (which presented an orthodox Christian message straight out of the Gospels) succeeds, so they decide they need "religious" films. And they come up with:

• The Da Vinci Code which posits that the Catholic Church is a multimillenial criminal conspiracy which has at its core the concealment of the nature of Jesus.

  Yeah, that's the same thing.

• Preaching to the Choir Which might be a classic "inspired preacher sets bad boys on the straight path" film if they play it straight -- think they will? or will their priest be a "hip," swearing, drinking, dope-smoking character?

• The King - "minister trying to hold his flock and family together"... "show[s] how tough it is to lead a good life."

  Ah yeah, religious people with feet of clay, there's a new theme for Hollyweird. Not.

• The Reaping "disillusioned missionary investigating a series of plagues"

  I can see the meeting now. "Like the exorcist, but the priest is like a girl, see... and there are bugs and frogs and stuff...pass the bong."

• Nativity. "portrays the Virgin Mary travelling to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus."

  Except, see, in this version she's like a single mother, and all the three kings are hitting on her.

And what motivates all this concern about religion? "JJ Abrams, who created Lost,[says], “Given all the conflict in the world inflamed by religion..."

Translation: you losers in Jesusland going to church are the same thing as Zarkawi and his head-sawing lost souls.

"[S]tudios are... paying pastors and rabbis as consultants."

Translation: "Of course we can bribe those guys."

"Some films nevertheless challenge the evangelical tide."

My, how courageous of them, to stand up against religious orthodoxy, as expressed by The Da Vinci Code.

What are these films like?

• His Dark Materials Well, the name is Hollywood mainstream. "[D]epiction of an ageing and feeble God." Check. "[S]cript was described as “heretical.” Check. "Director... resigned after admitting he had removed negative references to God and the Catholic Church." Check.

  Yep. Business as usual for Hollywood. "Heretical" gets the green light, but the guy that took heresy out -- he'll never have lunch in this town again. That Communion wafer's gonna have to hold him all week.

• The Wicker Man..."Scottish pagans triumph over Christianity"..."[R]emake... has to avoid offending 75m Americans who describe themselves as 'born again'." I'm sure they'll try real hard. Still, "pagans triumph..." do they really think a documentary will sell?

• Girl or God "[F]ollows would-be priests preparing to end relationships and enter seminary." Mark my words, at least one of them will be queer.

  "They wanted to call it Original Sin." Gee, where do these people get all this creativity and imagination? I suppose it's the drugs.

If you're waiting for Original Anything, looks like the wait continues.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[VOA]

bump

[Criminal Number 18F]

But before you knock it, remember that Holywood has spread, more than anything or anyone else, the essence of America.

Bullshit. In Hollywood's America:

1. Corporations are always evil.
2. The government exists to murder people, but is the only place to turn in times of distress.
3. Soldiers are mindless, robotic brutes or drooling, Neanderthal sadists.
4. Scientists and engineers are always mad, and never make anything good or useful.
5. Businessmen are always amoral and greedy.
6. Any overtly religious character is a cardboard cutout of Elmer Gantry
7. Government agents murder citizens to hide their previous crimes every day
8. Southerners and country people: all bad, inbred, evil racist hicks. Northerners and city people: saints.
9. Lawyers and journalists, parasitic professions that live by tearing down their betters, are always good guys.
10. The criminal is always the rich white guy (spend a day in a criminal court anywhere in the USA. Take notes. Then go over the last ten movies you saw with a bad guy).
11. Kids are always smarter than adults (in their own Hollywood families, after the parents' lifetime of drug worship, this may be true).
12. The highest good is always whatever feels best in the here-and-now.
13. The only error you can make with sex is to pass it up.
14. Muslims are always the victims of evil.
15. Christians are always the perpetrators of evil.

Hollywood presents a nihilistic and inverted view of the real world. Its values are corrosive to civil society; it seethes with hatred of all that is good, decent and productive, and trumpets a giddy fanfare to all that is evil and damaging.

You think this is the essence of America?

But hey, they make a profit.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[BunnySlippers]

Seek help.

[2nd Amendment]

no thanks to 1st century gnostic myths pushed by a Bible-hating press. I'll stick to the Word of God anytime!

[Kenny Bunkport]

Agreed. Let Hollywood stick to exploding body parts, rather than soil religious themes.

[paudio]

Would Hollywood consider "Dogma" to be a religious movie?

I believe they do. They also consider "Saved" (2004, with Mandy Moore, about Christian school students) as religous movie, or at least "movie with religious-theme".