Posted on 12/07/2007 9:34:03 AM PST by Constitutionalist Conservative
I saw that Coca-Cola is promoting the movie [<a href="http://zenit.org/article-21008?l=english">What Every Parent Should Know About "The Golden Compass"</a>], and I wrote to them to express my feelings about it -- including mentioning that the villains are called "The Magisterium" in the movie.
Here is the response I got: "We appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns.
"The Golden Compass movie is a story about friendship, love, loyalty, tolerance, courage and responsibility. This movie also provides an opportunity for Coca-Cola to help raise awareness about climate change and the perilous state of the polar bear.
"We do not believe that this fantasy movie is an attack on any religion. We would never support a film that intentionally antagonized or condemned any faith."
If they receive more letters about this, it's possible it may accomplish something.
Coca-Cola makes other beverages as well.
I was going to list them, but there are too many. See this site for a list: http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/brands/brandlist.html
A few highlights: DASANI waters, Hi-C, Minute Maid, some Nestea products, Powerade.
I didn’t say a word about being frightened. But if your arguments require strawmen, by all means, use them as you see fit.
First of all, it's a movie marketed to middle-schoolers. They are by definition immature on a variety of levels, including emotional, social, and cognitive. Hence a particular vigilance on their behalf, not applicable to mature viewers like you and me.
Second, what if some moviemakers marketed a film using very lifelike CGI's with disturbingly familiar features, illustrating the general idea that All the women in your family are ten dollar whores (Don't hit me. This is just an analogy.) Would you think a good reposte from me would be, "If your faith in your wife, mother, sister, daughter, is so weak..."
No? With all due respect, I think you'd be interested -- not necessarily in censorship, i.e. prior restraint enforced by the government --- but in robust private criticism and boycott which would result in minimizing their viewership and their box office returns. To say the very least.
Oh and Pepsico is so much better. "One Nation...Indivisible"! Don't you remember that?!
“I also heard a VERY negative film review this morning”
I am not the least bit surprised. This movie looks like a Narnia wannabe neverwillbe.
The only research I can claim is from looking over the reader comments on Amazon.com.
There are over a thousand reviews for “The Golden Compass.”
It drops off precipitously for “The Subtle Knife”
There is hardly anything for “The Amber Spyglass.”
From what I deduce the author starts injecting his rants in the second volume and plot and storytelling start to go out the window.
Plotlines and characters go all to pieces every which way in the Amber Spyglass and the author’s blatant, hectoring, christian-kicking take over completely. Few reviews of the 2nd book and none for the 3rd appear to be posted by web-savvy kids. Most people seem to quit reading partway into the 2nd book.
If your faith is so weak as to be threatened by a movie, you have larger issues."
BRAVO!
AMEN!
Great response.
“Mmmm, because Pullman’s stories are also supporting an actively genocidal dictator and his regime.
Or, maybe they’re not.”
Al Gore?
“From what I deduce the author starts injecting his rants in the second volume and plot and storytelling start to go out the window.”
I can quite believe that the militant atheism gets as overbearing as some of Richard Dawkins’ stuff.
But that’s what it is - militant atheism; not pro-Satanism, which is completely intellectually bankrupt.
I find boycotts to be such a lefty tactic.
I also think they can backfire when used against books, music and movies. They may generate enough publicity that they make people curious as to what all the brouhaha is about.
If you want to boycott, there’s nothing I can do to stop you, nor would I.
Have an excellent day.
Me and my family will not be seeing this movie and I am drinking a diet pepsi.
The Golden Compas was created for the same reason Air America was created.
The author thought (and hollyweird thinks) they can duplicate Narnia with an anti-god message if they have all the right parts and special effects.
They go by “the medium is the message” not the message is the message.
It’s time to break out the Fizzies!
This is not about adults, this is about influencing children.
Children who see stories and are influenced. As hilter said, “who cares what you think, we have the minds of your children.” Gold Compass was written to be an attack on religion, the author was obsessed with CS Lewis or rather attacking CS Lewis. Draw you into the propaganda and then reveal the message at the end.
(didn’t you ever read “the wave”?)
However, a well-run, under-the-radar boycott can cut the profit margin. And on a film that cost $200 million to make, it can make sequels an unappetizing proposition.
Get a load of THIS, a wry raspberry of a review by MTV Movie News.
Never mind that there are more polar bears than ever...
Coca-Cola is evil, of course. You knew that, didn’t you?
If you did not know that, it is high time you found out.
Of course, this would require that nobody who works at Coca-Cola can read. They are evil, not stupid.
Acknowleging that one has enemies is not the same thing as fear.
In fact, it is fear that can cause one to deny that he has any enemies at all.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.