Posted on 05/09/2006 6:11:14 PM PDT by PanzerKardinal
The Da Vinci Code director Ron Howard has rejected demands by Opus Dei to attach a disclaimer to his would-be blockbuster labeling the film as a work of fiction, spurring a rebuke from the religious sect.
"It's not theology. It's not history. To start off with a disclaimer...Spy thrillers don't start off with disclaimers," Howard told the Los Angeles Times in Sunday's edition.
...
"It's very controversial," Howard said. "What Dan Brown did with the novel, we didn't back away from in making the movie. I think what a lot of people have discovered--a lot of theologians--is this is a work of fiction that presents a set of characters that are affected by these conspiracy theories and ideas. Those characters in this work of fiction act and react on that premise."
That echoed an earlier statement from Sony, which called The Da Vinci Code "a work of fiction, and at its heart, it's a thriller, not a religious tract."
On Monday, Opus Dei released a statement expressing disappointment at Howard's decision.
"A disclaimer could have been a way for Sony to show that the company wants to be fair and respectful in its treatment of Christians and the Catholic Church," said Brian Finnerty, Opus Dei's U.S. spokesman.
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(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Unfortunately, you can go from website to website to website, and there are people who take the premises behind this book as gospel. The book is an attack against Christianity.
Actually, he should do what the Coen brothers did with Fargo... attach a disclaimer stating that it's a true story.
That poor woman... looking all over Minnesota for that money... :~D
Pssss...read the back of The Book. God wins.
Oh rats, you just ruined the book. You gave away the ending.
Actually, it is a "work of fiction" which depicts actual institutions, namely Opus Dei, and the Catholic Church in general, in a derogatory fashion. And since the implicit charges made in the book and, presumably, in the film, are demonstrably false, publishing them amounts to calumny. Institutions are comprised of individuals, and when the institutions are lied about, the reputations of those who belong to those institutions are sullied.
Shakespeare put it this way, in Othello:
Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,
Is the immediate jewel of their souls.
Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing;
'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands;
But he that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not enriches him
And makes me poor indeed.
So, if I were to write a novel about Dan Brown, claiming that he belonged to a cult based on the theories of the British utilitarian philosopher, Jeremy Bentham, and, like Bentham, engaged in sexual congress with donkeys, would I be able to avoid prosecution for libel simply because I claimed it was fictional?
The refusal by Sony and by Ron Howard to even make a tiny good-will effort to set the record straight regarding Opus Dei and the Catholic Church is a shot across the bow. Dan Brown, Sony Pictures, et al. are enriching themselves by means of slander. There's no point in appealing to their better nature, because they haven't got one. Obviously, they will respond to nothing short of lawsuits and boycotts. Which is a rather mild response, really, because if they'd targeted Muslims, they'd certainly have gotten violence in return. Like all bullies, though, they are at heart cowards. They can be confident that they won't get violence from Christians, hence the obstinacy.
We have become aware, through the public declarations of some of the participants in the project, that Sony/Columbia sincerely wishes that this film would not injure the religious sensibilities of viewers, and would like to avoid the release being a cause of division, in an already too-divided world. This respectful line expresses well Sony’s reputation and culture. Some of the media have specifically written that Sony is considering the possibility of including at the start of the film a disclaimer making it clear that this is a work of fiction, and that any resemblance to reality is pure coincidence. An eventual decision of Sony in this direction would be a sign of respect towards the figure of Jesus Christ, the history of the Church, and the religious beliefs of viewers. A final thought: unfortunately nowadays it is not uncommon for the name of God to be used to justify hatred and violence. Precisely for this reason, we are making a renewed appeal to peace, which is in the heart of the Catholic Church and in the soul of all Christians.We ask for pardon for any inadequate expression that we may have employed.
We send our regards with our best wishes of peace, health and prosperity.
It's not too much to ask.
Now, try imagining what would happen if a scribbler and a moving pictures boy tried that with, say, Martin Luther King. There would be hell to pay.
AntiCatholicism was the pornography of the puritan and it has been adopted by the moving pictures liars.
And if the lie isn't about me personally? Pfffft. No big deal
Though I never went fishing with "Opie" personally, I did fish with his brothers and grandfather; indeed, caught my first catfish at his grandfather's pond.
Like Honda and Toyota, Sony does their homework upside-down/inside-out, with hara kiri not a relic of the past.
Plus, our non-denomination DEMANDS we pour over the Bible and we know what is in Revelation.
This movie will be an all-time blockbuster--as Someone is behind the movie.
The new X-men movie comes out Labor Day weekend. It will be interesting to see if the Code movie holds on to an audience after a couple of weeks.
How are you able to read the Bible and understand it fully? It doesn't translate well at all.
Some, I'm sure. I wonder what the competition is for the May 19 opening and weekend?
It's got the allure of a 'secret' history of how things really work that puts you a step above the simple commoners without much effort on your part.
I've read reviews coming down on both sides regarding the writing style. Some readers find it engrossing, others say his style is clunky. He certainly hit the popularity jackpot, though.
So Opie isn't giving Opus Dei the time of Day.
They're not. Not by a long chalk. Yet when called on this glaring error, he and his apologists cry out..."it's fiction.....it's fiction."
Howard and Brown can't have it both ways but their weasel words indicate that is precisely what they want.
The final act in this circus has yet to occur but it will consist of Brown, Howard et al., adopting the roles of victims. Martyrs to free speech and persecuted by the evil, mean Catholic Church for simply writing a book and making a movie. This will occur in the form of an interview by Babs Walters, Diane Sawyer, Katie Couric or some other talking head, who will nod thoughtfully and frown knowingly while said "victim" draws comparisons with bookburnings and McCarthyism.
Looks like Over The Hedge, a PG Dreamworks animation, and See No Evil, a slasher gorefest, are the only new competition that week. The Code should post some hefty numbers on the opening weekend.
MI III will probably still be pulling in an audience after a couple of weeks. That might be the Code's major competition for the suspense/thriller audience.
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