Posted on 03/11/2014 11:54:23 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
ROME – Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe has been lobbying to get Pope Francis to agree to watch his new biblical adventure story, Noah. But there is little sign that the spiritual leader of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics will comply.
Religious audiences have been split in their views on the megabudget Darren Aronofsky production, which will hit cinemas in the U.S. March 28 and come to Italy two weeks later. Paramount Pictures says that more than four out of five religious moviegoers say they are interested in seeing the film, but some Christian groups say it strays too far from the biblical story in an effort to make it more palatable for the big screen.
Crowe used social media in his lobby effort, tweeting to the pope that the film's message is "powerful, fascinating, resonant" and, in another message, calling on his 1.37 million Twitter followers to use their own tweets to cajole Francis into watching the film.
The Vatican did not directly respond to Crowe's lobbying efforts, but Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi, when asked if the pontiff would see Stephen Frears' Oscar-nominated Philomena -- which is critical of the church's one-time handling of children born to single mothers -- said the pope does not watch films.
If true, that contradicts assertions from a story that broke last year in which Francis told an Italian interviewer he enjoyed classic Italian films from directors including Federico Fellini, Roberto Rossellini, and Luchino Visconti, and that he would take a look at two new films recommended by interviewer Eugenio Scalfari: Ettore Scola's Fellini homage, How Strange to Be Called Federico, Scola Talks About Fellini (Che strano chiamarsi Federico, Scola racconta Fellini), and the political comedy Viva la liberta from Roberto Ando.
Crowe, who plays the title role in the film, won an Oscar in 2000 for Gladiator, which was set in ancient Rome.
Noah will be the first Aronofsky film in more than a dozen years not to have its world premiere in Italy: Black Swan, The Wrestler, and The Fountain all premiered in competition at the Venice Film Festival.
If true, that contradicts assertions from a story that broke last year in which Francis told an Italian interviewer he enjoyed classic Italian films from directors including Federico Fellini, Roberto Rossellini, and Luchino Visconti, and that he would take a look at two new films recommended by interviewer Eugenio Scalfari: Ettore Scola's Fellini homage, How Strange to Be Called Federico, Scola Talks About Fellini (Che strano chiamarsi Federico, Scola racconta Fellini), and the political comedy Viva la liberta from Roberto Ando.
But wouldn’t the Islamists then have to issue a fatwa against the Pope???
Complete and utter narcissistic vanity. He should be ashamed.
If the Pope wants to watch the story of Noah, all he has to do is wander into the Sistine Chapel and look at the ceiling. A better work of art than Crowe’s movie, I’ll wager.
“Russell Crowe Lobbies Pope Francis to See ‘Noah’”
Uuuuhhhh, hey Russell, I’m pretty sure the Pope is up to speed on Noah...
Hey Russell, how about you read the bible, eh?
I saw the trailer...seems very cheesie. Not sure of the words to use, but this isn’t much of a biblical flick.
“Sistine Chapel”
...that’s an excellent point!
Why would the Pope,or anybody who rejects trashy movies like The Wrestler (cocaine, random sex, ugly violence), want to see anything by this director?
You got it! Plus it has stood the test of time.
I am passing on this one.
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LOL! Better art, less talking, saves 10 euro.
Its interesting that commercials for this movie are adding a disclaimer at the end stating the movie is biblically accurate.
This I have to see :)
He and the director and producer know that rubes like us pay money to see a good Christian movie. They see it as exploiting our delusions. We are on to them. Let it fail and let it be a lesson to others. We want out Christian message out there, we will support it, but don’t come to us with your false spirituality. We know the difference and we won’t be used!
That’s how they’ll get your money
I don’t know, I wouldn’t mess with Russell Crowe, he likes to fight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvyCWsErRSI
I would like to know exactly how the film gets away from the Bible story. Almost everyone - Protestant, Catholic, and I think even Muslims have it.
If the movie strays too far from the story as told in the Bible, aren’t a lot of people going to say something’s wrong? I mean, it’s not like people are unfamiliar with it.
I don’t mind seeing the movie (big Crowe fan), but I’m just curious how you take a basic story about animals, water, an ark, and a man obeying God’s word, and mess that up?
Frankly I am passing on this movie. Even I will wait until the “Son of God” movie comes out in dvd. Saw the “Bible” tv miniseries last year. Looking forward to the movie “Heaven is For Real”.
I don’t get the negativity.
It doesn’t have to be a purely religious movie, nor very spiritual, as long as it isn’t blasphemous or insulting.
I don’t know how good a job he did.
The end of the world and start of a new one alone is good subject matter for a movie.
Then people get interested in the subject and crack open the bible to see the real story, or talk about it with others. Maybe they read other things too.
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