God is cut from film of Dark Materials

The Times (UK) ^ | December 08, 2004 | Sam Coates

[Dataman]

DOA

Nine Line Cinema, had expressed concern that His Dark Materials’ perceived anti-religiosity might make “it an inviable project financially”.

[JenB]

Did you read the books? Because if you did and you didn't see them as a screed against Christianity... well, I was sixteen when I read them and found they were trash. My mother asked me to check them out to see if my younger siblings would like them, since we'd liked Harry Potter, and I had to report to her that every lie that's uttered about Harry Potter is true, and more, about "His Dark Materials".

And the last book was badly written and left half the plot unfinished, which is just as bad a literary crime as the anti-Christian slander.

[orionblamblam]

> the revived Christian voice will boycott the film and it will be box office poison

If you want a lame movie to make lots of money... make a movie that will annoy religious people. Look at "Last Temptation of Christ:" it was friggen' BORING. Just on that it shoulda made maybe three-fitty. But people got all up in a snit because of a vision that *Satan* gave Jesus, and thus gave the movie a boatload of free publicity.

[Cronos]

Potter isn't really anti-Chrsitian. It's really just a rehash of English boarding school tales with a hint of magic around them.

[JenB]

I know - if you re-read my statement, I said the "lies" about Potter are true about HDM. I like the Harry Potter books.

[Cronos]

Sorry, I wasn't rebuking you, rather, agreeing with your post

[Foxfire4]

Is that the whale one?

Yup, that one. I loved all three of the originals (and the assorted sequels, just not as much) but Deep Wizardry is wonderful! Not to mention a really, really sneaky way to get the concept of redemption and sacrificial love across to my assorted Wiccan friends. :-)

[rabidralph]

Like a movie studio?

[Coyote]

“any arbitrary establishment that curtails the freedom of the individual”

And would that 'arbitrary establishment' they plan to vilify include Hollywood's own supported Progressive movement's efforts to 'curtail' the freedom guaranteed by First Amendment for Republicans at the Universities or people wishing each other "Merry Christmas" in the spirit of "It's a Wonderful Life", the freedom guaranteed by the Second Amendment when local communities ban firearms used for self defense, by the Fourth Amendment when roadside check stops invade our automobiles, by the Tenth Amendment when Federal Jurisdiction supersedes the limits specified by such? The ends justify the means.

One interesting note reflected by this press release is that after the election of 2004 and the success of "The Passion", whether or not in agreement with the Red States or Mel Gibson, the producers of this feature understand that it might not be financially prudent to offend more than at least half of the population of those intended as potential viewers. At least not if they want board directed backers for their next Progressive production effort.