Posted on 12/19/2007 2:42:20 PM PST by khnyny
The Vatican on Wednesday condemned the film "The Golden Compass," which some have called anti-Christian, saying it promotes a cold and hopeless world without God.
In a long editorial, the Vatican newspaper l'Osservatore Romano, also slammed Philip Pullman, the bestselling author of the book on which the family fantasy movie is based.
It was the Vatican's most stinging broadside against an author and a film since it roundly condemned "The Da Vinci Code" in 2005 and 2006.
"In Pullman's world, hope simply does not exist, because there is no salvation but only personal, individualistic capacity to control the situation and dominate events," the editorial said.
The film, which premiered earlier this month in the United States and stars Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, is an adaptation of Pullman's acclaimed novel "Northern Lights."
The Vatican newspaper said "honest" viewers would find it "devoid of any particular emotion apart from a great chill."
In the fantasy world created by Pullman's trilogy, 'His Dark Materials', the Church and its governing body the Magisterium, are linked to cruel experiments on children aimed at discovering the nature of sin and attempts to suppress facts that would undermine the Church's legitimacy and power.
In the film version all references to the Church have been stripped out, with director Chris Weitz keen to avoid offending religious cinema goers.
Still, some Catholic groups in the United States have called for a boycott, fearing even a diluted version of the book might draw people to read the bestselling trilogy.
The Vatican newspaper said the film and Pullman's writings showed that "when man tries to eliminate God from his horizon, everything is reduced, made sad, cold and inhumane."
The U.S.-based Catholic League, a conservative group, has urged Christians not to see the movie, saying that its objective was "to bash Christianity and promote atheism" to children.
The Vatican newspaper called the movie "the most anti-Christmas film possible" and said that it was "consoling" that its first weekend ticket sales were a disappointing $26 million.
New Line Cinema, a unit of Time Warner Inc, had hoped the film would pull in between $30 million and $40 million. It is doing better overseas but New Line sold the foreign distribution rights to help cover the movie's cost.
ping
Didn't it take $200M to make the film? Nice way to parse, Philip Pullella.
They can deny it all they want, but this movie tanking helped “The Hobbit” to finally get the go ahead.
The Vatican giving the movie free publicity by condemning it should help fix that.
Ooh. It did? With or without Peter Jackson?
BUMP
That might be true if the film had no promotion budget. But this one had a huge promo budget, so this message is actually, well, helpful in explaining what's wrong with this film.
The Church is giving guidance on moral issues in the modern age and needs to have it's voice heard. On this issue it is particularly worth hearing.
With - as EP. Not as director - yet. .
That is why the audience stayed home.... a flop for Warner Bros.
this is after a Catholic movie reviewer in America praised the Film!!!????
has He Been Fired yet?
The Vatican is on target here.
Hmmmm. This should be making the USCCB a little nervous.
In addition to that, I think it’s excellent that the Church is actually telling people what’s wrong with the film, not just making some vague negative statement. Interestingly enough, the editorial comments that Pullman’s world is one “without hope.” This is in great contrast to the words of the Pope’s latest encyclical, which is all about hope. (Spes Salvi - it can be downloaded in English from the Vatican website, and it’s a beautiful, clear and - well, hope-filled - writing.)
..time to fire up Chronicles of Narnia and LOTR
So far, I believe he’s still there, working for the USCCB. But the USCCB did subsequently retract the positive review. Of course, that was after the damage was done.
It’s fiction.
Looks like the American Bishops aren’t on the same page as is the Vatican.
I love it when Rome contradicts the American Bishops.
Just love it.
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