Davinci Code - The Movie | Golden Skate

Davinci Code - The Movie

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Jul 11, 2003
I just saw it. Despite the critics, I think Ron Howard did a good job of bringing it to the screen.

The story itself should be read as entertainment and not as gospel. It's a mystery yarn not unlike an Agatha Christie yarn.

The acting is good all round. I particularly liked the Albino who realized better in the movie than in the pages. I thought Sofie was one beautiful girl, but I've always been attracted to brunettes with big brown eyes. The scenes of Paris got me wanting to take a trip. I've never seen I.M Pei's Pyramid.

Go see it as a mystery and forget the religious problems. Some are fact; some are hearsay, some are invented by Dan Brown.

Joe
 

CDMM1991

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Jun 3, 2005
I just saw it today too, and thought it was fantastic. I'm not sure where the nay-sayers were coming from. You just have to appreciate it as a story and a fantastically interesting one at that. I thought the acting was quite good as well. Ian MacKellen as Lee Teabing stole the show for me, and Paul Bettany as the monk was very convincing as well. I also thought that the actress that played Sophie was a perfect choice, as was Tom Hanks.
 

Tonichelle

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most was invented by Dan Brown. ;)

I've yet to see it, but this is the first review that's actually positive. Many think that Tom Hanks was the wrong choice to be the main character and that the movie lacked a lot...


Brown and the film are getting a lot of flack not just from the Catholic church (though thankfully the media played it up more than anyone else so whatever) but also from an "Albino association" because they're tired of always being portrayed as the bad, satanic, scary, wacky sort of people that hollywood portrays them as (there was a big article in a couple of news magazines a few weeks back)

it's certainly gotten a lot of press, good and bad... I'll see it when it comes out on DVD (with all of the lukewarm reviews, I don't want to pay the 12 bucks it'd be and then be disappointed in the movie)
 

heyang

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Jul 26, 2003
I thought it was a very good adaptation of the book. It is not something to watch when tired because most of the scenes are dark.

One of the things I loved about the book was all the little factoids and symbology. All the essentials were in the movie - otherwise, the movie would have been a lot longer.

I reread the book after seeing the movie just to see what was left out. Ironically, I felt they gave the Langdon role more emphasis. In the book, he was a symbologist, but not a cryptographer. In the book, Sophie was the one who solved the anagrams. Just a small point when you consider that one theme of the book is the suppression of the feminine power.
 

Ladskater

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Joesitz said:
I just saw it. Despite the critics, I think Ron Howard did a good job of bringing it to the screen.

The story itself should be read as entertainment and not as gospel. It's a mystery yarn not unlike an Agatha Christie yarn.

The acting is good all round. I particularly liked the Albino who realized better in the movie than in the pages. I thought Sofie was one beautiful girl, but I've always been attracted to brunettes with big brown eyes. The scenes of Paris got me wanting to take a trip. I've never seen I.M Pei's Pyramid.

Go see it as a mystery and forget the religious problems. Some are fact; some are hearsay, some are invented by Dan Brown.

Joe

I would say most of this story is invented by Dan Brown.
 

Dee4707

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Joesitz said:
I just saw it. Despite the critics, I think Ron Howard did a good job of bringing it to the screen.Joe
Joe, did you read the book??? I'm finishing it right now or soon and then want to see the movie.

Toni, I thought Harrison Ford would have been good cast as Langdon.

Dee
 

SeaniBu

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Dee4707 said:
Toni, I thought Harrison Ford would have been good cast as Langdon.

Dee

There is not too many women that I know that wouldn't agree. I've been told I do a good impression of his voice.:biggrin:

Anyway, My Father said, "the problem is some people are taking it as gospel." I told him, "the problem is to many people are so stupid they see anything that uses a few facts to base a story on as the gospel truth? Sounds to me like the people are the problem. If someone believes that, they might be likely to be someone dumb enough to think Pirates of the Caribbean is factual because pirates really did exist."
 

Kwanford Wife

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I loved the movie and felt that Howard & Co. did a great job... While certain elements were on point, the changes didn't really take away from the original vibe of the book...

What I think is so interesting is the concept that Dan Brown made the majority of it up... I've been hearing about the idea of the book since the early 90s. This isn't a speculation dreamed up by a man looking to give Rowlings a run for her money...

Its been speculated for some time that Jesus & Mary M. were in fact a couple based on the traditions of the Jewish community. It has also been speculated that Mary M was the prime money person of the early community. What is not to be believed is the concept that she was *****. But if you look at the history of the church & male dominated society, its easy to understand the ***** concept. Whether she was his wife or finanicier, she had power within the community ~ and that is something seen as unacceptable for a woman.

I would suggest this movie to anyone who enjoyed the book, is facinated by the concepts & ideas presented or simply has no desire to see Cars. But I warn you ~ there is always the threat of being compelled to do indy research on those things most confusing to you... I've been digging around & reading tomes since I finished the book a couple of years ago...
 
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Toni and Ladskater. Don't worry about your beliefs. The story comes across as a mystery yarn. The background of the city, the churches, the templars, are all real; not ficticious; the Opus Dei does exist. We have a chapter in NYC.

While I would support the Albino organization not to be portrayed as bad, the one in the story is totally sincere in his beliefs.

If mixing fiction with fact is not your thing, then there are a lot of movies you should avoid. I just see them for entertainment. As for the authenticity of Bible stories, they also entertain me, but I don't believe they are real facts.

Joe
 

Dee4707

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Joe, I'm going to ask you one more time and then I going to get tough with you :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Did you read the book??

Dee
 

Tonichelle

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Joe - I've never been worried about my faith just because Hollywood got it wrong once again ;)

I do think people who take the whole thing seriously are very easily taken in by I don't know what lol. Then again there are people who claim "Jedi" as their religion so I guess I shouldn't be surprised ;) lol

The only thing that really annoys me is that people consider Jesus to be a good man, but if he was having a romantic relationship with Mary M then he lied, and if he lied about that then He lied about being "without sin" and if He lied about that. Then He lied about the whole significance of his death, and if he lied about that then a lot of men and women have died for a faith that doesn't amount to a hill of beans... so he's not all that good if He isn't exactly who He claimed to be.

and now I shall take my leave as I've not seen this film yet and I haven't read the book lol
 

Dee4707

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STL_Blues_fan said:
just curious, define "sin"?

If Jesus was married to Mary M., is that a "sin"?
This is where it gets all screwed up. They did a wonderful show on A&E, I think it was that station, on this very subject.

Our bishop in Omaha has banned all Catholics of going to the movie and even reading the book. I have a friend who is an avid reader and I asked if she had read the DaVinci Code and her response was...........oh no, it;s so anti-catholic and besides we're not supposed to. Needless to say I didn't let that pass by.........like missy, how old are you??

Dee
 

Ravyn Rant

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seanibu said:
Sounds to me like the people are the problem. If someone believes that, they might be likely to be someone dumb enough to think Pirates of the Caribbean is factual because pirates really did exist."

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
Well said!
I haven't even read the book yet (I plan to start it this weekend), but I did read "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" nearly 20 years ago. This book presented the whole Priory of Sion and Jesus' alleged bloodline as non-fiction. It was later revealed that the whole Priory of Sion thing had been a hoax from the start, as admitted by some of the hoaxters themselves. (Did anyone see "The Real DaVinci Code" on the History Channel a few months ago?)
The authors sued Dan Brown recently, but I think the case was thrown out.
I enjoy a good mystery. We'll see how I enjoy the book.
xoxo
Rave
 

SeaniBu

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Dee4707 said:
Our bishop in Omaha has banned all Catholics of going to the movie and even reading the book.

Directed at the Bishop's directive - not directed at Dee4707
Is this because he would think that everyone in the congregation has no idea what they have been learning in the church, or maybe not listening? This brings up the analogy once again, "is you faith - (in this case) in the congregation - so weak that you feel as soon as they are exposed to someone else's yours will crumble. I guess the God in his mind didn't give anyone a brain to think. Sorry, but when people can't even hear the words "act of fiction" from the people who made the movie, I think of "sheep" LITERALLY.

Realize there are people in this world who read Moby Dick and thought it was JUST a story about a captain on a ships obsession, totally disregarding the indication and interpretation it has to do with many types of obsessions and how this can destroy a persons "life." - and more.

I mean to say, the fault lies in the mind of the interpreter, not the author of something stated as being Fiction - and in most cases an opposing opinion. Ron Howard has clearly said that this is not anything meant as factual or meant as a threat to the "church."

The only threat is that the minds of the viewers a going to blindly believe whatever they see on the screen. IMO, that is why a bishop wouldn't want his congregation to see this movie, because he has no faith in them.


Most people post some very solid views on this forum. I am always happy to hear these views and think about what's said. This does and doesn't change my views sometimes - but most importantly I think about what's said rather then put them on Ignore list just because I disagree. I doubt this movie would force anyone with a working brain to do anything but think, maybe laugh at the "Story." I don't believe a large number of followers would walk out of the theater saying, I am anti religious, all of the sudden.

After thought, the Chronicles of Narnia was Biblically "based" as well. Does something have to be SO OBVIOUSLY fictitious in it's interpretation for the audience to "get an OK" from a church to see it?
 
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heyang

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Jul 26, 2003
I went to a symosium on DaVinci Code at the local Barnes & Nobles about 2 years ago. They had experts from Rutgers on the panel - literature, history, theology, etc.

They all said the book as good entertainment. They all confirmed that the theory of a bloodline of Christ is not impossible. They reminded everyone that there were at least 12 apostles, yet only 4 are represented in the St James Bible. They mentioned that the Church of Africa is based upon the gospels of Peter - note, not Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.

They did note that not all the minute details were correct. They also mentioned that Holy Blood, Holy Grail is someone's thesis, but it is not considered good research because it only sets out to prove the theory and does not attempt to disprove it. So, there is a possiblity of some truth in the theory.

There's also no denying the Churches of Mary Magdalene in southern France.

The only thing that Dan Brown did was introduce the theory to a broader audience. The theory has been around since long before Holy Blood, holy Grail was published.

Personally, I'm not sure what all the hoo-haa is about, but I'm not religious. Based upon the little research I've done, the teachings of the gospels are the same whether Jesus was married or not. Isn't it more important to be a good person than to prevent people from learning more and forming their own opinions?
 
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