Monday, May 29, 2006

Does The Movie Kill the Literary Star?

Since it’s Memorial Day and the Costa Ricans have no clue what that is, im going to go catch the DaVinci Code while the Theatres are free of screaming pubescent Ticos. It’s actually already in the movie rental store here, one of the benefits of living in a country that doesn’t concern itself with movie piracy. (They’ve got bigger fish to fry like, um , poverty and infrastructure). But I’d rather see it on the big screen and the popcorn doesn’t fall into my couch there.

I’ve thumbed through the book, but cant say I’ve read it in it’s entirety. While the subject is, by it’s nature, fascinating, I’m just a little spent on all things Catholic right now. I’m enjoying the ridiculous media frenzy this movie has generated. It’s fun to watch the religiously devout get shaken to their core by a piece of fiction. Stand in’s, boycotts, hell, fire, and brimstone. They’ve tried about everything to guilt people into not going to see the film. Maybe they should have put as much time and energy into the ONGOING catholic priest SEX SCANDAL that’s plagued them for years rather than worry about a book that was written for entertainment. Then again, the diversion is clever and well played out. Score one for the Vatican.

Without seeing the film, I think Tom Hanks is miscast. He’s a great actor, but just not who I’d want to see in that role. Someone a bit more stately. Completely unrelated, his hair looks funny in the previews too. Like a pre-mullet or something. Can I get an amen halleluiah Jesus?

At the very least, I know I’ll be entertained for a few hours. I just hope the subtitles don’t take away too much from the cinematography. I might go to the really nice theatre here where they have foot stools and neck massages. It’s more expensive though. $2000.00 Colones.. That’s $3.97 USD. God bless the US Dollar.

5 comments:

the doc said...

Oh, the hype. Book's been out a couple of years or more now, and on the N.Y. Times Best Seller List most of that time, at #1 more than not. Plus, the basic story has been out for centuries, dating back to some ancient Gnostic gospels that did not find their way into the Canons of our Bible. Now that the story is hitting the giant silver screen, it's like it's a new story, a virgin script, to pardon my pun.

A minister friend of mine was asked to comment on the movie for the local news rag, and he did so, without ever having read the book. Said all he needed to know was found on the flyleaf..."fiction" and in the Q&A section on Dan Brown's website. Great! Guess I can now comment in the Religion Section of the same rag, although I have not read nor mastered the Bible, but I am familiar with most of the top-ten Bible stories I read years ago in Sunday School.

In this case it's a novel turned movie, professed fiction on flyleaf of the book. Nothing more...designed for reading pleasure...a who-done-it of intriguing quality...a good read...nothing more.

Now, if the controversy surrounding the movie theme itself does not garner enough free publicity, there is the secondary controversy concerning the casting of Mr. Tom Hanks in the lead. As I replied to a similar question posed by Jay on his blosite:(http://www.turnipstyle.com)

"Tom Hanks: Big, overgrown boy playing floor piano in Abercrombie and Fitch (or is it "Finch")�(later corrected by another reader to F.A.O. Schwartz)...Mentally handicapped, multitalented, always successful, Forrest�Sleepless and horny in Seattle�Single parent, hired killer on the road to perdition�Marooned, innovative, shafted FedEx employee�Stranded foreigner, making a home for himself in a metropolitan airport terminal�Doomed, high school teacher and Army Cpt. attempting to save Pvt. Ryan�Now, academician/sleuth searching for love, or I mean the truth, in all the wrong & right places in attempt to break the code�Why not?�Who else?"

Would you prefer that icon of sanity, that other Tom, Mr. Cruise?

Anonymous said...

A couple of weeks ago the priest said it was a sin two ways and the only way to see it is to refute it. I know it is fiction and really don't have a problem with the movie. However, I was very disappointed when a lawyer that I worked with was taking it very seriously. I said to her you are a lawyer and should base you decisions on facts no suppositions. Please, come out of the cave and see the light because the Da Vinci painting is based on writings written 30-60 years after the fact.

Don't get me involved with the priest scandal. I knew about certain priests way before the whole thing exploded. The lawyers must have found the smoking gun document. I was even interviewed regarding the scandal and what I thought about the new procedures instituted by the American Bishops.

So was it good?

Anonymous said...

I can't believe that we still have to drive the point home about FICTION .

"We" of course meaning the only sane ones left on this planet! :-)

StratoCade said...

I'm sure the movie is great and all, but I just want me one of them thar massages...

I think there's a gaping hole in the market for high-end movie theatres in the US. We could even invent a massage chair with a mirror that would allow one to watch the movie whilst having a chair massage... Maybe I should patent that.

Anonymous said...

Funny you say something like that Strato, I was just reading Forbes that had an article about Viacom and movie theaters. First the booze and dinning and then maybe massages. I just go down the street for an hour message for $18. I love training schools and they are very good.