If You Were Miss California…
By Mitch Berg
…and Perez Hilton sought permission to film a video in your living room, whatever your opinion of gay marriage, you might tell Hilton “Karma’s a Bizzatch”, that actions and words have consequences, and to sack up and go do his filming in, say, Miss Oregon’s place. Right?
In the same light, and even though I’m not Catholic, I can’t help but wonder why Ron Howard is making hay with allegations that the Vatican might have obstructed filming of his latest Dan Brown fiesta of anti-Catholic defamation?
When you come to film in Rome, the official statement to you is that the Vatican has no influence,” he said. “Everything progressed very smoothly, but unofficially a couple of days before we were to start filming in several of our locations, it was explained to us that through back channels and so forth that the Vatican had exerted some influence.””Was I surprised? No. Am I a little frustrated at times? Sure,” he said.
Nevertheless he said he felt that he was able to preserve the overall “Angels & Demons” experience despite the restrictions by recreating scenes on sets. For the Sistine Chapel alone, some 20 members of the production crew — posing as tourists — took photos of all the frescoes, floor mosaics and paintings of the tiny chapel where popes are elected — until they were told to stop, the film’s Web site says.
Did I say “anti-Catholic defamation?” Why, yes I did.
May 4th, 2009 at 7:56 am
“I believe Catholics, including most in the hierarchy of the Church, will enjoy the movie for what it is – an exciting mystery, set in the awe-inspiring beauty of Rome”
Yeah, Ron Howard might want to pull his head out of his a** sometime soon.
May 4th, 2009 at 8:07 am
And I am sure the NAACP will enjoy DW Griffith’s epic film on the civil war and reconstruction.
May 4th, 2009 at 8:15 am
Another cutting-edge Hollywood producer/director bravely going out on a limb by trashing Christianity. When do you think he will take on a conspiracy of religiously inspired Muslims to maim and kill innocent civilians in order to achieve world domination?
Howard has balls the size of raisins.
May 4th, 2009 at 9:30 am
Catholics always enjoy a blunt stick in the eye, Troy.
May 4th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
I think most of the fans of the DaVinci Code, or Demons and Angels know the difference between the reality and fiction.
I am not RC, but I think they have more to worry about with people seeing images of the Virgin Mary in the cookware of Mexican restaurants, or on the sides of Grilled Cheese Sandwices than the church has to worry about movie mysteries. For that matter there is more to worry about from holocaust denying bishops (he was here in MN for years), and statements by the pope that condoms make AIDS worse instead of reducing the spread of the virus, and sex scandals in the clergy (a problem NOT unique to the roman catholics).
NO, I’m not bashing christians OR specifically catholics. I’m saying that the internal problems are a bigger threat than external ones.
May 4th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
I think most of the fans of the DaVinci Code, or Demons and Angels know the difference between the reality and fiction.
Actually, some polling that happened back when Da Vinci was just coming out on film indicated that a fairly shocking number of people believed that the history, and even the story, depicted in DVC were true.
May 4th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
” took photos of all the frescoes, floor mosaics and paintings of the tiny chapel where popes are elected ”
I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t describe the Sistine Chapel as tiny by any stretch. Michelangelo’s ceiling painting covers something over 10,000 square feet if I recall my art history correctly…
May 4th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
“” took photos of all the frescoes, floor mosaics and paintings of the tiny chapel where popes are elected ”
About 6000 square feet.
Photography isn’t allowed in the Sistine Chapel. The fact that Howard organized a stealth photography mission shows his disrespect for the Vatican.
May 4th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
DG — your 10,000 square feet is probably correct for the total square footage of Michelangelo’s paintings. The room is about 6000 square feet.
May 4th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Fiction or no, “imminent threat” or no, it’s kinda hard to argue for any Catholic organization to participate either in the filming of “Angels & Demons” or in a film adaptation of: The Pope and the Witch , especially after the whole Jesus Camp experience.
One might as well invite Xinhua or CCTV to Dharamsala and allow unlimited access to film a documentary on the Tibetan exile community there – we’re not quite as thinked as you dumb we are, Dog Gone.
May 4th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
. . . . . .
May 4th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Didn’t see the first one, won’t go see the second. I frankly think Tom Hanks is a wee bit overrated as an actor and Ron Howard overrated as a director. They’ve both made some fine films mind you but they’ve also both made some not so good ones that people went to go see because they put their names on it.
This seems like a rather obvious publicity stunt to drum up attention for the film which has to compete with the eleventh Star Trek movie, the fourth Terminator movie, a second (live action) Transformers movie, and the sixth Harry Potter movie. I’ll go see those movies instead.
May 4th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
MoN writes:
“Photography isn’t allowed in the Sistine Chapel. The fact that Howard organized a stealth photography mission shows his disrespect for the Vatican. ”
I’m not sure that it is disrespect, exactly. People are not supposed to take pictures of the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem either – but many do. I’m sure that there are numerous other people over the years who have taken unauthorized pictures for their own pleasure throughout the Vatican and associated buildings. If necessary I’m sure Ron Howard COULD have put together what he needed from exisiting photographs in books and other media. At least, to his credit, he was trying to be accurate in his portrayal of the location. Both books do raise awareness about the art of the period and some of the art-related history, although I find the conspiracy premises a bit thin in both books. But then I was familiar with the art he references; for other readers it was perhaps more of a novelty?
May 4th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
buddhapatriot Says:
May 4th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Fiction or no, “imminent threat” or no, it’s kinda hard to argue for any Catholic organization to participate either in the filming of “Angels & Demons” or in a film adaptation of: The Pope and the Witch , especially after the whole Jesus Camp experience.”
buddhapatriot, I don’t understand any of that – what ‘imminent threat’ are you talking about? the rest????
“One might as well invite Xinhua or CCTV to Dharamsala and allow unlimited access to film a documentary on the Tibetan exile community there – we’re not quite as thinked as you dumb we are, Dog Gone. ”
???????????? Look, I just like the Vatican’s art collection buddha. I’m not particularly a fan of Brown’s.
May 5th, 2009 at 12:19 am
I don’t understand any of that – what ‘imminent threat’ are you talking about?
To wit:
I’m saying that the internal problems are a bigger threat than external ones.
My point is that it’s just stupid to expect people to invite someone into their house or church knowing full well the purpose of their “guest’s” visit is to generate bad publicity (especially after seeing how the “born-again” folks were betrayed in the “Jesus Camp” film).
People are not supposed to take pictures of the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem either – but many do.
Maybe it’s an “outside” thing. I just know that if I found some dufus taking photographs of the Guan-yin Bodhisattva statues in Kyoto (Japan)’s “Sanjusangendo” temple, I’d wack him upside the head.
May 5th, 2009 at 9:27 am
buddhapatriot says:
“Maybe it’s an “outside” thing. I just know that if I found some dufus taking photographs of the Guan-yin Bodhisattva statues in Kyoto (Japan)’s “Sanjusangendo” temple, I’d wack him upside the head. ”
Ah, now I understand what you were saying. Very good points you make.