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| The
Da Vinci Code: So Dark the Con of Hollywood |
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It has sold 40 million copies in less
than 3 years. It has a dedicated fan
following all over the world. Neither
teenagers nor adults have been able
to escape its mesmerizing narrative.
And now the movie is destined to rock
the box office. No, we are not talking
about a certain wizard called Harry
Potter. This literary wizardry can
be claimed by American novelist Dan
Brown, and his explosive best seller,
The Da Vinci Code.
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| A
controversial start |
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Right from the date of publication,
the novel has never been able to keep
away from controversies galore. Now
that the movie version is all set
for release (delayed, in fact), everybody
who is anybody has heard of the rough
weather that the sure-shot blockbuster
is encountering. So what’s all
the fuss about? If you have entered
the party late, here is where you
get all your Vinci goodies.
There is no doubt that the book has
all the ingredients (and much more)
that are positively vital for a great
page turner. Dan Brown weaves the
complex story in such a way that even
a layman who has never heard the word
“symbology” before is
hooked till the last page. The book
not only moves at a breakneck pace,
but Brown adds so many interesting
facts (yes, facts) that captures the
imagination of the reader. He manages
to bring adrenaline levels to the
highest levels at the end of every
chapter, then breaks it with a bit
of intelligent humour, a tinge of
romance, and cuts back to the chase
with an unfailing and gripping narrative.
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But thrillers have been written before as
well, right? Aren’t John Grisham and
Alistair Maclean masters of the genre? But
the subject of Brown’s book isn’t
anything out of the genre textbook. After
all, the premise is considered to be the granddaddy
of all fiction – the quest for the Holy
Grail. Except in Brown’s book, the Grail
is not the cup of Jesus that has been the
established lore till recently, but it is
the indisputable proof of Jesus’s mortality
– his bloodline.
Conspiracy
theorists have never had it so good. Finally
here was one book which not only picked on
an age-old conspiracy, but also claimed to
unveil it to the world. |
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| Miffed
Christians |
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The
merit of the book has never been
in question. But what has angered
Christian groups is the claim that
Brown so blatantly and confidently
makes of Jesus’ surviving
lineage. Even though Brown has said
that the book is a work of fiction,
it’s easy to see why he has
incurred the wrath of many Christians.
For one, far from making a disclaimer,
the Da Vinci Code starts with a
page which endorses that all references
to secret societies and architecture
are real. Moreover, Brown mixes
true facts (like a mention of the
Divine Proportion) with fiction
so much, that after a point of time
it is virtually impossible to separate
them both.
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| An
ordinary reader who has no knowledge of Gnostic
religion (which means 99% of the population)
might actually believe the book to be a true
account of history. No wonder Christians are
so miffed. |
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| Cannes
not very encouraging |
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Now
for the movie… it is no doubt
that a movie, with its powerful images
and the hypnotism of cinema, will
have far more impact than its older
sibling. After all, just look at the
pedigree. Directed by the Oscar winning
director Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind,
Apollo 13), and a lead role played
by double Oscar winner and Hollywood’s
most bankable star Tom Hanks (Forrest
Gump, Saving Private Ryan), the movie
will definitely not be short of audiences,
ones who have read he book or ones
who haven’t. However, early
reviews of the movie leaking out of
Cannes hasn’t been very encouraging,
with a number of critics panning the
movie. |
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| Publicity
by protests |
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The fact is that all the protests
have only increased publicity and
curiosity for the movie, and its
producers and marketing heads couldn’t
have asked for more. And then, there
are quite a few people who are bringing
out the whole “freedom of
expression” rhetoric. Didn’t
the Europeans show no respect for
religion when a Danish newspaper
published a demeaning cartoon of
Prophet Muhammad, and it was reprinted
all across the continent? If that
could be justified in the name of
freedom, then there should be no
obstacles for the Da Vinci Code
to hit theatres.
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| Making
money at the ignorance of conscience |
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But
the fact is that religion is a
very touchy subject, especially
in India, and it is hardly advisable
to toy with people’s emotions
in the name of entertainment.
But then, Hollywood did not become
the world’s biggest money-making
industry by listening to their
conscience. They are probably
laughing all the way to the bank.
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Behindwoods.com
© 2004-06 ; For advertising contact behindw@behindwoods.com |
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