quote: The BBC, believe it or not!

---

The Da Vinci Code is one of the greatest phenomena in the history of fiction publishing...

---

Come on! It's an OK, quite well written shit lit novel from which (by all accounts - I haven't seen it) an OK film got made, which has been relentlessly plastered all over the media for weeks, mainly because of religious expressions of objection which have been intelligently PR-hyped by the film's promoters. But really, does this justify the saturation coverage that is being inflicted on us? 'One of the greatest phenomena in the history of fiction publishing'? It reminds me of a government official who described what was, in the big scheme of things, a pretty small-scale incident as 'the biggest cock-up ever', thereby relegating the Charge of the Light Brigade, the Battle of Arnhem, etc. etc., to the status of trivial footnotes.

I read the book on a flight from Amsterdam to Minneapolis last summer, was grateful that it got rid of nine hours of monotony and then forgot all about it until this fuss kicked off. I would be interested to know how it managed to make the jump from just another novel on the airport bookshelf to a 'media event' that has snowballed to this extent.

Rant over!
 

---

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 05-16-2006, 05:29 PM:
 
Religion on the screen makes people notice the movies. The controversy seems to trump the fact that the film is yet another adaptation in yet another season with plenty of sequels & transposing of other media, in this case the overrated book.

Not to mention the book on the conspiracy that came before Da Vinci. Holy Blood, Holy Grail wasn't it? Perhaps reverse the title. NBC-Universal also gets plenty of content for their networks during the whole rigamarole, too. News agencies can pen marketing-based pieces instead of reporting better stories. And a successful film is always a great way to make D-cinema look possible after the huge turnout at poorly run multiplexes with awful presentation craves 'a better moviegoing experience'

Maybe they were shooting for it to seem more like National Treasure, but with a better possible international box take?
 

---

Posted by Brian Michael Weidemann (Member # 2243) on 05-16-2006, 05:45 PM:
 
Thoroughly bored? (raises hand)
 

---

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-16-2006, 06:58 PM:
 

quote: Steve Scott

---

Maybe they were shooting for it to seem more like National Treasure, but with a better possible international box take?

---

Well the most common comment on National Treasure was that it was a "poor man's Da Vinci Code" or something to that effect.

Me, I am more than happy to listen to the hype. Puts butts in the seats. I'm just glad to be kicking off the summer with a high-profile Tom Hanks/Ron Howard movie for a change.
 

---

Posted by Bob Maar (Member # 763) on 05-16-2006, 07:05 PM:
 
Does this mean it's not true?
 

---

Posted by Clint Koch (Member # 1179) on 05-16-2006, 10:36 PM:
 
it's a freakin movie people! get over it!!!!

(comment not directed at Film-tech members)

I actually enjoyed the book knowing full well it is FICTION!!!

Looking forward to the movie as Ron Howard and Tom Hanks usually put out some decent product. Hope this film has long legs.

Rant off.
 

---

Posted by Jonathan Worthing (Member # 803) on 05-17-2006, 06:11 AM:
 
I think I will wait for the book to go in to the bargain bin (£1.99 or less) before I read it.

some time next week.
 

---

Posted by Cory Isemann (Member # 2517) on 05-17-2006, 09:17 AM:
 

quote: Brian Michael Weidemann

---

Thoroughly bored? (raises hand)

---

<raises hand>

Exactly, it's just a movie. Just like "Passion of the Christ".. people being paid to say words from a paper.

Nobody's forcing people to go see it. Here's a good way to show your opinion on the movie: STAY HOME.
 

---

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 05-17-2006, 10:23 AM:
 
Liked the book......Tom Hanks as the lead
 

---

Posted by Michael Gonzalez (Member # 593) on 05-17-2006, 12:11 PM:
 
I have read three of Dan Brown's four books. In my opnion, Angels and Demons is by far the best one (from a story standpoint). Although Brown is a decent writer, all his books have a bit of sameness to them.

Somewhat of a spoiler alert...

There always seems to be some vast conspiracy with powerful people or an organization behind it. There is always some kind of countdown happening where events have to transpire in a certain timeframe. And there is always a stooge (or stooges) being controlled by a mysterious individual with a nickname ("The Teacher", "The Architect"). And finally, it always turns out that there was no vast conspiracy and that the "individual with the nickname" was the sole person responsible (who always turns out the be someone the main character trusted) for the entire event. So take this formula, insert either a government or religious conspiracy and you have a Dan Brown book.
 

---

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 05-17-2006, 12:21 PM:
 

quote: Clint Koch

---

Looking forward to the movie as Ron Howard and Tom Hanks usually put out some decent product...

---

Oh great! Opie and Dopie!
 

---

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 05-17-2006, 01:05 PM:
 
Sorry, Sony & their networks will be the preoccuppied ones. Everytime I see Imagine entertainment I think Universal, based on repetition.

Good call on the poor man's line, Mike. I honestly didn't even scrape the IMDB boards before comparing the two. Yeah, Illuminatti & the like really sell. Like the X-Files for people that don't feel like discussing the piece with nerds.
 

---

Posted by Eric Hooper (Member # 1730) on 05-17-2006, 01:56 PM:
 
It's at ZERO % ROTTEN at rottentomatoes.com
 

---

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 05-17-2006, 04:41 PM:
 
I have been hearing bad things about the movie for over a month now.

I hope my lowered expectations make the movie seem that much more enjoyable.
 

---

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 05-17-2006, 04:57 PM:
 
Two critics slagged it on the radio just now, too. One made the point that the amount of factual detail in the book and the relative absence of violent action made it practically unfilmable. I tend to agree - that's also the reason why, IMHO, there have been no entirely successful film adaptations of novels by other 'documentary fiction' writers such as Frederick Forsyth and Nevil Shute.
 

---

Posted by David Favel (Member # 1125) on 05-17-2006, 05:11 PM:
 
Been a while since I read the book, but I feel the movie wimped out and could have been far more bitter against christianity. P.S. the flashbacks to historical scenes looked far sharper & richer than the rest of the movie.
 

---

Posted by Justin Gorka (Member # 3727) on 05-20-2006, 05:04 PM:
 
Well, the critics don't seem to have put off the punters. We'ce now gone from 4 to 6 screens (oh, the joys of interlock, forgotten how management make such a big deal out of it) and 2 extra shows a day.
With x-men next week I think we're going to be short of choice with Toms film also doing well!
 

---

Posted by Joshua Waaland (Member # 287) on 05-22-2006, 10:52 PM:
 
Thanks Leo! You get an atta boy from me today!

I thought I was the only one getting sick of it. My wife's family was up in Ohio this past week on the account of her grandfather passing away. We (all 21 of us, talk about cramped) were sitting at dinner when an advertisement for yet another network show on the Da Vinci Code played. I proceeded to express my disdain for all the attention this film was getting when I quickly realized I was the only one in the room with those sediments. Everyone started talking about how they wanted to see it. A half hour later after they were still talking about it I was sorry I even said anything.

Seriously, I am so sick and tired of hearing about it. I can't wait until it goes away. Honestly, I get so anoid when anything gets this much press. It seems like too many people are always jumping onto the latest bandwagons. It's kind of like the no carb diets a year ago. I was in an airport a few weeks ago and I counted 7 out of 10 people that were waiting for the plane all reading the Da Vinci Code.
 

---

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 05-23-2006, 02:43 AM:
 
Hey dont knock the low carb diet, it worked for me!
 

---