Ship of Fools: The Da Vinci Overload

Thread: The Da Vinci Overload Board: The Da Vinci Code / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by Ophthalmos (# 3256) on :

I work at a cinema. It is a cinema that has been overwhelmed by demand for this film this weekend. The figures say that we had 4,000+ people through the door today (Sunday), and 4,400+ yesterday (Saturday).

What attracts people in their droves to this shit? I saw it on Friday (I feel OK about it because I get in free to all the films) and I can honestly say I haven't seen a worse "mystery" film in my whole life. But that's besides the point.

What's worse is that it's smothering all the great films that ARE being released. Love + Hate, a brilliant British film about the clash of racial cultures in northern towns, got ONE WEEK in our cinema. Junebug wasn't even shown. I doubt we'll get Thank You For Smoking either. Generally, it has to be a genre film to get any sort of run at all. What's wrong with this picture? (Pun intended.)

I sympathise with the intentions of this article, but in the end it's not that there are too many films...it's that there are too many films that are freeze-dried, pre-packaged shit-for-brains MOVIES.

The post-Da Vinci Code world is a very scary place, not because of the untruths that the film suggests, but because of the unthinking, unquestioning drone-like nature of the public at large who will lap up anything that they're told to. I wouldn't stay away from the Da Vinci Code because it's blasphemous. I'd stay away in protest at the films that aren't being shown.

I want to cry.

Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :

Many probably went to see what all the fuss was about.

Posted by Janine (# 3337) on :

Or because they really really like Tom Hanks' work.

[Big Grin]

Every time I read the recent posts and see this I read it as "DaVinci Overlord"...

Posted by kempis3 (# 9792) on :

There are many people who believe that the church, in all its traditions, has told lies and deceptions (often upheld by force) in order to uphold its institutional power.

Despite its faults, the DVC has given a focus to these concerns, and discussions about these are well overdue -- thankfully these discussions are now taking place.

This is one extremely good effect from the Internet and its Forums.

[Smile]

Posted by noneen (# 11023) on :

quote:
Despite its faults, the DVC has given a focus to these concerns, and discussions about these are well overdue -- thankfully these discussions are now taking place.

If it were true that discussion was taking place Kempis, then i'd fully endorse your point. But its more a monologue .... and many comments/arguments about inaccuracies are greeted by the twin mantras of 'you're being defensive', or 'everyone knows that ...'.

Sharing ignorance is not the same as intelligent conversations. And while some have used this opportunity to look for truth - many seem to simply see it as a confirmation of their gut feeling that 'they'(who?) are involved in a big conspiracy (the conspiracy itself is different according to who you meet!!!! [Biased]

)

Yep, its a great opportunity to have intelligent and fruitful conversation - but it'd be a mistake to assume that thats whats always happening when people talk about DVC !!! (IMHO)

Posted by fencesitter (# 10703) on :

The movie is already considered to be "ancient history".

It has been less than a week since The Da Vinci Code opened in theaters world-wide. Already, most coverage has dropped from the radar screen of the media in favor of a new "controversey", pop singer Madonna propped up and spred out on a cross for her latest performance.

Posted by RuthW (# 13) on :

What really pisses me off is that our local arthouse movie theater is showing "The Da Vinci Code." Maybe they need the money, but I don't know why anyone would choose to see this movie in a run-down movie theater with not especially comfortable seats on a slightly raked floor when they could go to a theater with newer stadium seating.

Posted by Ophthalmos (# 3256) on :

quote:
Originally posted by RuthW:
What really pisses me off is that our local arthouse movie theater is showing "The Da Vinci Code." Maybe they need the money, but I don't know why anyone would choose to see this movie in a run-down movie theater with not especially comfortable seats on a slightly raked floor when they could go to a theater with newer stadium seating.

Thanks for responding to the OP. Maybe some others could try it...or are there no cinema supporters about?

Posted by koffshun (# 11227) on :

Me! I'm a cinema supporter! I originally said I'd watch the film because I love the many good actors in it, but after all the comments I've had from people who've seen it, I'll wait for the DVD release... Even the best of actors can't improve watching a badly written script.

quote:
I want to cry.

Opthalmos, I completely agree. I live in a large seaside town and we very very rarely have anything shown with flavour and flair - it's all "The Tigger Movie" and "Scary Movie 47" instead of the ones I see in Empire and get antsy to watch!

Two things piss me off about the MOVIE release: the importance/prominence of the actors involved and the secondary nature of the plot to special effects and sexy cinematography. Plus, if you live nowhere near an arthouse or independent cinema, or London, you will rarely get to see the classier or edgier new releases.

Actually, a third thing pisses me off: the fact that a substantial proportion who watch the film haven't read the book. 9 years ago, Harry Potter got more children reading, as did Philip Pullman et al. Only a few years later the new 'young children' aren't reading the books because they've seen the film. Forget the fact that frequent reading improves vocabulary and ability to read faster and with more enjoyment.

The idea that it's only children who need to be encouraged to read more is ridiculous, there are many many adults who don't read more than the odd magazine or tabloid. TDVC could have done for adult reading what HPotter did for children's reading, but with the release of the film "there's no point reading the book".

This, too, makes me want to cry [Waterworks]

Posted by ChastMastr (# 716) on :

We get the Travel Channel as part of our "limited basic" lineup, which is lovely. But if I see one more ad for stuff basically related to the DVC I will scream.

Then again, we could get more Derek Acorah or something.

David

Posted by ORGANMEISTER (# 6621) on :

Chast is correct. But not only Discovery Channel. The History Channel is all DVC all the time. If I see one more ad for programs about Leonardo, Mary M, the Templars, the Masons, the Grail, etc., I'm going to set my hair on fire and leap out of the window....but only after I cancel my cable subscription.

Posted by Rossweisse (# 2349) on :

If it's any comfort: my Senior Child works part-time at a local multiplex here in the American Heartland. And even at the height of the hype, on the opening weekend, not one showing sold out. There were empty seats for all of them. This is unusual for a big commercial flick, and particularly for one that's been as heavily talked up as DVC.

I gather the movie is doing its best business in Europe. Maybe Americans aren't really as stupid as some people would like to think.

Ross

[ 27. May 2006, 01:03: Message edited by: Rossweisse ]

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