Doing The Da Vinci Job

[altariel]

Went to see The Da Vinci Code last night, and I, er, actually rather enjoyed it. And not it a super-ironic way either. It had been pretty uniformly slated by all, friends and reviews alike, so my expectations were pretty low: I was expecting something at least as bad as Troy. And it wasn't. It was pretty leisurely paced, but I got quite absorbed in it. Competently executed, nothing egregiously wrong. Lots of pretty pictures. While I was watching, I kept thinking of North by Northwest, only - as if this sentence needs to be written - Tom Hanks ain't no Cary Grant. Then I came home and laughed uproariously at some clips of Charlie Chaplin, so you're free to dismiss my opinion out of hand.

Comments

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

My mother liked it too.

I saw some of the Charlie Chaplin - I spent a lot of time thinking "what a dish he was without the moustache!" A bit like Rowan Atkinson with the beard.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

"what a dish he was without the moustache!" A bit like Rowan Atkinson with the beard.

Yes! All the greasepaint helps.

[trixieleitz]

So, for the benefit of those morbidly curious types who are wondering what all the fuss is about, should one read the book, see the film, or both?

I'm torn between seeing it, thereby sticking two fingers up at all the religious types who fill the media with impotent ranting (did you know? it's been banned in Samoa), and refusing to see it, thereby sticking two fingers up at the publishers by refusing to help further line their pocketses.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I'd skip the book and see the film, unless you get particular enjoyment from godawful prose (which I do). Also, the film has Ian McKellan, Paul Bettany, Alfred Molina, and Jean Reno. Result!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Ooh. I wasn't going to see it, but with a cast like that, I'm very tempted.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Oh, the cast is great, that's a big reason I turned up.

[trixieleitz]

Ian McKellan, Paul Bettany, Alfred Molina, and Jean Reno.

Who all sound like they should know better ;)

I have heard that Sir Ian doesn't take himself too seriously, and turns in a pretty good performance as a result.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Who all sound like they should know better ;)

And then saw the size of the pay cheque...

Sir Ian isn't OTT, but he's certainly having a good time.

[791-43.livejournal.com]

I keep thinking that I ought to perhaps give it a go (a friend has been raving about it, but I suspect that's only because the film makes it out that semiotics are useful *g*), but I'm made hesitant by the thought that Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou might be paired off in a "romantic" fashion. This will surely make me want to jump up from my seat and rip up the screen with my bare hands and teeth.

Please tell me there are no ridiculous romantic subplots..?

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Semioticians can be heroes too!

I was sure that in the book that the Hanks and Tautou characters had a romantic subplot (memory of plot is hazy, I was reading mostly for absurdities from about a third through) - but this is entirely cut in the film. Good move.

[(Anonymous)]

I was expecting it to suck something godawful, but for $5...? Also I live with theologians, so I was bracing myself to be the only one who might find it entertaining. However, we went two for three in liking the film. Nothing too flashy, and if I was rolling my eyes (a lot) (especially at the Council of Nicea) (but I really liked the stunned and beleaguered expresssion of the poor clerk in that shot, too) (but don't get me started about storing ancient documents or Hanks just opening a drawer to handle and expose them to *air*) at the supposed religious history, it was enjoyably done. One too many turncoats for my tastes, but well-paced, McKellan did a good job, as did Reno, and what the heck am I complaining about? It's a quest for the holy grail, like anything having to do with Templers' inner workings is ever historical, other than their destruction.

The one thing that irked me was the fact that although this is supposedly about bringing balance to the gendered forces of the world, Sophie's character couldn't quite buck the convention of the damsel in distress who needs the male protagonist to save her or assist her fundamentally. (And it wasn't obvious at all how she fit into this by the time Teaving was brought in to explain things, oh no...) Yet another stunning example of the fact that goddess worship does not a feminist society make.

Dwim

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, the Council of Nicea bit! How could I forget, that was just awful! You're right about Sophie still needing her knight to aid her; she's full of bright ideas at the start when she first meets Langdon, but that has disappeared by the end. Oh, we get her healing hands, though, I suppose.

[(Anonymous)]

Oh yes, the Council of Nicea bit! How could I forget, that was just awful!

It really was. But it was also unintentionally comic, I think, which did something for it, I guess.

Oh, we get her healing hands, though, I suppose.

*snork* Yeah, I loved that. Sophie doesn't have the phallus, she is the phallus - er chalice! And the chalice is "Mary'ed' to the phallus. Ain't no way Sophie would ever be able to declare herself under this set-up.

A lot of psychoanalytic readings leave me with a raised eyebrow or frothing at the mouth, but this was such a blatant confirmation of a very basic principle, it was flabbergasting. That it was clearly unintended and counteracting the manifest intent of the author to give femaleness a power boost just made it better.

Dwim

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Did you ever read the book?

[(Anonymous)]

I'm stuck at the point where they escape from the Louvre. I'm doing things backward: watching the movie, then reading the book.

Dwim

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I thought the escape from the Louvre was one of the best bits. I, er, wouldn't waste too much of your life on the book ;-)

[(Anonymous)]

I'm told it goes downhill pretty quickly after that, and I have to say, the prose isn't all I would've expected. :-S

But I shall persevere for awhile at least. It is, after all, no worse in style than, say, Janet Evanovich, and how many of those have I read?

Dwim

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I just put five Janet Evanoviches on a pile for the charity shop, having read three. They were funny, but life is short, and there is fanfiction to write.

[(Anonymous)]

life is short, and there is fanfiction to write.

How true that is...

Dwim, who now must nerve herself to write more of said fanfic

[altariel.livejournal.com]

You have an eager if mildly traumatized audience waiting at this end.

[edge-of-ruin.livejournal.com]

Hi Dwim!

I definitely agree with what you said about the balancing of the gendered forces, or rather the not. I seem to remember that in the book the nun at Saint-Sulpice came over as a 'stronger' character than she did in the film. Though I don't remember any healing hands in the book, but after a few pages my eyes started to skim over it pretty quickly, so as not to suffer permanent damage. I think I would have remembered them if they'd been there ;-)

I did enjoy the film once I relaxed into the slow pace of it and the Council of Nicea had be chortling out loud.

[(Anonymous)]

Hi Alawa,

I seem to remember that in the book the nun at Saint-Sulpice came over as a 'stronger' character than she did in the film.

She came across as equally strong in the movie and the book for the crucial scene. But I think I can see where you would get that impression: she has more interaction with Silas in the book, playing the midnight tour guide before going off to spy, so you get a little better sense of her.

But I thought the movie scene was well done - she's cool as a cucumber and determinedly unflinching in the final confrontation, just as in the book.

Dwim

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

Crikey. I'm amazed. Hollywood's answer to a terrible novel.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Actually managed to improve on it.

[edge-of-ruin.livejournal.com]

Thanks for a good evening ;-)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the tickets! Hope the poached pear made up for Charlie Chaplin ;-D

[edge-of-ruin.livejournal.com]

I'd happily watch no end of Charlie Chaplin for a taste of Mr A's poached pear! I do enjoy the clever physical humour.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I've had steak and freshly made vanilla ice-cream forced on me today, with trout still to come *sigh* life is such a struggle.

[edge-of-ruin.livejournal.com]

Let me know if you need a helping hand ...

[gaspode.livejournal.com]

Yeah - Bottom line is there is a lot worse movies out there ;)

I didn't read the book (Reet did - basically said the story was ok but badly written) so sounded like perfect fodder for a movie. I'd also decided that given the books popularity and the subject matter that whatever happened it was going to get slated.

So i reserved judgement and went and saw it with reet - and I enjoyed it to. Not massively i'll admit - but i've had far worse cinema experances recently.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Bottom line is there is a lot worse movies out there

Exactly.

You're not missing out on much with the book; the film does it all and more prettily.

[martal0712.livejournal.com]

Well, as a (fairly liberal, but still) Christian in the US Bible belt I had a lot of warring preconceptions. I wanted to like it because the premise reminded me of "American Treasure" and just because it was so criticised by people around here. But I thought I must have high expectations for that same reason.

Ultimately, I liked it pretty well. Fairly absorbing if a bit slow at parts. It had me until that last conversation about "the only thing that really matters is what you believe". Ideologies aside, it just felt forced and not really that necessary.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

It sounds like you went in with much higher expectations that I did - had you read the book before? I had been expecting something at least as creaking, but the actors managed to make all the characters sympathetic. Well, it was a really excellent cast.

[martal0712.livejournal.com]

Hi Altariel,

Yeah, I went in with fairly high expectations, probably higher than you. I can be stubborn like that - I think if too many of the church crowd around here are up in arms about something it should be something I do enjoy. ;-)

No, I hadn't read the book, though the movie made me want to pick it up. I seriously considered buying it when I saw it in a store yesterday, but I have too little bookshelf space and too long a reading list as it is, so I'll wait a bit on it. But I do intend to.

And I loved the cast! Who played Sophie? I recognized Sir Ian and Tom Hanks, of course, but she was a new face to me and I thought she did a very good job of carrying off complicated emotions.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Has there been a real debate about it at your church? Most of the discussions I've had have been about whether or not Dan Brown deserves to have become so wealthy from such awful prose!

Unless you really enjoy the mechanics of bad prose, you're not missing anything by not reading the book (actually, from a mechanics POV it's a really interesting book to read). The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail is more enjoyable.

Sophie is played by Audrey Tautou, who was the lead in Amelie which, if you haven't seen it, is worth seeing infinitely more than either The Da Vinci Code or The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail are worth reading.

[martal0712.livejournal.com]

Hi Altariel,

Yes, there has been a lot of debate. Keep in mind, I live not only in the American South but in a small rural town. (I really can't wait until August, when I start grad school in Cleveland...) But I haven't heard anyone discussing the merits of the writing, more about the ideas involved.

Given what you say on the book's quality, I think I'll give it a pass. But I wouldn't mind reading something on a similar topic, so The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail seems like it might be worth a look.

And no, I never saw Amelie! I really like Audrey Tautou, so I'll definitely track that one down for her if for no other reason.

Marta

[altariel.livejournal.com]

That's excellent about Cleveland, congratulations! Are you going to study philosophy?

I have a spare copy of The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, so if you are trying to cut back on book buying or are not sure you can find it esaily, I could pop it in the post?

Amelie is just... ah, it's wonderful! Beautifully made, witty, touching - can't say enough good things about it.

[martal0712.livejournal.com]

I most definitely am! I'm going to Cleveland State University (http://www.csuohio.edu/ ) for my MA, and on from there to somewhere else for my Ph.D. It's all terribly exciting, but hard on my fingernails. I've discovered that I want more than anything for school to be starting later this month rather than in August so I don't have to wait. ;-)

I really should say something about that in my own journal. I've been so busy both in RL and the fandom that I've been horribly out of touch with LJ for several months. I just set up some RSS feeds to remind me when someone posted, so maybe that will help.

I'd love your spare copy of The Holy BLood and the Holy Grail. I am trying to cut down on buying books just because I don't want to have to move them to said city. But I'm blanking on your email address - could you send me an email at melayton at gmail dot com? I'll send you my snail mail address privately.

Thanks,
Marta

[(Anonymous)]

Speaking of merits of prose: there are none! I'm halfway through now and ready to tear my hair out over it. Or chuck the book. Whoever wrote that this is an erudite thriller on the back of the cover needs to look that word up in the dictionary before using it.

As for the ideas--I look at it as a Grail Quest story: there is never more than a mere semblance of historical accuracy for those, so I'm happy to sit back and remind myself that this is not really historical fiction, more like fiction out and out.

And you should most definitely see Amelie. It's brilliant.

Dwim

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Speaking of merits of prose: there are none!

I did have some fun with it though (scroll down to the earlier entries).

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I just read a brilliant review of the film: "well-acted revenge from God".