EthnAlln

Nope, my memory has betrayed me again. I remember that episode. It argues that Shakespeare came to America, and the evil genius behind the manuscript says, at one point, "You see now why this manuscript is worth any number of lives." So, I"ll go back and look again. Sorry for the false scent.

purple_kathryn

He isn't claiming that he's trying to criticise it in a scholarly way though. He's a fiction writer - why would you expect anything more?

The Bishop

Erm, having gone back to remind myself what we were talking about, I'm inclined to say that the theory that the authors of HBHG got their idea from The Name of the Game won't wash. They're all British, and we never got that series as far as I know. I do know a fair amount of TV history and I'd never even heard of this programme before.

I'd heard of The Passover Plot but had never read it. What a strange theory! Jesus ordering events in order not to die, but then dies anyway! Could that be because as recently as the late 1960s (when, for instance, you couldn't even show an interracial kiss on TV) a Jewish author writing a book "naturalistically" explaining the Resurrection would leave Scofield liable to get lynched?

The Bishop

I wouldn't say that was an entirely fair characterisation. First of all, it's perfectly possible that Brown has never even heard of the Jesus Myth theory. Secondly, the MJ is far easier to dismiss on grounds that everybody here knows are specious or uninformed, but frankly not many general readers are as well versed in skeptical thinking as the majority on the boards here. So, it would be equally controversial, but he might well feel that he would look foolish if he promulgated a theory that was as outside the box as MJ is.

That is a perfect representation, not only of Dan Brown's delineation of facts, but of conspiracy theories in general. Nicely done!

S.C.Carlson

The "Name of the Game" similarity is looking more remote to me too, and in some respects it is more similar to the DVC plot than HBHG. However, the main author of HBHG, Richard Leigh, is American. This is from the judicial opinion in the Baigent & Leigh v. Random House case:

As best I can tell, Leigh was 28 years old in 1971, when the show aired, which should be right around the time he would have earned his Ph.D. in comparative literature.

Stephen Carlson

The Bishop

I was obviously misinformed about Richard Leigh. His getting the idea from a TV show does still seem remote, however! Thanks for the update.

Magdlyn

Exception: the Isabella Stewart Gardner in Boston, home to hundreds of Rennaissance, Asian and Impressionist works, including what is considered by many to be Boston's most important artwork, The Rape of Europa by Titian, was easily robbed of two large Rembrandts, a Vermeer and several smaller pieces by Degas in 1990. Here is a list of other late 20th century robbberies:

http://www.theage.com.au/news/arts/w...18.html?page=2

Magdlyn

Has anyone here seen the movie yet? I saw it yesterday at noon.

In the movie, Teabing's car is a Hummer. Perhaps the gentleman who protrayed him, Sir Ian McKellan, objected to his character owning a stretch Jaguar? The vehicle does some off road traveling in a chase scene, dealing with the bumpy terrain perhaps better than a Jag would.


The theater was about 1/3 full.

Contrary to the majority of reviewers, liked it. I loved the acting of Hanks, Jean Reno (the cop), Paul Bettany (the albino, hubba hubba for the nude flagellation scenes), and esp Ian McKellan. McK was funny and passionate and really added a spark.

Tatou sucked. She phoned it in. But I don't know if it was her fault. Probably Howards' fault, to be reverent towards the heir of Christ. So, she was just boring.

Also, I don't know if she is 29, but she looked about 21 and much much too young. They seemed to have a father/daughter relationship going on. In the book, he has a crush on her! Again, a toning down for the religous backlash prevention?

Hanks was yummy and sincere as usual. He even had a shirtless scene at the end. But he was too dour, I think this was the director's fault again, b/c we know Hanks can be very twinkly. He should have been allowed more humor and personality, and flirtatiousness instead of always being "pursued" and "figuring out clues."

Besides the acting, the pacing was good, I didn't think it was overly talky. They did a great job with Silas, showing his history in flashbacks. The intrigue and plot twists were good, occ confusing.

The art in the Louvre and the Vatican was a joy to behold.

The very last scene was anti-climactic.

So, I'd give it about an 80%, personal grade, as I have an interest in the subject. It could have been much edgier, like Last Temptation...

Aumgn

EDIT: Actually, if 'American' and English are two different languages, why the hell are you bitching about the poor English in which it's written? Do you occasionally pick up German novels and offer up similar complaints? Spanish novels?

I don't have a horse in this race, as I trudged through DVC rather joylessly, and failed to pass page 100 of Angels and Demons. But frankly, your two rewrites were total shit, and a great deal worse than Brown's already medicore passage. Wipe off your goddamn monocle and reread that crap. It's terrible. Even, I might say, to the point of vulgarity. Of course, I can only understand "American" and a fair amount of German. Perhaps Count Johno's novels sell in the tens of thousands in the UK, but to my uncivilized eye, I could have eaten some Alpha-Bits (a once popular Yank cereal) and shat out two better paragraphs.

Of course, you don't have to be a writer to criticize (<--"American" for "criticise", according to my Asshole's American-English English-American dictionary), but why embarrass yourself like that and damage your argument in the process?

But again,

Yeah, I thought it was okay. It was actually quite good for about 90 minutes, but then it hit a wall somewhere and dragged a bit. I too enjoyed Hanks--a great deal, surprisingly--but I'm not sure his character is the guy that should lead a summer blockbuster. But I guess it worked.

That ending though. God, it was Return of the King all over again. ROLL CREDITS!!!

Magdlyn

No, Hanks is the anti-Cruise. The Everyman, the Nice Guy, the Respected and Popular Multiple Oscar winner, star of many blockbusters (Big, Gump, Private Ryan and others) and Important and Moving Films (Philadelphia, Apollo 13, Castaway, etc) as well as charming comedies and even animated films for the kids! Married for 15 yrs to the same woman. Perfect choice for a controversial movie.