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| Can We Please Stop Talking About The Da Vinci Code...Its Just a Movie. | |
| By Bill Nelson | |
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The Da Vinci Code media machine roared back to life this past weekend as the movie opened in theaters world wide. Just as Dan Brown’s book provoked much fanfare, debate, and name calling in 2003, the movie has started an immense media circus all over again. If anyone has been living in a shack away from electricity, running water, and the media for the past two years, here is the abbreviated history of The Da Vinci Code. In 2003, Dan Brown released a book, The Da Vinci Code, about the notion that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, they had children, their descendents still walk the Earth today, there is a secret society that protects this secret, and Leonardo da Vinci placed clues to this secret in many of his works. The book received all sorts of press, shot up the best sellers list, and upset the Vatican. In March 2005, the Vatican even appointed Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone to compile a rebuttal to all of the book’s claims. Unfortunately, the same detail that most people overlooked about the book, (it’s grouped into the historical fiction genre), is once again going unnoticed. Historical fiction is exactly what the two words imply. The book has pieces of documented history, and it is fiction. This seems to be an easy principle to understand, but Dan Brown entwines fact and fiction throughout the book, and he doesn’t give a guide to which is which. Lets face it, the book wouldn’t book successful if each sentence started with a disclaimer (FACT) or (FICTION). Therefore, readers are responsible for sifting out the facts of the book by themselves. Historical fiction is a fantastic way to write an entertaining book, because it gives just enough facts for readers to ask... |
...the question "What if this was real?" The more a writer sticks with "believable" fiction, the more the reader will be lost in the maze of fact and fiction. Since Dan Brown does not include any dragons, wizards, spacecraft, or Darth Vader, it is difficult to discern fact vs. fiction. Let’s get back to the present. In the movie, Tom Hanks races against time to prove the Holy Grail is actually the secret of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. The movie has opened to mixed reviews, but the Vatican, Opus Dei, and albino Opus Dei members everywhere are upset again. By the way, I think there is only one albino Opus Dei member, and he is the fictional character in the movie. Of course, all the controversy benefits movie tickets, book sales, and ultimately Dan Brown’s bank account. What can the Vatican or the population of Catholics around the world do about Dan Brown’s story? We can read it, go to the movie, or just ignore it. We all just need to remember it is entertainment. That is also the message we should give to anyone that asks us about the truth to the book. It’s historical fiction. It’s entertainment. Any discussion of the book and movie should be about the merits of the writing or Tom Hanks acting. Any conversation about the meaning of the story is an opportunity to explain the fiction of the book and the real teachings and history of the Catholic Church. To that end, I was very impressed by Fr. Chris’ sermon at St. Vincent shortly after the book reached its media peak. Fr. Chris commented that the book was interesting and explained the coverage of the Catholic faith was an opportunity to educate those that aren’t familiar with it. I agree with that thought, and encourage people to see the movie. Remember folks, it’s historical FICTION. |
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