"Vatican criticises anti-Christmas film "Golden Compass."

[Mythsaje]

VATICAN CITY (AFP) - The Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano has criticised the children's film "The Golden Compass" starring Nicole Kidman, calling it "anti-Christmas."

Co-starring British actor Daniel Craig, the film is a "fantasy saga with 1960s sauce," the paper said in its Tuesday evening edition.

"The fact that the film earned only 25 million dollars in box office on the first weekend is a consolation," L'Osservatore Romano said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071219/ennew_afp/entertainmentfilmvatican_071219123953




Hey, I'm going to go see it Christmas Day.

How "anti-Christmas" can it be?

It only made 25 Mil its first weekend. Hardly a great showing. I wonder why. The protests usually help a movie. So what gives?

[Captain Angry]

1. If they're boycotting it, that's a lot of money staying out of the theater.

Otherwise, how is it doing in relation to other movies? I mean, if everybody is spending their money on gifts and heat this Christmas, maybe there isn't a lot of money left over for the movies.

[trotsky]

23. Of course their announcement of a boycott stirs interest and generates publicity.

That could bring a lot of people IN to the theater.

[Mike Daniels]

26. The movie reviews have pretty much universally panned the movie

Look at the adverts for the movie - When you have to quote MAXIM and E Network in your advert that means you don't have that deep of a well to draw good notices from.

[trotsky]

27. Understood. But I was commenting on the unintended results of a boycott. n/t

[Captain Angry]

30. I have certainly seen that.

But with these guys, they're generally sheep. And if they're told to stay away because it's anti-church, they'll stay away.

Now, if the church had said, stay away, they show boobies... The movie would have been a box office smash as all of the self righteous went to show their outrage in person. Not to see boobies, no. To show outrage. :-)

[Hekate]

2. Goodness, don't they have some poor to feed or something?

The film isn't as good as the book, but I would scarcely call it anti-anything except oppressive authority masquerading as all-knowing spirituality.

Hekate

[Darth_Kitten]

20. Why don't you?

:shrug: They can't have an opinion?

[Hekate]

31. Certainly they are entitled to their opinion, but in this instance it seems a waste of their time...

...which could better be spent (in my own opinion) on doing Christ's work.

As for the oppressive authority part, the Church in all its worldly glory need not take notice of a fantasy book. Unless the shoe fits...

Hekate

[Lithos]

3. Possibly

The press has not turned people off because of any religious disagreement, but has given the impression the film is heavy on message and light on action.

Also money is tight for many.

[sakabatou]

4. Hell if I know

Maybe it'll do better once it comes out on DVD.

[Retrograde]

5. The book's not anti-Christmas at all!

Doesn't even mention it. Now it's anti-established religion as it can be, and the church being criticized is clearly based on Catholicism - it even had a Pope Calvin. But nothing about Christmas.

[saracat]

6. I saw it and liked it. It had nothing to do with Christmas pro or con.

I guess they are offended by the amti -authority stance?:shrug:

[Mythsaje]

8. That's my guess.

I LOVED the book.

Waiting until the 7th of next month to download the 3rd in the series.

[Az]

11. Thats the book that usually makes the fundamentalist's heads explode

Don't want to give any spoilers away.... but keep reading. You will know it where you get there.

[Mythsaje]

12. I can see it coming.

I'm going to LOVE it.

[JerseygirlCT]

21. I haven't read it or seen it, but all I've read *about* it

... nothing to do with Christmas. As you say, against corrupt authority.

Hmmm... makes you wonder why the boys in Rome are objecting, doesn't it?

[gateley]

7. I just watch the trailer - the cinematography looks breathtaking. nt

[Az]

10. Its a wonderful movie

Or I thought so anyway. But then I am in the target audience. So go figure.

[Az]

9. The movie is doing very well overseas

But here in the states it is being hit by the fundagelicals. First weekend it was in first place and grossed $25,783,232. Second weekend it dropped to third and grossed $8,825,549. I Am Legend took the box office that weekend.

[krispos42]

13. Shit, then I'm going to see it tomorrow

Matinee, of course... :-)

[pepperbear]

14. Hate to say it, but the critics are right: it really isn't all that good. (no spoilers)

This is one set of books that isn't going to be an easy translation to the screen. There is alot of societal exposition, character development, and interwoven storytelling that just didn't make it into the movie. Consequently, alot of he things that make perfectly good sense in the book seem contrived on the screen. Plus, the ending SUCKS. Really. It has nothing to do with the author's intentions.

If you want to discover this world, you are better off reading the books.

Oh, and despite the 25 milion dollar take, the film still opened # 1 in the states.

[Mythsaje]

15. I've already listened to books 1 and 2.

I know the movie won't match, but that's normal.

[Warren DeMontague]

16. "Yes! Gosh darn those fiendish 1960s!"

"...Now, if you'll excuse us, we have some Pedophile Priests we need to help escape justice."

[still_one]

17. I saw it, and no offense but they are nuts. The film has to do with control

It could apply to an oppresive government or any institution. By the Church making an issue of this film, what would have passed as a story about generic controlling of what people think, instead will cause them to wonder why the Church is so afraid of that premise

[radfringe]

18. the louder the protests, the more I want to see the movie

have the books ordered, expecting them to arrive in a couple of weeks - they sold out at local bookstore, apparantly they are a hot item this christmas

[Djinn]

19. Djinn criticises anti-solstice nativity

Go get your own holidays Christians, using another culture/religions holiday, stealing all it's symbols while simultaneously calling the adherents of that 'faith' heathens destined for hell is offensive.

Oh whoops didn't get the memo about which belief systems were sacrosanct and which were allowed to be "disrespected"

[ozone_man]

25. You pagan!

Don't you recognize a Christian holiday when you see one? ;)

[Ikonoklast]

22. The Vatican is upset that there wasn't more child abuse in it

Now *that's* something they'd pay to see.


Oops. They've already paid.....and paid.....and paid.

[ozone_man]

24. We loved it. Nothing to do with Christmas though.

I think L'Osservatore Romano is trying to jump on the war against Christmas bandwagon. Of course it is out for Christmas, so I suppose one could say something about timing. :)

I think the movie experience will be much more rewarding after reading the first book.

The movie had a very brief cameo appearance of Christopher Lee who starred in The Wickerman (1973). He was perfectly cast as one of the magesterium.

It's the atheist's answer to C.S. Lewis' Christian allegory "The Chronicles of Narnia".

[Didereaux]

28. Pope: Just a short way of spelling Ayatollah! n/t

[mikeytherat]

29. "Ha, ha! The Number 3 movie in America has only grossed $42 million!

At this rate, it might be two more months before it turns a profit, long before the piles of money from DVD sales and foreign releases render that point moot! Ha, ha! You'll have the wait another six weeks for that solid-gold bidet, you Godless filmmakers! Victory! Sweet, sweet victory!"

mikey_the_rat