Is Hollywood afraid of the Church?

[VanitasVanitatum]

They can make their characters into horrible caricatures and terrible Catholics, but everything on display is liturgically spot on.

I’d be more concerned about the caricatures.

 

[Viki63]

But I highly doubt that anyone who could be considered an “elite” told anyone to have the priest in the OP’s example wear a collar and jacket instead of vestments for a baptism.

I expect they’re just copying what they’ve seen in protestant churches: a minister wearing a suit.

 

[Mary888]

Afraid? No. I think Hollywood is not afraid of anyone. They do as they please.
The only fear they have is losing money so they run polls and test the viewers wishes and generally produce accordingly and experience awesome success.
The Church cannot “play like that” because the Church is not a buffoon like Unhollywood.

 

[edwest211]

That’s exactly what they did. Every scene in a movie or on TV is put together as a series of storyboards - a black and white comic book. That way, everyone involved knows what to do, from Directors to Lighting to Set Builders. That is usually frustrated by Producers who walk in, look them over, and say things like, I don’t like this or that, change that because I said so, and other things.

The Costume Department gets all the costume renders and does what it’s told.

 

[edwest211]

How do you know any of this? I study World War II history. I know about the day to day life of German soldiers. I have seen thousands of period photos.

It’s not hard to get the details right. There are plenty of highly specialized books that the public usually doesn’t see.

 

[edwest211]

What is your assumption based on?

 

[CTBcin]

What is your assumption based on?

What assumption? That Italians have a much better understanding of clerical culture than Americans? Italy has a strong Catholic culture, whereas America, not really. They live with clerical culture every day, as Italy (and Rome especially) is the center of Catholicism and Catholic Church governance. There is a more innate understanding in Italy of how the Curia and Church governance works.

I’ve found that movies made in European countries in general that have a strong Catholic heritage tend to portray priests and clerical culture in a more accurate way. At least, more accurate than Hollywood.

Now, The Young Pope is certainly not a documentary and they take a lot of creative liberties, but they still generally seem to get more right than if it was simply a Hollywood production.

 

[Thom18]

Those instances only reflect an ignorance of Catholicism, or an unwillingness to go to the required lengths to accurately represent us. Hollywood is already anti-Catholic (anti-Christian in general), but when it shows it off, it’s more overt than simple misrepresentations.

 

[GordonP]

How do you know any of this? I study World War II history. I know about the day to day life of German soldiers. I have seen thousands of period photos.

Lived and studied in Germany, and two neighboring countries, for 15 years.

It’s not hard to get the details right. There are plenty of highly specialized books that the public usually doesn’t see.

It’s incredibly hard, even for the experts, to get every detail right. Something always slips though, even in the best of productions. Like the uniform is spot on perfect… for 1943, but not for 1941 when the film is set.

That is, if you have the cash and time to do your research and hire experts, and a good deal of motivation to do so. If you’re making Schindler’s list or the Pianist, you are going to be a lot more careful of details than if your making Hogan’s Heros.

What is your assumption based on?

Well, it’s an Italian/French/Spanish coproduction filmed almost entirely in Italy. Most of the production staff were Italians.

You’re trying to find some kind of anti-Catholic “agenda” in what is far more likely to be innocent mistakes based on ignorance and lack of attention to detail.

 

[edwest211]

That’s not true. My company has a relationship with Hollywood. Please don’t post guesses or assumptions.

 

[edwest211]

Your last sentence was another assumption. I was speaking with a man from Germany about the world’s largest chemical cartel. His friend, who did not speak English and was a University student studying to be a Chemist, had never heard of it.

 

[vsedriver]

How do you know any of this? The elites tell writers what to write. They also tell Literary Agents what they are looking for.

not really when it comes to TV. Some TV shows have full time staff writers. Other TV shows accept submitted scripts. I once worked with script writers and still remember laughing over the fact that the same script was sent to two different TV shows and they both used the script! Plot, characters, and dialog all the same!

Hollywood is really about making money and doing it on the tightest budget. The turnaround time on a episodic TV show is very fast. One malfunction and the script will be changed to make everything work.

I seriously doubt that it even registered with the TV crew that a Catholic Priest wears vestments during a Baptism. All they know is that a guy in a clerical collar does weddings, funerals, and baptisms.

 

[CTBcin]

That’s not true. My company has a relationship with Hollywood. Please don’t post guesses or assumptions.

What is it that I’m saying that isn’t true? And what does your company’s relationship with Hollywood have to do with anything? If you’re going to accuse me of misrepresentation, you’re going to have to be a little more specific.

My posts are are based on educated observations, both of what I see from Hollywood as well as Italian culture They are anecdotal, but not simply pure guesses. Either way, I don’t know of any rule on this forum against posting assumptions, so I don’t approve of your condescending tone.