Pilgrims Progress (2008)

[mikekle]

I found this at a DVD sale and finally watched it last night. Its basically about 2 pilgrims on their path to heaven, but they call it the celestial city, and the movie is filled with symbolism, basically teaching that we all need to stay on the right path to reach heaven.

Im not sure which branch of christianity was involved with this, but I do not think it was catholic. Some of it kind of felt like it was pushing 7th day and other times Mormonism, so…anyone seen this movie and know which?

 

[Bonnie]

Probably based on the book. Google it. It predated modern religions such as SDA & LDS.

 

[Autumn_Smoke]

When I googled the author, John Bunyan, most sights said he was a Baptist preacher. Having read a couple of his books, which I love, this didn’t sound right to me, since I had always believed he was a Puritan, and his books don’t seem to coincide with the modern Baptist doctrine that I’m familiar with.

Here’s a good sight which describes his religion better: gradesaver.com/pilgrims-progress/study-guide/the-religion-of-john-bunyan-and-the-puritans

He may have not been Catholic, but his books are worth a read. He suffered greatly for his faith and spent time in prison, as he wouldn’t give up preaching.

 

[Todd977]

I cannot say about the 2008 movie but from what I’ve heard John Bunyan’s book on which the movie was apparently based contained anti-Catholic elements. For instance, Bunyan’s character named Pope is depicted as an old, decrepit giant who once shared his cave with another giant, now dead, named Pagan and in the past they had been deliberately responsible for the deaths of many pilgrims seeking the Celestial City (Heaven).

{167} In this light, therefore, he came to the end of the valley.
Now I saw in my dream, that at the end of this valley lay blood,
bones, ashes, and mangled bodies of men, even of pilgrims that had
gone this way formerly; and while I was musing what should be the
reason, I espied a little before me a cave, where two giants, POPE
and PAGAN, dwelt in old time; by whose power and tyranny the men
whose bones, blood, and ashes, &c., lay there, were cruelly put
to death. But by this place Christian went without much danger,
whereat I somewhat wondered; but I have learnt since, that PAGAN
has been dead many a day; and as for the other, though he be yet
alive, he is, by reason of age, and also of the many shrewd brushes
that he met with in his younger days, grown so crazy and stiff in
his joints, that he can now do little more than sit in his cave’s
mouth, grinning at pilgrims as they go by, and biting his nails
because he cannot come at them.

{168} So I saw that Christian went on his way; yet, at the sight of
the Old Man that sat in the mouth of the cave, he could not tell
what to think, especially because he spake to him, though he could
not go after him, saying, “You will never mend till more of you be
burned.” But he held his peace, and set a good face on it, and so
went by and catched no hurt. … (source)

 

[mikekle]

I cannot say about the 2008 movie but from what I’ve heard John Bunyan’s book on which the movie was apparently based contained anti-Catholic elements. For instance, Bunyan’s character named Pope is depicted as an old, decrepit giant who once shared his cave with another giant, now dead, named Pagan and in the past they had been deliberately responsible for the deaths of many pilgrims seeking the Celestial City (Heaven).

{167} In this light, therefore, he came to the end of the valley.
Now I saw in my dream, that at the end of this valley lay blood,
bones, ashes, and mangled bodies of men, even of pilgrims that had
gone this way formerly; and while I was musing what should be the
reason, I espied a little before me a cave, where two giants, POPE
and PAGAN, dwelt in old time; by whose power and tyranny the men
whose bones, blood, and ashes, &c., lay there, were cruelly put
to death. But by this place Christian went without much danger,
whereat I somewhat wondered; but I have learnt since, that PAGAN
has been dead many a day; and as for the other, though he be yet
alive, he is, by reason of age, and also of the many shrewd brushes
that he met with in his younger days, grown so crazy and stiff in
his joints, that he can now do little more than sit in his cave’s
mouth, grinning at pilgrims as they go by, and biting his nails
because he cannot come at them.

{168} So I saw that Christian went on his way; yet, at the sight of
the Old Man that sat in the mouth of the cave, he could not tell
what to think, especially because he spake to him, though he could
not go after him, saying, “You will never mend till more of you be
burned.” But he held his peace, and set a good face on it, and so
went by and catched no hurt. … (source)

Wow, the book is nothing like the movie then! The giants name is despair in the movie, there is no one named Pope or pagan.

 

[Bonnie]

Wow, the book is nothing like the movie then! The giants name is despair in the movie, there is no one named Pope or pagan.

No movie has ever been made that follows the book exactly! Which is why I refuse to watch movies-based-on-books if I really like the book. Gone With the Wind has been my only exception - they did a great job.

The March girls in Little Women were given copies of Pilgrim’s Progress by their mother. There is an edited version for children that is popular. I wonder if they took out the anti-Catholic parts?

 

[Viki63]

There’s a child’s version, called Little Pilgrim’s Progress. I enjoyed it.

.

 

[drac16]

I haven’t seen the movie, but I have the book and have read it. I think it’s brilliant. My favorite part is where Faithful is martyred. He was one of the few friends Christian had.