Ron Howard: Vatican obstructed 'Angels & Demons'

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ROME — Director Ron Howard claimed Sunday that the Vatican interfered with efforts to get permits to shoot certain scenes of his “Angels & Demons” religious thriller in Rome — a charge the Vatican said was purely a publicity stunt.
The film, which stars Tom Hanks and is based on the best-selling novel by Dan Brown, has its world premiere Monday in Rome.
“Angels & Demons” combines an ancient secret brotherhood called the Illuminati, a papal conclave and a high-tech weapon threatening to destroy the Vatican.
At a press conference Sunday, Howard said he hadn’t sought cooperation from the Vatican based on the opposition he encountered filming “The Da Vinci Code,” another Brown novel that angered many Catholic leaders.
But he said the Vatican nevertheless exerted influence regarding his filming permits, and he was told it would not be possible even to shoot scenes in Rome that had churches in the background.
comcast.net/articles/entertainment/20090503/EU.Italy.Angels._.Demons/

Click on the link to read the whole article. I find that Hollywood trashes Rome whenever they have an inclination. Imagine them filming a movie that challenged the beliefs of the Muslims in a Holy City of theirs? No way would it even happen. There is no respect for Catholicism in Hollywood.
 
Richie Cunningham needs a reality check. Did he really think that the Holy See would be welcoming his horrid project with open arms? I think Ron Howard must have had too many Arnold burgers if he thought that Rome would give this bad movie the green light.

Howard has really become quite a disappointment. I am no longer watching Happy Days or the Andy Griffith show, for that matter, because he has really sunk to a new low. Tom Hanks is just as bad. Both of them have so much talent. It is a shame that they are literally flushing it down the drain all for the sake of money.
 
Last summer, Rome’s diocese confirmed it had barred producers from filming inside two churches because the movie didn’t conform to the church’s views.
Is this really a surprise to any body? Dan Brown’s works are evidently hostile to the Catholic Church, and the effect of his literature has been to cast a powerful shadow of doubt on Catholic integrity for many people not sufficiently educated in these matters. Should the Vatican co-operate with the production of a film that suggest the Church is involved in the greatest conspiracy of history for the sake of power? That its, in truth, a spiritual enemy?
 
It sounds like this public sniveling is just an effort on Opies part for free publicity
 
And for good reason.

Mr. Howard, when you direct a couple of movies that blatantly attack the Church, do you really expect the Vatican to offer you tea and crumpets and assistance in making those movies?
 
While I can’t know the basis for Ron Howard’s anti-Catholicism, in a way I pity him for it
.
What upsets me more is that millions of Americans will pay hundreds of millions of dollars to see this thing, and come away believing it is the truth.
 
Angels & Demons director takes on the Vatican

Reuters

Rome – Director Ron Howard accused the Vatican yesterday of trying to hamper the filming and the Rome roll-out of his new movie Angels & Demons, and challenged Catholic critics to see the film before condemning it.

The movie sequel to author Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code will premiere in Rome today, with fictional symbologist Robert Langdon returning to the big screen to help the Vatican rescue kidnapped cardinals and find a ticking time-bomb.

The Vatican was outraged by The Da Vinci Code and the Rome archdiocese made no secret about denying Howard authorization to film parts of the follow-up inside its churches. Howard said the Vatican also exerted its influence “through backchannels” to try to prevent him from shooting in areas around certain churches and got an event related to the film’s premiere cancelled, he said.

A 102-year-old Italian bishop was quoted in Italian media over the weekend calling the film “highly denigrating, defamatory and offensive to Church values and the reputation of the Holy See.”

theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090504.ABUZZ04ART1620-2/TPStory/?query=catholic
 
Well he blamed the failure of the da vinci code on the church. it wasn’t because it was a bad movie, made from a bad book. O no, it was the big bad church and its secret “networks”. The trouble was. When he blamed the failure of the last one on the church, it came off as “sour grapes”. I think he is just getting ready to throw out his excuses for the movie for when it fails.
 
I think we should protest this abomination outside the theaters (especially on in Tallahassee ;)). Make it a living hell for the theater owners who try to make a buck off of this.
 
Let him ramble on.

I sense a HUGE, quietly boiling pot of righteous anger aimed at these loudmouth, anti-Catholic Hollywood know-it-alls, and the politicians who pander to their Godlessness.

Wait until it boils over. We’ll see who’s yapping then.
 
I think we should protest this abomination outside the theaters (especially on in Tallahassee ;)). Make it a living hell for the theater owners who try to make a buck off of this.
I think such protests are a waste of time. the best protest is to avoid seeing the movie or going to the theatre where it plays. Protesting only helps to publicize the film.
 
I think the Vatican should view the film, then come out formally against it.

It makes no difference if the condemnation helps sell tickets. I believe the Church needs to speak the truth in all cases and if people see it anyone, then they cannot claim ignorance.
 
I have read Angels and Demons. It is more poorly written than the DaVinci Code, if that is possible. Howard’s and Hank’s day job is to make money by making films that will drag in large sums at box offices around the world. This will be a sequel to The DaVinci Code and will likely turn a profit although I think many will feel they have been duped as they leave the theaters. P.T. Barnum is reported to have said, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” It is ‘suckers’ who will deliver the profit on Angels and Demons.

As for the Vatican involvement, this seems like a publicity stunt. Hollywood doesn’t need to film in Rome to get shots with churches in them. Come on. With a blue screen and background, they can make up shots of Rome, or anywhere else in the world, right there in California.
 
In more shocking news:
  • The Southern Poverty Law Center has refused David Duke’s request to film a documentary in their headquarters.
  • The Israeli government has denied Howard’s request to film a scene for ‘Protocols of the Elders of Zion’ at the wailing wall.
  • The Saudi government has refused to allow Salman Rusdie to film at Mecca.
You get the idea. 😉
 
It sounds just like Opie sniveling, why Pa, with a quivering bottom lip:D
 
If Ron Howard and Tom Hanks are so courageous, why don’t they make a “fictitious” movie about the horrors and deaths caused by Muslim Terrorists???(Don’t hold your breath, it could be a while!)

pray for their conversion!!

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

mark
 
They should of had Opie’s gang arrested, all their equipment confiscated, and any footage destroyed.
 
I think we should protest this abomination outside the theaters (especially on in Tallahassee ;)). Make it a living hell for the theater owners who try to make a buck off of this.
A couple of things: that might make people want to see the movie more.

Second, movie theaters don’t make that much money off of ticket sales. Most of their profits come from concession items. It’s the studios that benefit from movie attendance.
 
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