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The Da Vinci Code

Dubversion said:
it's got fuck all to do with being highbrow, and repeating that ad nauseam is just a failure to engage with the argument.

there are GREAT 'airport' novels, or chicklit, or genre books or whatever. the trouble is, Brown just can't fucking write. ok, that's subjective, but it's that kind of subjective that's almost objective. or something ;)
Well I like it. I'm allowed to have an opinion am I not?

I haven't repeated anything ad nauseum, I believe that's the first time I've used the word 'highbrow' in my life, and that was only my second post on this thread :confused:
 
I think its terribly written, and Dan Brown clearly couldn't describe his way out of a paper bag. It's painful to read.

That said, it's not a bad yarn - and could make a decent enough film.
 
Epona said:
Well I like it. I'm allowed to have an opinion am I not?

of course you are, which i responded to with my own, including a little gag about how pointless this all is since it's all subjective anyway.

Epona said:
I haven't repeated anything ad nauseum, I believe that's the first time I've used the word 'highbrow' in my life, and that was only my second post on this thread :confused:

ok, but you did make the similar point earlier. and i was talking more generally to be honest, but should have been clearer.
 
Oh fuck, I've just got round to reading the rest of this thread (only spotted it last night and posted, didn't bother reading it), and realised that with those involved in the film it's likely to be shite :(

Damn shame, even if Dan Brown is a bit of a hack (albeit an enjoyable one ;) ) writing style of a book does not necessarily mean that a translation to film is going to be bad.

But Hanks, I mean FFS. :(
 
i think the reason the book has been enjoyed and read by so many, is that it is fairly easy to read - each chapter is only two pages or so long, so the reader thinks 'oh i'll just finish this chapter, then go to bed' then thinks that again. then again. This is helped by the fact that each chapter finishes with something dramatic about to happen, or something about to be explained.

the plot moves along at a fair old pace, where it falls down, IMO, is where Brown tries to put background information relating to the religious aspects of the book, which were prettily clunkily and clumsily handled, and were all along the lines of 'character thought back to a lecture he had given some students five years ago, where he told them all about this religious/pagan imagery stuff to do with leonardo da vinci'

i didn't really enjoy reading it, the plot was obvious, and the characterisation was pretty 2d. all the way through reading it i coudln't help thinking that Brown had read one of those 'writing for pleasure or profit' books advertised in the back of newspapers, and was following the guidelines laid down in it, but i had a strange compulsion to find out what happened in the next chapter that i couldn't quite put my finger on.
 
hektik said:
the plot moves along at a fair old pace, where it falls down, IMO, is where Brown tries to put background information relating to the religious aspects of the book, which were prettily clunkily and clumsily handled, and were all along the lines of 'character thought back to a lecture he had given some students five years ago, where he told them all about this religious/pagan imagery stuff to do with leonardo da vinci'

i didn't really enjoy reading it, the plot was obvious, and the characterisation was pretty 2d. all the way through reading it i coudln't help thinking that Brown had read one of those 'writing for pleasure or profit' books advertised in the back of newspapers, and was following the guidelines laid down in it, but i had a strange compulsion to find out what happened in the next chapter that i couldn't quite put my finger on.
Agreed, its a good ol' yarn- the stuff about paganism isn't that far off the truth, Xstins might not want to accept it but a lot of their beliefs and traditions are closely related to pagan beliefs that go back further than the Xstin religion...

Tom Hank, FFS, I would have gone for someone younger, with a beard, long hair, academic...

Hmmm.... :o
 
Epona said:
I believe that's the first time I've used the word 'highbrow' in my life,

I got it last year to read on a long flight. I bought it in the small bookshop in Butterfly Walk and asked the bloke behind the counter what it was like.

He gave me such a filthy look presumably for daring to suggest he may have read it.

I get quite crotchety on long flights these days and I have to say the book absorbed me for a good few hours.

Nowt wrong with that.

john x
 
Kid_Eternity said:
Funny that because he looks like the only thing worth bothering with about this film (going by the trailer)! :o
i thought hanks was the one that didn't fit in the most from the trailer, the other cast members all sort of look like how i imagine them to be in the book but Tom Hanks just doesnt seem to fit as Langdon
 
Random One said:
i thought hanks was the one that didn't fit in the most from the trailer, the other cast members all sort of look like how i imagine them to be in the book but Tom Hanks just doesnt seem to fit as Langdon

He looked pretty good though! I don't mind films taking some creative license with the original source material as long as it's down well tbh. I'll make a prediction; Tom Hanks will be the thing that makes this worth watching. :cool:
 
Kid_Eternity said:
He looked pretty good though! I don't mind films taking some creative license with the original source material as long as it's down well tbh. I'll make a prediction; Tom Hanks will be the thing that makes this worth watching. :cool:
that will probably be true.....just think he doesn't "look the part"
 
Kid_Eternity said:
He looked pretty good though! I don't mind films taking some creative license with the original source material as long as it's down well tbh. I'll make a prediction; Tom Hanks will be the thing that makes this worth watching. :cool:
Wrong- I've seen the trailer and I reckon it looks close the plot of the book. Even if Hanks puts up a good performance the plot will be what people will be talking about :eek:
And Angels and Demons would make a better film :p
 
silentNate said:
Wrong- I've seen the trailer and I reckon it looks close the plot of the book. Even if Hanks puts up a good performance the plot will be what people will be talking about :eek:
And Angels and Demons would make a better film :p

I was talking about Hanks not looking exactly like the way the character is detailed in the book...not the overall plot line. Also how can you tell how well the film follows the book from a three minute trailer!? :confused:
 
Kid_Eternity said:
I was talking about Hanks not looking exactly like the way the character is detailed in the book...not the overall plot line. Also how can you tell how well the film follows the book from a three minute trailer!? :confused:
I've read the book- all the art and architecture mentioned was there as well as two deaths straight out of the book...
It looked good :o
 
Apparently

Opus Dei are calling for the film to be given an 18 certificate so that it can't 'preach lies about the Ctholic church to children'

He hee!

john x
 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4630892.stm
bbc said:
Mr Carroggio added: "Merely adding a disclaimer that says 'fiction' is not enough."
"Although the story is absurd and at times somewhat humorous, it produces a hateful image of the institution and it is well known that hateful images like this produce feelings of hatred in those who lack a critical sense."
But he said Opus Dei would make "no declaration of war" against the film, adding he did not believe the film would have a negative impact on the organisation - believing it would be a "sort of indirect publicity for us".
Unbelievable what these bunch of tossers will do for publicity...
Might contact the BBC claiming to be the head of the Priory of Scion insisting that the film is blasphemous...
Good publicity all round for both Brown and Opus Dei I fear :(
 
The Da Vinci Code - shit book, shit film, shit trailer, shit actors, shit story, shit dialogue, shit idea, shit entertainment, shit casting, shit direction, and the rest is shit too.

Am I making myself clear?
 
Da Vinci Cde put on trial
bbc said:
Art experts and historians are staging what has been described as a mock trial to examine the claims made in hit novel The Da Vinci Code.
The "trial" is being held in Vinci, Italy, and an opening statement was made by Alessandro Vezzosi, director of a Leonardo Da Vinci museum, on Friday.
"Leonardo is misrepresented and belittled," he said beforehand.
No-one will represent the book but many fans are expected to attend the event in Leonardo Da Vinci's hometown.
Lets hope Dubversion is on the jury :eek: :D
 
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