The Sci Fi Channel Embarrasses Dan Brown and The Da Vinci Code

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I just watched most of the SciFi Channel's special, Cracking Da Vinci's Code. I have seen some other specials on other stations, but this was by far the best. At just under two hours, it demolishes claim after claim after claim made by Dan Brown in The Da Vinci Code. Even the SciFi' Channel's online review of the movie is devastating:

As for the heretical thesis of the movie, that the Catholic Church has conspired murderously over the centuries to conceal one of the greatest secrets of all time? It's a great idea for a book and a tantalizing mystery to be unfolded, though it's built on a mountain of fallacious assumptions and amateurish misreadings of history, art and religion.

It is really quite merciless. Think about it. This is a channel that brags about airing series like Ghost Hunters. Its creduility factor is quite high and its critical treatment of controversial issues very low. It sandwiched its response to The Da Vinci Code between a special about the secrets of the Bermuda Triangle and a special about the secrets of the Roswell Crash. When the SciFi Channel refuses to treat your claims seriously, you know you have been stomped on.

I highly recommend it for anyone looking for an audio/visual response to The Da Vinci Code.

Other Tidbits:

Ben Witherington has seen the movie and written his review. (Which by the way, is not unique. The Professor, as far as I can tell, sees every movie that comes out and writes lengthy reviews for them on his blog. Given how prolific a writer and speaker he is, I am beginning to think the movie Multiplicity has some foundation in reality). Apparently, some of the more freakish claims about history are toned down. Witherington also thought it a better flick than most at the Cannes Film Festival.

In an interview, Dan Brown said he has not read the responses to his book. I find this rather amazing. Dan Brown has encouraged his readers to take the historical claims made in the book as true. When challenged on them, he responds that the debate is great and that we can all learn from the dialogue. But now it is obvious that he has no interest in dialogue. When no historian on the planet is defending your position, and most of them are denouncing the purported history in your book, and you claim to be wanting to provoke discussion, then why on earth would you ignore every single response written to your book?

Ah well, it is hard to impose shame on a man who has made millions off of his lies and will make millions more this weekend.

Comments

BK said…
I was so disappointed when I didn't get the chance to watch the special on SciFi. Keep in mind that the DVD of that program is available from Grizzly Adams Productions, and I gave a link to that in my earlier announcement that the SciFi program was going to air the program.
5/19/2006 07:32:00 AM
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