I wish to sidestep all of the debates so far. Rather I am struck by the growing likelihood that future generations will achieve their major knowledge of religious figures through movies, television, and DVDs. To be sure, there are already many Christian movies. But I don’t think they are culturally central in shaping how the religion is viewed. Mostly they are consumed by already-loyal Christians, or viewed without much religious meaning one way or the other. And the earlier religious movies, such as The Ten Commandments, were commonly seen by audiences that already had a significant introduction to Christianity.
Surely Hollywood will jump on the box office bandwagon with numerous prequels, or how about a “sequel” on the founding of the Church, or the Reformation? Will we next have Moses on the big screen, or perhaps even Job? Why not Luther? I, for one, would go see all of these, at least if I have any reason to suspect that they are well done.
I am struck by the fact that while Passion reigns at the box office, The da Vinci Code has been a runaway bestseller. The book concerns Christ, though it suggests he was not son of God and Mary Magdalene was in fact the Holy Grail (!). I have read that the story has caused many people to question their traditional understanding of Christianity, although of course the tale is totally fictional and does not pretend otherwise. (Imagine having your faith shaken by Dan Brown’s story but not by Darwin’s truths.)
If I were religious, I would be worried by current trends. The public images of religions may be increasingly defined by what is saleable in the DVD market. Many Christians approve of The Passion but of course this is only the first step in a forthcoming marketplace expansion. Given its violence and its subtitles, it is unlikely to prove the most popular cinematic introduction to Christianity in the long run. The market for fame has long been commercial, but now the market for religious fame has become more commercial as well. The bigger this phenomenon becomes, the more likely we will revisit the iconoclastic debates of earlier times.
I will note that I am greatly enamored of Peter Brooks’s treatment of The Mahabarata. It runs about six hours but is fascinating throughout and can be viewed in three separate parts. I cannot vouch for whether it is a good introduction to the Hindu religion. If any of you know of good movies that deal directly with the core stories of Islam, from an Islamic point of view, please let me know.
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