The Da Vinci Code

The Da Vinci Code

Director Ron Howard takes on a controversial subject involving the Roman Catholic Church, his ability to hold our attention seemed unparallel within any movie during its time. The film opens with a stainless steel “V” appearing with the remainder of the title filling in around it. Many directors try to create themes with opening scenes while others use the title to exploit the plot. Howard creates a simple leap between title and opening scene, renowned curator Jacques Saunière (Jean-Pierre Marielle) is being chased by Silas (Paul Bettany) through the museum in search of something being hidden by Saunière. Silas shoots the curator, the scene builds upon the title by Professor Robert Landon (Tom Hanks) discussing the initial meaning behind symbols.

Howard has established a much larger agenda other than just symbols from the past, he proposes a lost society. The Da Vinci Code builds upon this simple start, exploding into a plot that challenges the mind even our basic beliefs into those childhood ideologies. Films of this nature characterize what is known in good faith throughout life, to those instances where on doubts the internal compass. Since our evaluation can be justified with a logical argument, it is without saying one can change the evaluation with another logical argument. Landon is the character that helps you connect the dots, whether actively or subliminally.

If you consider how certain actors are stereotyped, it would be hard to argue this point considering Tom Hank’s ability to create many different characters.  Howard’s use of story line seems amazing; while very few things are invented today they are often reinvented under different names. Silas uses a phrase of “key stone,” Landon uses the common term “holy grail” as to point out the same discussion.  

Howard’s ability to create an interest in uncovering secrets is reinforced during the film, the scene where Landon and Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou) are traveling in the armed car. The rose box is opened to discover a cryptic; Sophie remembers when her grandfather gave her a cryptic saying it’s used to keep secrets.

While the film captured my thoughts and imagination, it seemed odd that while most films use subtitles for a foreign language early on, example The Hunt for Red October which switched from Russian to English. The Da Vinci Code stayed within a native French tongue with subtitles throughout the film. At times this confused my as to why it never switched, clouding the overall meaning.

Production code seems to weaken with time; if “No film or episode may throw ridicule on any religious faith” this film draws a direct target onto the backs of those inside the Roman Catholic Church. As previously blogged it appears, nothing is off-limits any more, challenging the childhood beliefs of Christianity for a discussion of the Rose Line or family blood line from Jesus. Two thumbs up for story line and challenging the mind to think beyond simple learning.

Crash

Crash

As with any film one tries to determine “how” the title play’s into the theme of the movie or will the opening scene set the stage for how the film might progress. Director Paul Haggis establishes the theme behind the title Crash, Det. Graham Waters (Don Cheadle) and Ria (Jennifer Esposito) are involved in a traffic accident while traveling to the scene of the crime. Dazed from the crash, the stage is set as to the overall theme behind the movie racial hatred. Ria exits the car approaches the other person involved in the accident, low light is used to depict how internal hatred is very sometimes not scene until one experiences its brutality. Graphically, displayed through the use of vulgar language between Ria and Kim Lee (Alexis Rhee). Lee attempts to draw a parallel between Hispanic driving habits and the accident, Ria then fires her own volley of racially motivated speak with broken English, even attempting to paint the picture of Asians lacking the ability to see over the steering wheel.

Stereotype hatred or ethnic hatred is established from each scene moving forward, Haggis ability to capture “everyone’s” stereo type is prevalent. He continues to capture how this hatred often drives the wrong behavior in people no matter the circumstance. I found the movie at times caused in me a feeling of disgust, how is it possible for some many people to hate or is it how often is it the situation for which we have no control over that drives hatred. Haggis created or stirred a realization of how people hate internally with very few hating externally. Additionally he showed how internal conflicts are sometimes overridden during job related crisis, John Ryan (Matt Dillon) is faced with a decision to rescue Karen (Nona Gaye) who he had previously crossed the line during a traffic stop.

Film’s can shape how American’s view certain situations; race certainly is one of those as I discovered how Haggis showed that movie scenes represent to us that movies don’t create reality it just illustrates reality. Boggs and Petrie bring light to how Production Code plays part in movie endings; No film or episode may throw ridicule on any religious faith, Crime cannot triumph in films among many others (Petrie, 2008).

I believe that film rating today certainly would not have been the same rating say even 10 years ago. Take the scene where Officer Ryan is patting down Karen due to a traffic violation, first the scene may have not even been shot, had it been I don’t think it would have continued with Ryan groping Karen in retaliation to her vulgar language. As society softens on its moral views film directors take a more direct approach to show “reality” as if to actually watch the happenings live. I see a parallel with “Reality TV” or even how the media is willing to no longer ask tough questions vs. actually as pointed questions that not only has the subject squirm but the viewers also. Haggis brilliantly captured the outward expression of racial hatred within this film, Crash while the name doesn’t really lend itself to the theme of the movie one might be able to argue how the work “crash” is really about how people blend within society into one very large Crash. One thumb up for the title, Two thumbs up for addressing today’s racial issue.