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What Is The Da Vinci Code

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The Da Vinci Code
Directed byRon Howard
Produced by
Screenplay byAkiva Goldsman
Based onThe Da Vinci Code
by Dan Brown
Starring
Music byHans Zimmer
CinematographySalvatore Totino
Edited by
Production
companies
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
Running time
148 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$125 million[2]
Box office$758.2 million[2]

The Da Vinci Code is a 2006 American mysterythriller film directed by Ron Howard, written by Akiva Goldsman, and based on Dan Brown's 2003 best-selling novel of the same name. The first in the Robert Langdon film series, the film stars Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Sir Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina, Jürgen Prochnow, Jean Reno, and Paul Bettany. In the film, Robert Langdon, a professor of religious symbology from Harvard University, is the prime suspect in the grisly and unusual murder of Louvre curator Jacques Saunière. In the body, the police find a disconcerting cipher and start an investigation.[3] A noted British Grail historian named Sir Leigh Teabing tells them that the actual Holy Grail is explicitly encoded in Leonardo da Vinci's wall painting, The Last Supper. Also searching for the Grail is a secret cabal within Opus Dei, an actual prelature of the Holy See, who wish to keep the true Grail a secret to prevent the destruction of Christianity.

The Da Vinci Code’s secret bloodline would never have been secret in the first place. The Da Vinci Code is a fun read, largely because the mystery springs from such a juicy, history-laden conspiracy theory.

  • The Da Vinci Code is a deliberate attempt to keep the truth of the Gospel — the Good News of what Jesus has done for you — out of your hands. There is a cover-up taking place, and The Da Vinci Code, ironically, is part of it.
  • Thanks in large measure to Dan Brown's fictional thriller The DaVinci Code, early church history just can't stay out of the news. If only a more worthy work could have prompted such attention.

The film, like the book, was considered controversial. It was met with especially harsh criticism by the Roman Catholic Church for the accusation that it is behind a two-thousand-year-old cover-up concerning what the Holy Grail really is and the concept that Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene were married and that the union produced a daughter, and for its treatment of the organizations Priory of Sion and Opus Dei. Many members urged the laity to boycott the film. In the book, Dan Brown states that the Priory of Sion and 'all descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals in this novel are accurate'.

The film grossed $224 million in its worldwide opening weekend and a total of $758 million worldwide, becoming the second-highest-grossing film of 2006, behind Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. The film received generally negative reviews from critics. It was followed by two sequels, Angels & Demons (2009) and Inferno (2016).

  • 3Production
  • 4Catholic and other reactions
  • 5Censorship
  • 6Cast response
  • 7Reactions to the film
    • 7.4Box office response
  • 10Sequels

Plot[edit]

Jacques Saunière, the Louvre's curator, is pursued through the Grand Gallery by an albinoCatholicmonk named Silas, who demands the location of the Priory's 'keystone' to find and destroy the Holy Grail. Saunière gives him a false lead and is murdered. When the police arrive, they find his body posed like Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man. The police captain, Bezu Fache, sends his lieutenant, Jérôme Collet, to summon American symbologistRobert Langdon, in the midst of signing autographs after one of his public talks, to examine Saunière's body.

At the museum, Langdon is shown the body, and a secret message, readable only by blacklight, that contains an out-of-order Fibonacci sequence. Sophie Neveu, a police cryptographer and Saunière's granddaughter, reveals to Langdon that Fache planted a tracker on him after finding the words 'P.S. Find Robert Langdon' at the end of Saunière's secret message, leading Fache to believe Langdon murdered Saunière. The two get rid of the tracker, distracting the police, and sneak around the Louvre, finding more clues in Leonardo da Vinci's works, eventually leading to Langdon to deduce that Saunière was the grand master of the Priory of Sion.

Silas is revealed to be working for an anonymous person named the Teacher, along with members of Opus Dei, led by Bishop Aringarosa. Evading the police, Langdon and Sophie travel to the Depository Bank of Zurich, where they access a safe deposit box of Saunière's, using the Fibonacci sequence. Inside the box is a cryptex, a cylindrical container that can only be safely opened by turning dials to spell a code word, and which contains a message on papyrus. The police arrive outside and Langdon and Sophie are aided by the bank manager, Andre Vernet, only for him to attempt to take the cryptex and murder them. Langdon disarms Vernet and flees with Sophie and the cryptex.

The two visit Langdon's friend, Sir Leigh Teabing, a Holy Grail expert who walks using crutches, who claims the Grail is not a cup but instead Mary Magdalene, Jesus Christ's wife. Teabing argues that she was pregnant during His crucifixion, and the Priory was formed to protect their descendants. The Opus Dei have been trying to destroy the Grail to preserve the credibility of the Vatican. Later, Silas breaks into Teabing's house, but Teabing, using one of his crutches, disables him. The group escapes to London via Teabing's private plane, along with his butler, Remy Jean. They travel to the Temple Church, but the clue to unlocking the cryptex is a red herring. Silas is freed by Remy while claiming to be the Teacher and taking Teabing hostage, dumping him in the car trunk, and taking Silas to hide out in an Opus Dei safe house. Teabing, who is revealed to be the Teacher, later poisons Remy and sends the police after Silas. Silas is shot by police after accidentally wounding Aringarosa, who is promptly arrested by Fache, who resents being used to hunt Langdon.

Langdon and Sophie are confronted by Teabing, who wants to bring down the Church for centuries of persecution and deceit. The trio goes to Westminster Abbey to the tomb of Isaac Newton, a former grand master of the Priory. Teabing demands that the pair open the cryptex. Langdon tries and then tosses the cryptex into the air. Teabing dives for it, catches it, but vinegar dribbles and the papyrus thought destroyed. The police arrive to arrest Teabing, who realizes Langdon must have solved the cryptex's code and removed the papyrus. The code is revealed to be 'APPLE', after the apocryphal myth of the apple which led Newton to discover his law of universal gravitation. The clue inside the cryptex, which tells of the Grail hiding ''neath the rose', leads Langdon and Sophie to Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland.

Inside the chapel, they discover Magdalene's tomb has been removed. Langdon, after searching through documents, realizes that Sophie's family died in a car crash, that Saunière was not her grandfather but her protector, and that she is the last descendant of Jesus Christ. The two are greeted by several members of the Priory, including Sophie's grandmother, who promises to protect her. Langdon and Sophie part ways, the former returning to Paris. While shaving, he cuts himself and has an epiphany when his blood curves down the sink, reminding him of the Rose Line. Realizing the true meaning of the cryptex clue, he follows the line to the Louvre, concluding the Holy Grail, the sarcophagus of Mary Magdalene, is hidden below the Pyramide Inversée. Langdon kneels above it.

Cast[edit]

  • Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon
  • Audrey Tautou as Sophie Neveu
  • Ian McKellen as Sir Leigh Teabing
  • Alfred Molina as Bishop Aringarosa
  • Jürgen Prochnow as André Vernet
  • Jean Reno as Police Captain Bezu Fache
  • Paul Bettany as Silas
  • Étienne Chicot as Lieutenant Jérôme Collet
  • Jean-Yves Berteloot as Remy Jean
  • Jean-Pierre Marielle as Jacques Saunière
  • Charlotte Graham as Mary Magdalene
  • Hugh Mitchell as young Silas
  • Seth Gabel as Michael the Cleric
  • Marie-Françoise Audollent as Sister Sandrine
  • Francesco Carnelutti as Prefect
  • Rita Davies as Elegant Woman at Rosslyn
  • Denis Podalydès as Flight Controller
  • Author Dan Brown and his wife make cameos (forefront) in the first scene of the book signing scene.
  • The Templar Revelation authors Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince make a brief appearance as passengers on a bus.

Bill Paxton was director Ron Howard's first choice for the role of Robert Langdon, but had to decline as he was beginning filming for the television series Big Love.[4]

Production[edit]

Development[edit]

The film rights were purchased from Dan Brown for $6 million.[5]

Filming[edit]

Filming had been scheduled to start in May 2005; however, some delays caused filming to begin on June 30, 2005.[citation needed]

Location[edit]

The Louvre gave permission to film relevant scenes at their premises. A replica of the Mona Lisa was used during filming as the crew was not allowed to illuminate the original work with their lighting. During the on site filming at the Louvre the Mona Lisa's chamber was used as a storage room. Westminster Abbey denied the use of its premises, as did Saint-Sulpice. The Westminster Abbey scenes were instead filmed at Lincoln and Winchester cathedrals,[6] which both belong to the Church of England. (Westminster Abbey is a Royal Peculiar, a church or chapel under direct jurisdiction of the monarch; whereas Saint-Sulpice is a Roman Catholic institution.)

Due to the denial of a location permit for Saint-Sulpice,[7] the entire scene had to be recreated virtually by post-production company Rainmaker U.K. and though the set had been partially built, the co-ordinates were centimeters out from what the compositors had expected and so the entire process was extremely difficult to complete.[8]

Lincoln Cathedral reportedly received £100,000 in exchange for the right to film there, with filming there occurring between August 15 and 19, 2005, mainly within the cloisters of the cathedral. The cathedral's bell, which strikes the hour, was silent for the first time since World War II during that time. Although it remained a closed set, protesters led by a 61-year-old woman named Sister Mary Michael demonstrated against the filming. Sister Mary Michael spent 12 hours praying on her knees outside the cathedral in protest against what she saw as the blasphemous use of a holy place to film a book containing heresy.[9]

Winchester Cathedral answered criticism by using its location fee to fund an exhibition, lecture series and campaign to debunk the book.[10] The scenes for the Pope's summer residence, Castel Gandolfo were filmed on location at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire, England.

Shoreham Airport in West Sussex, England, was used as a filming location, with its art-deco terminal building utilized in a night shoot for the scenes at 'Le Bourget' Airport.[11]

Filming also took place elsewhere in the United Kingdom.[12] Locations included King's College London campus; Fairfield Halls (Croydon); the Temple Church (London); Burghley House (Lincolnshire) and Rosslyn Chapel and Rosslyn Castle (Midlothian, Scotland) make an appearance at the final of the film.

Studio shoots[edit]

The filmmakers shot many of the internal scenes at Pinewood Studios;[13] the opening sequence in the cavernous 007 Stage at Pinewood Shepperton, where the interior of the Louvre was recreated.[14] In this sequence, Hanks' character is taken by French police to the Louvre, where a dead body has been discovered. David White of Altered States FX, a prosthetics and special makeup effects company, was tasked with creating a naked photorealistic silicone body for the scene. Lighting effects were utilized to obscure the body's genitalia, a technique also used on television programs such as NCIS.[15]

Pinewood's state-of-the-art Underwater Stage was used to film underwater sequences.[16] The stage opened in 2005 after four years of planning and development. The water in the tank is filtered using an ultraviolet system which creates crystal clear water, and the water is maintained at 30 °C (86 °F) to create a comfortable environment to work in for both cast and crew.[17]

Alternate versions of Bettany's nude flagellation scenes were shot, in which he wears a black loincloth. Clips of these versions appear in the History Channel's Opus Dei Unveiled documentary, aired in summer 2006.

Catholic and other reactions[edit]

The Vatican[edit]

At a conference on April 28, 2006, the secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, a Vatican curial department, Archbishop Angelo Amato specifically called for a boycott of the film; he said the movie is 'full of calumnies, offences, and historical and theological errors'.[18]

Cardinal Francis Arinze, in a documentary called The Da Vinci Code: A Masterful Deception, urged unspecified legal action against the makers of the film. He was formerly Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in the Vatican.[19]

Opus Dei[edit]

Stating that it does not intend to organize any boycotts, Opus Dei (the Catholic organization that is featured prominently in the novel and the film) released a statement on February 14, 2006, asking Sony Pictures to consider editing the soon-to-be-released film so that it would not contain references that it felt might be hurtful to Catholics. The statement also said Brown's book offers a 'deformed'[20] image of the church and that Opus Dei will use the opportunity of the movie's release to educate about the church.

On Easter, April 16, 2006, Opus Dei published an open letter by the Japanese Information Office of Opus Dei mildly proposing that Sony Pictures consider including a disclaimer on the film adaptation as a 'sign of respect towards the figure of Jesus Christ, the history of the Church, and the religious beliefs of viewers'.[21] The organization also encouraged the studio to clearly label the movie as fictitious 'and that any resemblance to reality is pure coincidence'.[21]

According to a statement by Manuel Sánchez Hurtado, Opus Dei Press Office Rome,[22] in contrast to Sony Corporation's published 'Code of Conduct' the company has announced that the film will not include such a disclaimer.

American Catholic bishops[edit]

U.S. Catholic bishops launched a website, JesusDecoded.com, refuting the key claims in the novel that were about to be brought to the screen. The bishops are concerned about errors and serious misstatements in The Da Vinci Code.[23] The film has also been rated morally offensive—by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Office for Film and Broadcasting, which denounced its depiction of both the Jesus-Mary Magdalene relationship and that of Opus Dei as 'deeply abhorrent'.[24]

Peru[edit]

The Peruvian Episcopal Conference (CEP) declared the movie—and the book—as part of a 'systematic attack on the Catholic Church'.[25] Furthermore, the Archbishop of Lima, the Cardinal and member of Opus Dei Juan Luis Cipriani, urged his community not to see the film: 'If someone goes (to see the movie), they are giving money to those who hurt the faith. It's not a problem of fiction; if truth is not respected, what arises we could call white glove terrorism.'[26]

Is The Da Vinci Code True

NOAH[edit]

The National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (NOAH) expressed concern about Silas' character giving people with albinism a bad name.[27] However, the filmmakers did not change his appearance.

Censorship[edit]

The film was banned in a number of countries, including among others Syria,[28]Belarus,[29] and Lebanon.[30] In Jordan, authorities banned the film claiming it 'tarnishes the memory of Christian and Islamic figures and contradicts the truth as written in the Bible and the Quran about Jesus'.[31] In Iran, it was banned due to protests by Muslim and Christian minorities.[32]

China[edit]

Although The Da Vinci Code was passed by Chinese censors, it was abruptly removed by authorities from public view in mainland China, after 'a remarkable run in China, grossing over $13 million',[33] due to protests by Chinese Catholic groups.[34]

Egypt[edit]

Both the book and the film were banned in Egypt due to pressure from Coptic Christians. Some Muslims compared the film to the Danish cartoons that had caused a controversy earlier that year.[35] Hafez Abu Saeda, of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights stated that 'This violates freedom of thought and belief … This is fiction. It's art and it should be regarded as art.'[36]

Faroe Islands[edit]

The biggest cinema in the Faroe Islands, Havnar Bio, decided to boycott the film, effectively blocking it from the other smaller cinemas, which rely on second-hand films from this source, because it seems to be blasphemous in their point of view. Its CEO, Jákup Eli Jacobsen, says that 'he fears losing the operating license if it exhibits blasphemy in the cinema'.[37]

A private initiative by the individual Herluf Sørensen has arranged the movie to be played, despite the boycott by Havnar Bio. The movie played at the Nordic House in the Faroe Islands from June 8 to 9, 2006.[38]

India[edit]

There was a huge outcry in many states by the Christian and the Muslim minorities to ban the film from screening in India for the perceived anti-Christian message. Possibly the largest reaction occurred in Kolkata where a group of around 25 protesters 'stormed' Crossword bookstore, pulled copies of the book off the racks and threw them to the ground. At the same day, a group of 50–60 protesters successfully made the Oxford Bookstore on Park Street decide to stop selling the book 'until the controversy sparked by the film's release was resolved'.[39]

The film was allowed to be released without any cuts but with an A (Adults Only) certification from the Central Board for Film Certification and a 15-second disclaimer added at the end stating that the movie was purely a work of fiction.[40] The Supreme Court of India also rejected petitions calling for a ban on the film, saying the plot which suggested Jesus was married was fictional and not offensive.[41]

The film has been totally banned in some states such as Punjab, Lakshadweep, Goa, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.[42][43] The Andhra Pradesh High Court subsequently reversed the State Government's order banning the screening of the film in the state; the State Government had previously banned the film based on the objections lodged by Christians and Muslims.[44]

Pakistan[edit]

Pakistan banned The Da Vinci Code for showing what officials called blasphemous material about Jesus. Christian groups, along with the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal held protests against the film calling for a global ban.[45]

Philippines[edit]

The Philippine Alliance Against Pornography (PAAP) appealed to then Philippine PresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyo to stop the showing of The Da Vinci Code in the Philippines. They branded the film as 'the most pornographic and blasphemous film in history'[46] and also requested the help of Pope Benedict XVI, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and other religious groups to stop the showing of the film.[47]

However, Cecille Guidote Alvarez, Philippine Presidential Adviser on Culture and the Arts, said the Philippine government would not interfere in the controversy about the film and leaves the decision to the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board's (MTRCB) rating.[48] Eventually, MTRCB decided to give The Da Vinci Code an R-18 rating (restricted to those 18 years of age and above) despite PAAP's opposition to showing it.[49]

Samoa[edit]

The film was banned outright in the Independent State of Samoa after church leaders watching a pre-release showing filed a complaint with film censors.[50]

Solomon Islands[edit]

Solomon IslandsPrime MinisterManasseh Sogavare said he would seek to have the film banned in his country, as it might threaten the Solomons' predominantly Christian faith:

“We profess Christian religion in the country, and that film that depicts some thoughts about this person called Jesus Christ that Christians adore as not only as a good man, but was himself God, and such a film basically undermines the very roots of Christianity in Solomon Islands.[51]”

Sri Lanka[edit]

Sri Lanka is also one of the countries that banned the film from being released.[52] It was banned by presidential order of Mahinda Rajapakse.Public Performances Board to ban the screening of the movie 'The Da Vinci Code' in local cinemas and on local television channels. Apparently the Catholic Bishops Conference made the appeal through an epistle. 'The decision to ban the film was taken on an appeal by the Catholic Bishops Conference in Sri Lanka.'[53]

Thailand[edit]

Christian groups in this mostly Buddhist country protested the film and called for it to be banned. On May 16, 2006, the Thai Censorship Committee issued a ruling that the film would be shown, but that the last 10 minutes would be cut. Also, some Thai subtitles were to be edited to change their meaning and passages from the Bible would also be quoted at the beginning and end of the film.

However, the following day, Sony Pictures appealed the ruling, saying it would pull the film if the decision to cut it was not reversed. The censorship panel then voted 6–5 that the film could be shown uncut, but that a disclaimer would precede and follow the film, saying it was a work of fiction.[54][55]

Cast response[edit]

Tom Hanks' response[edit]

Hanks told the Evening Standard that those involved with the film 'always knew there would be a segment of society that would not want this movie to be shown. But the story we tell is loaded with all sorts of hooey and fun kind of scavenger-hunt-type nonsense.'[56] He said it is a mistake 'to take any sort of movie at face value, particularly a huge-budget motion picture like this.'[56]

He also stated at the Cannes Film Festival that he and his wife saw no contradiction between their faith and the film, as 'My heritage, and that of my wife, suggests that our sins have been taken away, not our brains.'

Ian McKellen's response[edit]

Also at Cannes, McKellen was quoted as saying 'While I was reading the book I believed it entirely. Clever Dan Brown twisted my mind convincingly. But when I put it down I thought, 'What a load of [pause] potential codswallop.'[57]

During a May 17, 2006 interview on The Today Show with the Da Vinci Code cast and director, Matt Lauer posed a question to the group about how they would have felt if the film had borne a prominent disclaimer that it is a work of fiction, as some religious groups wanted. (Some high-ranking Vatican cabinet members had called for a boycott of the film.[58]) McKellen responded:

“I've often thought the Bible should have a disclaimer in the front saying 'This is fiction.' I mean, walking on water? It takes.. an act of faith. And I have faith in this movie—not that it's true, not that it's factual, but that it's a jolly good story.. And I think audiences are clever enough and bright enough to separate out fact and fiction, and discuss the thing when they've seen it.[59]”

Reactions to the film[edit]

Cannes Film Festival[edit]

According to the Associated Press, during a preview for movie critics in Cannes, a line spoken by Tom Hanks 'drew prolonged laughter and some catcalls'. Nearing the end of the screening, 'there were a few whistles and hisses, and there was none of the scattered applause even bad movies sometimes receive at Cannes.'[60]

Protests[edit]

There have been protesters at several movie theaters across the United States on opening weekend protesting the themes of the film, citing it as blasphemy and claiming that it shames both the Catholic Church, and Jesus Christ himself. More than 200 protesters also turned out in Athens, Greece to protest the film's release shortly before opening day. In Manila, the film was banned from all theaters and the set by the local MTRCB as an R18 movie for the Philippines.[61] In Pittsburgh, protesters also showed up at a special screening of the film the day before its widespread release.[62] Protests also occurred at the filming sites, but only a monk and a nun stood in a quiet protest at the Cannes premiere.[57] In Chennai, India, the film was banned for a two-month period to appease local Christian and Muslim groups.[63]

Critical reception[edit]

The Da Vinci Code received a 25% approval rating on the film review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes based on a sample of 224 reviews and an average rating of 4.7/10. The critics consensus states: 'What makes Dan Brown's novel a best seller is evidently not present in this dull and bloated movie adaptation of The Da Vinci Code.'[64] The film was poorly received at the Cannes Film Festival, where it debuted.[60]

Michael Medved gave the film a negative review, citing it as 'an attack on religion'.[65]Anthony Lane of The New Yorker addressed the concerns of Catholics in his film review, stating that the film 'is self-evident, spirit-lowering tripe that could not conceivably cause a single member of the flock to turn aside from the faith.'[66] In his Movie Guide, Leonard Maltin called the film 'a letdown in every respect.'[67] Director Howard noted that the overwhelmingly negative reviews were 'frustrating' to him.[68]

Conversely, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times (who had spoken very negatively of the novel) gave the film three out of four stars, stating, 'The movie works; it's involving, intriguing and constantly seems on the edge of startling revelations.' Of the storyline, he also commented, 'Yes, the plot is absurd, but then most movie plots are absurd. That's what we pay to see.'[69] Lawrence Toppman of The Charlotte Observer, who also liked the film, gave it three and a half out of four stars and noted 'unlike most Hollywood blockbusters, this one assumes audience members will be smart.'[70]

Although many critics gave mixed to negative reviews of the film, critics praised the performances of McKellen as well as Bettany.[71]

On the 'Worst Movies of 2006' episode of the television show Ebert & Roeper (January 13, 2007), guest critic Michael Phillips (sitting in for the recovering Roger Ebert) listed the film at No. 2.[72] The film earned a Razzie Award nomination for Ron Howard as Worst Director, but lost to M. Night Shyamalan for Lady in the Water.

Box office response[edit]

Opening weekend[edit]

The film opened with an estimated $31 million in box office sales on its opening day, averaging $7,764 per screen.[73] During its opening weekend, moviegoers spent an estimated $77 million in America, and $224 million worldwide.[2]The Da Vinci Code is the best domestic opening for both Tom Hanks and Ron Howard.[74]

It also enjoyed the third biggest opening weekend for that year (after Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and X-Men: The Last Stand, and the second biggest worldwide opening weekend ever, just behind 2005's Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.[75]) This has led some critics, particularly in the UK, to moot the idea of the 'critic-proof film'.[76]

Ranking and gross[edit]

  • Number 1 film at the USA box office during its first week grossing more than $111 million.[77] Fifth-highest gross of 2006 in the USA, and grossed $758 million worldwide in 2006—the second-highest of 2006.[2] Its worldwide total made it the 51st-highest-grossing film, and the highest-grossing film in the franchise.[citation needed]
  • On June 20, 2006, it became only the second film of the year to pass the $200 million mark in the USA.[78]

Accolades[edit]

AwardCategoryRecipient(s) and nominee(s)Result
64th Golden Globe AwardsBest Original ScoreHans ZimmerNominated
12th Critics' Choice AwardsBest Composer
49th Annual Grammy AwardsBest Score Soundtrack
33rd People's Choice AwardsFavorite Movie DramaThe Da Vinci Code
27th Golden Raspberry AwardsWorst DirectorRon Howard
11th Satellite AwardsBest Original ScoreHans Zimmer
Best Visual EffectsKevin Ahern
Best SoundAnthony J. Ciccolini III, Kevin O'Connell, and Greg P. Russell
Best DVD ExtrasThe Da Vinci Code
2006 Teen Choice AwardsChoice Movie: VillainIan McKellen

Home media[edit]

Insignia software download. The film was released on DVD on November 14, 2006 in three editions:

  1. A Target-exclusive three-disc release in both widescreen and fullscreen, along with a History Channel documentary.
  2. A two-disc release in both widescreen and fullscreen.[79]
  3. A 'special edition gift set' that includes a two-disc DVD set, working cryptex, and replica Robert Langdon journal.[80]

All DVD sets include an introduction from director Howard, ten featurettes, and other bonus features.

In Australia, New Zealand, Spain and Latin America (DVD region code 4), the two-disc set also included an extended edition of the film, including over twenty-five minutes of extra footage, bringing the running time to 174 minutes.[79]

Vinci

In Hong Kong and Korea (Region 3), the extended cut was also released on DVD in a two-disc set. Two gift sets were also released, with working cryptex replica, replica journal, and more. The French and Spanish Region 2 disc also received a special gift set.[81]

On April 28, 2009, a two-disc Blu-ray edition of the extended version of the film was released in North America. While there is no regular DVD release of the extended version in the United States or a Region 2 release in the United Kingdom, a version of the extended cut was released in Germany.

The Da Vinci Code was also released on UMD for the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) on the November 14, 2006.

Sequels[edit]

Angels & Demons[edit]

Screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, with the help of Jurassic Park screenwriter David Koepp, adapted Angels & Demons (a Dan Brown novel published before The Da Vinci Code) into a film script,[82] which was also directed by Howard. Chronologically, the book takes place before The Da Vinci Code. However, the filmmakers re-tooled it as a sequel. Hanks reprises his role as Langdon in the film, which was released in May 2009 to moderate (but generally better) reviews.

Inferno[edit]

Sony Pictures produced a film adaptation of Inferno, the fourth book in the Robert Langdon series, which was released in October 2016[83] with Ron Howard as director, David Koepp adapting the screenplay and Tom Hanks reprising his role as Robert Langdon.[84] Filming began on April 27, 2015, in Venice, Italy, and wrapped up on July 21, 2015.[85] On December 2, 2014, Felicity Jones was in early talks to star in the film.[86] Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan was cast as The Provost.[87] Danish actress Sidse Babett Knudsen was added to the cast as Elizabeth Sinskey.[88]

See also[edit]

  • The Da Vinci Treasure – A mockbuster produced by The Asylum
  • National Treasure - film about the Knights Templar Treasure

References[edit]

  1. ^'THE DA VINCI CODE (12A)'. British Board of Film Classification. May 2, 2006. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  2. ^ abcd'The Da Vinci Code (2006)'. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved December 16, 2006.
  3. ^'Dan Brown » The Da Vinci Code'. www.danbrown.com. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  4. ^Twister, Titanic, Apollo 13, and Aliens star Bill Paxton dies
  5. ^'Ask Men'.
  6. ^'Film locations in South East England'. Archived from the original on October 1, 2012.
  7. ^Michael Haag & Veronica Haag, with James McConnachie, The Rough Guide to The Da Vinci Code: An Unauthorised Guide to the Book and Movie (Rough Guides Ltd; 2006)
  8. ^Robertson, Barbara (May 19, 2006). 'The Da Rainmaker Code'. cgsociety.org. The CG Society. Retrieved March 1, 2013.
  9. ^Gledhill, Ruth (August 16, 2005). 'Nun protests over cathedral filming of Da Vinci Code'. The Times. London, England. Retrieved March 1, 2013.
  10. ^Guardian Unlimited: Location fee funds Da Vinci Code rebuttal
  11. ^'Secret Da Vinci Code airport set revealed', The Argus, 2006-01-09. Retrieved on 2009-05-19.
  12. ^The Da Vinci Code UK Filming locations
  13. ^Gordon Brown Opens Underwater Stage at Pinewood Studios, May 19, 2005
  14. ^WHAS11news: Fire chars British set of new Bond movie, Katie Fretland, July 30, 2006
  15. ^American Cinematographer: Secret History
  16. ^'Gordon Brown Opens Underwater Stage at Pinewood Studios,' May 19, 2005, webpage: PinewoodShepperton-Stage
  17. ^Pinewood Studios – Underwater Stage Pinewood Studios – Water FilmingArchived September 16, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^'Reaffirm the Resurrection, Pope urges faithful'. Catholic World News. May 1, 2006.
  19. ^Wilkinson, Tracy (May 17, 2006). 'Vatican Officials Grappling With `Da Vinci Code''. Los Angeles Times.
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  22. ^Sánchez Hurtado, Manuel (May 17, 2006). 'The Other Code'. ROM: Opus Dei Press Office.
  23. ^Jesus Decoded' Web site launched to counter 'Da Vinci Code' claimsArchived June 1, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  24. ^Patterson, John (April 21, 2007). 'Down with this sort of thing'. the Guardian.
  25. ^RPP Noticias – 'Código da Vinci' presenta grandes falsedades, afirman obispos del Perú
  26. ^Cardenal Cipriani pide a fieles abstenerse de ver 'El Código Da Vinci'
  27. ^'Albino group to protest Tom Hanks' 'The Da Vinci Code' film'. UPI/Reality TV World. March 19, 2006
  28. ^http://www.tomgrossmedia.com/mideastdispatches/archives/000725.html.
  29. ^http://iqna.ir/fr/news/1478889/le-film-da-vinci-code-interdit-au-bélarus
  30. ^'Da Vinci' unlikely to pass Egypt censors TribLIVE
  31. ^Egypt bans 'The Da Vinci Code'
  32. ^https://mobile.nytimes.com/2006/07/26/books/27davinci.html
  33. ^'China dumps 'Da Vinci Code''. CNN. June 8, 2006. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
  34. ^Kahn, Joseph. 'China Cancels 'Da Vinci' Movie'. The New York Times.
  35. ^Coptic pressure bans 'Da Vinci Code' in Egypt
  36. ^Egypt: Da Vinci Code based on Zionist myths
  37. ^'Faereysk kvikmyndahus snidganga Da Vinci lykilinn'. mbl.is. May 12, 2006.
  38. ^'Norðurlandahúsið'. Upcoming.org.
  39. ^'Novel earns vandal wrath - Code controversy deepens with warning from protesters'. The Telegraph. May 18, 2006.
  40. ^'India censors clear Da Vinci Code'. BBC. May 18, 2006.
  41. ^'India's Supreme Court rejects pleas to ban 'Da Vinci Code'
  42. ^Sony Pictures statement on `Da Vinci Code` – Sify.com
  43. ^''The Da Vinci Code' banned in State'. The Hindu. Chennai, India. June 2, 2006.
  44. ^'High Court quashes A.P. ban on film '. The Hindu. Chennai, India. June 22, 2006.
  45. ^'Pakistan bans Da Vinci Code film'. BBC News Online. June 4, 2006.
  46. ^Araneta, Sandy (April 19, 2006). 'Anti-pornography group asks GMA to ban 'The Da Vinci Code''. philstar.com.
  47. ^'Anti-pornography group asked GMA to Ban 'The Da Vinci Code''. Philippine Headline News. Philippines. April 19, 2006. Archived from the original on April 21, 2006.
  48. ^'Palace sidesteps 'Da Vinci' storm'. The Manila Times. Philippines. April 19, 2006. Archived from the original on May 15, 2006.
  49. ^''Da Vinci Code' for adults only, says film review body'. Philippines: inq7.net. May 17, 2006.
  50. ^Johnston, Martin. 'Samoa bans Da Vinci Code'. The New Zealand Herald.
  51. ^'SOLOMON ISLANDS TO BAN 'THE DA VINCI CODE'Archived May 10, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, May 26, 2006
  52. ^SRI LANKA: Presidential ban of the Da Vinci Code film is an act of dictatorship without any basis in law — Asian Human Rights Commission
  53. ^Asian Human Rights Commission Retrieved 2011-03-14.
  54. ^'The Da Vinci Code' can be shown uncut
  55. ^IHT ThaiDay – Manager Online
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  57. ^ abCharlotte Higgins (May 18, 2006). 'Fans out in force for Da Vinci premiere – but even kinder reviews are scathing'. The Guardian. London. Retrieved March 7, 2010.
  58. ^Pullella, Philip (April 28, 2006). 'Boycott Da Vinci Code film'. Reuters. Archived from the original on May 5, 2006. Retrieved May 20, 2006.
  59. ^Crawley, William (May 20, 2006). 'A Da Vinci Disclaimer'. BBC.
  60. ^ ab'Da Vinci Code' misses mark for Cannes critics. msnbc.com. Associated Press. May 17, 2006.
  61. ^'Hundreds of Greek Orthodox march to protest Da Vinci Code movie'. Athens: Deutsche Presse-Agentur. May 16, 2006. Archived from the original on September 6, 2006.
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  64. ^'The Da Vinci Code (2006) - Rotten Tomatoes'. Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
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Sources[edit]

The following are reference sources, repeated in alphabetic order:

  • Larry Carroll: 'Ian McKellen Sticks Up For Evil In Da Vinci Code, X-Men' [6], MTV News, May 15, 2006.
  • Catholic World News, 'Reaffirm the Resurrection, Pope urges faithful,' Catholic World News, May 1, 2006.
  • CNN, 'Da Vinci Code' a hot ticket,' CNN, May 21, 2006 (webpage expired).
  • CNN, 'Da Vinci Code' opens with estimated $29 million,' CNN, May 20, 2006 (webpage expired).
  • DPA, 'Hundreds of Greek Orthodox march to protest Da Vinci Code movie,' Deutsche Presse-Agentur, May 16, 2006.
  • Fretland, Katie, 'Fire chars British set of new Bond movie' July 30, 2006, webpage: WHAS11-DVC: Louvre interior set filmed at Pinewood.
  • Sánchez Hurtado, Manuel, The Other Code, Opus Dei Press Office, May 17, 2006.
  • KDKA News, 'Locals Protest 'Da Vinci Code' Movie,' KDKA News, May 19, 2006.
  • Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa (La Gioconda) painting, 1503–1507, in Louvre Museum.
  • Pinewood Shepperton studios, 'Gordon Brown Opens Underwater Stage at Pinewood Studios,' May 19, 2006, webpage: PinewoodShep-Stage.
  • Philip Pullella, 'Boycott Da Vinci Code film,' Reuters, April 28, 2006, web: ScotsmanVatDVC. Retrieved August 22, 2006.
  • Us Weekly, 'Ian McKellen Unable to Suspend Disbelief While Reading the Bible,' US Weekly, May 17, 2006: (has Video clip).

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Da Vinci Code.
Wikiquote has quotations related to: The Da Vinci Code (film)
  • The Da Vinci Code on IMDb
  • The Da Vinci Code at AllMovie
  • The Da Vinci Code at Rotten Tomatoes
  • The Da Vinci Code at Box Office Mojo
  • The Da Vinci Code at Metacritic
  • The Da Vinci Code at the TCM Movie Database
  • The Da Vinci Code at the American Film Institute Catalog
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Home >> Da Vinci Code Truth

Da Vinci Code Truth – The Manuscript
People are wondering if Brown’s book contains Da Vinci truth. The introductory note of the book says, “all descriptions of documents and secret rituals are accurate.” Is this a true statement? Is there such a thing as Da Vinci Code truth?
The book begins with the murder of Jacques Sauniere, the curator of the Louvre Museum in Paris. The curator, a Grand Master of the Priory of Sion, an ancient secret society, wrote a cryptic message prior to his death. French police summon experts to decipher this message -- Robert Langdon, a Harvard professor, and cryptographer Sophie Neveu, the estranged granddaughter of the murdered curator. What they find is a dangerous secret linking the curator to evidence that disproves the deity of Jesus Christ and could threaten the existence of the church. They discover that artists and thinkers have planted clues in numerous places for centuries. Langdon and Neveu race through Paris and England attempting to solve this centuries-old mystery while being chased by the police.
So how much of The Da Vinci Code is truth? When asked how much of his book is based on “reality in terms of things that actually occurred,” author Dan Brown said, “Absolutely all of it. Obviously, Robert Langdon is fictional, but all of the art, architecture, secret rituals, secret societies -- all of that is historical fact.”1 “I began as a skeptic. As I started researching The Da Vinci Code, I really thought I would disprove a lot of this theory about Mary Magdalene and the Holy Blood and all of that. I became a believer.” 2

Da Vinci Code Truth – The Claims
In The Da Vinci Code, Brown presents the following as fact:

  • Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and her womb was the Holy Grail. Jesus and Mary Magdalene had offspring together. The truth about Christ and Mary Magdalene has been kept alive by a secret society named the Priory of Sion that was led by great minds like Da Vinci.
  • The gospels are not historically accurate. The Roman Catholic Church instigated a cover-up of some 80 gospel accounts that shed new light on the identity of Jesus.
  • The early church did not believe that Jesus was divine. Instead, they “voted” for His divinity at the council of Nicea in the fourth century.
Although Brown claims that the book is filled with truths, the reader must keep in mind that this claim is included in the first paragraphs of a fiction book. Even claims that something is true, when found in a fiction book, are still fiction. If Brown had truly wanted to enlighten the world about his Codetrue nature of Jesus and the Catholic Church, he would have done so in a non-fiction setting. Why then did Brown assert in interviews that the information contained within his book was true? Listen to many interviews with well-known authors of fiction; they hold fast to the notion that their worlds, bizarre and even otherworldly, are true. Many authors do this to conjure interest in their books to increase sales. Others do this because to them, the worlds they have created do exist inside their minds. While much of the book is filled with fallacy, we will touch on the last two false claims from the list above.

Da Vinci Code Truth – Are the Gospels historically accurate?
One of the key points put forward by Brown as Da Vinci code truth is that the Bible cannot be trusted. Certain portions of the literature that Brown proclaimed as “Bible” do have fallacies. The early books called the Gnostic Gospels often disagree with the inspired gospels of God’s Word. Historians and theologians have studied these writings for thousands of years since the second century when they first surfaced. The church fathers speak of the heresies of these groups: Irenaeus (ca. 130-200), Hippolytus (ca. 170-236) and Tertullian (ca. 160-after 200), all write about the Gnostics. The writings were rejected by early church fathers because they did not correspond with the clear teachings of the 27 other books that were already being considered as the canon of Scripture.
Brown claims that the church knew of more than 80 gospels, but only chose four. The Nag Hammadi Library (published in 1977) is considered one of, if not the best resource on biblical and extra-biblical history. This library lists a total of 45 titles, and not all of them were gospels. Another collection, The Gnostic Scriptures (by Bentley Layton) has just short of 40 works, only three of which have the title gospel. Many of these overlap the same works in the Nag Hammadi list. At best, there were 60 works, and the strong majority were not gospel accounts.
Have these extra “gospels” provided new information on the identity of Jesus -- information that contradicts the four inspired gospels? Yes, but not for the reasons that Brown proposes. He claims that these extra writings defined Jesus as merely a man and not divine. That is simply not true.
As honest seekers study the question, 'Is the Bible true?' and consider its prophetic record, the historical evidence, the archaeological evidence, and learn of its authorship, they will discover that the Bible is inspired and can be trusted.

Da Vinci Code Truth - The Lie: Jesus Was Not God
Is this a Da Vinci truth or a Da Vinci lie? In the book, Brown claims that the core beliefs of Christianity had not been formulated until the time of the Council of Nicaea in the fourth century. This is a strange claim since the New Testament books give a clear understanding of orthodoxy and core beliefs.
By the time of the Council at Nicea in A.D. 325, history shows us that the central faith and belief system of Christianity had long been established. The council came together to affirm what the bishops and church leaders had been teaching for 200 years. They rubber-stamped the gospels by a vote of 218 to 2, which is not “a relatively close vote” as Brown claims. In fact, Paul asserted to the deity of Jesus almost 300 years prior to the Nicene Council and Constantine.
The similarity and concise understanding of Jesus’ identity as the Son of God and salvation are written quite clearly by Matthew, Mark, Luke, Peter, John, James, and Paul in the first century. The Pastoral Epistles (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus) are incredibly clear about what constitutes true salvation and sound doctrine.
Study for yourself: Is Jesus God? Did He come to earth as God to save humanity from eternity in hell? Did He die on the cross for you personally?

Throw out the lies. Discover the Truth!
1 The Today Show: June 9, 2003.
2 Good Morning America: November 3, 2003.

What Is The Da Vinci Code


WHAT DO YOU THINK? - We have all sinned and deserve God's judgment. God, the Father, sent His only Son to satisfy that judgment for those who believe in Him. Jesus, the creator and eternal Son of God, who lived a sinless life, loves us so much that He died for our sins, taking the punishment that we deserve, was buried, and rose from the dead according to the Bible. If you truly believe and trust this in your heart, receiving Jesus alone as your Savior, declaring, 'Jesus is Lord,' you will be saved from judgment and spend eternity with God in heaven.
What is your response?
Yes, today I am deciding to follow Jesus
Yes, I am already a follower of Jesus
I still have questions





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