The Da Vinci Code rated Adults Only in Manila; but pirated copies sold in sidewalks

The Da Vinci Code rated Adults Only in Manila; but pirated copies sold in sidewalks

While film censors in predominantly Catholic Philippines have rated The Da Vinci Code [Sony Pictures] as an “adults only” film, thereby restricting viewership to those 18 and above, bootleg copies of the controversial film are being hawked openly outside the Quiapo Church in Manila, alongside other pirated and porn DVDs.

In rating “The Da Vinci Code” R-18, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) said the movie’s “thematic, verbal and visual content … requires mature discernment.”

The Roman Catholic archbishop of Manila, earlier said the film, based on Dan Brown’s best selling novel fiction novel “The Da Vinci Code,” was blasphemous, and an “attack on the Divinity of Jesus Christ.”

Eduardo Ermita, executive secretary to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, earlier said “we should do everything not to allow it to be shown.”

The novel has gained worldwide controversy partly due to its depiction of Opus Dei as clandestine Catholic sect that practices brainwashing, coercion, and a dangerous practice known as “corporal mortification.”

Emil Jurado writes in his Manila Standard column that Opus Dei counts 10,000 members in the Philippines which includes high ranking government officials.

Thus it is not wild to imagine that there was “pressure” on Philippine film censors to issue an R-18 rating.

In India, the showing of the film has been put on hold.

In a press statement, the worldwide office of Opus Dei said the The Da Vinci Code’s portrayal of Opus Dei was inaccurate.

But Dan Brown, in his website, says “I worked very hard to create a fair and balanced depiction of Opus Dei.”

He says: “Their (Opus Dei) portrayal in the novel is based on numerous books written about Opus Dei as well as on my own personal interviews with current and former members.”

The Da Vinci Code has become a hot topic in the PinoySpy Forum. Here is one of the popular threads: What is your stand in this controversial story?

DOWNLOADS: Where It All Began, The Documentary:

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850 Views This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 16th, 2006 at 5:09 pm and is filed under Controversy, Movies, Philippines, Politics, Religion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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1 Comment»

Comment by AkoIto

2006-05-16 22:48:58

The MTRCB might as well be kissing the Catholic Church’s ass while they’re at it..this kind of decision only shows how immature we are as a people…I can only imagine what a 2-hour, fictional movie can do to our faith…

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