Korean Job Discussion Forums

[igotthisguitar]

How many have read Baigent (Lincoln) & Leigh's "HOLY BLOOD - HOLY GRAIL"?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_blood%2C_holy_grail



Brown was actually facing a legal challenge, the above authors claiming plaguarism.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/10/03/wvinci03.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/10/03/ixnewstop.html

Frankly i don't buy it.

The 1st book was an attempt at non-fiction, Brown's effort was largely fiction based on supposed historical truths.
He even cited "Holy Blood - Holy Grail" on a couple of occasions.

[jinju]

However Brown has claimed from the beginning his work is not fictional. If he really has stolen large chunks of the book then he should pay. The book itself was a good page turner, shallow and contrived and full of lies, but a page turner nonetheless.

[Satori]

[mindmetoo]

[panchotino]

i used to be rather 'into' the church and came across opus dei a few times at meetings.the holy blood book is actually quite a good read although like the da vinci code needs to be taken with a pinch of salt.I love how the vatican properly kicked off about the book though. who says they aren't with the times!

[panchotino]

oh, and the authours of the holy blood...have since admitted that it was largely made up.and where did brown get most of his ideas from?
i enjoyed angels and demons more though.sheer entertainment.

[igotthisguitar]

'Da Vinci Code' Court Case Opens in London
By DAVID STRINGER, Associated Press Writer
Mon Feb 27, 5:41 PM ET

LONDON - It's the latest twist for the mega-selling conspiracy thriller "The Da Vinci Code": a lawsuit against the book's publisher for breach of copyright that could taint the novel and delay the much-anticipated movie version.



Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, authors of the 1982 nonfiction book "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail," are suing publisher Random House, Inc. over the allegation that parts of their work formed the basis of Dan Brown's novel, which has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide and remains high on best seller lists nearly three years after publication.

If the writers succeed in securing an injunction to bar the use of their material, they could hold up the scheduled May 19 release of "The Da Vinci Code" film, starring Tom Hanks and directed by Ron Howard.

Sony Pictures said it planned to release the film as scheduled.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060227/ap_en_bu/da_vinci_code_lawsuit;_ylt=AhALjGFGfypHUqoNwpLdvajAG78C;_ylu=X3oDMTA3YXYwNDRrBHNlYwM3NjI-

[mindmetoo]

If I write a fictional novel, lifting the theme from a work of non-fiction research, am I plagiarizing? Could William L. Shirer, the author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, sue me for writing a novel about the rise and fall of Hitler, using his research as the basis of my story?

If the HBHG authors wrote a work of fiction, fine. But they put it out there as a serious reassessment of history. Brown gives props to them in his book.

[gypsyfish]

I'm sure it's coincidental that the law suit has come up right before the movie is coming out.

A little more pressure to get a big fat settlement, perhaps?

[kermo]

Dan Brown's book was obviously informed or inspired by "Holy Blood, Holy Grail." The "historical" source for the Priory of Sion was based on documents planted by Pierre Plantard who forged and stashed them as a prank (and admitted this under oath.) There are documents to support this, like letters to and from Plantard discussing the progress of their hoax.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Plantard

So, the premise of the book turns out to be a weak one, historically. I'm not sure if Dan Brown is a hack (couldn't be bothered to do the rest of the research), a fool (taking this book at face value) or a fraud (wilfully misleading readers as to the facts.)

For more examples of Brown's laziness(?) or misrepresentations(?), check out this critique.
http://www.equip.org/free/DD228.htm

[mindmetoo]

[jinju]

[kermo]

[igotthisguitar]

China Dumps Da Vinci Code
From Jonathan Schienberg
CNN Business Editor

Friday, June 9, 2006 Posted: 0330 GMT (1130 HKT)

A woman walks past a poster for "The Da Vinci Code" in Shanghai.


(CNN) -- The government of China has decided to put a halt to the runaway success of "The DaVinci Code," pulling the high-grossing thriller from all of the country's movie theaters, according to the film's distributor, Sony Pictures.

Jeff Blake, who runs Sony's worldwide marketing and distribution division, said he received word late Wednesday from distributor China Films about the government's decision.

The controversial picture, based on the best selling fiction novel by Dan Brown, deals with sensitive issues about the story of Jesus and the Catholic Church and has raised the ire of Christian groups worldwide.

"We're really pleased that we had the opportunity to exhibit 'The DaVinci Code' for wide release in China and that it enjoyed three weeks of tremendous success," Blake told CNN.

"We're obviously disappointed by this decision ... We were not informed as to why the film was pulled," Blake added.

Maoming Chu, spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington, said that he was not aware that the film had been banned in his country and had no comment from his government.

Though its run was stunted, "The DaVinci Code" enjoyed a remarkable run in China, grossing over $13 million. According to Blake, it was one of the top four grossing Hollywood films ever to be released in China. "Titanic" is the number one all time grossing Hollywood film ever to be featured in the country.

China allows, on average, fewer than 20 foreign films to be released in the country each year. Sony Pictures said "The DaVinci Code" release was the largest ever in the country and was highly uncommon in that Chinese authorities allowed the film to debut in such wide release on May 19, the same date the film opened worldwide.

Richard Malish, an associate in Allen & Overy LLP's China Group who has advised clients on media investments in China, said he believed that Beijing's concern was two-fold.

"The Chinese historically have been concerned with those sensitive foreign influences that fall under the banner of 'cultural pollution'," Malish said.

"This concern has, on occasion, extended to foreign religious practice. There has also been a recent tightening of controls on foreign media and domestic investment by foreign companies, which is driven largely by political concerns."

He added, "'The DaVinci Code' is not the first movie I would expect to pass the censors, and I think the real story is that that the movie made it to the screens at all."

Blake said that he did not expect Chinese authorities to give a reason for their decision.

"We'll wait and see what happens, but we don't expect the opportunity to appeal to the government of China," Blake said. "We've accepted the decision with disappointment."

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/06/08/vincicode.china/index.html