Editorial for May 11, 2006
By Jim White
Editor
Two movies are making their debuts this year. Both have been critically acclaimed in film festivals, but I suspect that most of you have never heard of a South African movie called Son of Man.
Not only did this independent South African film win the Festival Award for Best Feature at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, it was chosen for the World Cinema competition category at the Sundance Film in January and will be screened at the Sundance Institute in New York this month, as part of its 25th anniversary celebration.
Of this movie, film critic Roger Ebert wrote, “The South African film renaissance continues with one of the most extraordinary and powerful films at Sundance, Son of Man. This is the story of Jesus, told in episodes from the New Testament, but set in present-day Africa. This is a Jesus … who says the same sorts of things he says in the Bible, is not “updated‚ except in some of his terms of reference, and yet sends an unmistakable message: If Jesus were alive today, he would be singled out as a dangerous political leader, just as he was the first time around.”
The film also received the Seattle Weekly award for Best Film at Sundance, with the Los Angeles Times describing it as “… some of the most exciting filmmaking of the entire festival” and London's The Daily Telegraph calling it “… a vivid, thrilling, visually awe-inspiring piece of cinema.”
At this point you may be thinking, “Is this a movie review or an editorial?” I hope you may also be thinking, “Why haven't I heard of this movie?” Good question. Let's see. Judging from the reviews, it can't be because it isn't good. Is it because American movie-goers don't go to movies with black actors and directors? Hmmm. Denzel Washington and Spike Lee debunk that myth.
Am I the only one that thinks Hollywood has a problem with Jesus? I mean, look at what Mel Gibson went through to get The Passion of the Christ shown. When you think about it, why wouldn't Hollywood have a problem with Jesus? I can see how Jesus might make them feel uncomfortable. If Jesus attended the Academy Awards he might tend to throw a damper on their kissin' cowboys party.
Then there's that other movie discussed on page one. Tom Hanks has been making the talk show circuit promoting The Da Vinci Code, which, until I realized that Dan Brown was one of the executive directors, I had hoped Ron Howard wouldn't let turn out like the book.
I do not know whether Dan Brown's motivation in writing The Da Vinci Code was sinister. I can't say whether he intended to damage the reputation of the church-particularly the Catholic Church-or just chose the church because it made a good story. I don't know that his purpose was to cause people to doubt the truthfulness of the Bible. Regardless of his motives, however, many undiscerning people will undoubtedly be deceived.
Tragically these two movies may be parabolic of our culture. The vaguely troubling and demanding Son of Man is left waiting in the wings while the crowd cries for the release of the flashy but false Da Vinci Code. As Hollywood diverts its eyes in a vain attempt to ignore his presence, the Son of Man weeps for it. “Oh, Hollywood, Hollywood how often I would have gathered you to myself, but you would have none of it.”
But unlike some of my colleagues, I don't fear for the Bible or the faith. They have been criticized before. A few years ago I traveled to Hungary as a member of a partnership missions team. In the city of Kisvarda, our host took us to an agricultural museum where, among assorted implements and horse collars, I saw an old anvil displayed with a number hammers. What captivated me was the state of the hammers. Their faces were split and splayed and gnarled from thousands of blows on that old anvil. The anvil itself, however, apart from a number of dings and a little rust, was remarkably preserved. To me, that's a picture of the Bible and various attacks on it.
When The Da Vinci Code is relegated to a footnote in history and Dan Brown is a Jeopardy question, the Bible will still be pointing the way to the Son of Man.