Ron Howard - The Da Vinci Code

0:00 So last week we discussed the Royal Tenen Bombs. You and I love the board game closet featured in that film, and you made an astute observation about the games featured in that closet, did you not? I did, because I noticed that they were not games of chance. They were all, you know, games where you really had to work a puzzle and really use your intellect. Amber. How fitting is it that this week our film heavily features a strong use of puzzle solving. Yes, well, let's talk about a film by Ron Howard, his two thousand and six controversial religious conspiracy thriller The Da Vinci Code.

1:12 Hello everybody, I'm Jeff Johnson, I'm Amber Lewis, and this is a film by podcast. I gotta tell you one of my favorite things last week on social media was, uh, the fight And I know that's a strong word in this situation, but the fight between are beloved Wayne Whited and the voice of reason Amber Lewis over the Golden Globes. I believe I was disagreeing with him, but when he gets it wrong, he gets her wrong. What can I say? Oh? Well, Wayne, Wayne had something similar to say about you off Mike when they were doing, they're doing.

1:55 We're doing well. When we we just did our John Carpenter episode last Friday and we were talking. I told him how much I enjoyed it. He's like, well, you know, I tried to well, I took it easy on her. I'll tell you that. I was like, oh, we have we have got to find a project for you and Wayne to do, because I would love to see more of that. If that's possible, I absolutely would Amber. We have talked about Rocky ba baa and the World tenem bombs, and the back half of this month the focus will be on Ron Howard. We kind of we kind of we're having fun this this season. You know, we're celebrating the films of two thousand and one and two thousand and six. We're doing big movies, tent pole movies, blockbuster films which we don't normally get to talk about.

2:43 And we thought, let's let's have like theme months. Right. The first theme that we came up with January, we were calling Ron Howard and the Redemption of Rocky and Royal. So we've talked about Royal tenebaumb We've talked about Rocky Baba. Now we're talking about Ron Howard for a couple of weeks. And we're not the only ones excited about Ron Howard. We have another Patreon request episode coming this month. Brad Moore will be joining us at just the right time because Amber. He happens to be a big Ron Howard fan, and he's chosen Cenderellaman for his. Episode, Oh good One. Love Love that one.

3:25 If like Brad, you'd like to choose your own exclusive Patreon episode, all you need to do is sign up at www dot patreon dot com slash a film by podcast to support our show right now. You'll get access to a large library of exclusive bonus episodes starting for as little as three dollars. Amber, I don't even know if you can buy a cup of coffee. For that amount of money. Fix. This is not the first time we've discussed a Ron Howard film on a Film By You, and I covered his nineteen eighty two comedy Night Shift Listeners. Go back and check that episode out. I do believe it's one of Amber's very first on the show, Was it not? Amber? It?

4:06 Yeah? If not like the first very early on. Howard was nominated for a Razzie for his directing on the Da Vinci code, which. I don't understand. Oh I do. Oh so that's okay. Now I like that, my friend, it's like that. You know, he lost that one to M Knight Shyamalan for Lady in the Water. Think about that. It's a tough year for the Howard family. Ron gets a Worst Director nomination and then his daughter Bryce Dallas Howard is in the director's film that wins the award. Yeah, and I actually like, I don't hate on Lady in the Water. Like, it's not my favorite of A'm not Shyamalan's, but I'm not mad at it now. I like this one.

4:50 I'm gonna be honest. I've never seen Lady in the Water. I played a little fair motel he made for his daughters. So it's a sweet little thing. Well your opinion, you're coming out swinging at Ron Howard. That's not on this That's. Not a switch thing. I met at everybody almost in this movie. Jesus, it's gonna be a long episode. Things you may not know about this director and a quote Amber. In nineteen seventy one, he appeared as a contestant on the popular game show The Dating Game and ended up choosing Bachelorette number two, Nola Green. Now, things obviously didn't pan out for Nola because he did marry actress Cheryl Hines in nineteen seventy five.

5:40 I was going to say, I know his wife's name is Cheryl, so I don't think that was a forever match. But it was not, poor Nola. In nineteen eighty six, the best year ever for films in the eighties, Howard and his producing partner Brian Grazer co founded Imagine Entertainment to create independently produced feature films. So think about that. I always think of like Imagine, Like when you see that that logo at the beginning of a movie, it always felt like it was like a nineties thing, like a late nineties thing, or a two thousand thing. But no, it's back in nineteen eighty six. They got it going. Now you are gonna love this one Amber. According to his daughter Bryce Dallas Howard, all four of his children are named for the places they were conceived.

6:26 I know this, I know you know this. It's their I believe it's their middle names. Are the streets that they were living on. Well, okay, so Bryce Dallas in Dallas, Texas. Okay, which First off, can we can we just talk about the fact that these parents are naming their children for where they got it on. I dig that. I think it's hilarious. Page Carlisle and Joscelyn Carlisle at the Hotel Carlisle and New York City and then Reid Cross after a specific road, but no mention of where it was, what what city or what town.

7:07 That's just in the moment. Well, if he was conceived on a road, then that is absolutely that's some backseat, uh back seats go on there. Now. On his proclivity to make films about real life Americans and events, Ron said, there is something inherently tough about Americans. They will not accept defeat. The astronauts of Apollo thirteen would not give up, John Nash in a Beautiful Mind would not give up, and Jimmy Braddock, the subject of Cinderella Man, would never surrender to poverty. I never really put.

7:47 It together that he does a lot of biopics and it's always about, you know, these great Americans or American events, And now that I now that I'm seeing, I'm like. Yeah, that's the yeah, the tracks. He's a he's he's he's the go to director for it, I would think lewis Uh. I'm excited for this part. We talked about this last week, the five words synopsis. We're not doing these long winded descriptions of these underrated movies because these are big blockbusters. Everyone knows what the DaVinci code is about. And the challenge here is you need to give us a synopsis using exactly five words. I have one, you have one? This time? Lay it on me.

8:28 What do you got? Grail Quest uncovers ancient scene, worrying, but five words. Listen, if we were playing the game, you know, I would that that five word synopsis almost would have me, maybe a lot of other people saying Indiana Jones and last Crusade. That's the first thing I think of Indy talk about the girls. So yeah, how about yeah? But I like that You're you see now You're Yeah? I love that one. How about Professor Mysterious Religious Secret? Ooh, that's a little more on the news. How about then that could also be raised the Lost art too.

9:09 Yeah. Man, we're seeing a lot. I've seen a little tie in between Robert Langdon and Indiana Jones all of a sudden, how about this one? You know this one that can't be I don't think you could. You could mistake this one for an India Jones film. How about Hank's hair fights albino monk. That's narrows it down. You're gonna get that one, Yep, for sure. Can I just. Say that when this movie came out and it's celebrating it's it's. What twentieth anniversary, which is awesome. When this first came out, I don't think the world was ready for Tom Hanks and long hair. No, that was like all anybody talked about. That's all. Yeah, have you seen the Da Vinci Code?

9:51 And then it was a ten minute conversation about Tom hanks haircut. I haven't watched this in a while and seeing it today, seeing it today, I'm like, you know what, I dig it. It's a good look for him. It's the least of his problems in this movie. Like, oh, seriously, you. Know, before it was a movie, it nearly became adapted for a popular TV series. Do you do you know about the Samber? No? But I was kind of thinking when I was watching it it might have played better as like a limited series, like an eight episode kind of thing. You'll never guess where this one was headed. The creator of twenty four remember that show?

10:31 Yes, I love that show. Yeah, great show, love that show. The creator's so. Mad that they never did like just a thing before going to commercial or something where like he goes into the bathroom and the clock just texts I waited for it. So the creator wanted to use the book as a running storyline for the show's third season. Imagine that for a second, Jack. Because there's a lot of the puzzles in the trivia and things from the book that didn't make it into the movie, even though it's three freaking hours long, so you could have, you know, had a little more fun with that.

11:13 It could have been. Uh. He asked his boss, long time Ron Howard collaborator Brian Grazer to acquire the film rights to the book. Damn Brown refused, stating that he didn't want the book adapted for TV and lo and behold. A few months later, Sony Pictures gets the film rights and hires Brian Grazer as producer. So that's he was it. Yeah, Grazer was going for it no matter what. Amber. Let's take a quick break before we talk about the cast. Before we do, though, can I cat plug something like? I know, I know they're not like an actual sponsor, but I gotta tell you about something. So check this out.

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14:01 You want the ultimate candle for your movie watching experience, you gotta you gotta get these candles and the amber they've got like I don't know, like twenty different sense you know, there's all kinds. Of of awesome stuff, Like they've. Got like one like if you're if you're if you're watching Bob's Burgers. They've got like a like a cheeseburger candle. I remember seeing that at the at the show, and it smells like, you know, a burger, a cheeseburger with. Lettuce and pickles and all this stuff. It's it's wild, you know, it's it's so wild crazy. Yeah. Yeah, check them out. In the meantime, we'll be right back. Welcome back. Amber Lewis, the Voice of Reason and myself are discussing and celebrating the twentieth anniversary of Ron Howard's The Da Vinci Code. Let's talk about Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon.

14:53 This cast. Okay, I'm okay. Now interesting that you say that. Listen to this because I know you're gonna have an opinion, because you always do. Ron Howard initially had Bill Paxton in mind for the role, but his commitments to the Showtime series Big Love kept him from doing it. So before I go. That's the sadness for all of us, I think been awesome. Okay, so you're so you're taking Paxton over Hanks immediately. Anybody, Okay, Okay, so yes, I think Bill Paxton would have been really interesting and fun. Two others considered for this role were George Clooney and Hugh Jackman, and.

15:35 Know about that, but I did read that Pierce Brosnan was in the running at one point, and I would have gone for that. Oh brosenin Obviously he would have crushed this role. But it's just too because of the adventure that's that's involved. It's just too it's too close. To Bond, James Bond. Yeah, yeah, I'm taking I'm taking Paxton overall, yes, no question. So all right, are you going? Are you going short hair Paxston? Are you going like long hair Paxston? Long hair is in like Twisters Paxston. Do you want the buzz cut Paxton? Or do you want like that. Like Twister Packston, Twister Paston Packstone. The extreme okay, the extreme, not not Terminator with the really long.

16:19 Hair, okay, Amber first impressions matter, right, yes. Allegedly, on the first day of filming, Paul Bettany mistakenly punched Tom Hanks hard enough in their fight scene that he inadvertently farted loudly from the pain. Oh my god, he knocked all the wind out of him. He literally knocked the windown. That's the that's gonna detailed journalism you're gonna get on the show. I saw that. I was like, you're never gonna hear that. You're never gonna hear that anywhere else. I'm talking about it. Moving on, because clearly you're not. You're not a Hanks in this.

17:01 I was gonna say, hang on, I'm a huge Tom Hanks fan. No, no movie, Okay, miscast. I don't think he's horrible. I just think he's miscast. Well, I don't like anything he's doing, so yeah, it's anything at all. No, not a thing. But there are actors that just exude in intelligence. He is not one of them. He exudes kindness, hetains competence, but he is like. Nothing he says makes me believe that he has this knowledge at his fingertips. I want and his brain works on this different level than the rest of us.

17:41 I want so badly to disagree with you and all, like, all my brain is doing right now, instead of giving me specific examples to debate you with, all my brain is doing is giving me the SoundBite of his incredibly hilarious and very long laugh. From the money pit when the bathtub goes through the wall. Part of that movie. It's everybody's favorite part of that movie. But yeah, okay, let's let's let's let's give Tom a bray. Let's move on. Audrey Torteau Amber as Sophie Nouveaue. A lot of people, a lot of non French people, see her last name and they think it's tattoo. Yeah, it's it's Tortu.

18:21 Mm hmm. But you do that because, yeah, thank you, because you're the you're the French expert. Did you did you know that she was named after Audrey Hepburn? I did not. I think I think Audrey, and I'm talking about Tortu. Uh here, well, I guess i'd be. I could be talking about both of them, but uh, Tortu is absolutely adorable in this film. I love her. She's too young. She's too young, and she also does not She's supposed to be like wicked smart, and they dumbed her down like some of that's the script. But I wanted Juliette Binoche. I don't think she got dumbed down. I love like her opening, like the introduction to her carecharacter where she comes in and she's she cleverly uses her answering machine to to talk to Robert Langdon to warn him that was about fosh.

19:09 I thought that was awesome. Yeah, did you know? It was back to back to her being adorable though. During her audition she asked if she could take a photo with Ron Howard and Tom Hanks, just to prove that she had met them. That's awesome. Would have done that? Well yeah, well yeah, but bear in mind, it's not like she's unknown. It's not she's a nobody. This is just a few years after she yet starred in Uh Emily that was nominated for five Academy Awards. She was at she's amazing in that movie. Shouldn't she be walking in like like she shouldn't be auditioning? She should Hey, I'm I just came out of the movie that was nominated for five Academy Awards.

19:51 What are we doing here? I don't know even still like Tom Hanks loom large. Well, I know your criticism for her specifically is that she's too young in this movie, and she also felt that way because initially she was like, this isn't right for me. I'm too old, and that's when Sophie Marceau, Julie Delpy, and Kate Beckinsal were also considered for the role of Sophie. I know Delpi lobbied a great deal but was ultimately turned down, But you're wanting Juliette. Binoche, which is not a bad not a bad call. I'm gonna remember from the book how old Sophie is supposed to be, but I just kind of pictured her and Lyndon being more contemporaries being.

20:35 Well, I don't see. Here's how I feel about it, because I can't remember her description form the book because it's been probably two thousand and one since I read the book. I read it when it first came out. Yes, well everybody did. Everybody did. Everybody did, but I don't remember her description. But here's the thing. She is the granddaughter of the the curator, you know, the guy that sets everything in motion. Yes, who gets murdered. So I mean she's got to be you know, mid twenties, late twenties ish if he's if he's like sixty sixty five whatever, maybe he's seventy. But I'm just saying, like, I feel like she should have been younger. Than Hanks and because he's a professor. Let's let's you know, he's a Harvard professor.

21:17 So and I never really felt that there should ever be like a chemistry between him, like like you know. A Lovengest type of thing. I never know the story in the I. Just thought they'd be more equals, like Indian Marian. Well you know she was a. Yeah she was younger. Yeah you know, she was a child, right, she knew what she was doing, all right. Uh. Ian McKellen as Sir Lee Tbing. Now I remember, I do remember this one in the book t Being's description. He's like a portly, ruby faced, jovial English knight and historian, and he's got bushy red hair.

22:00 Ian McKellen really the. Way I perked up when he showed up, Oh my god, he's one of the only fun things in this movie. Oh my look, So the one time I'm gonna be like, yeah, this is I got something to say, I got I gotta I got a nitpick. You're now you're like, he doesn't look like he totally looks like a nerdy, tweety English guy though. Was but based on the descript was Paul giammatty busy that day, Like Gimmtty could have tore this role up. That is true, he would have been. It would have been similar to the role he played in The Illusionist, which I adore. Well, you know we're gonna cover that later this this year. No very excited.

22:42 Man, What a busy month for you that I think we got that in like a couple Christopher Nolan movies that month. It's gonna be a good time people. It'll be the Amber Lewis Show, that's for sure. I don't know. I don't know how I feel about McKellen. I love McKellen and pretty much everything, and he. Is really good in this. It's just one of those situations where I think he's miscaped. You know, he's doing a great job. I don't think he it's his best. I think he's doing the best with what he had to work with. But he there are moments where he is just so stinging funny. I love him. He is, oh, I love I mean, he's he is great. Don't get me wrong, he's great. But I guess it's one of the problems like where you read the book before the movie comes out, right, and then in your brain you have you've you've kind of cast the movie, because when you know, in two thousand and one, we're all like, there is no movie, but we're like, ah, this is who, this is who I see. And in my head, I'm reading it, and I see like a hybrid of Paul Giamatti and Yukon Cornelius if I'm being If I'm being honest, that's that's what I saw. Well, let's talk about another Paul though, Paul Bettney as a SEALSS Silas.

23:49 Yeah, you could have just I mean, you need him, but you could have just completely done away with his entire character. I hate everything that he's doing. I hate his accent, I hate that whole storyline. What are you saying that we don't need Are you saying we don't need Silas? No? Well, I said we need him, but I don't know. I feel like we could have solved those problems in a different way. Here's what I wanted for this movie. Okay, because I was thinking about this a lot. I watched this like three times this week. I think we talked, well, we did the Frankenstein, the Garamadel Torro Frankenstein episode. We talked about you're not going to see that movie for an according to Hoyle adaptation of the novel. Okay, and you're going to see Garamadel Torro's movie. And I think for this, I think we needed David Fincher to come in and make a David Fincher movie like conspiracy theory, heavy dark film.

24:45 Wait, oh wait, are you now saying. That completely different in tone? Are you saying that Ron Howard is miscast? Like you don't even want him as? I hate this movie. This movie is terrible. It is so bad. Everything thing about it is. This is an outrage, Dad, No, it's it is a fun read. Everyone read it. We all know that. But this was a just a fun, popular movie. It's a fun adventure movie. No, it's not. It's boring. It's long, oring, dark. You can't it's lit terribly. You can't see hardly anything. Oh, you're going off the rails. Let's look back. Paul Bettany, though, who was clearly miscast, like you know, I.

25:27 Well, maybe I would have tolerated. And I hated the accent. It was too much like what kind of accent did he need? Then? I just struggled with everybody had a different accent half the time to speak in French time speaking English like there was too much to deal with when you can't see what's going on his character. I know a lot of people watch this movie and they're like, what the hell is going on? His character performs corporal mortification, which is an extreme act of self punishment to a tone for one's sins and feel closer to God. Well, and they don't. Really. You get more explanation in the book about how he is completely insane and nobody does this like he does this.

26:14 Well, okay, we're gonna agree right here about insanity. Paul Bettany definitely insane. He did the self chastening scene in one take because he whipped himself for real to. Give an authentic performance. I hate that. That's a stupid you know, I'm not doing it. I would argue that even Daniel day Lewis would not do that. Well, most people are not gonna whip themselves with a cat of nine tails. Well, he's like the most method of method actors. Well yeah, even he would be going like, that's bullshit, dude. You don't think Lewis is if he's this insane monk, he's not, you know, like that little that little to what's that thing on his leg that I you know, oh bends off.

27:03 You know it's yeah, it's not supposed to it down cranked into your leg to like draw blood. It's just supposed to be like a reminder. Well, and of course he's crazy, so he does everything wrong. And before before you draw blood on any of these other actors, I'll just i'll quickly, we're gonna tell you. That I love Jean Reno so well that to make you happy, well. Help me out, give us, give us a French lesson here, because I looked at I came across this and I'm like, is that real? Or is that someone's bullshit? Uh? His character be zoophoche. Yes. In French, that supposedly roughly translates to angry fucker.

27:48 No, No, it's angry. But the Bayzoo part is it's like a street or something like. It's like could be that could be slain, that could be like some French slang for me. I don't know. Maybe it's slang that I don't know. Well, in addition to Jeanrena, who is fantastic in this role, we all also got Alfred Molina and Jurgen proc Now which. I was so happy when he showed up. Heel it was only there for like a minute, but. Critically under Critically he's good. He's great, yes, but critically underused. But I love that character though. I love how he's like I have been staring at this account for fifty years, dying to know what's in this box.

28:36 When he is the whole back and forth between him and the detective, when he's sneaking him out in the truck, I feel like he's given off some real Willem Dafoux vibes. Yes, like if this was an American movie, Like, if this was taking place in America, I think Willem Dafoe is playing that part. Probably that would be good. Yes, Amber, Let's uh, let's get into the film's background a little bit. Based on Dan Brown's two thousand and three New York Times bestseller, the film rights were acquired for six million dollars. It's a lot of cash. The film opened the two thousand and six can Film Festival, where it was critically maligned. Amber was probably in the audience that year critically a beligned on the basis of its religious controversy, so much so that Brian Grazer cancels twenty seven interviews at the festival.

29:35 To minimize the negative buzz. Now. I know a lot of people are upset. I know we don't have time really to get into the whole all these countries, you know, boycotting it and all this stuff for the religious connotations. But I'm sure there were some people in the audience much like you, who are not you know. I mean, I can't care less about the religious controversy, like. You know, you're just mad that it wasn't a David Venture film starring Pierce Brosna. Yea much better now. While some filming was permitted at the Louver in Paris, most famous churches referenced in the film, like Westminster Abbey, forbid filmmaking to take place on location, claiming the book is theologically unsound.

30:24 And you know, I mean it's a church, so fair. But although my brother when he went to London, he and his wife went to Westminster and you're not allowed to like have your phone out at all, like you can't take any pictures. They are very very strict. I I didn't really understand. I never would have believe that until last year. A friend of mine, Adriana, she goes to Italy, you know, she she goes over there, and you know she's she was trying to show show me pictures of some of these incredible museums and you know some of these some of the. Architecture, and like one of the videos, like she's.

31:05 Kind of discreetly like kind of panning around just to show it off, and you can hear like someone no, no, no, no camera. Or something like that. You know, so I get it, Like, you know, they don't want they don't want stuff out, you know, they don't want you. Yeah, it has to because Sam's the same way. He would like totally have been able to figure out a way to like sneak a picture of something, but he was like, ah ah, they will throw you out. You know. And I can understand with some of like for example, like they're filming in the louver and they were specifically told like you cannot be in here while we're open. You cannot have certain film equipment in here, like when they got near like the Mona Lisa. It's a obviously it's a reproduction, but the main reason it's a reproduction is because they were not allowed to have the film lights hit the actual painting for fear that it would be damaged.

31:51 So you know, there's a lot of reproductions that you see. But at the same time. I thought it was really cool if they allowed them to shoot inside and yes on the premises, I thought that was really cool. Yes. Ron Howard's longtime collaborator on the music scene, James Horner, was replaced by Hans Zimmer after Horner chose to compose music for Terrence Malick's The. New World, which don't get me started about Malick. I think he's overrated. Zimmer's wonderful score, however, was nominated for both the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Score. Amber. You at least have to say the music, and this is is just. You don't even like the me Are you serious? No, you're now, You're just now you're just being ridiculous. Now you're just saying like I hate it for everything.

32:39 I'm not just doing it to be argumentative. I'm telling you that nothing about this I think it's it's cheesy. It's it's cheesy. Yeah. Zimmer lost the Gold Globe to the Painted Veil, which you probably love. You know, that's a mistake. I've never heard of it, and the Academy Award. It lost the Academy word a babble which I remember the movie, but I vaguely, but I don't remember the music at all. There was music was not even really a thing in that movie. That should have it should have won both in my opinion. But I guess, uh, I. Need to cool off. We're gonna take one more break and then when we get back, well, we'll talk about a scene which I don't.

33:22 Know where you're gonna go. This is gonna be interesting. We'll be back. Welcome back. This is where we are now talking about the scene Amber. Before we talk about your scene, tell me are you picking? Are you choosing this scene because of it's cinematography, it's strong performance. Do you think it's the pivotal moment? Why are you choosing the scene you're about to lay on us? It was the only scene that didn't really piss me off. Hold on, hold on, I don't see that in the in the lineup. Yeah, it didn't piss Amber Lewis off.

34:02 That is not an option. I guess maybe it's the pivotal moment because it's well, it's the big reveal at the end. You're searching for the holy Grail through the whole movie and there are a couple of different times that you think you've found it okay, only to realize that it's not there. All right, So what's okay? I picked a scene that I think is a pivotal moment. So now we both have a pivotal moment scene. And you're talking towards the end of the movie, so specifically. I mean basically the very end of the movie. But right, it's a very specific section because I love when Langdon all of a sudden, like the adventures over and he's back at his hotel and he's thinking about everything, and then he realizes, wait a second, I know where it is, and he follows the rose line through Paris back to the Louver where we began and kneels in front of the pyramid. Now before we go into the pyramid. Yeah, that section though, where he kneels, Like, I like that part.

35:11 I liked that part in the book. I like it in the movie. I don't like that we go into the pyramid, Like, I'm not stupid, I know what he's. Doing, Like, okay, let's let's focus on the positive. But I like what he kneels. I'm gonna go off off off track for just a quick second, knowing that you enjoy a good ending that has it really ended until like there's some kind of realization if that's something that you dig I know, Off Mike, we were talking about that limited series on Netflix called His and Hers. Yes, the ending is gonna blow the doors off your brain. Oh no, I'm just like I was sitting there and I'm gonna be very careful by saying this. I was like, I kind of figured this out, and I was like, all right, happy.

35:58 Ending for everybody. Wait, why are we still going? And then I was what, so, you know, quick plug for it. There's nothing better than you think you're at the ending and then you look and you're like, this still has ten minutes left. Yeah, quick, what is happening? Quick? Little plug there for John Barnthall, who is awesome, and Tesla Thompson, who is also awesome. Check that out. Checked out. It's like six episodes. You can watch it in like four hours. Oh yeah, that's my my weekend chore. Uh. My pivotal moment. Robert debates Sir Lee Tbing about the Grail mythos. So this is where I do. Like that scene in the book because you get a ton of information and a lot of really great arguments on either side. I hate it in this.

36:44 Movie, but well it's funny because like it's it kind of brings us into like, why, Okay, so this guy t being is a Grail expert, he's a historian, he's he's a longtime friend of Langdon okay, and Saria McKellen, who again I feel maybe was miscasp is awesome in this role right here, because I feel like it's immediate, like you know that these guys are long time buddies the way they're debating, because they don't hold back there, they get a little savage at each other and then they check each other. Does now lay fair?

37:25 Yeah? Play fair? Yeah? Yeah? Funny. It's kind of like this episode where you know, I. Feel I feel like all of a sudden but the idea that you know, and I love how he uses the Da Vinci's the Last Supper painting to you know, illustrate his the theory that Mary Magdalene was was present and what was in fact Jesus wife, and the Grail isn't a cup at all, it's actually a woman. When they go through the whole symbology of it, and they kind of really break by Brick explain this to Audrey Tortou's character Sophie. Every time I get to that point, and even when I read the book all those years ago, all I wanted to do was just go research.

38:10 I want, I wanted more, Like I was excited. This is the original icon for male. It's a rudimentary phallus. Quite this is known as the blade. It represents aggression in manhood. It's the symbol still used today in modern military uniform. Yes, the more penises you have, the high or rank. Boys or big boys. Now, as you would imagine the female symbol, this. Is its exact opposite. This is called the. Chalice, and the chattie resembles a cup or vessel, or more importantly, the shape of a woman's womb. Now, the grail has never been a cup.

38:50 It is quite literally, this ancient symbol of womanhood, and in this case a woman. I heard a secret so powerful that if revealed, it would devastate the but if foundations of Christianity. Wait, please, you're saying the Holy Grail is a person, a woman. Like I guess. I guess. I'm saying it's a pivotal moment because it excited me for Okay. Now I understand the magnitude of this adventure and what's at stake, and I can't wait to see. What happens next. That's for me. That's why it's the pivotal moment. I have to agree that it's a good one.

39:31 All right, all right, now we're now we're playing nice. Okay, I like this. Let's run the numbers. This was released on May nineteenth, two thousand and six. It has a run time of one hundred and forty nine minutes, unless you're watching the director's cut, which boasts an additional twenty five minutes. Did you watch the director's cut, by the way, or did you watch the original? I think I must have watched the director's cut because it was wicked long. Okay, okay, I'm pretty I watched this on Paramount Plus. I'm pretty sure I got the the theatrical cut. I don't remember seeing anything, remember, yeah. Yeah. On a budget of one hundred and twenty five million, it took a global haul of eight hundred one point three million dollars. No surprise, as you know, they're ready to go to town on no surprise, as they were ready to get the camera rolling on angels and Demons after that Amber. This one opened at number one in its opening weekend, was the second highest grossing film of two thousand and six. It also happens to be Ron Howard's highest grossing film to date, beat out The How They Grinch Tole Christmas.

40:38 Let's I have a little ranking here, will I don't know where. You're gonna land now, Oh God, after your hatred of Robert Langdon, Amber, I want you to rank the following five film professors based solely, based solely. On their strength as an educator. Oh okay, all right. So this isn't a popularity contests. It's how good of a how good of a teacher? Are they? Right? Okay? Play fair? So here's here's here's here's here's the five I'm gonna give you. And you put them in order of worst. You put them in order from best to worst? You know? Are you ready? Okay?

41:19 So we've We've got Robert Langdon, who is a professor of religious Symbology at Harvard University. We have Minerva McGonagall, professor of Transfiguration, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We've got John Keating, English Professor, Walton Academy, doctor Henry Jones, Professor of Archaeology, Marshall College, and lastly Professor Plumb Direct, Doctor of psychiatry, real name unknown. Who's who's the best professor based solely on their academics, on their ability to teach a classroom? Tag this is it's a a little challenging.

42:01 I didn't want I didn't want to prep you for this. I just want to do Hi. I'm gonna say McGonagall is the best. Okay her, her students are very successful in a very short period of time. Okay, and she steps up and actually defends her students and defends the school. Okay, So I think that's impressive. After her, I would say, uh. And listeners, if you everyone listened along? Because I thought John Keating in there, and they're like Keith John Keating. This is Robin William's character from Dead Poets Society. Yes, and him next, Okay, good choice.

42:42 Because he changed the lives of every boy in that classroom. Uh yep. And then I would put Professor Jones third, just because his class looks incredibly difficult and incredibly boring. He hasn't really his charisma does not show through in his lecture. I guarantee you're sitting in the front row and you're writing love you on your eyelids. Oh hell yeah, but you know it's okay, he's inspiring me to be an archaeologist. Okay, Henry Henry Jones in the third the third spot. Yeah, and then I would put Langdon fourth, and then Plumb is like a criminals last. He's like gets his his doctor license revoked for crying out loud like thank you Forgan's thank you.

43:38 For being a good sport. I just I cann't resist. I was like academics, let's talk about professors. Though, fictional professors. Yeah, I had like, he's. Going to be on this list besides doctor Jones. Yeah, I had to. I had to throw a couple of wild cards in there. So thank you. It was good. I liked it. Yeah, Amber, let's uh, let's wrap this one up. This is a fun one. I like that we changed this from the when we're doing underrated movies and it's the you know, name three movies that you would recommend. Now it's written by, directed by, or starring which underrated Ron Howard project? Would you suggest to somebody?

44:20 I am very very excited about this because I am crazy for this movie. I love all of his eighties and early nineties stuff. I mean, we all do. They were all just in a row. He had like a dozen bangers. But his most recent, one of his most recent is Thirteen Lives. Okay, I haven't seen this one yet, oh, Jeff, Like this is based off the true story, right, yes, it is South America. Yeah, the true story of the boys that got trapped in a cave and the rescue attempt that was made, and it, Jeff, it's so good that I kind of was confused, and I thought, is this a documentary? Like, okay, because he uses the real people, the real kids, the real villagers.

45:15 Wait, they're like acting in it or guess what? Yes, And then so like you're like locked into the story and then Vigo Mortensen shows up and you're like, that is that Vigo? What is going on? I thought this was a documentary. And you know that he takes you through the rest of the film because he's the crew that rescues them. And I mean, the tension, the heroism, this story is amazing and this movie is edge of your seat. I commend you because when you're picking a Ron Howard project and and you're and your challenge by saying an underrated one that is not an easy task. Right to your point. I remember when the real situation happened, and then shortly after I remember Ron Howard to direct a film based on blah blah blah, and.

46:11 Then I just feel and then that's the last I heard of it. And then it just like. Pupped up on Amazon Prime and I was like yeah, and I honestly thought it was a documentary, and so I was like, Okay, well I'll watch that because I didn't. Really it's hard to understand when you can't visualize like why they were stuck and why it was so difficult to get them out. And this film does such a great job of illustrating that for you, and I just can't say enough about it. Everybody needs to go see this movie. I'm going to give you one that you haven't seen. Oh you think I felt, I'll be shocked if you're like, of course I've seen it. I'm going to go with a starring starring credit because he was a pretty pretty big actor.

47:01 He was a one of them. Yeah, he was a child actor for the longest. Time, right, Yes, absolutely. I'm gonna I'm gonna tell you the title, And when I say it, I absolutely know three people that are gonna hear this title. They're gonna laugh to themselves and be like, yep, absolutely, But I don't know about anybody else. I'm talking about nineteen sixty five's Village of the Giants. Now, yeaes, hold on, let me tell you what it's all about. Delinquent teenagers ingest a substance and grow thirty feet tall, then proceed to take over their small hometown.

47:41 And it's it's nine. Year old Howard, who is going by Ronnie Howard at the time. He plays a young boy. Named Genius who kinda he kind of he's kind of figuring things out in the movie. Now, before you go look at it up and try to find it, I gotta, I gotta, I gotta put this to you. I implore you. The only way to watch it is the version scene on Mystery Science Theater three thousand. You will not be disappointed at all. It's so awesome, Oh my god, because of MST three K. I was gonna say it's on two B, but I'll have to find it through MST three K.

48:22 Try. I mean, it's it's this really kooky sixties surf movie. But if you can see the version from MST three K, you will laugh your ass off. It's so good, so awesome. Yeah, try to fight. You said it's on two B. Yeah. I just looked at it. Oh wow, okay, okay, maybe maybe I don't know, maybe the other versions Now that you. Said that it's on MST three K, like, that's definitely the way to. Get I'll tell you. It was the I had never seen Mystery Science Theater three thousand and actually like, gosh, this is maybe. When at first the show first started, me and Brad Brad Kozo, we were just flipping through channels board we found it and I was like, what's going on.

49:08 It looks like we're watching people watch a movie. And then the characters start riffing and we sat there and laughed like idiots. Oh god, Yeah, it's so good. It's so good. Check it out. As far as other things to check out, the Divinci Code is currently streaming on Paramount Plus, Peacock Prime, YouTube TV, and Roku Channel if you're If you don't happen to be subscribing to any of those streaming channels, you can rent it on most platforms, and I for. One think you should. Like I said, it's fun popcorn movie. I think it will intrigue you to dig into some of the history depicted in the film, discover some of your own answers. Amber I uh thoughts for it.

49:52 Nothing that happens in this movie proves anything. Well, that's fair, that's you know, it's I will debate that, like the whole thing. We don't want to we don't wanna, we don't want to ruin the inning. But you know, there's it's one of those like, hey, well, I like how Langdon puts it, you know when when he's talking to Sophie. You know, it's it's not about what you know. I think it's about what how about how you feel? It's about what you think? And uh, it doesn't matter. You don't think Sophie goes on to do great things. I mean she does, like for being a good person, like okay, it has nothing to do with her supposed lineage, which there's no way to prove.

50:39 Yeah, but that's that's the that's the fun of the movie. I don't know, I'm much happier watching Indian e Jines in the last persade. Okay, well you'll do you at least recommend the book. Well, the book is terrible, but it is like a fun page turner, Like he. Is a New York Times bestseller for like. Does that mean anything that's based on sales, But it's he does this thing where he's got short chapters and he ends every chapter on a cliffhanger that just drags you through the story, so you don't really notice how poorly written it is because you're having fun with these clues and it just pulls you right along. So yeah, it'll take you like a weekend to read it. It's short, you know, dive in, have fun and then you know, have fun googling like the Fibonacci sequence and and the Trivian man and stuff like that. Stuff interesting.

51:34 Thank you for listening to the wreckage that is the DaVinci Code with Amber Lewis, the voice. Of reason. Brutality to argue with people. Yes you are. Next time on a film by Amber's taking the week off, we'll be talking about We'll be talking about Howard's two thousand and one biopic A Beautiful Mind. If you've seen it, how would you summarize it in five words? You can go to a film by podcast dot com to give us your answer. You can email us at a Film by Podcast at gmail dot com. If we use your five words synopsis on the show, we will shout you out on the episode and.

52:21 We'll give you some of a film By swag. Maybe we'll throw it like a T shirt, some stickers, something, We'll get you something. Please join us on social media. You can find us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook. And x. We love interacting with you sharing opinions. Again, Amber versus Wayne was awesome taking your requests for future episodes and debating great movies. Amber, I will thank you for a very. Animated discussion. Yeah, very spirited discussion this time. You know what, Listen, it's fun when an episode starts off and it's not like I love this movie because well I love it because you came out swinging. You probably should have been on You probably should have been on the Rocky bow Boy episode with the right hooks you've been throwing.

53:14 At Robert Langdon. But I digress. I know we Like I said, this is our Ron Howard in the Redemption of Royal and Rocky month here on a film buy Amber. Can our listeners can they hear you anywhere else? You do anything else? Over any any freelance work over on docu based seventy seven. This month, I. Am it is sci Fi Month over on DOCKU based seventy seven. So we just did two thousand and one of Space Odyssey, and coming up, I will be on the Flash Gordon episode. Flash Quarter Quarterback New York Jets. Yes, Gordon's alive, Flash Gordon, Baby, don't don't, don't, don't don't.

53:59 Okay, I'm gonna go go watch my gonna go watch my Blu Ray Collector's edition of that when we get I'll tay you if I could just shout out to docum Base seventy seven. One thing they do great every year. It seems like I don't know, I guess because I've been listening since the beginning. Obviously, Dayton Johnson got to start here on a film buy and I know, I guess it's been a couple of seasons ago when this this January, this sci Fi month long thing happened in January, and it is awesome every single year. So I cannot wait to listen to Flash Gordon. So thank you for that, and uh and to all of you listening to our show following us on social media subscribing to our Patreon, We thank you on his proclivity to make films about real life Americans and events. Ron had this to say, there is something inherently tough about ambericants. Ambericants, Christ, let me do that one again.