Da Vinci a box office hit amidst swelling protests

The Da Vinci Code blockbuster premiered in New York and London recently, bringing with it a potent cocktail of religious protests, copyright court cases and grim reviews by the critics.

Outraged religious groups recently called for boycotts of the US–made film, which had its global premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

The movie, based on Dan Brown's mega–selling book, was savaged by critics at the Mediterranean Resort in southern France with its detractors complaining it was dull and lacklustre.

From Beijing to Washington, religious leaders said the movie both violated ethics and offended believers with its central premise that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and fathered children whose descendants survive to this day, meanwhile another legal row broke out in Britain yesterday over author Brown's controversial best–seller which spawned the film, this time between two of the world's largest music companies.

Universal Music is seeking an injunction from London's High Court to ban Sony BMG music entertainment from distributing a CD in Britain called "Music Inspired by Da Vinci."

Lawyers for universal complained to a judge that Sony was trying to "pass off" the album as the movie's official soundtrack.

Last month, Brown and his publishers Random House were cleared of allegations that he plagiarised his ideas from an earlier work, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, by Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh.

But whether the headlines are good or bad, the huge hype that has surrounded the movie looks like ensuring massive audiences.

The Da Vinci Code, film, starring Oscar winner Tom Hanks and France's Audrey Tautou, went on general release across much of Asia recently despite attempts by Christian groups and censors to have it cut or banned.

China's censors, who regularly ban western films that do not conform to the Communist Party's rules, allowed the film to be released uncut in more than 30 cinemas after its Beijing premiere.

But the Roman Chinese Catholic Church said it violated Catholic teaching. In Europe, the film got off to a modest start in French cinemas, according to box–office figures released recently.

The numbers were well down on the opening days of the latest Harry Potter and Star Wars movies.

A US coalition of religious groups, the inter–faith coalition against The Da Vinci Code, linking Christian and Jewish groups, said moviegoers should not waste their money.

"This is a blasphemous movie we shouldn't give our money to," said Reverend Thomas Euteneuer, President of Human Life International.

In Mumbai, Joseph Dias–led Catholic Secular Forum, protesting the film's launch, called off a fast "to death" after less than two days, claiming victory in its campaign.

The Russian Orthodox Church called the film a "dangerous provocation" aimed at "cynically squeezing out a profit." (Agencies)