Vatican Newspaper Gives Two Thumbs Up for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Film
HBP Film
Posted by: sue
July 13, 2009, 04:04 PM
L'Osservatore Romano, the official newspaper of the Vatican in Rome, Italy, has given its approval and review of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince film. The AP reports that the newspaper says the film is the best adaptation yet of the novels by author J.K. Rowling, and the sixth Harry Potter film "made the age-old debate over good vs. evil crystal clear." It also gave two thumbs up to the film's treatment of adolescent love,
saying it achieved the "correct balance" and made the stars more
credible to the general audience."The article continues:
While criticizing Rowling for omitting any explicit "reference to
the transcendent" in her books, L'Osservatore said the latest
installment nevertheless makes clear that good should overcome evil
"and that sometimes this requires costs and sacrifice." "In addition, the spastic search for immortality epitomized by Voldemort is stigmatized," the review said.
141 Points
Heh. Pretty interesting considering some religious folk choose to either ban or burn the book!!! But, regardless, I’ll take any source that enjoys the movie!!!!
The Vatican has always maintained a discreet, not to make additional publicity to the saga of Harry Potter, but there has never been an official condemnation of the Vatican. Often bias was invented by the Vatican allegations that have never existed. And the allegations of Pope Benedict XVI when he was Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, were taken out of context and manipulated maliciously. The authorities of the Catholic Church understood from the beginning, that was just another work of fantasy.
41 Points
Wow, this is pretty huge. But after criticizing Jo’s books by saying they they did not have a “reference to the transcendent,” it’s pretty lame that they would say that the movie based on one of her books does. I agree with Edmundstaustell. It all sounds like something out of the Reformation, condemning and blessing based on politics and saying it was the will of God.
I love the Dark Materials series, and I find it laughable that the Vatican is criticizing it. There is plenty of pro-religious literature out there. What’s wrong with anti-religious themes in a book that nobody is forcing you to read? With how deeply the Vatican is involved in social issues (and considering some offensive statements they have made in the past), I think they deserved a bit of criticism themselves. I certainly do not respect them as an individual.
I don’t care who it is, really – a good review is a good review. So I’m glad to hear this!