Charles Darwin film "too controversial for religious America"

[mr blur]

A British film about Charles Darwin has failed to find a US distributor because his theory of evolution is too controversial for American audiences, according to its producer.

Creation, starring Paul Bettany, details Darwin's "struggle between faith and reason" as he wrote On The Origin of Species. It depicts him as a man who loses faith in God following the death of his beloved 10-year-old daughter, Annie.

The film was chosen to open the Toronto Film Festival and has its British premiere on Sunday. It has been sold in almost every territory around the world, from Australia to Scandinavia.

However, US distributors have resolutely passed on a film which will prove hugely divisive in a country where, according to a Gallup poll conducted in February, only 39 per cent of Americans believe in the theory of evolution.

Movieguide.org, an influential site which reviews films from a Christian perspective, described Darwin as the father of eugenics and denounced him as "a racist, a bigot and an 1800s naturalist whose legacy is mass murder". His "half-baked theory" directly influenced Adolf Hitler and led to "atrocities, crimes against humanity, cloning and genetic engineering", the site stated.

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/6173399/Charles-Darwin-film-too-controversial-for-religious-America.html

Sorry my friends, but your country is doomed.

[DavidDvorkin]

1. I often think it is doomed.

[charlie]

2. Oh, man

With Paul Bettany in the lead. He's an actor I'd watch doing the dishes, he's that good.

Yeah, we're fucked. I wish we had Darwin on banknotes too, just so religious hucksters would have to choose between their greed and contrived piety. There'd be few things more satisfying than knowing the idiots carried the devil's visage in their wallets and bank accounts.

[onager]

5. Paul Bettany is a very effective atheist spokesman.

During all the "Da Vinci Code" hoopla, I saw an interview with him. I was living in Egypt at the time and it was a promo on one of the satellite cable channels.

I was impressed. Without being strident or apologetic, Bettany simply said he didn't believe in god, had never done so, and was raising his kids the same way. As I remember, this came up in response to the interviewer asking if he believed in all the Da Vinci Code foofaraw.

Pathetic off-topic DVC trivia, showing off my tourist cred: in the movie, Tom Hanks and his female partner decide to drive from the Louvre to the American Embassy. Walking would have been quicker. The two places are only about a half-mile apart (if that).

[charlie]

8. Figures

In the DVC, you HAVE to take the long way around, otherwise there's no time for the Scooby Doo exposition. With gendarmes on their asses and bullets flying by, characters (and you too, dear reader) listen raptly as one of them holds court with his part of the backstory. That was Dan Brown's genius, bringing back the plot advancement we last saw in Speed Racer jammies while eating Crunchberries.

[Warpy]

3. It is while it remains frightened of loonies and morons

and others who turn to bullying because it's easier than actually knowing something useful.

We've rejected their political party (and I use the term very loosely, it's more of a cult). I hope that soon we'll have a backlash toward organized stupidity all around.

Still, I admit it's looking bleak right now.

[realisticphish]

4. lol at "racist...bigot"

irony meter is broken

[LeftishBrit]

6. Wow.

Amazing that it would be 'controversial' in the 21st century.

[moggie]

7. This is easily solved

Jennifer Connelly plays Emma Darwin, so just film a new scene in which she gets her kit off during a car chase, and you've got instant box office gold.