By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
A movie created by an ex-Catholic about a Roman Catholic priest turned vampire opened this weekend in select theaters. In spite of an unbelievable plotline, gratuitous violence and obvious anti-Catholicism, Hollywood movie critics are giving it rave reviews.
The movie, entitled Thirst, is the work of a Korean ex-Catholic named Park Chan-wook. It is about a priest searching for martyrdom who volunteers for medical experiments in a remote mission in Africa during which time he becomes infected with a rare virus that turns him into a vampire. He tries to continue a life of self-denial by restricting the amount of blood he drinks and taking it only from coma patients. However, physical and psychological changes lead him ever deeper into depravity, including an affair with the wife of a childhood friend.
In spite of the ridiculous plotline, graphic violence and poor box office showing, Catholic League president Bill Donohue points out the hypocrisy in what critics are saying about this movie compared to what they said about the Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ.
For instance, The Los Angeles Times commended Park for “constructing beautifully composed images of aestheticized violence” but criticized The Passion for its “overwhelming level of on-screen violence.”
Stephen Whitty of the Newark Star-Ledger liked the “giddily surreal stuff” of Park’s violence, but saw no fun in The Passion: he slammed it for showing the crucifixion of Christ in “literally nauseating detail.”
A.O. Scott of The New York Times praised Park for his “undeniable knack for choreographing bloody, sensual set pieces.” Moreover, Scott noted the “elegantly presented servings of sex and gore.” But he chided Mel, saying that he “exploited the popular appetite for terror and gore.” That’s right—Mel never learned how to serve his violence with elegance.
Finally, Donohue cites and article by V.A. Musetto of the New York Post in which he predicted that the “windbags at the right-wing Catholic League” would call the film “Catholic bashing.”
“Not really,” Donahue responded. “It’s actually junk designed to seduce guys like him into thinking it’s art.”
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