MovieChat Forums > Pitch Black (2000) Discussion > Interstellar Islam

Interstellar Islam

posted 15 years ago by tommix42
40 replies | jump to latest

it's interesting that this movie came out just before Sept 11, 2001. I think if it had come out a couple of years later, the filmmakers might have felt pressure to be more politicized, one way or the other. Especially after the US invaded Iraq, people in Hollywood started having powerful feelins both for and against Islam.

But in this film, Islam just seems to be a religion that was able to accompany humanity as we spread out to the stars. Maybe some other religions also made it out into the wider universe, or maybe not. It isn't really discussed.

I think that's kind of cool. The preacher dude just seemed like a pious, devout man. He could have been any religion, it just happened to be Islam. No big deal. I liked that.

Pardon my signature line down below: I'm usually very immature. This posting here is a rare exception.

You are toast, my toasty friend.

[–] Orion70 15 years ago

I agree. I thought it was "refreshing" in a sense, to see Muslims portrayed in a proper light. The huge majority (I don't want to give a number because I do not know, but I would suspect around 98%) of Muslims are not terrorists nor wish the death of any non-beliver, we shouldn't focus on that little extremist group.

[–] Yours-For-Eternity 15 years ago

I would suspect its a lot more than 98% of Muslims who are not terrorists. Probably more like 99.99999999999999999999%.

[–] Havoac 15 years ago

But he seemed particularly unfazed by the death of his children/students. I understand your remarks, and agree with them ultimately, but he was an underdeveloped character at best.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] GoMangoMan 15 years ago

98% being 2 out of every hundred might be a little high, but 99.99999999999999999999% is 1 out of every 10 sextillion, which is WAY too low.

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astrolupine: even with makeup, you can't make an actor's face look like a chair

[–] daryl-b-t 14 years ago

Well handled and made the film interesting. In fact the Muslim cleric was one of the more charismatic people in the film. A refreshing variation on the usual cliches.

[–] cemni 14 years ago

What the hell is a sextillion?

[–] GoMangoMan 13 years ago

What the hell is a sextillion?

a billion trillion

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astrolupine: even with makeup, you can't make an actor's face look like a chair

[–] ShadyFTW 14 years ago

98% being 2 out of every hundred might be a little high, but 99.99999999999999999999% is 1 out of every 10 sextillion, which is WAY too low.

LOL, good sh*t man. Made my night

"Silence is golden, but duct tape is..." ah screw it, this is so unoriginal.

[–] delalluvia 14 years ago

I was pleased to see that, too.

The ship the Hunter-Gratzner is headed for the "Tangiers" system. Going to "New Mecca". Imam and his students are on a 'haj'. And yes, Islam is a very fatalistic religion, so yes, Imam tries to cope with the loss of each of his students in a spiritually positive way - for the sake of the remaining boys if not his own sanity - but then loses it at the end when they're all gone.

He's a pious guy and is a fine example of his religion.

If you look on the street scenes of the city on Helion in the Chronicles of Riddick, you see a very moderate form of Islam. Some women wear scarves, many do not. Women are in the streets unaccompanied by men, alone or with men who may or may not be their husbands.

Team Jolie

[–] daryl-b-t 14 years ago

It's an interesting theme in the movie. Each of the characters seems to have their own way of getting by in contrast to the others.

[–] shwen 13 years ago

religion has no space in space

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] LeeSir 13 years ago

Are you stupid?

[–] mark-maples 13 years ago

Nope, just stating a similarity

Wasn't me

[–] joe_greezy-949-741738 13 years ago

by mark-maples (Fri Oct 7 2011 21:47:45)
Ha, the enemy were spreading the word by either killing or forcibly converting innocent people, wait, what an I saying, that's how islam started

Sounds to me like someone is confusing Islam with Christianity.

[–] onefinnedfish 11 years ago

Go hang up your fedora buddy. Blaming religious people for killing people a thousand years ago is moronic, because you know who else killed people who were different from them 1000 years ago? Literally everyone.

[–] SanchoPasta 10 years ago

Blaming religious people for killing people a thousand years ago is moroni

Blame the religion. Those who have been killing in its name are only following its teachings. At least Christianity had a reformation movement in the 16th century and no one today has to worry about Bible quoting fanatics blowing them up or flying planes into towers.
It's simple minded statements to the effect of 'religions are totally perfect, people are the problem' that are..the problem.
Islam is overdue for a reform movement and the first step is to acknowledge its intolerance and preaching of death for unbelievers. And if you don't believe this, it's you that's in denial for the sake of some moronic notion of political correctness or 'multiculturalism'. There's pages after pages of the stuff and no, you don't get to cop out by saying those verses are taken 'out of context' either. Verses advocating cutting off the fingertips of unbelievers and freely raping their women and children don't magically translate into peace and tolerance. http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Quran/023-violence.htm

And finally as someone else mentioned above, the fact that 99% of Muslims are peaceful is irrelevant because it's the remaining 1% that's out to blow up, rape and shoot unbelievers for a posthumous encounter with the 72 virgins. Most people also aren't murderers, rapists, burglars or gangsters, that doesn't mean we ignore the actions of those who are. Just look at what's going down in Iraq today courtesy ISIS in the name of the 'true' faith.

because you know who else killed people who were different from them 1000 years ago?

Except for Hindus. And Buddhists. And Jains. Then again none of these 3 religions wave their privates about how they're the One True Faith (TM) superior to the rest and how everyone else must convert or die.

[–] Stratego (31048) a year ago

"Sounds to me like someone is confusing Islam with Christianity.

You, obviously.

[–] theBattleHills 13 years ago

I found it interesting too. Religion is usually added in to take a swipe at it or encourage it, which I guess is fine if you can dig it, but I like it when it's just there without there needing to be a reason. I liked the way the characters were depicted, and I've always loved Keith David.

I also like how they used Islam instead of Christianity, since it would seem a little cliche, or if they invented a new religion, which usually comes off as ridiculous.

Feed Me a Stray Cat

[–] savaslikesmovies 13 years ago

Yea, I just watched this in 2012 and was kind of impressed at how Islam was even included and not hinted at being terrorists.. It just seems to be equally another crazy religious guy, still around in the days of space travel and interplanetary transport. It just so happens to be Islam, rather than Christianity so the common US folk can't relate to it, but see that religious still exists.

The propaganda we document during the world war 1 and 2 are so obvious that today we look at it in a sort of disgust and embarrassment that "we" the people fell for it and accepted it and even took part in doing it for the sake of other people.. Now in today's modern propaganda, we are still the victims of it.

[–] JuJu_Be 13 years ago

The religion was Chrislam.

[–] tommix42 13 years ago

"Chrislam," wow, that is interesting. When I googled that, together with the phrase Pitch Black, there are lots of forums where people talk about it. Something to read tonight! I always liked the idea of "syncretism," in the historical development of various faiths.

Another thing to think about is, Pitch Black was filmed in Australia. I bet they have a different sense of what Islam means to them, in Australia, because of the proximity of Islamic Indonesia. Sometimes it probably seems even more threatening than Islam can seem to those of us in the USA. Other times, when relations are better, people can probably just relax and get along with each other fine. I don't have a very clear idea of how all that stuff plays out Down Under.

I bet the people in the film company had some pretty interesting conversations as they were talking through the backstory of the universe of the film, and how they could present it and market it to a modern, pluralistic, multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-everything etc etc etc global audience.

Also also, this was filmed before September 11 even happened, so this stuff was a lot less politicized.... very complicated.

You are toast, my toasty friend.

[–] prushik 13 years ago

What I want to know is: When a Muslim is stranded on another planet, lost in space, and compasses spin like crazy not even indicating which way is north, and Muslims go on pilgrimages to "New Mecca" instead of the original, how does one know which way is qibla (facing Mecca)? Has the Kaaba been moved to New Mecca?

[–] MarlboroMoro 12 years ago

well generally if you don't know which way Mecca is then you just make your prayers with the intention of facing Mecca, and that's adequate to make your prayers valid. I also found the new Mecca concept interesting, perhaps the earth was destroyed and it's on another planet, placed on an equivalent location?

btw, watching this in 2012, I agree it depicted Islam in a good way, was a very welcome change. it's worth noting that even before September 11, bad guys in Hollywood were often Muslim, especially Arab, it's well documented.

[–] tbonesays 12 years ago

Good post, your op begot a thread with a lot of great usernames.

It is neat because Pitch Black was made right before the era of politicized religious films began. The Muslim, and the other beliefs, are just there at face value for equal ways of viewing the world. Right now I can't even of another film that doesn't take sides.

[–] cadeduelg 11 years ago

It's Keith David's world, we just live in it.

[–] darkness_surroundz 9 years ago

Diesel is a smart man-he grew up bi racial-and isn't as moronic as most white dumbasses-who are led and bred to become cannon fodder to fight the governments enemy-du-jour