MovieChat Forums > Apparitions (2008) Discussion > An Original Idea

An Original Idea

posted 16 years ago by sparkey-5
17 replies | jump to latest

Before the cast list we get a bold credit:
"From an original idea by Nick Collins."

Can someone tell me what the original idea was?
Perhaps it was to think that the BBC and not Fox
would make a series like this.

"Apparitions" is a highly derivative horror which
lifts from every possession movie ever made.

It is also not very trendy.
Catholic priests are the heroes.
Unless you are a gay priest.
Then you are in for a very sticky end.

Apparitions does have great production values.
It is well acted and directed.
So, if you like this kind of tosh and do not
take it too seriously, the series has promise.

I suspect BBC Scotland will cancel quickly after an uproar
from the left, atheists and someone at BBC Wales.

Conservatives in America will love Apparitions.

[–] poofta1970 16 years ago

"Conservatives in America will love Apparitions."

I'm not so sure, it seems to (at least going by the first part) glorify an extreme idea (rather than a reality) of a Cabalistic Roman Catholicism.

The kind found in films like "Stigmata" and the books of Dan Brown.

Conservative American's are rather suspicious of that sort of thing and American Catholics would be rightfully outraged by it.

I do hope the series improves with later episodes and explains this episode's rather unpleasent subtextual elements away as the story progresses.

I really did love "Ultraviolet" and this is just as silly as "Bone Kickers" but morally rather vile too (so far).

[–] SiggieHolmes 16 years ago

Unless you are a gay priest.
Then you are in for a very sticky end.

Snigger...

There won't be an uproar from the left...they enjoy seeing religion being bashed, unless it's Islam of course.

[–] sparkey-5 16 years ago

Interesting that some posters on IMDb see this series as bashing religion.
While others see it as promoting religious ideas.
A third group sees it as the usual schlock horror.

We probably need more time to see how Apparitions progresses,
but I hope we get more contributions to this debate as the series continues.

Anyway, I googled for reviews and so far all I found was this.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/11/14/nospli t/bvtv14last.xml

Here's a short quote, from a mainly critical, Telegraph review:

“The advance outcry about Apparitions also suggested it would offend Christians. Yet, the idea that reading Dawkins is a sign of demonic possession was surely more likely to annoy atheists. (For the record, the programme takes – or pretends to take – fundamentalist Christian mythology quite seriously, with the human soul seen as a battleground between God and Satan.)”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Seeing The Dawkins book and a DVD of Jerry Springer the musical
just gave me a good laugh, but then I'm in the schlock horror group
for the time being. - sparkey-5

[–] poofta1970 16 years ago

The sad thing is that "Ultraviolet" portrayed 'the hidden world surrounding us' thing much better and was a cracking good dollop of schlock horror as well.

It's a bit wierd too that so soon after Ch4's "Dead Set" the BBC snipped the gore out but kept the unfortunate subtext in.

[–] pastie325 16 years ago

[–] poofta1970 16 years ago

Can't you lot just enjoy something without picking it to pieces? Either watch it and shut up or turn off and shut up, either way, shut up, go to your local store and buy yourself a *beep* life.....IMHO

I'm saying this to you for the last time, I'm not interested.

I know how much rope you can swallow and how far your ankles can bend behind your ears, we all do, we've all seen the videos, some of us didn't have to pay for them but we felt sorry for you.

It detracts from the achievement, however when you find out it's not a learned skill but just runs in the family.

I'm just on IMDB discussing a television show, I'm not looking to have knowledge of you, your sister or your aunty, but I'll do your dad again if he finds himself free on Thursday...like last week...and the week before that (if the brass band gets of the pitch quick enough).

Britney please.

Stop stalking me with your sock puppet accounts.

[–] SiggieHolmes 16 years ago

I've got a stalker you know...I'm looking at it now.

[–] SiggieHolmes 16 years ago

Fight, fight!

btw I'd love to know where that sauna was the gay priest toddled along to...everyone was pretty!

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] poofta1970 16 years ago

"RC doctrine is correct.
There is nothing wrong in being homosexual.
Only genital sexual acts are a sin."

The word sin means to miss the target.

So in RC terms all extra marital sex is missing the target because it's doctrines forbid it.

The message being if you wish to be a practising homosexual you can't be a practising Catholic.

Or to quote that great holy man Qui-Gon Jinn, "Your focus determines your reality".

Chances are if you are constantly missing the targets you set for yourself it's time to aim for different targets.

This is the problem I have with this episode.

Because it blurred the line between that character rebounding from the rejection of the church and putting aside the spiritual sacrifice of his sexual identity to embrace a new set of rules where that identity could be explored, with temptation from an exterior and evil force.

I am a vegetarian and have been for most of my life but I remember eating meat and enjoying it, I personally (and I'm not evangelical about it) can't square the act of eating an animal raised to be slaughtered with my empathy with animals.

If I were to give that up it would be my decision and a change in my way of looking at the world, not the act of a demonic entity.

Lots of my friends are lapsed vegetarians I would never try to coax or cajole them back into the holy church of tofu, they have moved the dietary focus of their lives onto a different path.

It's exactly the same with attitudes to sexuality.

Sex is just another form of sensual stimulus.

We all put aside some things we are drawn to do in favour of a higher goal.

If your chosen outlook on life says that certain thing is not allowed no matter how much you might fancy it, that's for you to decide, it is your life, your mind and your body.

But if your outlook changes and now says I want this thing so much and surrendering it to a set of goals is too much, then that is right too for the same reason.

It's only when your body and mind pull you to do things which harm others that you need to stop what you are doing or be stopped by society.

Consentual sex between adults does not enter the same sphere as harming children and it's certainly not evil.

This episode came close to drawing that parallel, which is one of the reasons why I had a problem with it.

I know it's a piece of fiction but fiction either reflects truths about the real world or it fails because the story lacks any resonant relavance with the audience.

It doesn't matter if it's schlock horror, comedy, or romantic drama if it feels fake it doesn't work and if it tries not to feel fake but says something potentially dangerous it needs to be commented on.

[–] sparkey-5 16 years ago

Poofta 1970.
I did not notice the subtext in the first story
- it was the schlock horror that interested me.
If there is that hidden message, as you say there is,
then I agree with your condemnation.
I will watch the repeat more carefully.

[–] sparkey-5 16 years ago

I watched the repeat of episode one of “Apparitions”
to see if there was a hidden message. I saw none.
But presumably, the whole point of a hidden message is
that some people will NOT get it, even if it is pointed out.
While others will see something that is not there.

Subtlety is not the strong suit of “Apparitions”.
Everything is obvious and rammed home with a hammer
and meat cleaver.
The Chief Exorcist even says they (the devils) want to
destroy Vimal (the gay priest) and the child because
"they are close to God".

Like Vimal, some people need to get a thicker skin.
I enjoy Apparitions for what it is. Schlock Horror.

[–] Charlie_1701 16 years ago

There was no hidden message, please people.

Bean Girl: Charlie Darling
...The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few...

[–] poofta1970 16 years ago

I posted before that I'm pretty sure there was no merky intent on the writer's part if there is a message it's directed at the writers and it's think about the story before you film it.

[–] Charlie_1701 16 years ago

The word sin means to miss the target.

The Greek word hamartia is usually translated as sin in the New Testament. In Classical Greek, it means "to miss the mark" or "to miss the target" which was also used in Old English archery. In Koine Greek, which was spoken in the time of the New Testament, however, this translation is not adequate. In other research, this word has been associated with the "hem" of a garment. [citation needed]

The word sin correctly means;

1. A transgression of a religious or moral law, especially when deliberate.
2. Theology.
1. Deliberate disobedience to the known will of God.
2. A condition of estrangement from God resulting from such disobedience.
3. Something regarded as being shameful, deplorable, or utterly wrong.

intr.v., sinned, sin·ning, sins.

1. To violate a religious or moral law.
2. To commit an offense or violation.

I hope this helps

Mmmhhh?????

[–] ollie501 16 years ago

Ankles, ears and Britney? Ok, I'm intrigued...! What on earth does all that mean!

[–] ollie501 16 years ago

I'm left wing, and Atheist, and I love the show. I really wish people would stop generalising left-wing people as a bunch of politically correct nutcases. Just because the programme has a religious theme does not mean all Atheists are going to hate it; as far as I am concerned it is a piece of Science-fiction and an extremely well made one at that.