British prelate slams ‘Angels and Demons’; Ron Howard criticizes Vatican

May 04, 2009

Bishop Malcolm McMahon of Nottingham has criticized Angels & Demons, the new film based on a novel by Dan Brown. “This is so outlandish, it’s total rubbish,” Bishop McMahon said. “It’s mischievous to stir up this kind of anti-Catholic sentiment. It’s a gratuitous knocking of the Church, and I can’t see any reason for it.”

The film’s director, Ron Howard, charged that the Vatican obstructed the filming of scenes near churches. “When you come to film in Rome, the official statement to you is that the Vatican has no influence,” he said. “Everything progressed very smoothly, but unofficially a couple of days before we were to start filming in several of our locations, it was explained to us that through back channels and so forth that the Vatican had exerted some influence.”

 

---

For all current news, visit our News home page.

---

 
Further information:

• Catholics attack Dan Brown film Angels and Demons (The Telegraph)
• Ron Howard: Vatican obstructed ‘Angels & Demons’ (AP)