Tom Shadyac Tells Christianity Today Jesus Is His Biggest Filmmaking Influence
Filed under: Comedy, Drama, New Releases, Universal, Movie Marketing, Religious
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If what Nikki Finke says is true -- that Evan Almighty needs to clear $500 million worldwide to really get into the black -- then I guess it's no wonder that director Tom Shadyac has embarassed himself so mightily during the film's promotion. The interview he did with Christianity Today, posted on their site on Monday, is pandering on an almost superhuman level. It's so fascinating to read, in fact, that I'm going to give you an official spoiler warning right here: don't read any further if you want to savor every line for yourself. In response to the fairly straight-forward question "What do you want people to take away from Evan Almighty?" Shadyac responds "Hopefully they'll walk away entertained. But also, I think we all have this 'idolatry of magnitude,' thinking that if we don't do something huge for the world that we haven't done anything. We forget the story of the widow's mite ..." Yes, he parable-checks.
He also offers up the following: "Someone asked me the other day, 'What's the biggest influence on your filmmaking career?' And they started naming filmmakers. I went 'Naw, it's Jesus actually.'" I guess, now that he mentions it, I do see the comparison between the two. Jesus included a lot of Ace Ventura-style slapstick in his early films, and some of the camerawork in The Nutty Professor is very Christ-like. Most of the rest of the interview is a lot of painful-to-read jousting, as the interviewer keeps trying to get Shadyac to label himself and the film as sort of 'by Christians, for Christians,' and Shadyac keeps trying to slip away with hippie-dippie statements about Jesus being his hero, and so forth. He says that he responds to the Sermon on the Mount, "to this guy who talked about loving your neighbor and loving your enemy. I know what's moving me and I know what I want to be true to in my work. And if people pigeonhole me for that, I don't really care." Brave, dude. Brave.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-21-2007 @ 12:37PM
YouFaceTheTick said...
Wow, that's seven million types of pathetic.
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6-21-2007 @ 12:55PM
Allan said...
You've got a lot of balls to blast someone publicly for talking about their religion and how it has influenced their career. GOD FORBID!!! HE SAID "JESUS!"
I read the article several times, LOOKING for something that could be labeled as pandering and couldn't find it. Your response to the interview just serves to throw what I can only explain as your own anti-religious sentiment into sharp relief.
Unbelievable. Hey, for your next [crappy] article, try picking something that's at least worth bitching about. Because here you just come off as an ignorant grinch.
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6-21-2007 @ 12:59PM
YouFaceTheTick said...
Allan it's pandering. Plain and simple.
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6-21-2007 @ 1:05PM
Jonathan said...
I don't consider myself a Christian, or really any particular religion for that matter, but what is the point of this article again? What is so bad about what he said at all? What is the point of your writing about this other than, obviously, showing how you dislike Christianity. Congratulations?
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6-21-2007 @ 1:07PM
Allan said...
@3
Ah, well now that it's put to me that way, it's so simple. Why did I not see it before.
[rolls eyes]
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6-21-2007 @ 1:15PM
Peter said...
Actually many great movies were inspired by the gospel.
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6-21-2007 @ 1:24PM
Robin said...
I think the point is that he's made a lot of jackassy movies with tasteless jokes and to say that Jesus is his biggest influence is obviously false and all part of the big marketing campaign for EA to the religious people.
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6-21-2007 @ 1:41PM
Allan said...
Oh. Whoops. Thank you Robin. I had no idea what Shadyac had on his resume and I just IMDBed him. All I knew was that he had directed Evan Almighty and what I read in the interview.
Ryan's post makes pretty good sense now, and I agree that in light of Shadyac's track record, this does appear to be pandering.
Sorry about flaming you, Ryan. I could have tried harder to figure out what you were trying to say.
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6-21-2007 @ 3:56PM
Joseph Land said...
Well Allan, he did name drop both Ace Venture and Nutty Professor in his article, that should have been at least a bit of a hint. Unless that was added after you initially read it, then I retract my statement.
Oh, and I'm about as non-religious as you can get, but even *I* know that being a producer for "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry" is against the rules for those that consider "Jesus" such an inspiration.
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6-21-2007 @ 6:15PM
ThePete said...
I'm an Atheist and personally have no problem with what he says. I don't even really view it as pandering. Sure, it could be, but it's not blatant, to me. It just seems like the guy is either religious or wishes he was.
Hell, I'm even still interested in seeing this movie. And I *know* Morgan Freeman doesn't exist.
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6-21-2007 @ 7:37PM
Mike Burtner said...
Shadyac may have been joshing a bit about YHWH, but if he's not praying now, he'd better start, if anyone expects this over-extended SNL skit to bank $500M. But I wouldn't fault the guy for being vague and nebulous about his deistic beliefs. Ask most of the faithful and you'll get the same hoo-ha. Oh, and according the YHWH's best-seller, women are *supposed* to be glassy-eyed and compliant.
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6-25-2007 @ 12:50AM
bijoy said...
Hi, i just surfed in searching for interesting blogs on Spirituality, you have a cool blog. Do keep up the good work. I'll be back even though i live far from where you live. its nice to be able to see what people from across the world thinks.
Warm Regards from the Other Side of the Moon.
On a related note perhaps you might find the following link interesting. Its propossing a theory and i'll like to hear your take on the subject via comments. See ya...
Was
Jesus an Essenes ?
Bibby
Kerala, India
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