Muhammed The Movie: The Gays Die, A Saturday Morning Cartoon And John Travolta Stars
ISLAM’S Prophet Muhammad is to star in film by Barrie Osborne, producer of The Matrix and The Lord of The Rings.
Don’t Call Me Mo will be an “international epic” aimed at “bridging cultures“. It will also make, we imagine, “loadsa money”, be a “monster smash” and cross over into merchandise with “mountains” pendants, mugs and a Saturday morning cartoon.
The BBC says that Islamic laws states that The Prophet cannot be depicted on screen, doing so is blasphemous. This might create a problem as the star of the show is not seen. Although Osborne did work on Face Off, so maybe the Prophet’s face can be portrayed by John Travolta, Nicholas Cage and pretty much anyone else who might not look like he did. If Michael Jackson can do it…
Says Osborne:
“The film will educate people about the true meaning of Islam.”
Do people need a film to educate them about spiritual wellbeing? Is a centuries old system of spirituality and life reliant on a Hollywood blockbuster to broadcast a message? Will those people who saw Mel Gibson’s The Passion and became hardcore Christians (is there anyone) watch this film and turn to Islam? Will they then go home and slap Star Wars in the DVD and become Jedis?
Isn’t this just preaching to the converted? Isn’t it just an interpretation of texts, that belie the bias and preferences of the producers, like any film of any book? For the rest, isn’t it just entertainment?
Overseeing the shoot is that man of enlightenment, Muslim scholar Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi. Might this be the same person who is famous for hugging Ken Livingstone, saying that all gays should die, that a little wife beating is ok, who’s not exactly against the blowing up of Jews and thinks guns are more than useful?
What the rest are saying:
According to Karen Armstrong in Muhammad: A Biography of the Prophet, Mohammed by age 25 ‘had grown up to be good-looking, with a compact, solid body of average height. His hair and beard were thick and curly and he had a luminous expression which was particularly striking and is mentioned in all the sources. He had a decisive and wholehearted character, which made him give his full attention to whatever he was doing, and this was also expressed in his physical bearing.’
Emel has a good feature on aspects of Islamic art, from which the picture at the top is taken.
Currently without a title — or screenplay, it seems — the epic is scheduled to begin shooting in 2011, meaning it will follow Osborne’s Christ biopic, “Kingdom Come,” which is set to start production in February. Depending on when this is film is released, there’s potential for dueling Muhummad biopics in theaters, given there’s already a remake of Moustapha Akkad’s “The Message,” titled “Messenger of Peace,” in development as well.
Any idea what rating the film with have?
Posted: 2nd, November 2009 | In: Reviews Comment (1) | TrackBack | Permalink
