As a book of interpretation, this book, also called the book of eli, seeks to. The book of eli original motion picture soundtrack by various. Reading suggestions for religious fiction the new york times. But carnegie gary oldman, the powerhungry dictator of a decrepit survivors colony, is also interested in elis book for very different reasons. With no name trilogy and graham greenes novel the power and the glory, all shot through with an unwavering religious impulse.
The book of eli continues hollywoods obsession with postapocalyptic tales, and in many ways feels like it belongs in the same world as the road. The film opens with a really riveting scene, slowly panning across a wooded area covered in ash, and with more ash still falling from the sky. In this essay i will be showing many examples from different quotes on why elie begins losing his faith. If you havent heard of it yet are interested then continue if you dont mind the plot being told though i. Book of eli is fascinating, faithbased vision bill gibron. Aslan the lion represents christ and jadis, the wicked witch, represents satan. The book of eli was intense, and the plot was awesome. Enoch was a real man in the early chapters of genisis and described as being taken into heaven by god. A postapocalyptic tale, in which a lone man fights his way across america in order to protect a sacred book that holds the secrets to saving humankind. The book of eli casts bible as a major theme baptist standard.
Nobody learned against the shiny blue fenders, rested elbows on the hood, or set paper plates there while they ate. In this essay i will be showing many examples from different quotes on why elie. The book of eli is a 2010 american postapocalyptic neowestern action film directed by the hughes brothers, written by gary whitta, and starring denzel washington, gary oldman, mila kunis, ray stevenson, and jennifer beals. This story of hannah, with which the books of samuel begin, involves eli. In the morning, carnegie overhears solara repeat the prayer to her mother, and realizes eli has the book he has been seeking a bible. Lewis work, it may come as no surprise that the chronicles of narnia. Eli has a book which is discovered as the bible and he is trying to deliver it to a location he doesnt specify. Dystopian analysis the book of eli is about a postapocalyptic dystopian reality that the protagonist eli is attempting to survive in. At the beginning of the book, with nothing else to cling to, prisoners in the concentration camps hold on to their family members. But then he meets another girl and keeps her from getting raped mila kunis character.
He is played by actor denzel washington, who also portrayed lincoln rhyme, john creasy and robert mccall. The book of eli certainly brings to mind that other monstrosity among american postapocalyptic films, i am legend, which also weds the genres conventions with religious nonsense. The visual effects are stunning, the story line is rich, and the plot is full of twists and turns that are ultimately redemptive. The most important thing is to stay with your family members as long as possible. That background might render the book of eli controversial for some religious literalists. Something more than a message between the lines 27 jul i dont think its risky to say, if we confine ourselves to the most recent events, that the catholic church, the principle institution within the christian doctrine, is now living through one of the greatest crises it has experienced since its beginnings. But the young mans actions and his criticism of the religious establishment earn him enemies as ruthless as they are powerful. The book of eli is a flick that is rich with themes that are just begging for the popcorn theology treatment. Religion and language in contemporary film wikiversity.
Your thoughts on the movie if you have not yet seen the movie and dont want it to be spoilt for you then wait until you have seen it before you read any further. The lord calls samuel the boy samuel ministered before the lord under eli. It was either that or legion ironically both have something to do with religion lol. Psalms and bible verses are quoted throughout the movie, and christian imagery and symbolism are present in many scenes.
What the book of eli tells us about religion youtube. Read it and weep denzel washington thumps his bible and slices through bad guys in this apocalyptic hughes brothers fable. Eli, the main character, believes that his purpose on earth is to bring the bible out west and to protect it. Throughout the book, eliezer witnesses and experiences things that he cannot reconcile with the idea of a just and allknowing god. Christianity and the book of eli believe it or not. Not saying that the movie was bad or anything but i left the theater wondering what the hell was the point of the movie.
Eli, reproduced in the preceding pages to this introduction, is a book of prophecy, written by the anonymous author eli. The movie displays the resurrection of christ and the fall of satan. Films may be the most difficult to find sources on. The power of the bible to uplift or destroy general theme 3. The book of eli bts the look of eli 2010 denzel washington, mila kunis movie hd duration. Too intense, i whispered when the book of eli crossed the screen, although he had already read my mind.
Throughout their time in the concentration camps, the jews try to keep their religious and cultural. The book of eli is an action based, postapocalyptic film along the lines of mad max 2. Mar 30, 2010 book of eli is a wake up call for originality in both secular and christian movies. An overlay of spiritual themes doesnt always work, but eli is that rare hollywood film that posits a christian man.
A wacky piece of pseudoreligious twaddle dressed up as a solemn, silly postapocalyptic action flick, the book of eli is a tome that should have been kept resolutely closed. Jan 14, 2010 eli is hebrew for my god, and the bibles eli was the teacher of samuel, a great prophet. So i went out with my bf last friday to watch book of eli. Into this world steps machetewielding road warrior eli a man on a. Living for the word instead of acting in its name who is eli. Eli and solara are surrounded and dragged out of the house. When samuel heard god speaking to him, he at first mistook god for eli. Elkanah also had another wife who bore him children. They make everything in the entire movie impossible and incomprehensible. The contemporary film, the book of eli directed by.
The bible plays a starring role in the book of eli, a postapocalyptic action film starring denzel washington that opens in theaters jan. Carnegie threatens to kill solara, to the dismay of redridge. This is a scene i directed as a final project for my techniques of directing class at minnesota state university moorhead. Its interesting that both cite mad max, a film which is not described as a neowestern in its article despite pegging many of themes and tropes listed above, certainly far more than the book of eli does. On violence and language in the book of eli by angela walker denzel washington, one of hollywoods most successful and highly respected figures, stars in the book of eli, the story of a man of faith on a mission to protect the last copy of the bible. The book of enoch is quoted in the book of james and other epistles though. Many have taken explicity prochristian themes from the film, but. Eli is the main protagonist in the 2010 dystopian postapocalyptic thrillerdrama film the book of eli. The hughes brothers book of eli isnt all postapocalyptic samurai sword action and ipods.
Eli and solara stumble upon these two in their travels, and both actors play their characters with energy and humor. The book of eli stars denzel washington as a lone wanderer, making his away across a postnuclear holocaust america, scavenging and scraping to survive and well adept at it. Mixed in with the violence and sepiatones is one giant religious symbol that we just had to quiz the brothers about in our exclusive interview. And the spirit of god moved upon the face of the waters. Our community welcomes everyone from around the world to discuss world history, historical periods, and themes in history military history, archaeology, arts and culture, and history in books and movies. Thank you lord for a warm bed to sleep on, thank you for the food we are about to eat, thank you for a roof over our heads on cold nights such as this, thank you for companionship in. Redridge recovers the book, with a locked flap, and gives it to carnegie, who releases solara. It shows the theme of gods supernatural power and divine providence all the much more. Christian themes abound in book of eli the tufts daily. Both films deal with a post apocalyptic world in which a main character is. Find unique trunk or treat ideas and transform the trunk of your car into a halloween candy paradise. His dangerous and often selfsacrificial mission, inspired by god and rooted in a deepseated personal faith, is certainly inspiring. Now look, i get that the book of eli is a work of fiction.
What the hell was the theme of the movie book of eli. The book of eli provokes thoughtful debate about the religious themes in the film, but the oldminus. Eli is the man with one name who ambles into a backwater burg in search of water and comes face to face with evil in the form of carnegie gary oldman, who is involved with the blind claudia jennifer beals while he pursues claudias nubile daughter solara mila kunis. Eli is protecting a bible so that postapocalyptic dictators cant use it to control their people. Perhaps that plot is fuel for controversy, but the hughes brothers dont mind letting that one slip. Cross i am legend with the ten commandments and youve got the book of eli, a genuinely religious parable that inherently rebukes pointless endofthe.
Washington, a twotime academy award winner widely known in hollywood for his christian beliefs, portrays a lone warrior making his way across a desolate american landscape defending the worlds last remaining copy of the king. So it was with the release of the road and now the book of eli. The hughes brothers on the book of eli, dethroning avatar. It grips your attention, and then at the end throws in several wtf. In the postapocalyptic biblical thriller the book of eli, denzel washington plays a blind man who feels hes been called by god to carry the last remaining copy of the bible across the country. The book of eli examing the religious undertones in the film book of eli. Your best bet may be to consult the books on post apocalyptic guide that and see what qualities your story may share or.
I saw the book of eli the other night, and ever since, ive been telling all my friends to drop what theyre doing and go see it before it leaves theaters. In the book night by elie wiesel, elie starts losing faith in his jewish beliefs. Apr 20, 2010 the book of eli is an oldfashioned western dressed up in postapocalyptic rags. Worldview elements of film implications questions biblical parallels the priest eli solara as samuel catholic parallels modern day parallels westward movement american dream what is the place of religion in the life of the common person. Abp the bible plays a starring role in the book of eli, a postapocalyptic action film starring denzel washington that opens in theaters jan. The book of eli is not a mustread orange county register. In the movie the book of eli why was the bible so important. The book of eli on the surface looks like a prochristian deal but if you pay attention, its actually blaming the end of civilization on christianity, and is directly referred to. Eli may be short for elijah who was also taken up in a tornado or whirlwind. Eli, who didnt hear god calling samuel, eventually realized the truth, and instructed samuel on how to respond. That question and the film illustrates the ambiguity. Essay on elies religious beliefs in night by elie wiesel. Redridge entreats eli to surrender the book and eli tells redridge where he hid it.
Check out the book of eli original motion picture soundtrack by various artists on amazon music. The book of eli is the first movie from albert and allen hughes the filmmaking brothers of from hell and menace ii society in nine years. The book of eli is, perhaps, the most explicitly christian film ive seen come out of the secular film industry since the passion of the christ. Indeed, its something of a sunday sermon wrapped in a mad max adventure. Eli kashpaw refuses to ride in it, and albertine johnson notes that nobody seemed proud of it except for king and lynette. But there are so many themes in it that just excite me as a christianespecially the fact that the story seems impossible. The bible that eli carries is hardbound, with a locking brass clasp. For that matter, eli is something of a modernday elijah. Thirty years after a nuclear apocalypse, eli travels on foot toward the west coast of. As john notle said over at big hollywood, eli in the end is a genre movie. With gripping immediacy, bill myers weaves a story whose truth will refresh your faith.
I loved the part when gary said he needed the words of the book to rule over the other towns. One night eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. There is also an oral tradition of eli, which i have on good authority, and which has helped guide me in the writing of this book. He is a religious man, regularly reading and praying from the book. The book of eli is a dystopian symbol for how organized religion is abused in modern society. The contemporary film, the book of eli directed by albert and allen hughes, the internet movie database focuses on the protagonist and a violent thirty year quest through desert like wastelands of a cataclysmic war ravaged earth. The lion, the witch and the wardrobe is filled with christian themes.
May 31, 2012 partly inspired by a recent interview with ross douthat, who argues in his new book, bad religion, that great art inspired by religion is vital to the culture, i asked times staffers and contributors to describe their favorite works of fiction that have prominent religious themes or settings. It also, rather startlingly, has an overt, fairly profound christian theme. As far as the road is concerned, it is filled with spiritual themes. Im at a loss for words, so let me say these right away. Why are you reject one persons opportunity to be saved only to choose another.
The book of eli is very compelling and aweinspiring, with excellent production standards as well as absorbing character portrayals by denzel washington and gary oldman. Yes, there were a half of a dozen redeemable kernels in the bag, but that did not make us feel any better about being mislead and rippedoff because wed like our money back. Likewise, the religious themes in avatar come across as rather goofy feelgood new ageism compared to the themes of faith, sacrifice, and suffering in eli. Popular religious themes books goodreads share book. The road warrior, not one of a more morose nature like the road. Carnegie finds out about the book and sends his henchman, redridge to get it but eli has already gone. Marauding gangs haunt the ashen wastelands of america, preying on innocent passersby. An intense and thoughtprovoking novel, eli strips away religious tradition to present jesus fresh and unvarnished.
The movies blatant support of christianity and the notsosubtle references to the bible are greatly encouraging and very surprising for a major theatrical release. Jan 24, 2010 so i went out with my bf last friday to watch book of eli. Dec 18, 2011 god spoke to eli to find the book,bible, and transport it to a safe haven. Apparently theres more detail about that occurance and others in his book. The familys reaction is the signal that this car is not merely a car. The book of eli is a great religious film for religious people. The book of eli is screenwriter, gary whittas, take on a western samurai film. The organization in the end would have treated it similar if it was there only copy of the lord of the rings. Nov 1, 2016 superman trunk or treat, superhero halloween.
But, in the midst of the chaos walks a man in possession of a. The book of eli is rated r for adult content, profanity, images of rape, and excessive violence. As recounted by carnegie and eli, bibles are scarce due to a largescale book burning after the falloutmany irrationally blamed christianity as a cause of the war. The book of eli original motion picture soundtrack atticus ross. When eli finally gets the book where it is going they just file it away with other similar books. The book of elis postapocalyptic theology is a little warped. The few survivors have clumped together into ramshackle settlements that are beginning to crumble from within. Therefore, he has seen and knows the power of religion and wanted to use it to minipulate the people for his personal gain. The film presents some religious subthemes, which might find differing interpretations by different viewers. Mixed in with the violence and sepiatones is one giant religious symbol that we just had to quiz the. He is taking the book to a place where it will be safe where its message can be finally be shared with the world. The movies hard edge may give some religious moviegoers pause. Jan 11, 2010 though in the vein of recent films like 2012, a blockbuster about the end of the world as predicted by the mayan calendar, evangelical movie buffs are touting the book of eli as a rare major studio release where the protagonist is unabashedly a christian. In trying to persuade eli to stay, as he can see the value of a man who can fight like him, he sends solara to his room and she discovers the book.
Books are scarce since apparently many people believed religion was the cause of the desolation, and so all religious books were destroyed. Eli was the high priest kohen gadol of shiloh, the secondtolast israelite judge succeeded only by samuel before the rule of the kings of israel and judah. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in night, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Hughes brothers talk religious controversy in the book of eli. The official facebook page for the book of eli some will kill to have it. One of the main themes of night is eliezers loss of religious faith. Anyway, i thought book of eli would be less scary so i went into the theater expecting something good. Dont be surprised, says anne billson biblical themes have only ever. Lewis, the da vinci code by dan brown, the lion, the witch and the wardrobe by c. The book of elis postapocalyptic theology is a little.
I do not claim any ownership rights to the soundtracks or images presented in this video. Trunk or treat ideas for church with bible themes, superman, superhero, wonder woman. Jan 15, 2010 the book of eli is a dark fable set in postapocalyptic america, starring denzel washington as a lone, holy warrior protecting the last extant copy of the bible. In the book of eli why did denzel washingtons character let a woman get raped and her father or husband get murdered. Google image 473 growing up with my grandparents, i would often go to church on sundays. See more ideas about trunk or treat, truck or treat and trunks. True spirit filled christians will leave the theater filling empty and disappointed. In the beginning god created the heaven and the earth. To differentiate secondhand selling app letgo from its competition, we created the letgo commercializer the first and only way to create a milliondollar hollywood commercial for someones secondhand listing, without the inconvenience of spending a million dollars and actually going to hollywood. The book of eli is kind of like watching the book of mormon filmed and rewritten as a futuristic action movie, except with fewer hot bitches.
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