BL4: CUFADM02A Posting: “Da Vinci Code”

1. Find an Editorial Review of “The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail” on the Internet – Read the review, then copy / paste the review in your Question 1 answer. Make sure you include the Website details of the Editorial Review
Michael Baigent, Henry Lincoln, and Richard Leigh, authors of The Messianic Legacy, spent over 10 years on their own kind of quest for the Holy Grail, into the secretive history of early France. What they found, researched with the tenacity and attention to detail which befits any great quest, is a tangled and intricate story of politics and faith that reads like a mystery novel. It is the story of the Knights Templar, and a behind-the-scenes society called the Prieure de Sion, and its involvement in reinstating descendants of the Merovingian bloodline into political power. Why? The authors of Holy Blood, Holy Grail assert that their explorations into early history ultimately reveal that Jesus may not have died on the cross, but lived to marry and father children whose bloodline continues today. According to the authors, their point here is not to compromise or to demean Jesus, but to offer another, more complete perspective of Jesus as God's incarnation in man. They claim that the power of this secret, which has, they say, been carefully guarded for hundreds of years, has sparked much controversy. For all the sensationalism and hoopla surrounding The Holy Blood and The Holy Grail and the alternative history which it outlines, the authors are careful to keep their perspective and sense of scepticism alive in its pages, explaining carefully and clearly how they came to draw such combustible conclusions. --Jodie Buller Amazon.com

2. Find an Editorial Review of “The Da Vinci Code” on the Internet – Read the review, then copy / paste the review in your Question 2 answer. Make sure you include the Website details of the Editorial Review
With The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown masterfully concocts an intelligent and lucid thriller that marries the gusto of an international murder mystery with a collection of fascinating esoteria culled from 2,000 years of Western history.

A murder in the silent after-hour halls of the Louvre museum reveals a sinister plot to uncover a secret that has been protected by a clandestine society since the days of Christ. The victim is a high-ranking agent of this ancient society who, in the moments before his death, manages to leave gruesome clues at the scene that only his granddaughter, noted cryptographer Sophie Neveu, and Robert Langdon, a famed symbologist, can untangle. The duo become both suspects and detectives searching for not only Neveu's grandfather's murderer but also the stunning secret of the ages he was charged to protect. Mere steps ahead of the authorities and the deadly competition, the mystery leads Neveu and Langdon on a breathless flight through France, England, and history itself. Brown (Angels and Demons) has created a page-turning thriller that also provides an amazing interpretation of Western history. Brown's hero and heroine embark on a lofty and intriguing exploration of some of Western culture's greatest mysteries--from the nature of the Mona Lisa's smile to the secret of the Holy Grail. Though some will quibble with the veracity of Brown's conjectures, therein lies the fun. The Da Vinci Code is an enthralling read that provides rich food for thought. --Jeremy Pugh Amazon.com

3. Research this case and write a summary in your own words
The authors of "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grain" claimed that the author of "The Da Vinci Code" had stolen some of their ideas before their book was published. They began legal action against “The Da Vinci Code” publishers (Random House). Judge, Mr Justice Peter Smith ruled that Dan Brown (author of “The Da Vinci Code”) did use the previous book to write certain parts of his thriller, but did not substantially copy their work. Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh must pay 85% of Random House's costs of almost £1.3m.

4. Why was Sony (in its capacity as a Film company) so interested in the outcome of the case?
Because Sony was releasing the movie “The Da Vinci Code” which was based on the book.
‘Court rejects Da Vinci copy claim’, 7 April 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4886234.stm

5. Outline the key issues raised by Silverman in relation to Copyright and creative works
Key issues:
“Since there is no copyright in an idea, any claim for breach of copyright must rest on the way that the idea is expressed”

“The judge himself acknowledged that nothing in the plaintiffs' case would have stultified creative endeavour or extended the boundaries of copyright protection”

“But, as copyright lawyer, David Hooper, points out, the key issue is the amount of a book, both in quantity and quality, which is copied by someone else”

“Under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, the creators of literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works enjoy protection for original work if they can establish " a degree of labour, skill or judgement" in producing it”

‘No surprise' in Da Vinci judgement , Jon Silverman, 7 April 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4888954.stm