The Real Da Vinci Code (2005 TV Movie) User Reviews

Not that bad.

[dy158 · 7/10 · 11 June 2006]

It had actually took me a long time to 'dig out' from my own memory that this is the first-ever documentary I had watched in regarding to The Da Vinci Code. The very first one which introduces me to the phenomenon which has been taking the world by storm when this documentary was on air here last year.

Because to actually admit, prior to this documentary where I watched it by chance on television here, I had actually never even heard of the book. Not yet. But I had heard how much buzz it has caused, and the controversy as well. So, I had never regretted watching this.

It was very interesting how the host himself went in search of the Holy Grail because practically about everything it is trying to find out about on the documentary is almost new to me then (as being a non-Christian myself). At that time I was just pretty amused in the way he presented the show. Or maybe I was just this clueless person who is oblivious to the phenomenon till all that buzz came in.

Now a year on, I had already read the book, watched the movie adaptation and liked it, even did some personal research on my own mainly online. So I guess I can say this documentary where I watched it last year is pretty not that bad in the way it has presented to those who are watching it.

The hunt for the grail.

[Chris-742 · 9/10 · 22 February 2006]

Tony Robinson is mostly known for his comedy work in stuff like "Black Adder". This work was the first time I ever saw him in a serious piece, and a documentary at that. It was a very positive surprise. Tony (and his invisible researches) takes a look at the roots behind the myths in the bestseller book "Da vinci code". He hunts for the holy grail and examines some of the places in the book and also looks for the basis of some holy grail myth. Robinson manages to cover a lot of ground. This is a high class documentary, boring historians are given space, but it never gets boring because somehow the boring parts are edited out. This documentary is almost as fast-paced as the book. Well worth watching, I have seen it three times, twice before and once after reading the book. My only complaint is that they did not dig deep enough in some places.

Robinson and archeology

[tonyspencer · 10/10 · 17 June 2006]

Most people know Tony Robinson from comedy roles, but he has hosted several series of Time Team, where each episode a bunch of archaeologists have four days to investigate a site. The series is well known and popular in the UK.

This explains the part about digging up the church.

A thoroughly good documentary, although there is other stuff that could have been mentioned. There is another legend that Mary Magdalene arrived by boat with her sister Martha and brother Lazarus (of raising from the dead fame) in Marseille and and later spent 30 years in a cave in La Saint Baume, south east France, which is not covered.

The error in transcribing Sang Real could have had better coverage too, but 90 minutes is quite long for a TV documentary.

There are quite a few comedic parts, like the bobbing head Christ figure in the car.

This documentary is great...

[vchoin · 9/10 · 7 September 2006]

I'm use to seeing Tony Robinson as "Baldric" the faithful man-servant of Edmond Blackadder... But this documentary showed that he is a keen observer of history and is willing to go to just about any lengths to get to the facts behind a story. Not only does he tell the historical facts behind the "Da Vinci Code", but takes you on the journey of discovery himself and visits the actual locations and interviewing people involve at the sites... It was just an awesome work. If only people who read the book ( or wrote the Book)or watch the Da Vinci Code would demonstrate as much curiosity as to check out the facts... I can't speak highly enough of this documentary.

Some errors

[btm1 · 18 September 2009]

The bread depicted in the show's enactment of the Last Supper is clearly leavened bread. However, the Last Supper is known to have been a Passover Seder, an ancient ceremony commemorating the Exodus, at which only unleavened bread is allowed by ancient Jewish law. Jesus the man was a devout Jew, believed to have been influenced by an ascetic sect known as the Essenes. His action at the Temple with the money changers demonstrated his belief that the official Jewish religion, run by the priestly caste, had drifted too far from God's commandments and was corrupt. The wafers used at the Eucharist are made of unleavened bread.

Seder meal tradition, handed down in age-old eastern European Jewish (Ashkenazi) custom, includes a decorated wine cup (often silver) used in the Seder service. The engravings on the cup typically are Jewish symbols, such as the Star of David. If the cup used at the Last Supper was so decorated, the later Church as it evolved from the original disciples, was antithetical to the Jewish religion. If the Seder cup was the Grail, wouldn't it have been likely that the Church did not want an object with Jewish symbols reminding their congregants that the original church came from a Jewish sect? Again, if the Grail was a Seder cup, it would not likely to have been jewel encrusted. That is not the tradition passed down in Jewish custom as I have seen it. Furthermore, Jesus did not approve of individual wealth. He would rather that individual wealth go to charity than to purchasing jewels.

IMDb has no writer listed for this program except that Dan Brown is listed under that category with the word "novel" next to his name. The television program itself does have a writer listed at the end of the program among titles that are quickly displayed as Tony Robinson is talking. A separate researcher is also listed.