Breaking: USCCB withdraws review of "The Golden Compass"

Update #2: The Washington Times reports on the story and quotes Pete Vere, co-author of Pied Piper of Atheism.

Update: Here is the link to the CNS notice.

Forwarded from a newspaper editor:

ADVISORY-GOLDEN COMPASS Dec-10-2007 xxxa

USCCB withdraws review of "The Golden Compass"

Editors: Today the U.S. bishops withdrew the review of the film, "The Golden Compass," which opened in theaters in the United States Dec. 7. The review was written by Harry Forbes and John Mulderig, the director and staff reviewer respectively of the Office for Film and Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The review was released and posted on the CNS Web site Nov. 29. The USCCB gave no reason for withdrawing the review.

Since CNS is a distributor of media reviews of the OFB, it must respect the office's withdrawal of its review. Effective Dec. 10, the review of "The Golden Compass" will not available on the CNS Web site. It will not be included in subsequent listings of USCCB film reviews and ratings.

Editors who use a photo, posted Nov. 29, of a scene from the film should delete references in the caption to the former USCCB classification.

All other CNS stories about the film remain available to clients.

END

12/10/2007 4:54 PM ET

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

More as it becomes available.

Comments

[Margaret]

This would be a very convenient time to also FIRE HARRY FORBES!!! Good grief. Hire Steven Greydanus in his place.

[Ed Peters]

Forbes has been a disaster.

[Pete Vere]

I agree with Ed Peters. The USCCB needs to replace Forbes and his cabal with better film reviewers. How about a couple of lay canonists?

[Mark Brumley]

One shoe has dropped. The other would be either to replace Forbes or to issue a statement from the USCCB about the problems with THE GOLDEN COMPASS and why the USCCB doesn't appreciate the deceitful use of its review, as lame as the review was.

[Kevin]

Great. Now lets remove (or better yet, revise) the Brokeback Mountain review. Then hire someone more capable. I'd say Greydanus, but I don't know if I would wish employment by the USCCB on a good man.

[Gail]

BTW, Stephen Greydanus's review is out: http://www.decentfilms.com/sections/reviews/goldencompass.html

Spoiler: it doesn't get a good rating. I think his discussion of the film's wider context is particularly relevant to the discussion going on here. Like the now-vanished USCCB review, the Decent Films review says that the film itself, in isolation, is not particularly interesting or damaging. It's the context of the books, the movie sequels that may come, and any other similar books that Pullman might write that are the problem. These are two different but related things, and the connection between the film on its own and the rest must be made.

[AmericanPapist]

I remain continually surprised how many positive adjustments have come about as a result of the protests mounted in the Catholic blogosphere and elswhere throughout this story. First New Line pulled their most-offensive online advertisements (though they still made it to the newspapers). Then they gave up on their efforts to have similar ads run in Catholic Publications. Now the USCCB is removing the offensive review (instead of tinkering with it a la Brokeback Mountin). Let's hope we haven't see the end of this little chain of victories.

[Pete Vere]

Greydanus would be perfect for the spot, however, does anyone know if he would accept it?

Barring that, I think Ed Peters and I would make an couple of movie reviewers. We readily agree on everything orthodox, passionately disagree on everything else, and are both colleagues of Michael Trueman. The USCCB could bill us as "Pete & Peters Catholic Movie Reviews".

[Karen]

Does this mean that the USCCB voted FOR the movie before they voted AGAINST it?

[Ed Peters]

Besides the fact that SG is, hands down, the best reviewer in the USA, a serious obstacle to my dreams of being a full-time movier reviewer include my disdain-for-approaching-detestation-of the modern movie theater. I virtually never go. Gimme my DVDs, man.

[Pete Vere]

Excuses, excuses, excuses, Ed. Just admit it. You're scared of the dark.

[Sharon]

I hope that Steve wouldn't take a job with the USCCB. I couldn't trust him anymore if he did!

[AmericanPapist]

Actually, as I remember it, the Peters fam prefers movies at home in near-theater darkness. :)

[Pete Vere]

Thomas, why don't you go for the position if it opens up?

[Brian Schuettler]

Aside from Steve Greydanus, a no-brainer for the job, the only other people associated with this blog who I would consider to be qualified are Carl And Mark.

Nothing personal, PV, but I just don't get the connection between being a canon lawyer and a movie reviewer???????????

[Gail]

I like Barbara Nicolosi's little essays (they are not actually reviews). Many would-be reviewers know a lot about theology but nothing about movies, or the other way around. That is what is so great about SG.

Just so long as Sr. Rose Peccata (I know that's wrong, but it's something like that) doesn't get the job! She has the strangest outlook on movies and television. At least it's all her own, I guess, and originality ought to count for something.

[Carl Olson]

At least it's all her own, I guess, and originality ought to count for something.

Not necessarily. But, then, I don't think that Sister Pacatte exhibits any originality at all. Worse, she comes off as both condescending and theologically naive.

[Benyachov(Jim Scott 4th)]

GC tanked! This is going to be the best Christmas ever!!!!:-)

[Tim Drake]

If my memory serves correctly Mr. Greydanus originally applied and interviewed for the Office of Film and Broadcasting's film review position when it was open a couple of years back. Mr. Forbes was hired instead.

[Brian Schuettler]

If my memory serves correctly Mr. Greydanus originally applied and interviewed for the Office of Film and Broadcasting's film review position when it was open a couple of years back. Mr. Forbes was hired instead.

What a great opportunity for them to make amends for a gross error!

[Letterman]

American Papist posted this email address to write with suggestions: CommDept@usccb.org

[Mary]

K Love (radio) announced it has the Golden Compass tracks to download. Warning to Catholics who unknowingly patronize this "Christian" radio station.

[Pete Vere, JCL]

Forget sending it through the USCCB in Washington. I would send it directly to Cardinal George's office in Chicago. Lifesite has an email address.

[Thomas Smith]

Well, I certainly have no problem with someone telling Mr. Forbes that he needs to find another employer, but can someone tell me why USCCB really needs a film office in the first place? Is there an office to review TV shows? Literature? Popular music? Video games? Seems like there are plenty of reviews already out there. (Some good; some bad.) Do we really need another one that is no more reflective of the Catholic Church than, say, the NYT?