{"id":179,"date":"2009-08-29T11:44:00","date_gmt":"2009-08-29T11:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/filmchat\/2009\/08\/the-invention-of-blasphemy\/"},"modified":"2009-08-29T11:44:00","modified_gmt":"2009-08-29T11:44:00","slug":"the-invention-of-blasphemy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/filmchat\/2009\/08\/the-invention-of-blasphemy.html","title":{"rendered":"The Invention of … “blasphemy”?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"<\/a>
MTV Movies Blog<\/a> reports that writer-directors Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson are \u201cplanning big controversies\u201d with their upcoming film The Invention of Lying<\/a><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The film, which comes out October 2, takes place in a world where everyone believes everything that everyone says because no one has ever lied \u2014 until, one day, the character played by Gervais figures out not only how to lie, but how to manipulate everyone else\u2019s gullibility for his own ends.<\/p>\n

And what sort of \u201cbig controversies\u201d do Gervais and Robinson have in mind? The article quotes Robinson as saying:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not in the trailer and it\u2019s a huge part of the film, but [Gervais] stumbles upon inventing something that in a world without lying wouldn\u2019t exist, which is probably going to piss a lot of people off.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Hmmm. That\u2019s not very specific. But perhaps there\u2019s a hint of what he\u2019s getting at in this interview with co-star Jennifer Garner over at Hitfix<\/a>. Asked if she jumped at the chance to be in a movie with such a unique concept, she replies:<\/p>\n

Yup. Well, I did have a moment to pause with would my parents think it was blasphemy, you know? . . . And then I talked to them about it, and they said, \u201cWe have a sense of humor. We\u2019re not humorless, you know? What do you think?\u201d They were just like, \u201cIf it is important, do it. Do whatever you want.\u201d But that was it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Hmmm. Still not very specific \u2014 although, while discussing the challenges of coming up with dialogue for a world where no one has ever lied, she does go on to say:<\/p>\n

Even little things like you can\u2019t really say gosh, because that\u2019s a derivative of God, which you\u2019d never use because he didn\u2019t exist. You know, it\u2019s stuff like that. It really touches your language and the way you use language in a million different ways.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Hmmm again. And for what it\u2019s worth, the synopsis at the movie\u2019s official website<\/a> declares:<\/p>\n

In a world where every word is assumed to be the absolute truth, Mark easily lies his way to fame and fortune. But lies have a way of spreading, and Mark begins to realize that things are getting a little out of control when some of his tallest tales are being taken as, well, gospel.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Hmmm yet again. Finally, take a look at the trailer below:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Ue3GLAP4Vlc<\/a>
Click here<\/a> if the video file above doesn\u2019t play properly.<\/p>\n

Around the one-minute mark, right after Gervais\u2019s character has figured out how to lie, there is a sudden rush of images. Here are most if not all of them, in the order in which they appear, more or less:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\"\"<\/a>
\"\"<\/a>
\"\"<\/a>
\"\"<\/a>
\"\"<\/a>
\"\"<\/a>
\"\"<\/a>
\"\"<\/a>
\"\"<\/a>
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Hmmm. Notice any recurring themes?<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s Gervais on how he became an atheist at the age of eight:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=I8gsIuEvEs0<\/a>
Click here<\/a> if the video file above doesn\u2019t play properly.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MTV Movies Blog reports that writer-directors Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson are \u201cplanning big controversies\u201d with their upcoming film The Invention of Lying. The film, which comes out October 2, takes place in a world where everyone believes everything that everyone says because no one has ever lied \u2014 until, one day, the character played […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1116,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Invention of ... 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