Ron Howard takes on The Vatican

TOKYO — “Do I think Angels & Demons will generate the same vehement reaction from church leaders as did The Da Vinci Code? I don’t think so.”

At a function room of The Peninsula, Ron Howard, director of Angels & Demons, the latest Dan Brown novel to be filmed, discusses his own faith and beliefs as did Tom Hanks (in last Sunday’s Conversation) who reprises his role as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon who this time is tasked to help save The Vatican from being reduced to shambles by the Illuminati.

“When I read Angels & Demons,” continues Howard, “I was really engrossed by the idea of the Illuminati. This four-centuries-old society is said to include people like Galileo and Bernini. What happened to them? Were they really crushed? Did they really leave us? There are those who believe that the Illuminati have survived as an organization and are with us in secret today, influencing our everyday lives, government policy decisions and corporate strategies.”

Released by Columbia Pictures, Angels & Demons reunites Howard with Tom whose last collaboration — yes, The Da Vinci Code — was an explosive hit. Perhaps not many people know that Howard started as an actor (The Journey, The Music Man, etc.) and then shifted to directing, taking audiences around the world on a spin with such riveting works as A Beautiful Mind and Cinderella Man (both starring Russell Crowe), Backdraft (Robert De Niro, Kurt Russell and William Baldwin), Far And Away (Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman) and Frost/Nixon.

He calls Tom a great actor and disagrees with those who think that he’s miscast as Robert Langdon.

“Langdon is not an action character; he’s a thinker. Tom perfectly fits the role.”

Good morning, Ron. Nice book, nice movie.

“Thank you. Did you like it?”

The book or the movie?

“Both.”

Yes, I did. Although in the movie of Angels & Demons, there are a few changes which are not that significant.

“Hmmmm. We have to do it.”

I’m amazed by the way you guys recreated The Vatican in the movie, its every nook and cranny. Looks very real.

“Does it?”

I understand that you had a hard time getting a permit to shoot in The Vatican?

“Yes. They were not cooperative...which you could understand. But my job was to take people on this adventure, so we used shots that we could get, we used sets that we built, computer-generated images and whatever. But I hope that audiences will forget all of that when they watch the film and just go along with the adventure of Robert Langdon.”

Have you been to The Vatican?

“As a tourist, I’ve been there a number of times. For the research, I was there three or four times. But most of the places were off-limits. We got a couple of tours into the gardens which I found remarkable. The Vatican is a wonderful world, the smallest country in the world.”

Do you think Angels & Demons will draw the same vehement reaction from church leaders as did The Da Vinci Code?

“Well, there are some controversial ideas and controversial elements of the story that could ruffle a few feathers. But, even from the start, I never thought that Angels & Demons would be as controversial as The Da Vinci Code. It’s more an action film, it’s more fun, and I think the spirit of it is balanced.”

After reading the novels and doing the movies, did they affect your faith in any way?

“No. My beliefs and my faith were not influenced. I don’t think that a work of fiction would ever change my view of the world. But it’s an interesting subject to talk about after you see the movie. I really hope that, first and foremost, it’s an entertainment piece but maybe on your way home you have something to talk about.”

In the movie, Vittoria Vetra (played by Israeli actress Ayelet Zurer) asks Robert Langdon, “Are you Catholic?” I’m asking you now, are you Catholic?

“No, I’m not.”

Are you Christian?

“Neither am I.”

Then, what’s your religion?

“I’m not a member of any church right now but I was raised in the Presbyterian Church.”

But, of course, you believe in a Supreme Being?

“I do, yes, and I believe that God wants us to use our imagination and our intellect to keep asking questions to learn more about our world and universe.”

After The Da Vinci Code, did you begin to look at The Last Supper in a different way?

“Hmmmm. Yeah, it made me very, very curious. I think that’s what Dan Brown stories do more than anything. It’s not that they should change your mind but in some ways, while they entertain you, they might open your mind...you might ask more questions and be curious about things that perhaps you haven’t thought of in years. It’s a nice combination when fiction can both entertain and provoke you.”

Which was more challenging to do, The Da Vinci Code or Angels & Demons?

“I think Da Vinci Code was more challenging; it’s a more difficult story to adapt. The way the story moves...much of it is in the past, so a lot of things have to be explained and discussed. It works against the flow of a thriller sometimes. Angels is a clearer kind of genre story. So for me, as a director, Angels was easier to do. Also, I was probably more confident telling this story. I made more changes from the book because of that confidence, thinking of the film audiences and not so much only for the people who had read the book.”

Angels & Demons is your fourth collaboration with Tom (after Splash, Apollo 13 and The Da Vinci Code). I presume that you have developed a comfortable working relationship.

“Great. Just great! And I hope I will work with him in more Robert Langdon adventures and other films as well. Tom is a great talent, a wonderful collaborator. He thinks about the audience, not just trying to please them or pander to them but with respect. He really wants to give the audience something that they’ll feel is original and memorable.”

Some people think that Tom is miscast as Robert Langdon. What can you say about it?

“Obviously, I couldn’t disagree more. I think Tom is gaining a deeper sense of the character and how the character works. Tom has so much intelligence...that intellect and curiosity are something that he brings to the Robert Langdon character. I think that’s absolutely appropriate. Robert Langdon is not an action character; he’s a thinker, he’s an everyman, he’s like you or me suddenly thrown into remarkable circumstances.”