Saturday, March 07, 2009

New Book of Mormon Epic Movie



Editor's Note: Despite the economic downturn, the Top of the Morning staff is still on track to release a new Book of Mormon epic by the end of the year. Unlike previous attempts we've spent millions on casting just the right actors in every major role. The sets, special effects and costume design are academy award quality. And our on-location filming is worthy of top cinematography honors.

The script is one of the finest to grace the silver screen, but we're not blind enough to think we can overcome the most difficult obstacle in an epic project like this. The book is always better than the movie. Take a look at our Top of the Morning trailer and let us know what you think of our casting selections, special effects and award winning set designs.

We hope you agree that we've got a winner, but we need your feedback. Thanks for watching and thanks for posting a comment.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Isn't it sacreligious to cast Mel Gibson as Nephi? I'm pretty sure that in the fine print of the Book of Mormon you'll find that is says something about making sure that future actors have at least a portion of the character that those they are portraying did.

Sandra said...

Noelle, I was going to say something like that.

Otherwise, if I knew where the first release would be, I just might line up today.

Who was your on site choreographer? I used to be a choreographer and I must say whomever you used did an amazing job. Kudos to them.

Anonymous said...

I would have watched this movie.. i would have been there opening night.

David G. Woolley said...

Ethan:

We'll be sure to send you two tickets to opening night. Sound good?

Noelle:

Didn't Mel Gibbson do a movie on Jesus? That would mean that somewhere down in his violence-mongering soul there is at least the hope of a happy place where he goes to center himself. Somwhere?

Sandra:

We used some new state of the art digital imaging equipment

http://www.kidstechreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/img_1441.jpg

A top notch crew

http://www.filmacademy.com.hk/henry.jpg

But no choreographers:

http://www.mitrasafian.com/Web%20Balerina.jpg

Sandra said...

That would be the reason that I use the words "used to be" in my comment.

Anonymous said...

He he, what about my mom..?






Just kiddin mom.

Sandra said...

Ok, David, I just clicked on those links. Yeah, exactly the reason why I used past tense. ;)

Francie Jenson said...

Way to go Dave! That almost made us laugh as hard as we did when we saw that other Book of Mormon movie (the one you linked to).

We think you've got a winner with the soundtrack, for sure.

David G. Woolley said...

Francie & Company:

This aint no laughing matter. Millions of dollars. Hollywood's finest actors and actresses (we're still negotiating with Tamil Hindi Talugu to play the part of Sariah

See Tamil at her best right here: http://tamilo.com/Tamil_Actress_Profile/Photos/Indian_actress_Priyamani_sexy_film_movie_photos.jpg

And well, the script...I wrote it. What else could you ask for. It will take them five sequels just to get out of Jerusalem. Imagine. Forty full length features through the end of Jacob alone. Lucky for me we've got my big bucks behind this or we'd never be this far along in production. And, of course, we're taking a page out of the Lord of the Rings, movie making play book by filming all 143 full length features at the same time. Huge savings in everything from actor salaries, on location rights, and break-time snacks. These famous actor-types want caviar every between every take. Its really running up the cost over-runs. But like I said, we've spared no expense.

Sandra said...

I hope you have great make up artists (at least as good as your digital imaging equipment?) because Tamil is a bit young to be convincing as Mel Gibson's mother. But she does speak 5 languages...

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Francie Jenson said...

Oh great, yet another increase to the family budget ... 143 movies at $8 a ticket, 6 tickets per movie (hold on, will they all be family friendly?) -- yep that's definitely gonna be a significant expense.

Maybe I should talk to President Obama -- I think I have a strong case for needing some bail-out money!!!

jwoolley said...

I loved the trailer, and would go to see the movie, but not if Mel Gibson was Nephi.

At dinner last night we were talking about Mel Gibson, and Tyler called him an anti-Semitic racist. Pretty harsh, but he did have that little problem when he got arrested for drunk drving and said a lot of bad stuff.

Anyway, let me know when it comes to Rochester, MN...ha ha. I will be first in line.

Wight Family said...

Hang on a minute... Mel Gibson? I read the posts first, then watched the trailer. Are you totally taking me for a ride here? I am really gullible, but don't tease me like that! That movie would be great. Is it for real?

Cami said...

Blessed with both brilliance AND humor! Lucky us that you choose to share it! My son had just meandered into the room, looked over my shoulder and said, "RICHARD GERE is playing Helaman in a movie?!!!!" Lol! It's late......... :) :) :) I'm off to bed laughing as I go...Thanks once again.

David G. Woolley said...

Glad you're laughing Cami. Tell your son, yup, Richard is Helaman and he can be an extra if he's willing to get a really good tan and dye his hair black. We pay the MTC hourly rate.

Cami said...

The son who made that comment would have NO PROBLEM dying his hair black, wouldn't be the first time, :S a tan however, may be a problem. :) The fair skin gene, you understand. However, funny you should mention the MTC hourly rate :D :D :D! My OTHER son should be getting his call sometime in the next two or three days! We're waiting on pins and needles. Okay, on nails and corkscrews!

Anonymous said...

I watched your trailer and couldn't believe my eyes, WOW! I wouldn't change one thing!!!! Mel Gibson is an actor, what he does with his personal life is his business. What happened to(Free Agency)? The story needs to be told, the book is true and the world needs to be given the opportunity to know it! With a dynamic cast more people will be interested in viewing it. The actors which are top notch, will do the best job of being in character because thats what makes them great. Don't be disillusioned by the nay sayers, the world needs to know the story. .....This is an example of the true meaning, "The Work and the Glory". Members and Non- Members alike will appreciate
the quality if you can in fact get the cast and sets to be as you depicted them in the trailer. GOOD LUCK our family will be their opening night. WE plan on sharing this trailer with members of our Ward. Sincerely, Judith Smith

Reminiscent said...

I am so impressed with the work you are doing for the vast record of the Book of Mormon. I applaud all of your efforts and even though I just discovered your blog, I will be looking forward to your next post

Reminiscent said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

LDS Mormons Believe The seed of Cain and Ham are the Africans who where Cursed Black in the LDS Mormon Pearl of great Price Scriptures (This is not in the HOLY BIBLE)

". . . there was a blackness came upon all the children of Canaan, that they were despised among all people . . . (Pearl of Great Price Moses 7:8)."

"And . . . they were a mixture of all the seed of Adam save it was the seed of Cain, for the seed of Cain were black, and had not place among them (Pearl of Great Price Moses 7:22)."


This teaches White Mormons that Black skin is a CURSE FROM the Mormon GOD (THIS IS NOT IN THE HOLY BIBLE)

"...cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing...the Lord God did cause a skin of BLACKNESS to come upon them (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 5:21)"

"And the skins..were DARK,according to the MARK which was set upon their fathers..which WAS A CURSE upon them...(Book of Mormon,Alma 3:6)"

"and the CURSING which hath come upon their skins...(Book of Mormon, Jacob 3:5)"

David G. Woolley said...

Hey Anonymous:

Thanks for you comments about blackness and darkness. You are right. Those references do occur in the Book of Mormon. And you've got to wonder how a book of scripture that testifies powerfully of the divinity of Jesus Christ, his mission, and how faith in Christ blessed hundred of thousands of ancient people in the Americas. I certainly know the Book of Mormon is a work of scripture and that you can come closer to God be reading it, and praying about the prophetic message left to us by ancient prophets who lived in the western Hemisphere.

But again, why these apparently bigotted verses about skin color and race.

If you study ancient peoples you'll come to find out that first they weren't as race concious as we are today. So it wouldn't be out of the question for an ancient writer of scripture to equate darkness with "unlucky" which they did regularly. In fact, the color black and the the left hand, were both considered cursed and unlucky.

In the ancient Hebrew tradition, they stood with the back of their heads toward the Meditteranean, the word of west became back of the head, the word for east was forehead or brow, the word for south was right hand, and the north was considered cursed and unlucky and "dark" because left hand was the directional word for north.

In addition, the idea of a prophetic curse or a heavenly curse was considered again, dark, black, and unlucky and from the left or the "north". And when someone was considered to have sinned, or to lack the light of the gospel, or they were people "not of the covenant" or Gentile, they were considered cursed, or damned.

All the peoples of the bible, and the nations surrounding that small 150 mile by 75 mile tract of land were people of olive colored skin. The Egyptians, the Arbians, the Ethiopians, the Syrians, the Greeks, all had differing degrees of darker or less dark (but still dark) skin. And they often referred to other groups as having a curse of dark skin when they were referring to people who didn't have the gospel, didn't have prophets, didn't have prophecy, and most importantly didn't make covenants with God or in other words they were Gentile.

It isn't odd that Jews or pre-Jewish Abrahamic peoples would refer to people who did not make covenants with God or who were gentile as having a skin OR a coat of darkness. In fact, the coat of many colors Joseph who was sold into Egypt was given, was actually, according to a more accurate translation, was a coat of many cuts or a coat of many marks. The marks or cuts were a symbol of the priesthood lineage that his father Israel passed to Joseph, ahead of the birthright older sons. Hence some serious jelousy. The coat was often referred to as "skin". And it is understood by many biblical scholars that references to black or dark skin are likely references to groups of people who were gentiles, who didn't have the covenants given to the Jews.

It is very likely that these ancient references toward people who had a skin of blackness or a skin of darkness were actually references to people who did not posess preisthood authority and were, thus, unable to make binding coveants with God. They would be considered by Biblica peoples to literally, in their frame of mind, be people cursed with a skin of blackness. (This is too long and I have to post the rest in the next comment string...keep reading below)

David G. Woolley said...

In our modern day society, we are so far removed from ancient ideas, and ancient ways that we sometimes infer our ideas of race on sentiments that may be entirely erroneous to ancients.

The really interesting point you make, is that Joseph Smith, the translator of the both the Book of Mormon and the Pearl of Great Price was an anti-slavery proponent. He abhored the practice and was a champion of civil rights long before it was in vogue. It is yet another evidence that Joseph Smith didn't write either of those scriptures, but did, as he said he did, translate ancient texts by the gift and power of God.

I would highly reccomend you take some time to read the Book of Mormon. Pray over it. Let the holy spirit be your guide. I think you may find that the spirit will testify to your soul that it is, as the bible, the word of God, intended for our day.

Thanks for you comments. Come back again and often!

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scaddensquiggles said...

When is the next book in your series going to be printed? We've been waiting for a few years now...as patiently as possible. :)

JoeSheryl said...

we think the actors are perfect...

the world needs to see a movie about Church subjects with actors that they know!!! Out of obscurity!!

Roulette Odds said...

I have thought and have removed the idea