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CENTRE PLACE LECTURES

Lectures and discussion on history, theology, philosophy, religious studies, comparative religion, neuroscience, and more.

A Historian and a Theologian React to "Exodus: Gods and Kings"
The Exodus story provided material for two of classic Hollywood’s greatest cast-of-thousands Bible epics, Cecil B. Demille’s 1923 silent film classic “The Ten Commandments,” and his epic 1956 remake of the same name, starring Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner. In 2014, director Ridley Scott (of “Alien” and “Blade Runner” fame) mined the same material, producing a CGI-heavy action-adventure movie, “Exodus: Gods and Kings,” with a cast that included Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, Sigourney Weaver, and Ben Kingsley. In his portrayal of everything from the plagues that come upon Egypt to the parting of the Red Sea, interviewers noted that Scott “wanted to convey the sense that everything could be natural phenomenon, like an eclipse or tsunami, not just someone waving a stick at the sea” (presumably referencing DeMille’s work). The movie was released to “mixed reviews,” including charges of being untrue to the source material. Having never before seen the movie, John Hamer and Leandro Palacios of Toronto Centre Place will watch “Exodus: Gods and Kings” and share their reactions.
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