Coming
Attractions Exploring Heaven, Hell and Satan
Movie
What Dreams May Come (PolyGram Films, opens Oct.
2)
Think of it as Dante meets Mork and Mindy. Robin
Williams and Cuba Gooding Jr. take a tour of Heaven and Hell (its not
clear from promo materials if Purgatory is on the itinerary). Just as Dante did
far more to shape popular religious consciousness in his day than most
theologians ever did, this type of film both expresses and contributes to the
grassroots spiritual imagination of our time. Rated PG-13.
TV
The Devil: An Unauthorized Biography (Odyssey, Oct.
4, 9 p.m. ET) Think of this one as Kitty Kelley writing about Beelzebub.
Its a three-part special examining Satans roots in diverse
religious communities around the world. Part 1 looks at the roots of
Satan in Egypt and Mesopotamia, Part 2 at how religious authorities used the
devil as a political weapon in medieval Europe and Part 3 at images of the Lord
of Darkness in todays society. A BBC production.
National Catholic Reporter, October 2,
1998
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