Angels and Demons Fan Site

Trivia for Angels and Demons

2009-05-25T05:45:00.000-07:00

This movie became the first big-screen casualty of the Hollywood writer's strike in 2007, because Akiva Goldsman's script still needed work, and he was on strike with the Writers Guild of America. So, production of the movie had to be postponed.
The production had to build a scale replica of St. Peter's Square since Vatican officers banned the movie from being filmed in its grounds.
Although the novel upon which this film is based is set before the events of the novel The Da Vinci Code, the film has been written as a sequel to follow after events in The Da Vinci Code (2006).

Naomi Watts was originally cast as Vittoria.
Alfred Molina who played Aringarosa in The Da Vinci Code (2006) did the voice over for this movie's first trailer.
Thure Lindhardt was nearly cast as Silas in The Da Vinci Code (2006). Ron Howard liked his audition so much that he offered him the role of Chartrand in this movie.

Movie Review by "A Nutshell Review"

2009-05-24T05:50:00.000-07:00

Is That You, God?

Tom Hanks returns as Dan Brown's symbologist Robert Langdon in his first adventure Angels & Demons, which Hollywood decided to make after The Da Vinci Code, given the latter's more controversial subject striking a raw nerve on the faith itself. The Catholic Church was up in arms over the first film, but seemingly nonchalant about this one. And it's not hard to see why, considering Ron Howard had opted to do a flat-out action piece that serves as a great tourism video of Rome and Vatican City, and would probably boost visitor numbers given the many beautiful on-location scenes, save for St Peter's Square and Basilica which was a scaled model used.

So I guess with the bulk of the budget going toward the sets, the ensemble cast had to be correspondingly scaled down. Ayelet Zurer tried to step into the female void left by Audrey Tautou, but given Tautou's character then having a lot more stake in the earlier film, Zurer's scientist Vittoria had a lot less to do other than just waiting in the wings to change some batteries on a canister filled with anti-matter. In the book she's the fodder of course for Langdon to converse his vast knowledge of the Vatican, the Illuminati and the great feud between the two, but here she's neither love interest, nor his intellectual equal.

Ewan McGregor on the other hand, chews up each scene he's in as Camerlengo Patrick McKenna, who is temporarily taking care of the Papal office while the other prominent cardinals are in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new Pope. And he plays Patrick with that glint in the eye, with nuances enough to let you know there's more than meets the eye. There's no surprises here for readers of the novel, but McGregor's performance here is one of the highlights of the film as Hanks plays well, Tom Hanks.

The book itself is rich with arguably accurate content as always, and had a lot more plot points on science versus religion, and a wealth of information that Dan Brown researched and linked together in an engaging fictional piece of work. While reading the book some years ago, I thought that should a film be made of it, it's easy to lapse and dwell more on the set action pieces. Sadly, that's what this Ron Howard film did, with a pace that doesn't allow a temporary breather. Unlike the first film where you had the characters sit down for some "discussion time" over a cup of tea, this one moved things along so quickly, it's like reading the book all over again, page after page being skipped just to get to the thick of the action.

Catholic reviewers have called Angels & Demons harmless, because I guess it didn't dwell on its many controversies, unlike The Da Vinci Code which struck a raw nerve at the centre of the faith with its theories. And if anything, this film served as a great tourism promotional video with a nice showcase of the many prominent touristy landmarks that would entice many around the world to go pay a visit. Naturally certain areas like the catacombs beneath St Peter's Basilica, and the Vatican archives remain out of bounds, but the walk along the Path of Illumination, now that's almost free.

Nothing new for those who have read the book other than to see it come alive, but for those who haven't, this film may just compel you to pick up Dan Brown's novel just to read a bit more about the significance about the landmarks, and characters such as Galileo, Michelangelo and Bernini who are intricately linked to the plot, but much left unsaid. Satisfying pop-corn entertainment leaving you with nothing spectacular.

and since this is a blog after all, taken from my 2004 trip to Europe which included pit stops in Rome and Vatican City. This was in 2004 before you have Tours like these which make your life easier.

St Pietro's Basilica

Castel St Angelo

Castel St Angelo and Bridge of Angels

The Pantheon

The Pantheon Dome

Piazza San Pietro

Inside St Pietro Basilica

View From The Top of St Pietro Basilica

Piazza St Pietro

Piazza St Pietro

En Route to Capella Sistina

Water

Story Summary: For illuminati Beginners

2009-05-22T06:03:00.000-07:00

Angels & Demons is a bestselling mystery novel by American author Dan Brown. The novel revolves around the quest of fictional Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon to unravel the mysteries of a secret society called the Illuminati, and preclude a plot from annihilating the Vatican City using destructive antimatter. The story recounts the conflict between science and religion that brought the establishment of the Illuminati, and, after centuries of non-existence, the group is thought to have resurfaced for retribution against the Roman Catholic Church.

Published in 2000, it introduces the character Robert Langdon, who is also the principal character of Brown's subsequent novel, The Da Vinci Code. It also shares many stylistic elements with the latter, such as conspiracies of secret societies, a single-day time frame, and the Roman Catholic Church. Ancient history, architecture, and symbolism are heavily referenced throughout the novel. A film adaptation of the same name is due for release on May 15, 2009.

Plot summary
The plot follows Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, as he tries to stop what seems to be the Illuminati, a legendary secret society, from destroying the Vatican City with the newly-discovered power of antimatter.

CERN director Maximilian Kohler discovers one of the facility's most respected physicists, Leonardo Vetra, murdered in his own secured, private quarter at the facility. His chest is branded with a symbol—the ambigramatic "Illuminati"—and his eye is dislodged. Instead of calling the police, Kohler researches the topic on the Internet and finally gains contact with Langdon, an expert on the Illuminati. Kohler requests his assistance in uncovering the murderer.

What Langdon finds at the murder scene frightens him: the symbol appears to be authentic, and the legendary secret society, long thought to be defunct, seems to have resurfaced. Kohler calls Vetra's adopted daughter Vittoria to the scene, and it is later revealed that the Illuminati has also stolen a canister containing a quarter of a gram of antimatter—an extremely dangerous substance with destructive potential comparable to a small nuclear weapon, a potential unleashed upon contact with any form of normal matter. When charged with electricity at CERN, the canister's magnetic field controls the drop of antimatter to float suspended in a high vacuum, ensuring safety; but when it was taken away from its electricity supply, it automatically switched to its back-up battery, which will only power it for 24 hours. The horrible truth is that the Illuminati has put the stolen canister somewhere in Vatican City, with a security camera in front of it as its digital clock counts down to the explosion.

Langdon and Vittoria make their way to Vatican City, where the Pope has recently died, and the Il conclave has convened to elect the new pontiff. Cardinal Mortati, host of the election, discovers that the four Preferiti, cardinals who are considered to be the most likely candidates in the current Il election, are missing. After they arrive, Langdon and Vittoria begin searching for the Preferiti in hopes that they will also find the antimatter canister in the process. Their search is assisted by Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca (the late pope's closest aide) and the Vatican's Swiss Guard, including Commander Olivetti, Captain Rocher and Lieutenant Chartrand.

Convinced that the Illuminati are in some way responsible for the disappearance of the Preferiti, Langdon attempts to retrace the steps of the so-called "Path of Illumination", an ancient and elaborate process once used by the Illuminati as a means of induction of new members; prospective candidates for the Order were required to follow a series of subtle clues left in various landmarks in and around the Vatican City. If the candidate followed the clues properly, he would be able to locate the secret meeting place of the Illuminati and be granted membership in the Order. Using his extensive knowledge of religious and occult history, Langdon sets off on the Path of Illumination in hopes of uncovering clues as to the disappearance of the Preferiti and the location of the antimatter canister.

The Path leads Langdon to four major locations in Rome (Vatican City is within the city of Rome), each associated with what the Illuminati believed to be the four primordial elements of all things in existence: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Upon arriving at each location, Langdon finds one of the Preferiti murdered in a fashion appropriate to the location's respective element: The first cardinal was buried and had soil lodged in his throat (Earth); the second's lungs were pierced (Air); the third was engulfed in flames and burned alive (Fire); and the fourth was drowned in a large fountain (Water).

After finding the bodies of the first two Preferiti (Earth and Air), Langdon hurries to the Santa Maria della Vittoria Basilica and finds the Preferiti's abductor in the act of setting the cardinal on fire. The kidnapper, who is also responsible for the Leonardo Vetra's murder and the theft of the antimatter canister, is an unnamed Hassassin who is working under the orders of the Illuminati master "Janus", whose true identity is unknown. Commander Olivetti dies and Langdon is nearly killed himself in this encounter with the Hassassin, who manages to kidnap Vittoria. Langdon manages to escape and meets the Hassassin yet again at the final element's landmark (Water), but is unable to save the fourth cardinal.

Langdon nevertheless attempts to complete the Path of Illumination in order to find the Hassassin and rescue Vittoria. His search leads him to an abandoned castle-like structure with an underground tunnel leading directly into the Pope's chambers in the Vatican. Langdon frees Vittoria, and together they send the Hassassin falling several hundred feet to his death. The two hurry back to St. Peter's Basilica, where they find that Kohler has arrived to confront the camerlengo in private. Langdon and Vittoria fear that Kohler is Janus, and that he has come to murder the camerlengo as the final step in his plot against the Church. Hearing the camerlengo scream in agony, the Swiss Guards burst into the room and open fire on Kohler. Just before he dies, Kohler gives Langdon a videotape that he claims will explain everything.

With time on the canister running out, the Swiss Guard begins to evacuate the Basilica. As he is exiting the church, the camerlengo apparently goes into a trance and rushes back into the Basilica, claiming that he has received a vision from God revealing the location of the antimatter canister. With Langdon and a few others in pursuit, the camerlengo ventures deep into the catacombs beneath the Basilica and finds the canister sitting atop the tomb of Saint Peter. Langdon and the camerlengo retrieve the antimatter and get in a helicopter with only 5 minutes to spare. The camerlengo manages to parachute safely onto the roof of St. Peter's just as the canister explodes harmlessly in the sky. Langdon's fate is not immediately known, as there was not a second parachute on board the helicopter. The crowd in St. Peter's Square look in awe as the camerlengo stands triumphantly before them. Because of this "miracle", the Papal Conclave debate whether exception should be made to elect the camerlengo as the new Pope. Robert Langdon survived the explosion by using a window cover from the chopper as a parachute and landed in the Tiber River near Tiber Island, which is famous for its reputation as an island blessed with miracles of healing. He is hurt, but not seriously.

Langdon returns to St. Peter's and views Kohler's tape with the College of Cardinals. Langdon, Vittoria, and the cardinals confront the camerlengo in the Sistine Chapel, where the truth is finally revealed. Shortly before the events of the novel, the Pope was scheduled to meet with Leonardo Vetra concerning his research at CERN. Vetra, a devout Catholic, believed that science was capable of establishing a link between Man and God, a belief that was manifested by his research on antimatter. Vetra's beliefs caused great discomfort to the camerlengo, who firmly believed that the Church alone, not science, should dictate the moral creed of the Christian faithful. While discussing Vetra, the Pope reveals that his support is due to science having created him a miracle: a son conceived by artificial insemination. Horrified that the Pope has fathered a child, the camerlengo plots to "rectify" the situation. He poisoned the Pope and, under the guise of an Illuminati master (Janus), he recruited the Hassassin, a killer fueled by the same zeal and animus towards the Church as his ancestors during The Crusades, to kill Vetra, steal the antimatter, and kidnap and murder the Preferiti just as the papal conclave was set to convene. The camerlengo planted the antimatter in St. Peter's and feigned his last-minute "vision" from God in order to be seen as a hero and the savior of Christendom by those who witnessed his brave acts. The Illuminati thus had no actual role in any of the novel's events, and its "involvement" was merely a plot engineered by the camerlengo to cover his own plans. As Langdon suspected from the very beginning, the Order of the Illuminati was indeed long extinct.

As one final twist, it is revealed that Camerlengo Ventresca was the birth son of the late Pope, conceived through artificial insemination. Suddenly overcome with grief and guilt at having caused so much death, especially that of his own father, Ventresca soaks himself in oil and immolates himself before a crowd of onlookers in St. Peter's Square. The conclave elects Cardinal Mortati as the new pope. In an ironic twist, through a quibble, a loophole in the papal election process known as election by acclamation, two popes were chosen - Ventresca by all the cardinals cheering his name before he lights himself on fire, and Mortati through normal means.

Langdon and Vittoria retire to the Hotel Bernini. Lieutenant Chartrand delivers a letter and package to Langdon from the new Pope. The package is the 'Illuminati Diamond' brand, which is loaned indefinitely to Langdon.

Dan Brown's new novel to release

2009-05-22T04:33:00.000-07:00

BREAKING NEWS:
Dan Brown's new novel
THE LOST SYMBOL
To be published September 15, 2009
Click here for more information

Celebrated author Dan Brown has completed the third book in his Da Vinci Code trilogy - a month ahead of the release of movie prequel Angels & Demons.

The Lost Symbol is slated to hit bookstores in September and is set to become one of the year's biggest sellers.

Sony Columbia Pictures movie executives are expected to snap up the rights to the book - and continue the saga's film franchise, in which Tom Hanks plays religious code breaker Robert Langdon.

The third book will have an initial print run of five million copies. The Da Vinci Code is the best-selling hardcover adult novel of all time.

Movie Characters Summary

2009-05-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Robert Langdon - A professor of symbology at Harvard University and the main protagonist of the novel. He is flown to CERN to help investigate the murder of Leonardo Vetra. He is described as wearing a pair of chinos pants, turtleneck, and tweed jacket. His name is a tribute to John Langdon.
Leonardo Vetra - A scientist working at CERN and a priest. He is researching on antimatter when he is murdered by the Hassassin. He is also the adoptive father of Vittoria.
Vittoria Vetra - The adopted daughter of Vetra. She, like her father, works with CERN. Her research focuses on biology and physics. The reader learns early in the novel that Vittoria worked with her father in their research of antimatter.
Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca - The Camerlengo (Papal Chamberlain) during the conclave. He murdered the pope, who is later revealed to have been his father. He is also Janus in the novel, named after the Roman god of beginnings and ends, in dealing with the Hassassin.
Cardinal Saverio Mortati - The most senior cardinal in the conclave, and the current Dean of the College of Cardinals. He was the Devil's Advocate for the late pope.
Commander Olivetti - The commandant of the Swiss Guard. He is initially skeptical on the claims of Langdon and Vittoria until he talks with the Hassassin. He, along with other Swiss Guards, search desperately for the missing antimatter hidden somewhere at the Vatican. He is killed by the Hassassin at the church of Santa Maria della Vittoria.
Captain Rocher - The second in command after Commander Olivetti. He is contacted by Max Kohler telling his knowledge on the real cause of the events. He is killed by Lt. Chartrand, who was under the impression that Rocher was an Illuminatus.
Hassassin - The killer hired by Janus, the Camerlengo in disguise, to fulfill his plans. He is of Middle Eastern origin and displays his sadistic lust for women throughout the novel. He murders Leonardo Vetra, the Preferiti, and Commander Olivetti. He dies after being pushed from a balcony by Langdon at the Castel Sant'Angelo and breaking his back on a pile of cannonballs below.
Maximilian Kohler - The director of CERN. He is feared at CERN despite his paralysis. His wheelchair contains electronic gadgets such as a computer, telephone, pager, video camera, and a gun. He contacts Langdon to help him find the killer of his friend, Leonardo Vetra. He blames the Church for his paralysis, due to his highly religious parents denying him medical care as a child, becoming a scientist as a way to rebel.
Gunther Glick and Chinita Macri - A reporter and camera crew for the BBC. They are contacted by the Hassassin regarding the events happening in the Vatican. Glick has a notorious reputation as a sensationalist and conspiracy theorist journalist. Macri, meanwhile, is a veteran camera crew and a foil to Glick. They have the first-hand account on the events in the novel, from the beginning of the conclave to the election of Mortati as pope.
Lieutenant Chartrand - A young Swiss Guard. He, together with Commander Olivetti and Cptn. Rocher, search desperately for the antimatter hidden somewhere in the Vatican. He shoots and kills Captain Rocher after he is mistaken as an Illuminatus. In the end of the novel, he is sent by the new pope to give the Illuminati Diamond as an indefinite loan to Langdon.
Cardinal Ebner - One of the four Preferiti and a cardinal from Frankfurt, Germany. He is killed by asphyxation, by means of putting dirt and soil into his mouth.
Cardinal Lamassé - One of the four Preferiti and a cardinal from Paris, France. He is killed by puncturing his lungs.
Cardinal Guidera - One of the four Preferiti and a cardinal from Barcelona, Spain. He is hanged and incinerated.
Cardinal Baggia - One of the four Preferiti and a cardinal from Milan, Italy and the favorite to succeed as the new pope. He was drowned.
Sylvie Baudeloque - Secretary to Maximillian Kohler.

Silly faces of Tom Hanks in Angels and Demons

2009-05-21T03:02:00.000-07:00

Sexy Ayelet Zurer Again Photos

2009-05-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

Ayelet Zurer was born and raised in Tel Aviv. After finishing her military service, she moved to New York, where she developed her acting skills at the New Actors Workshop School.

Zurer moved back to Israel in 1991. In 1992, she starred in the television series Inyan Shel Zman, and in 1993, she played the lead role in the Israeli film Nikmato Shel Itzik Finkelstein. During this time she also participated in the cable television show Yetziat Hirum.

In 1997, Zurer played the role of Shira Shteinberg in the television show Florentin on the Israeli Channel 2. In the following year she achieved the lead role in the film Ahava Asura (aka The Dybbuk of the Holy Apple Field) starring Moshe Ivgy.

In 2000, Zurer participated in the Israeli television series Zinzana. In 2001, she starred in the movies Laila Lelo Lola and Kikar Ha'Halomot, and in 2002, she participated in the Israeli television series Shalva and Ha'Block.

In 2003, Zurer starred in Nina's Tragedies, portraying the title character, Nina, in one of her best known roles. Nina's role depicts a passionate young woman who must carve out a new life for herself after her husband's sudden death. She has won an Israeli Academy Award for Best Actress for this role.

In 2005, Zurer starred in the Israeli hit television series, Betipul, a widely popular drama about a psychologist and his patients' therapy process. She played the role of Na'ama Lerner, a seductive patient who initiates a romance with the doctor (portrayed by Assi Dayan). The series won her a Best Actress award from the Israeli Television Academy and was remade as the highly successful Emmy-and-Golden Globe-winning HBO series, In Treatment.

She participated, in 2006, in an Israeli television sketch-comedy series, Gomrot Holchot set in the context of young women's attention to relationships, marriage, sexuality, and careers. The show was inspired by the British sketch comedy show Smack the Pony.

Zurer's first international role was in Steven Spielberg's Munich (which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture), where she played Eric Bana's wife. She later played the role of an exotic terrorist, Veronica, in the American thriller Vantage Point, appearing alongside Dennis Quaid, William Hurt and Sigourney Weaver. Her next international role was in Paul Schrader's Adam Resurrected, where she played Gina Grey, a nurse who falls in love with the title character, Adam Stein, a disturbed Holocaust survivor played by Jeff Goldblum.

In 2007, Zurer starred in Fugitive Pieces, the story of a boy who survives the Holocaust in Greece and becomes a troubled young adult who falls in love with her character.

In April 2008, Zurer was cast as the female lead, Vittoria Vetra, in the The Da Vinci Code prequel, Angels & Demons^[1], chosen over more well-known stars, including Naomi Watts, who had been in talks for the role. Zurer's character is the daughter of a CERN physicist who, after her father's murder, pairs with Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) on a journey to uncover the mystery behind her father's death and stop a terrorist plot.

Zurer has also been involved in theatre. She has appeared in Israeli plays such as Ha'Yoreshet, Madrich Nashim Le'Tohu Va'Vohu, Bigdei Ha'Melech, Bo'u Lo Nedaber Al Ze, Ohavim Et Ophal, and Monologim Me'Ha'Vaginah (The Vagina Monologues). In the United States, she has appeared in plays such as A Midsummer Night's Dream and Richard III.

Zurer has also modeled for fashion companies such as HONiGMAN and Golf. She was chosen ninth in TCCandler.com's 100 most beautiful faces of 2008.^[2]

As well for her work at acting, Zurer has illustrated the pictures for the 1999 fantasy book Be'Edulina by Gabi Nitzan, an Israeli author.

As of 2007, Zurer lives in California with her husband Gilad Londovski and their son, Liad, born in 2005.

Angels and Demons Game on iPhone

2009-05-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Click the link below and your itunes will open.

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=313193427&mt=8&uo=4&v0=WWW-NAUS-ITMS-TRAILERS-APPLICATIONS

Who is Ayelet Zurer?

2009-05-20T02:21:00.000-07:00

A new face in Hollywood, Ayelet Zurer is one of the most acclaimed actresses in Israel.

She plays a strong woman not by showing off superhero skills but by being smart and subtle.

By Rachel Abramowitz > > >
May 14, 2009

To be a strong woman, one has to know how to kick butt with the high kick of a Vegas dancer, wisecrack menacingly and wriggle seductively with the look-at-me panache of a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. ¶ That would be the wisdom espoused by the Hollywood blockbuster -- movies of the "Charlie's Angels" and "Transformers" variety. ¶ Israeli actress Ayelet Zurer subscribes to a more complicated, multidimensional vision of female strength, which the actress is bringing to her first Hollywood would-be blockbuster, Ron Howard's "Angels & Demons," opening Friday. ¶ The 39-year-old, sometimes referred to in the press as the Julia Roberts of Israel, first burst into American consciousness four years ago as the luminously beautiful pregnant wife of the Israeli terrorist-hunter portrayed by Eric Bana in Steven Spielberg's "Munich," then turned around to play a fierce, seductive terrorist herself in the fun "Rashomon"-type thriller "Vantage Point." ¶ Now Zurer steps up as Tom Hanks' brainy cohort in the follow-up to Howard's "The Da Vinci Code." This ruthlessly efficient, beautifully designed film could also be called "24, the Papal Edition," down to the time-stamps that appear on-screen every 10 minutes or so. Again, Hanks dons the role as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, albeit with fewer pounds and better hair than last time.

Zurer takes on the truth-seeking Italian physicist Vittoria Vetra. The plot revolves around a secret society of vengeful intellectuals, the Illuminati, who want to get back at the science-scorning Catholic Church of history by killing cardinals every hour on the hour and planting under Vatican City an explosive canister of anti-matter, which Langdon must find and dispose of within 24 hours with Vetra's help.

According to Howard, Zurer beat out eight other actresses who also had screen-tested with Hanks. "There's something very unself-conscious and honest and earthy about Ayelet," says Howard, "and yet she has the capacity to deal with the scientific jargon in a way that felt honest and she felt comfortable with it."

Movie Review [video]

2009-05-19T20:30:00.000-07:00

Movie Review [video]

History of "Illuminati"

2009-05-19T06:36:00.000-07:00

Illuminati (plural of Latin illuminatus, "enlightened") is a name that refers to several groups, both historical and modern, and both real and fictitious. Historically, it refers specifically to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on May 1, 1776. In modern times it is also used to refer to a purported conspiratorial organization which acts as a shadowy "power behind the throne," allegedly controlling world affairs through present day governments and corporations, usually as a modern incarnation or continuation of the Bavarian Illuminati. In this context, Illuminati is often used in reference to a New World Order (NWO). Many conspiracy theorists believe the Illuminati are the masterminds behind events that will lead to the establishment of such a New World Order. Confusing the issue further is the fact that there are also several modern fraternal groups which include the word "Illuminati" in their names.

This movement was founded on May 1, 1776, in Ingolstadt (Upper Bavaria), by Jesuit-taught Adam Weishaupt (d. 1830),^[1] who was the first lay professor of canon law at the University of Ingolstadt.^[2] The movement was made up of freethinkers, as an offshoot of the Enlightenment,^[3] which some contemporary writers like Seth Payson believed was a conspiracy to infiltrate and overthrow the governments of many European states.^[4] Some writers, like Augustin Barruel and John Robison, even claimed that the Illuminati were behind the French revolution, a claim that Jean-Joseph Mounier dismissed in his book On the Influence Attributed to Philosophers, Free-Masons, and to the Illuminati on the Revolution of France.^[5]

The group's adherents were given the name "Illuminati," although they called themselves "Perfectibilists". The group has also been called the Illuminati Order and the Bavarian Illuminati, and the movement itself has been referred to as Illuminism (after illuminism). In 1777, Karl Theodor became ruler of Bavaria. He was a proponent of Enlightened Despotism and, in 1784, his government banned all secret societies, including the Illuminati.

During the period when it was legally allowed to operate, many influential intellectuals and progressive politicians counted themselves as members, including Ferdinand of Brunswick and the diplomat Xavier von Zwack, who was also the number two man in the operation and was caught with much of the group's documentation when his home was searched.^[6] The Illuminati's members pledged obedience to their superiors, and were divided into three main classes, each with several degrees. The order had its branches in most countries of the European continent; it reportedly had around 2,000 members over the span of 10 years.^[2] The scheme had its attraction for literary men, such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Johann Gottfried Herder, and even for the reigning dukes of Gotha and Weimar. Internal rupture and panic over succession preceded its downfall, which was effected by the Secular Edict made by the Bavarian government in 1785.

Win a Tour to Rome

2009-05-19T03:19:00.000-07:00

Seems French People Get the first head off...

Angels and Demons Movie Summary

2009-05-19T01:46:00.001-07:00

Look out for the plot hole! Scene from Angels & Demons

For those not blessed with the gift of faith, it is sometimes hard to tell what will enrage the devout. It could be a stray oath, a passing reference to monkeys, or a silly, contrived Hollywood blockbuster that is actually trying to do them a favour. Take the recent case of the Vatican, which was so irked by the prospect of a sequel to The Da Vinci Code (the 2006 adaptation of the Dan Brown bestseller) that it banned the film-makers from shooting in Rome's churches and is still weighing up calls for a boycott. But what's the problem here, exactly? Angels and Demons comes to save Catholicism, not bury it. Its only sin is stupidity.

Tom Hanks returns as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, spouting great reams of expository dialogue as he scurries through secret passages and totters over rooftops. Brown's source novel was actually published before The Da Vinci Code, though the film is – crucially – set afterwards. Having infuriated the authorities on his previous adventure, Langdon is summoned back to make amends. Following the death of the old Pope, a clandestine, science-worshipping society – the Illuminati – have kidnapped four cardinals and planted a bomb in the Vatican City. That's bad. Happily the Illuminati have also posted a video that both outlines their plans in considerable detail and provides a number of clues for Langdon to pick over. That's good, because without these clues we would have no plot, and no excuse for our hero to go puffing laboriously from one church to another, racing against the clock to find those cardinals and defuse that bomb; talking, talking all the while.

Joining him on this quest is a foxy physicist (Ayelet Zurer) and a fresh-faced, progressive priest (Ewan McGregor) who may just turn out to be the Messiah. Elsewhere, Stellan Skarsgård plays the truculent head of the Swiss Guard, eyeing Langdon with a beady-eyed suspicion, while Armin Mueller-Stahl's silky cardinal steps up to inform us that "religion is flawed, but only because men is [sic] flawed". Fair enough, but time is fast running out. At 8pm the first victim winds up dead, and the runes and symbols turn more opaque. Langdon has until midnight to figure them out. After that the entire city will be razed by what is known in Latin as the Great Kablamo.

Angels and Demons is directed with a dogged, fawning efficiency by Ron Howard, who also oversaw The Da Vinci Code. On this occasion, the tone is less contentious, and possibly less cavalier as well. The film's argument seems to be that while there are a few bad apples in the Catholic church, the institution itself is well worth fighting for, and that science is hardly any better – particularly when it produces things that might blow up and kill people.

Justifying the Vatican's refusal to allow access to its holy sites, a spokesman explained that "normally we read the script, but this time it was not necessary. The name Dan Brown was enough". One hesitates to accuse the diocese of rushing to judgement, or of being too unresponsive, too shackled to old ways of thinking. But really. Dismiss Angels and Demons on its merits by all means. Howard's adaptation is unwieldy, elephantine and frequently foolish. But in its bumbling fashion it means no harm and even wants to help. What a conversion. Where the Dan Brown franchise once gave offence, it now mounts a glossy, multimillion dollar act of atonement.

Photos of Tome Hanks

2009-05-18T05:57:00.000-07:00

Rome Tour goes hot

2009-05-18T02:09:00.000-07:00

The Westin does Angels & Demons in Rome

Come out of hiding, closet Dan Brown fans. Come out of hiding and get thee to The Westin Excelsior in Rome!

In conjunction with the release of the new movie of Angels & Demons, The Westin Excelsior Rome (above) has partnered with Sony Pictures to create a lavish Angels & Demons Experience package that will run until early 2010.

The Angels & Demons Experience includes:

Luxury accommodation in a double room
The official Angels & Demons private or group tour
20% off at the hotel's restaurant and bars
20% off the Angels & Demons theme menu at the Doney restaurant

Does the music on that website remind anyone else of Flight of the Navigator? Just checking.

"With the movie set primarily in Rome, this is the ideal opportunity to offer movie lovers and others a truly special and unique way to explore the city and get to know some of the movie's original sites," says Mary Goss Robino, Senior Vice President of Global Marketing Partnerships for Sony Pictures. "We are delighted to be working with Westin Hotels & Resorts on this once in a lifetime package."

I enjoyed the book (What? It argues that science and religion don't conflict -- interesting stuff!), and I bet the locations you'll get to on your four hour private or group tour will be pretty great. If I remember correctly, you'll be visiting Santa Maria del Popolo church, Piazza del Popolo, Saint Peter's Square, Santa Maria della Vittoria church, the Pantheon, Piazza della Minerva, Piazza Navona, and Castel Sant'Angelo, as well as the Pope's private chambers at The Vatican and Switzerland (that's where CERN is). But, you know, no guarantees on those last two.

The Angels & Demons Experience packages are available for booking now, starting at €326 (about $443.76), and Angels & Demons the movie is coming May 15th!

Angels and Demons Theme Music Download

2009-05-18T01:18:00.000-07:00

Right Click and do "Save As..."

Theme Music 1
Theme Music 2
Theme Music 3
Theme Music 4

Movie Press Conference Photos

2009-05-18T01:15:00.000-07:00

ROME -- The world premiere of Ron Howard's "Angels & Demons" took place here Monday amid enthusiastic crowds and almost no evidence of the controversy that has surrounded the project since filming started in the Italian capital 11 months ago.

Howard, author Dan Brown, and stars Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor and Ayelet Zurer were among those on hand for the elaborate premiere at the Auditorium Parco della Musica, known in international film circles as the home of the Rome International Film Festival each October.

Angels and Demons Movie Trailers Download

2009-05-18T01:13:00.000-07:00

Angels and Demons Trailers Download。

Ipod格式(mp4)

高清格式(QuickTime) 180M

PSP格式

Angels and Demons Movie Clips - Break Out Scene

2009-05-17T20:36:00.000-07:00

The Top 10 Most Famous Ambigrams

2009-05-17T06:07:00.000-07:00

While thousands of ambigrams are in circulation, only a handful of these magical designs have risen above individual usage to become part of mainstream products.

To make our list of the Most Famous Ambigrams, an ambigram had to 1) be part of a mainstream product, 2) be exposed to a large number of people and 3) be a rotationally symmetric ambigram.

Here is the list of the “Top 10 Most Famous Ambigrams” from Ambigram.com:

Paul McCartney - Chaos and Creation in the Backyard

Paul McCartney’s album “Chaos and Creation in the Backyard” featured an ambigram of the words “Paul McCartney” on the album cover. Although the album was not a huge commercial success, the album was the biggest to feature an ambigram on the cover.
Princess Bride 20th Anniversary Edition

The 20th Anniversary Edition of the movie “the Princess Bride” featured an ambigram on the cover of the DVD and Blu-Ray releases. The Princess Bride ambigram was accompanied by a photo that appears at first as a reflection, but upon closer inspection has some subtle insights into the story’s plotline.
Glam Rock Band "Angel"

Glam rock band “Angel”, whose members always dressed in white, adopted a Robert Petrick ambigram logo of the band’s name in 1976 and continued to use it until 1992.
"New Man" Clothing Company's ambigram logo

French clothing company “New Man” began using this Raymond Loewy designed ambigram in 1969…and they are still using it today.
NASA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) logo

Scott Kim created the logo for NASA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES), and since there is no “up” in space, the satellite’s logo is a rotational ambigram.
Angels and Demons Illuminati ambigram

The first ambigram encountered in Dan Brown’s book “Angels and Demons” is the Illuminati ambigram, which launches the lead character Robert Langdon (played by Tom Hanks in the movie adaptation) on his quest. The ambigram was drawn by artist John Langdon, who lends his surname to the lead character in the story.
"Angels and Demons" Earth Ambigram

Since the “Angels and Demons” book was such a big success (reportedly the second most popular book in America among people 32-43 years old), the rest of this Top 10 list is monopolized by the designs in the book. Here is the Earth ambigram, drawn by John Langdon.
"Angels and Demons" Air Ambigram

The “Air” custom ambigram from “Angels and Demons”, by John Langdon.
"Angels and Demons" Fire Ambigram

The “Fire” ambigram from “Angels and Demons”, which is at the center of one of the most gruesome parts of the story.
"Angels and Demons" Water Ambigram

Finally, to round out the Top 10, here is the Angels and Demons ambigram of “Water”, also drawn by John Langdon.

There you have it. The “Top 10 Most Famous Ambigrams” from Ambigram.com, with fully HALF of the list from author Dan Brown and artist John Langdon!

In fact, if we were to extend the list further to the “Top 12 Most Famous Ambigrams“, the “Illuminati Diamond” final ambigram in “Angels and Demons” and the books ambigram title (in certain regions) would populate the remaining spots!

So, to say that “Angels and Demons” has had an impact on the ambigram space would be a huge understatement.

Official Movie ScreenSaver Download

2009-05-17T01:12:00.000-07:00

Official Computer ScreenSaver Download(PC)

Download Here。

More Movie Screenshots

2009-05-17T01:11:00.000-07:00

Germany Movie Poster

2009-05-17T01:10:00.000-07:00

Why they change the movie name to "illuminati"?

Angels and Demons Movie Clips - Science vs. Religion Favorite

2009-05-16T20:39:00.000-07:00

Angels and Demons Movie Clips - Set Up Scene

2009-05-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

Free 'illuminati' iPhone Game

2009-05-16T06:58:00.000-07:00

Click the link below and your itunes will open.

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=309334218&mt=8&v0=WWW-NAUS-ITMS-TRAILERS-APPLICATIONS

Hanks' Sex Scenes Cut

2009-05-16T06:28:00.000-07:00

Tom Hanks was forced to omit sex scenes his new movie Angels & Demons - because there just wasn't any time for "smooching" in the action-packed film.

Hanks stars as Harvard professor Robert Langdon who investigates the murder of a physicist and a terrorist act against the Vatican by a secret brotherhood.

But moviemakers had to downplay the blossoming romance between Hanks' character and his female companion, played by Ayelet Zurer. And the actor is disappointed he didn't get to kiss his pretty co-star.

He tells Parade magazine, "We really don't have time to make out or go to bed when Cardinals are being killed on the hour. We tried to work it into the screenplay over and over again. We were like, 'Isn't there a bigger car with a bigger backseat?'

"But we were stuck with an Alfa Romeo so we didn't have an opportunity to grab some smooching on the way to the Pantheon or the Piazza Del Poppolo. It's my loss, but I think it did make it easier for Ayelet."

Ayelet Zurer in HOT

2009-05-16T02:13:00.000-07:00

Book Review by "W. R. Greer" - Angels and Demons

2009-05-16T01:33:00.000-07:00

Angels & Demons is a worthy predecessor

Angels & Demons
by
Dan Brown

Published by Simon & Schuster

Review by W. R. Greer

Like the majority of readers, I read Angels & Demons by Dan Brown after reading The Da Vinci Code. I would venture that most people reading this review are asking the question, "How does Angels & Demons compare to The Da Vinci Code?" The short answer is that they're very similar. If you enjoyed The Da Vinci Code, you should enjoy Angels & Demons.

Angels & Demons introduces the character of Robert Langdon, professor of religious iconology and art history at Harvard University. As the novel begins, he's awakened in the middle of the night by a phone call from Maximilian Kohler, the director of CERN, the world's largest scientific research facility in Geneva, Switzerland. One of their top physicists had been murdered, with his chest branded with the word "Illuminati." Since Langdon is an expert on the ancient secret society known as the Illuminati, he's asked to help solve the murder. A high tech X-33 plane transports Langdon from Massachusetts to Switzerland in a little more than an hour.

The murder victim is Leonardo Vetra. Not only is he one of the world's leading physicists, he's a Catholic priest. He's a priest who has adopted a daughter, Vittoria, who is also a scientist at CERN. This was the largest suspension of disbelief for me, a man who is a priest, a father, and a top physicist, but accepting it sets the rest of the story in motion. Vetra and his daughter were using the world's largest particle accelerator to create antimatter, and then suspend the antimatter properly in canisters so that it doesn't interact with matter. If a canister is removed from the electrical system which keeps the matter and antimatter separated, then backup batteries will serve the same purpose for 24 hours. When those 24 hours expire, the two will collide in an instantaneous explosion of unprecedented power.

Lenoardo Vetra created the antimatter to simulate the Big Bang. In his mind, this would show proof that God exists, being able to create new matter and antimatter in the same way God created the universe. Vetra's murder, though, allows one of the canisters to be stolen. The question of who stole the canister and what they planned to do with it is soon answered. The canister is quickly found on a security camera in Vatican City, with its LEDs counting down the time until the batteries run out. The security camera, however, is nowhere to be found, leaving the canister's whereabouts a mystery too. Langdon and Vittoria Petra are quickly sent off to Rome and Vatican City, to help find the canister and return it to CERN before it explodes at midnight.

Not only does the canister threaten to destroy Vatican City, but with the recent death of the Pope, the cardinals of the Catholic Church are all within the city for the conclave to choose the new pope. They are all about to be locked within the Sistine Chapel where, according to church law, they must remain until a new pope is chosen. They are awaiting the preferiti, the four cardinals from four different European countries who are the preferred candidates to become the new pope. While Langdon and Vittoria are trying to convince the captain of the Swiss Guard and the camerlengo, the Pope's chamberlain who leads the church until the new pope is named, that the antimatter bomb is real, a phone call is received from a man who claims to be from the Illuminati. He has the four cardinals, which he will murder one by one, and then allow the bomb to destroy Vatican City, which houses not only the church hierarchy, but also its possessions and wealth. He has no demands; his only wish is the destruction of the Catholic Church in retribution for the church's treatment of scientists and the Illuminati over the centuries.

Langdon and Vittoria Vetra are in a race against time. They dig through archives and ancient mysteries to find clues, which also requires an extensive background in art history and religious symbology. This makes Robert Langdon the expert tour guide through all this arcane knowledge with his congenial and scholarly fashion, doing his best to educate without seeming superior with his own intelligence. Much like The Da Vinci Code, Langdon understands enough about each mystery to go in search of the missing pieces necessary to solve each puzzle, which leads him to the next one. Vittoria is beautiful, tough, intelligent, and determined to avenge her father's murder and keep the canister from exploding. The two of them are constantly one step behind the Illuminati, and once it's clear that the Swiss Guard and Vatican City have been penetrated by the ancient society, they don't know whom to trust. This leads them through churches, fountains, crypts, forgotten passages, secret passages, and catacombs. Death stalks them at every turn, in one form or another.

So it's time for the comparisons of Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code. In some ways, Angels & Demons has a more suspenseful storyline with the antimatter bomb and the race to prevent the destruction of Vatican City. Both share a hired assassin, a tough and beautiful woman as Langdon's sidekick who's mourning the murder of a loved one, and mysteries that require extensive knowledge of art history, religious symbology, and secret societies. Robert Langdon is a protagonist that you can't dislike in any way, with just enough vulnerability to go along with his intelligence and right amount of charm. Angels & Demons is a looser story. It takes longer to get going, each new puzzle takes longer to solve, and too much character background is given for too many characters. While Dan Brown's writing style will never be called literary, he's obviously matured as a writer between the two books. The chapters in The Da Vinci Code are shorter, tighter, and the suspense is never allowed to wane.

While some judicious editing might have made it a tighter and more focused novel, Angels & Demons is still a highly enjoyable read. For those who love plot-driven novels, and for those who love thrillers and mysteries full of strange bits of information that tie everything together, grab a copy of Angels & Demons and find a comfortable chair. It's time well spent.

Movie Review by "USA Today" - Angels and Demons

2009-05-16T01:31:00.000-07:00

By Claudia Puig, USA TODAY

Apparently, the quality of movies based on Dan Brown's best sellers correlates directly with the style of Tom Hanks' hair.

Angels & Demons is better, though not by much, than 2006's Da Vinci Code. The story, however, is less interesting and even more far-fetched.

Hanks is likable and credible reprising his role as irreverent, code-cracking Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon. But director Ron Howard focuses more on spec- tacular shots, particularly during a climactic scene involving a helicopter ride above the Vatican, than on tension and excitement. The story, with its arcane riddles and preposterous twists, does not translate well to the screen. It fails as an action thriller, relying on wordy exposition. And the array of clues and riddles unearthed by Langdon are as improbable as the notion of a secret cult of vengeful scientists.

Still, for an academic, Langdon has some impressive action-hero moves. And he needs them: He's up against a one-man terrorist brigade. The ubiquitous bad guy is an assassin, acting in the name of the "Illuminati," an ancient brotherhood of scientists. It's hard to get too worked up about villains made up of astronomers, philosophers and physicists.

The clock is ticking as a bomb is aimed at St. Peter's in Rome. Langdon joins forces with an Italian scientist alliteratively named Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer). The two spend too much time poring over ancient texts to make pulses race. It's a meeting of minds, not lips.

The movie posits that Langdon, a man of science, may have a shred of faith he doesn't acknowledge. But it deals heavy-handedly with the faith vs. science debate.

The dialogue tries to be portentous, but it reeks of cliché. "We're in God's hands now," intones papal representative Father Patrick McKenna (Ewan McGregor). Meanwhile, Langdon lectures and pontificates, even as he races to unearth a bomb.

Angels doesn't know when to quit: Just when you think it's over, it continues, like the franchise based on Brown's books.

Angels and Demons Onces Banned by Vatican

2009-05-16T01:19:00.000-07:00

Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou in The Da Vinci Code.

The Vatican said Dan Brown's work wounded religious feelings

The Vatican has banned the makers of a prequel to The Da Vinci Code from filming in its grounds or any church in Rome, describing the work as “an offence against God”.

“It would be unacceptable to transform churches into film sets so that his blasphemous novels can be made into films in the name of business,” he said, adding that Brown’s work “wounds common religious feelings”.

The Vatican could be gearing up for an official call for a boycott of "Angels & Demons," Ron Howard's big-budget follow-up to "The Da Vinci Code." The Turin daily La Stampa, meanwhile, said the Vatican soon will call for a boycott of the film, though the same article also quoted Archbishop Velasio De Paolis, who warned against a "boomerang effect" that could call attention to the film and eventually make it more popular. Scores of church officials called for a boycott of "Da Vinci Code" when it was released in 2006, but the calls had little effect on the popularity of the thriller, which is based on the best-selling novel by Dan Brown.

Angels and Demons Movie Global Posters

2009-05-16T01:07:00.000-07:00

Click posters to enlarge

The first ever "Angels and Demons" Poster

Russion Poster

HongKong Posters

France Posters

Russion again

Angels and Demons have driven force

Angels and Demons Movie Screenshots

2009-05-16T01:06:00.000-07:00

Click photos to enlarge

Angels and Demons Movie Clips - Church vs Science

2009-05-16T01:04:00.000-07:00

Vatican Steps Away...

2009-05-15T01:41:00.000-07:00

U.S. actor Tom Hanks, left, Israeli actress Ayelet Zurer, centre, and British actor Ewan McGregor arrive for the world premiere of Angels and Demons in Rome on Monday. (Andrew Medichini/The Associated Press)

The Vatican appears to be changing its approach to Dan Brown's thrillers.

While it launched numerous critiques of The Da Vinci Code and banned filming in Vatican City for Ron Howard's film version, it has been quiet until recently on the related film Angels & Demons.

The Da Vinci Code raised the church's ire because it postulated that Mary Magdalene and Jesus were married and had children, but the Vatican has not issued pronouncements about Angels & Demons, despite a story line about a murderous secret society within the church.

Angels & Demons portrays symbologist Robert Langdon, played by Tom Hanks, seeking to solve the kidnapping of a group of church cardinals at the hands of the bizarre cult.

On Wednesday the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano broke that silence with a review of Angels & Demons that lauded it as "gripping" with "splendid" visuals.

And in a surprising editorial, it said the success of Brown's works should make the Catholic Church rethink the way it uses the media to present itself.

The editorial said the fact that the "simplistic and partial" vision of the church portrayed in Brown's works is attracting readers should prod the church to rethink the way it presents itself to the media.

"It would probably be an exaggeration to consider the books of Dan Brown an alarm bell but maybe they should be a stimulus to rethink and refresh the way the church uses the media to explain its positions on today's burning issues," it said.

The film review in L'Osservatore Romano was not wholly positive, but recognized the film's entertainment value.

It called Angels & Demons "a videogame that first of all sparks curiosity and is also, maybe, a bit of fun."

The movie was "a gigantic and smart commercial operation" filled with historical inaccuracies and "stereotyped characters," the review said.

The Vatican's 2006 campaign against The Da Vinci Code had the effect of whipping up interest in the film, which earned more than $757 million US.

Angels and Demons Movie Trailer [long version]

2009-05-15T00:59:00.000-07:00

Angels and Demons Movie Trailer [long version]

Angels and Demons Movie Trailer [short version]

2009-05-15T00:57:00.000-07:00

Angels and Demons Movie Trailer[short version]

Angels and Demons Movie Clips - Vatican City Inside Look

2009-05-14T20:41:00.000-07:00

Angels and Demons Movie Clips - TV Spot

2009-05-14T20:34:00.000-07:00

The First Known Ambigram

2009-05-14T06:10:00.001-07:00

Recently, we posted the History of Ambigrams, and mentioned that the first known non-natural ambigram was created in 1893.

Today we received a scan of that first ambigram.

The picture below was created in 1893 by Peter Newell as the last page in his book “Topsys and Turvys”. It read “THE END” normally and when inverted became the word “PUZZLE”.

Although Peter Newell was better known for his children’s books and for his illustrations for Lewis Carroll and Mark Twain than he was for his ambigrams, he published 2 books of illustrations of invertible designs (”Topsys & Turvys” and “Topsys and Turvys 2″), where the picture (and text) turn into a completely different image when turned upside down (see our Matchbox Art page for an example of invertible images).

The End / Puzzle Ambigram

More photos of Ayelet Zurer

2009-05-14T05:52:00.000-07:00

Dansk Poster of "Angels and Demons"

2009-05-14T03:11:00.000-07:00

A new "Dansk" Version of "Angels and Demons" Poster

'Angels and Demons' soundtrack download

2009-05-14T02:58:00.000-07:00

'Angels and Demons' soundtrack download

Sony Classical Tuesday released the original motion picture soundtrack of its upcoming Vatican-set movie "Angels & Demons."

The album features an original score by Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer and solos by Grammy Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell.

The movie, which is a follow-up to the blockbuster "The Da Vinci Code" is slated to open Friday with Tom Hanks reprising his role as mystery-solving Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon.

"Joshua played like an angel with his violin framed by the contrasting starkness of the electronics," Zimmer said in a statement. "He added such beauty and grace to the music, and such depth to the characters. He is an extraordinary artist."

"There's nothing formulaic about the way Hans thinks about the score," film director Ron Howard said, adding that Zimmer's music always "suits the sound that the film calls for."

Download from here: http://ul.to/6dls4v

Some Photos of "Angels and Demons" beyond imagination

2009-05-14T02:04:00.000-07:00

Click the images to enlarge

Rome’s Angels & Demons Secrets

2009-05-14T01:54:00.001-07:00

Find Out More

See our slideshow of Rome’s Angels & Demons Secrets.

The Eternal City’s iconic sites provide a thrilling backdrop to the blockbuster movie, but they also hold scandals and sordid histories of their own.

From May 2009

By Reid Bramblett

See our slideshow of Rome’s Angels & Demons Secrets.

Tom Hanks dashes through a graceful Roman piazza, past an ancient Egyptian obelisk surrounded by fountains of water-spouting lions, his eyes focused on a church tucked into the corner of the square. Moviegoers know that his character, Robert Langdon, is trying desperately to stop a grisly murder, following a trail of secret clues laid down nearly four centuries ago by the scientist Galileo and the baroque sculptor and architect Gianlorenzo Bernini. What they don’t know is that this graceful piazza itself harbors a dark secret.

Piazza del Popolo—and its namesake church, where Langdon is headed—was built to evict Nero’s ghost. This had been the hated emperor’s ancient family estate, and his likely burial spot, and area residents had for centuries complained that Nero’s evil spirit haunted a pine grove on the site. Finally, the Vatican chopped down the trees, exorcized the site, and built the piazza and its church “of the people.”

See our slideshow of Rome’s Angels & Demons Secrets.

Many of Rome’s important sites are featured in Angels & Demons, the latest codes-and-clues thriller courtesy of author Dan Brown, director Ron Howard, and leading man Tom Hanks. These Roman spots are full of secrets and scandals, and while the movie reveals several—and invents a few more to serve its plot involving Illuminati assassins and Renaissance intellectuals—the true miraculous and demonic events that took place at them are often even stranger than those Dan Brown’s imagination could whip up.

First, a reality check: the movie’s church interiors aren’t the real deal. Howard wasn’t allowed to film inside any of them, especially in the Vatican. (Actually, no one can shoot movies in the Vatican, not even the producers of the official John Paul II biopic.) However, plenty of the exteriors are genuine, and Roman life occasionally intruded on filming. At one point, Hanks reportedly halted production to help a bride cut through the set—even holding her train—so she wouldn’t be late for her wedding inside the Pantheon.

What the movie doesn’t say, though, is that the Pantheon—an ancient pagan shrine that survived barbarian sackings and became a church in AD 609—was pillaged by none other than a pope. In the 1600s, Pope Urban VIII (a member of the powerful Barberini family) seized the bronze revetments from the Pantheon portico’s ceiling and had them melted down to make cannons for the papal stronghold, Castel Sant’Angelo. (The act led to the infamous phrase, “That which even the barbarians wouldn’t do, Barberini did.”)

We’ve rounded up the inside scoop on the movie’s most noteworthy sites and crafted a tour that follows in the footsteps of Robert Langdon but goes well beyond Angels & Demons to reveal some of the even weirder—and true—sagas, scandals, and miracles of the Eternal City. When you go see the movie, keep our handy guide close (spoiler alerts ahead, however!) while you’re reaching for the popcorn.

See Global "Angels and Demons" Movie Names

2009-05-14T01:16:00.001-07:00

Two new posters--one domestic and one international--have been revealed for Columbia Pictures' Angels & Demons, coming to theaters on May 15th. Directed by Ron Howard, the suspense thriller stars Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, Stellan Skarsgard, Pierfrancesco Favino, Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Armin Mueller-Stahl. The film is based on the best-selling novel by Dan Brown.

Korean Name

Japanese Name

Italian Name

Hungrarian Name

French Name

Spanish Name

Chinese Name

English Name

Deusche Name

Get prepared for the Angels' wave

Angels and Demons Backstage Clips

2009-05-14T01:05:00.000-07:00

Angels and Demons Backstage Clips

Hollywood star Tom Hanks is baffled by the criticism his new film Angels & Demons has attracted from leading Roman Catholics -- because he insists there is ""nothing sacrilegious"" about the murder mystery.

The actor plays Harvard symbologist Dr. Robert Langdon in the big-screen adaptation of author Dan Brown's book, about the murder of a physicist and a terrorist act against the Vatican by a secret brotherhood.

The movie is a prequel to 2006's The Da Vinci Code, based on another of Brown's hit books, which came under fire from Catholic leaders who claimed the film attacked the core beliefs of their faith.

Angels & Demons has been met with similar criticism before it is even released -- but Hanks is adamant that there is nothing offensive about the film.

He tells the New York Daily News, ""People will see there's nothing sacrilegious about it at all. Yes, we had a few things go on that are completely fictionalized; but there's no reason to have a big hurly-burly over what is essentially a whodunit (murder mystery).

""There's no major theological discussion that goes on, other than science versus faith. There's no winner in that argument. I just solve the murder.""

Angels & Demons is set to hit theaters later this month.

Angels and Demons Movie Wallpaper Download

2009-05-13T23:51:00.000-07:00

SYNOPSIS

The team behind the global phenomenon 'The Da Vinci Code' returns for the highly anticipated 'Angels & Demons,' based upon the bestselling novel by Dan Brown. Tom Hanks reprises his role as Harvard religious expert Robert Langdon, who once again finds that forces with ancient roots are willing to stop at nothing, even murder, to advance their goals. Ron Howard again directs the film, which is produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, and John Calley. The screenplay is by David Koepp and Akiva Goldsman.

When Langdon discovers evidence of the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati - the most powerful underground organization in history - he also faces a deadly threat to the existence of the secret organization's most despised enemy: the Catholic Church. When Langdon learns that the clock is ticking on an unstoppable Illuminati time bomb, he jets to Rome, where he joins forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and enigmatic Italian scientist. Embarking on a nonstop, action-packed hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even to the heart of the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra will follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that mark the Vatican's only hope for survival.

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