Bible Edited Out of "Soul Surfer" Film Edited Back in After Family Complains

[Dusty]

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment...ed-1188310397/

The upcoming film “Soul Surfer,” slated for release in April, is based on the true story of spirited teen surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost her arm in a 2003 shark attack, but courageously returned to her board and become a champion again months later.

However, it appears as though the uplifting story hit a sour note with the film's producers where the family's Christianity was concerned.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the real-life Hamilton family – all devout Christians – were upset to learn that the words “Holy Bible” were digitally removed from the cover of a Bible in a scene featuring Bethany Hamilton's father Tom reading by his ailing daughter’s hospital bedside.

An executive at Mandalay Pictures pushed to soften the Christian element of the film, presumably in an effort to appeal to non-Christian audiences. However, after the upset family complained, they were pleased to discover that the “Holy Bible” had been reinstated in the final cut, THR reported.

“I could see the words bright and clear. I looked at my wife and whispered, ‘Thank you God, they put it back,” Tom Hamilton told THR.

Furthermore, Hamilton said that in one scene Carrie Underwood, who plays a spiritual mentor to the group of young Christian surfers, quotes scripture. Some involved with the production were fine with the verse, but didn’t want it known that those words came from the Bible, THR reported.

Mandalay Pictures would not to comment directly on the Bible-related filmmaking decisions, but did release a statement to FOX411.

“Putting a movie together is a long and arduous process that consists of many decisions, big and small, made by many people from development through the film’s release. As people who collectively have been involved in making movies for many decades, we are not looking to engage in discussions about the process of the intricate decisions that go into the filmmaking process, but rather have the film judged by what appears on the screen,” the studio said. “Mandalay is extremely proud of ‘Soul Surfer,’ and we are excited to share this beautiful and inspiring story with the audience.”

Although Tom Hamilton obviously didn’t always see eye-to-eye with the production team, he is pleased with the portrayal of his family and their beliefs.

“This is the first movie I’ve ever been involved in, and what really counts is what ends up on the screen,” Hamilton told FOX411. “And we are absolutely thrilled with the way the film turned out, and the wonderful way it portrays Bethany’s and our family’s story and faith."

Underwood is also a fan of the film’s faith-based message.

“To me the phrase ‘Soul Surfer’ is about finding your path, your walk with God – or your surf with God – and making the best of the ride,” she said. “In the end, that is the most important.”

“Soul Surfer” is the latest film trying to tread the thin line between appealing and pandering to a faith-based audience.

“Films that have strong faith content do it because they understand there's an audience out there. There are 163 million people who go to church every week, and it's a gigantic audience and Hollywood makes movies for every audience,” explained Dr. Ted Baehr, founder and publisher of Movieguide, and Chairman of the Christian Film and Television Commission. “The movies that do better at the box office, like the top 10 films from last year, none of them were R-rated, none of them had violence in them, and none of them had sexual content in them.”

[1stindoor]

Originally Posted by Dusty

The movies that do better at the box office, like the top 10 films from last year, none of them were R-rated, none of them had violence in them, and none of them had sexual content in them.

Some of them actually win Academy Awards too.

[Richard]

...Dr. Ted Baehr, founder and publisher of Movieguide, and Chairman of the Christian Film and Television Commission. “The movies that do better at the box office, like the top 10 films from last year, none of them were R-rated, none of them had violence in them, and none of them had sexual content in them.”

I don't know where Dr. Baehr gets those 'facts'....

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/...yr=2010&p=.htm

And so it goes...

Richard

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Richard

I don't know where Dr. Baehr gets those 'facts'....

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/...yr=2010&p=.htm

And so it goes...

Richard

Maybe the same place you did Richard. Highest rating for the top 10 movies was PG-13 - no R's.

The violence and sexual content can be argued for the top ten ....Yes I know some Dragons died in How To Train Your Dragon and the girl was hot but you didn't see much blood and everyone kept their cloths on ........

[Richard]

Originally Posted by Pete

Maybe the same place you did Richard. Highest rating for the top 10 movies was PG-13 - no R's.

The violence and sexual content can be argued for the top ten ....Yes I know some Dragons died in How To Train Your Dragon and the girl was hot but you didn't see much blood and everyone kept their cloths on ........

1. He claimed '...none of them had violence in them, and none of them had sexual content in them' for the Top-10 movies - the facts show otherwise.

2. I didn't hi-lite the 'R' claim because his claim that "...none of them were R-rated" was true.

3. I certainly don't know how Toy Story 3 got a 'G' - it had some pretty dark and violent elements to it. Joan Graves from the MPAA says that giving this movie a G-rating was a mistake. They said the movie should've been at least a PG, one of the reasons being a scene involving an incinerator almost killing the main characters.

G: THE MOTION PICTURE CONTAINS NOTHING THAT WOULD OFFEND PARENTS FOR VIEWING BY THEIR CHILDREN.

PG: PARENTS ARE URGED TO USE "PARENTAL GUIDANCE", AS THE MOTION PICTURE MAY CONTAIN SOME MATERIAL PARENTS MIGHT NOT LIKE FOR THEIR YOUNGER CHILDREN TO VIEW.

4. If he saw no violence in the movies ranked #3, 4, 5, and 6, he didn't see them and the MPAA which rates them certainly disagrees.

• Harry Potter: Rated PG-13 for some sequences of intense action violence, frightening images and brief sensuality.
  
• Twilight-Eclipse: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, and some sensuality.
  
• Ironman 2: Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, and some language.
  
• Inception: Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action throughout.

5. If he saw no sexual content (sensuality) in the Harry Potter and Twilight movies, he didn't see them and the MPAA disagrees with his opinion.

His comments just make me wonder whether the guy is that naive' or has some other agenda for his comments and believes we're so naive' to believe him.

Richard

[Dusty]

Originally Posted by Richard

His comments just make me wonder whether the guy is that naive' or has some other agenda

Richard

You nailed it. World domination.

[Richard]

Originally Posted by Dusty

You nailed it. World domination.

"There you go again."
- Ronald Reagan

And so it goes...

Richard

[frostfire]

This is a happy thought of the day for me Thanks for the post, Dusty. Makes me wonder, does your screenname come from Mark Strong 's character in the movie "To End All Wars" ?

Best wishes to that young lady whose name means graceful wisdom in this upcoming movie.

Originally Posted by Dusty

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment...ed-1188310397/

The upcoming film “Soul Surfer,” slated for release in April, is based on the true story of spirited teen surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost her arm in a 2003 shark attack, but courageously returned to her board and become a champion again months later.

However, it appears as though the uplifting story hit a sour note with the film's producers where the family's Christianity was concerned.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the real-life Hamilton family – all devout Christians – were upset to learn that the words “Holy Bible” were digitally removed from the cover of a Bible in a scene featuring Bethany Hamilton's father Tom reading by his ailing daughter’s hospital bedside.

An executive at Mandalay Pictures pushed to soften the Christian element of the film, presumably in an effort to appeal to non-Christian audiences. However, after the upset family complained, they were pleased to discover that the “Holy Bible” had been reinstated in the final cut, THR reported.

“I could see the words bright and clear. I looked at my wife and whispered, ‘Thank you God, they put it back,” Tom Hamilton told THR.

Furthermore, Hamilton said that in one scene Carrie Underwood, who plays a spiritual mentor to the group of young Christian surfers, quotes scripture. Some involved with the production were fine with the verse, but didn’t want it known that those words came from the Bible, THR reported.

Mandalay Pictures would not to comment directly on the Bible-related filmmaking decisions, but did release a statement to FOX411.

“Putting a movie together is a long and arduous process that consists of many decisions, big and small, made by many people from development through the film’s release. As people who collectively have been involved in making movies for many decades, we are not looking to engage in discussions about the process of the intricate decisions that go into the filmmaking process, but rather have the film judged by what appears on the screen,” the studio said. “Mandalay is extremely proud of ‘Soul Surfer,’ and we are excited to share this beautiful and inspiring story with the audience.”

Although Tom Hamilton obviously didn’t always see eye-to-eye with the production team, he is pleased with the portrayal of his family and their beliefs.

“This is the first movie I’ve ever been involved in, and what really counts is what ends up on the screen,” Hamilton told FOX411. “And we are absolutely thrilled with the way the film turned out, and the wonderful way it portrays Bethany’s and our family’s story and faith."

Underwood is also a fan of the film’s faith-based message.

“To me the phrase ‘Soul Surfer’ is about finding your path, your walk with God – or your surf with God – and making the best of the ride,” she said. “In the end, that is the most important.”

“Soul Surfer” is the latest film trying to tread the thin line between appealing and pandering to a faith-based audience.

“Films that have strong faith content do it because they understand there's an audience out there. There are 163 million people who go to church every week, and it's a gigantic audience and Hollywood makes movies for every audience,” explained Dr. Ted Baehr, founder and publisher of Movieguide, and Chairman of the Christian Film and Television Commission. “The movies that do better at the box office, like the top 10 films from last year, none of them were R-rated, none of them had violence in them, and none of them had sexual content in them.”