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Hello everyone, I don’t usually do film reviews as most films come out of Hellywood – that den of sin and vice. However, my nephew Zebulun called in last night and told me of a horrible Godless film about to be made, a Musical based on Jesus’s mother! I was horrified!
Whilst still in a state of shock at this surpassing blasphemy and idolatry, Nephew Zebulun added, “but I’ve bought this to cheer you up.” And handed me a DVD Entitled “RATZINGER- Beyond Vatican Dome.” Suspecting more papist filth I was about to throw it at a passing servant when Zebulun added that I ought to view it before criticizing. And, do you know? He was correct. Now this is really good stuff and I hope that you can get to picture-house to see it, so read on:
We see an opening shot homing in on a Chalet at sunset. There are heavy thunder clouds moving over the mountains. The camera goes in through an upper window. The scene is of a woman about to give birth. The lighting is dark and we can’t see the woman’s face. There are other people in the room but we can’t make them out.
There’s a lot of grunting and wailing and then a pair of hands brings forth a child. The Theme from “The Omen” starts quietly and the hands bring forth a newborn.
The Omen theme gets louder, the camera pans up to the woman – Mia Farrow – the camera pans round the room. We see the baby being handed to a man – the man bears a marked resemblance to Hitler. As the man smiles and passes the child back to the mother, we see “666” on its head.
The music is almost deafening, then suddenly, everything cuts to a quiet day in a Munich. [Music - Karl Orff - O Fortuna] The streets are quiet and the camera turns towards the sound of bells. Slow zoom in to the church doors – cut to a small boy (Ratzinger, for it is he) stares towards the doors. More zoom in / cut back / cut doors. The doors open; The Archbishop of Munich comes out. (He is fat, greasy and leering - a sort of Boss Hog figure but more so.) His eyes light on the blond haired blue-eyed boy and he turns to an accompanying priest and signals that the child shall be brought to him. So it is done. As the Archbishop fondles the child in an over-familiar manner, the child’s father approaches.
The Archbishop smiles sickeningly and beckons the father nearer. He whispers something in his ear and hands him a card.
Next scene: Ratzinger is in the choir, singing Ave Maria solo – the archbishop approaches from the rear and the camera starts to focus in on the boy’s face as he sings. Once the archbishop is cut from the shot by the zoom, the boy’s face winces and his voice suddenly rises 3 octaves – cut to Ratzinger back home where he is sitting on a huge cushion singing a song full of remorse.
Marktl am Inn, Bavaria c. 1941. Swastikas flags fly, Brown Shirts are marching and singing Horst Wessel. The camera follows the march panning right and ends up with a close up from the crowded streets of a young boy and his father (very like Hitler) who are cheering. A small waif with a yellow star on his threadbare coat moves in front of Ratzinger. Ratzinger pushes him out of the way and the Jewish boy falls under the wheels of a large black Mercedes and everyone cheers.
Next scene, Ratzinger (for it is he) is in the uniform of the Hitler-Jugend and singing “Tomorrow Belongs To Me” in a rip off of “Cabaret”
We now get an aerial shot of a train hurtling south through the German night then straight through the Swiss border. The Camera closes in on the train and we are in a sealed carriage which is marked “Munich – Vatican” The corridor is guarded by brutal, but slightly homosexual looking Waffen-SS. We pass into a compartment with blinds drawn to see the archbishop adjusting his robes whilst the boy is in the bathroom gargling and spitting.
IN THE VATICAN
The aerial camera shows Ratzinger leaving the train and being taken through a crowed station to a waiting limo. The camera is now mounted on the hood as the motorcycle escort weaves through the roads of Rome towards The Vatican. However the soundtrack is from within the car and it is clear that the Archbishop is plying Ratzinger with communion wine as Ratzinger keeps calling out “No! No!”
At the Vatican, the party discharge from the limo and start to move towards St Paul’s. The camera switches to deep inside St Paul’s. The place is deserted save for a few scurrying priests who are making final arrangements.
Suddenly the great doors open and light floods in. In stark silhouette against the light of the square we see the Archbishop and Ratzinger holding hands at the head of the procession. The party now march forwards towards the camera flanked by Swiss Guards. The guards are now a little ahead and pass either side of the camera but the Archbishop and Ratzinger are directly in front of it and we see deep love in both their eyes.
Cut to a shot looking to a side chapel, above the altar there is the swastika and eagle. We see Pius XII at the altar. He is small, wizened and old. He is caressing a statue of Mary and licking the neck and murmuring “God! God!” He suddenly becomes aware of the crowd and stops.
An expression of voluptuous lust moves from his face to be replaced by one of transparently fake sincerity and welcome. He adjusts his fish-head hat and glides across the floor towards the group (lots of dry ice around him and a background of slow bass drum beats) dismissing the officials and guards with an imperious wave.
Pius XII extends his hand and both the Archbishop and Ratzinger (who are the only ones left) kneel to kiss the Pope’s ring. The camera is on a level with Ratzinger’s eyes. He is looking up in awe at the leader of the Universal Catholic Church. The Pope addresses the Archbishop. He speaks in Latin (subtitles – it is clear Ratzinger knows nothing)
Pope: “So Wolfgang, you have brought me a little something to render my humble mind only too forgetful of your… how shall we say… imperfections.”
[cut to Archb.]
ArchB: Your Holiness, the boy is wonderful; he is enough to make you forget Christ.”
[Pope and ArchB laugh loudly at the irony] See his slim young figure, his deep blue eyes, strong young legs and…
Pope: Yes, Yes, Has he made his confession?
ArchB: Not today, your Holiness.
Pope: [in English addressing Ratzinger] …then your eternal soul is in peril. I will hear what you have to say to The Almighty. [to ArchB in Latin] We have no further need of you. Your job is safe; nothing will reach the newspapers. Return to Munich. [To Ratzinger]Come child…
The camera backs off to show the Archbishop walking back the way he came and Pius XII and Ratzinger heading towards a confessional booth.
Cut to rear of Pius and Ratzinger who is gazing after the Archbishop.
Pius and his little charge stop before the booth. Pius reaches over to open the door. The interior is dark. Pius moves in still holding Ratzinger. He sits and places Ratzinger on his lap.
The camera cuts to outside the booth at a distance. The door is closing. Just before it shuts the archbishop has opened the doors and again the light streams in, only to be completely blotted out as the confessional door closes.
The camera waits outside the confessional [music Handel’s Messiah, very quiet at first, then raising in volume] from within we hear the protestations of Ratzinger and the increasingly urgent words of the pope. Just before the volume of the music becomes intolerable, we here Ratzinger cry, “No! No! This is wrong!” and the pope replies, “No! No! I am infallible!” There is demoniacal laughter and all goes black.
There’s a lot of grunting and wailing and then a pair of hands brings forth a child. The Theme from “The Omen” starts quietly and the hands bring forth a newborn.
The Omen theme gets louder, the camera pans up to the woman – Mia Farrow – the camera pans round the room. We see the baby being handed to a man – the man bears a marked resemblance to Hitler. As the man smiles and passes the child back to the mother, we see “666” on its head.
The music is almost deafening, then suddenly, everything cuts to a quiet day in a Munich. [Music - Karl Orff - O Fortuna] The streets are quiet and the camera turns towards the sound of bells. Slow zoom in to the church doors – cut to a small boy (Ratzinger, for it is he) stares towards the doors. More zoom in / cut back / cut doors. The doors open; The Archbishop of Munich comes out. (He is fat, greasy and leering - a sort of Boss Hog figure but more so.) His eyes light on the blond haired blue-eyed boy and he turns to an accompanying priest and signals that the child shall be brought to him. So it is done. As the Archbishop fondles the child in an over-familiar manner, the child’s father approaches.
The Archbishop smiles sickeningly and beckons the father nearer. He whispers something in his ear and hands him a card.
Next scene: Ratzinger is in the choir, singing Ave Maria solo – the archbishop approaches from the rear and the camera starts to focus in on the boy’s face as he sings. Once the archbishop is cut from the shot by the zoom, the boy’s face winces and his voice suddenly rises 3 octaves – cut to Ratzinger back home where he is sitting on a huge cushion singing a song full of remorse.
Marktl am Inn, Bavaria c. 1941. Swastikas flags fly, Brown Shirts are marching and singing Horst Wessel. The camera follows the march panning right and ends up with a close up from the crowded streets of a young boy and his father (very like Hitler) who are cheering. A small waif with a yellow star on his threadbare coat moves in front of Ratzinger. Ratzinger pushes him out of the way and the Jewish boy falls under the wheels of a large black Mercedes and everyone cheers.
Next scene, Ratzinger (for it is he) is in the uniform of the Hitler-Jugend and singing “Tomorrow Belongs To Me” in a rip off of “Cabaret”
We now get an aerial shot of a train hurtling south through the German night then straight through the Swiss border. The Camera closes in on the train and we are in a sealed carriage which is marked “Munich – Vatican” The corridor is guarded by brutal, but slightly homosexual looking Waffen-SS. We pass into a compartment with blinds drawn to see the archbishop adjusting his robes whilst the boy is in the bathroom gargling and spitting.
IN THE VATICAN
The aerial camera shows Ratzinger leaving the train and being taken through a crowed station to a waiting limo. The camera is now mounted on the hood as the motorcycle escort weaves through the roads of Rome towards The Vatican. However the soundtrack is from within the car and it is clear that the Archbishop is plying Ratzinger with communion wine as Ratzinger keeps calling out “No! No!”
At the Vatican, the party discharge from the limo and start to move towards St Paul’s. The camera switches to deep inside St Paul’s. The place is deserted save for a few scurrying priests who are making final arrangements.
Suddenly the great doors open and light floods in. In stark silhouette against the light of the square we see the Archbishop and Ratzinger holding hands at the head of the procession. The party now march forwards towards the camera flanked by Swiss Guards. The guards are now a little ahead and pass either side of the camera but the Archbishop and Ratzinger are directly in front of it and we see deep love in both their eyes.
Cut to a shot looking to a side chapel, above the altar there is the swastika and eagle. We see Pius XII at the altar. He is small, wizened and old. He is caressing a statue of Mary and licking the neck and murmuring “God! God!” He suddenly becomes aware of the crowd and stops.
An expression of voluptuous lust moves from his face to be replaced by one of transparently fake sincerity and welcome. He adjusts his fish-head hat and glides across the floor towards the group (lots of dry ice around him and a background of slow bass drum beats) dismissing the officials and guards with an imperious wave.
Pius XII extends his hand and both the Archbishop and Ratzinger (who are the only ones left) kneel to kiss the Pope’s ring. The camera is on a level with Ratzinger’s eyes. He is looking up in awe at the leader of the Universal Catholic Church. The Pope addresses the Archbishop. He speaks in Latin (subtitles – it is clear Ratzinger knows nothing)
Pope: “So Wolfgang, you have brought me a little something to render my humble mind only too forgetful of your… how shall we say… imperfections.”
[cut to Archb.]
ArchB: Your Holiness, the boy is wonderful; he is enough to make you forget Christ.”
[Pope and ArchB laugh loudly at the irony] See his slim young figure, his deep blue eyes, strong young legs and…
Pope: Yes, Yes, Has he made his confession?
ArchB: Not today, your Holiness.
Pope: [in English addressing Ratzinger] …then your eternal soul is in peril. I will hear what you have to say to The Almighty. [to ArchB in Latin] We have no further need of you. Your job is safe; nothing will reach the newspapers. Return to Munich. [To Ratzinger]Come child…
The camera backs off to show the Archbishop walking back the way he came and Pius XII and Ratzinger heading towards a confessional booth.
Cut to rear of Pius and Ratzinger who is gazing after the Archbishop.
Pius and his little charge stop before the booth. Pius reaches over to open the door. The interior is dark. Pius moves in still holding Ratzinger. He sits and places Ratzinger on his lap.
The camera cuts to outside the booth at a distance. The door is closing. Just before it shuts the archbishop has opened the doors and again the light streams in, only to be completely blotted out as the confessional door closes.
The camera waits outside the confessional [music Handel’s Messiah, very quiet at first, then raising in volume] from within we hear the protestations of Ratzinger and the increasingly urgent words of the pope. Just before the volume of the music becomes intolerable, we here Ratzinger cry, “No! No! This is wrong!” and the pope replies, “No! No! I am infallible!” There is demoniacal laughter and all goes black.
We see his life in a seminary with lots of other young, blond haired men, etc, etc. Taken prisoner and locked up with a lot of other young, blond haired men, etc, etc. As a professor at Bonn, Munster, Tubingen and Regensburg with a lot of other young, blond haired men, etc, etc.
There are good scenes when on November 25, 1981, Pope John Paul II named Ratzinger Prefect of The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) (The CDF is the modern name for what used to be the Holy Office of the Inquisition.) The screams, blood, and cracking spines as souls are teased from the bodies of heretics are excellently done.
All in all, I think that it is a little spoiled by obviously political correctness in playing down the less than savory side of a pope’s life, but nevertheless it is a good documentary and suitable for Baptists of all ages.
If any of you have seen it and remember any other scenes, let us all know.
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