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35 out of 53 people found the following comment useful :-
Please don't treat this like a theatrical presentation, because it isn't one, 23 June 2005
Author: kou_mingzhi from United States

This film is part of someone's personal devotion. I would hope that, however weird or twisted some may consider that devotion to be, any viewing or commenting on this entry would at least accord it the respect that they would hope would be accorded to their own personal devotion, religious or otherwise. It is disrespectful and irrelevant to treat it in the same fashion in which you would treat a film that was intended as a salable entertainment experience for public consumption. It was never intended as a commercial product, or an entertainment experience, or anything remotely similar thereunto. If treating that which is important to others in this sort of mischaracterized and derogatory fashion cannot be avoided, please have the common courtesy not to do so in a public setting. No one who has seen this in the setting in which it was designed to be viewed, or is involved with what it represents, is interested in outside commentary on it.

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38 out of 64 people found the following comment useful :-
Entertainment? No. It serves a higher purpose., 21 May 2005
10/10
Author: ilikechickentacos from Moreno Valley, CA

I'm certain that you have been on an airline flight within the last ten years. Therefore you have probably seen the in-flight safety video. As we all know, those videos are horrid. The acting is awful. The production values are cheap. The music—at best—sounds like elevator muzak. So why do they keep showing it every time you board a flight? Probably because the video's value in saving your life outweighs its need in being commercially entertaining. The same is true of the temple video. One doesn't go to a Latter-day Saint temple to be entertained any more than one turns on "Friends" to discover the meaning of life.

What, then, is the purpose of a temple video? Originally, live actors carried out the temple ceremony. However, since the church has grown to 12 million members, and roughly 120 temples span the globe, it is impossible to extensively staff each temple with not just caretakers, cleaning crew, maintenance, but actors as well. Hence, the video was created, and done simply so that it could be dubbed in various languages.

Many wonder what happens behind those "closed doors" and what that "Mormon cult" is doing to brainwash its members. The temple ceremony is sacred, not secret. A trip to the temple is open to all who wish to enter (including a viewing of the temple video), as long as they have taken the necessary steps of baptism into the church and adhere to gospel standards.

Those who have not taken any sort of steps to spiritually prepare themselves (or, those who "sneak in" or lie to their priesthood authorities in a personal interview) often find the ceremonies of the temple dry, boring, and pointless. Those who make some effort to adhere to the gospel, however, leave the ceremony refreshed, motivated, and renewed. Those who have actually cracked open the scriptures at some point and actually tried to read a few passages will note many symbols and references given throughout the temple ceremony (including the video). To the dismay of anti-Mormons, the video contains no juicy secrets, crazy end of the world prophecies, or (according to some virulent anti-Mormons) sordid sex scenes. To the conspiracy theorist, it is a huge letdown. That's why so much anti-Mormon media contains so many inaccuracies and insinuations. There simply isn't enough stuff to fuel their hate, so they have to invent it.

Since its inception in 1830, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been the victim of much persecution. Not many know, but in Missouri it was actually legal to kill a Mormon (It's not a joke, it was actually legal to take someone's life based on their religious belief. You don't agree with your Jewish/Buddhist/Jehovah's Witness friend? Why not kill him?) Today it is more verbal than physical. There are many who do not agree with the tenets of the LDS Church. That is perfectly fine, to each his own. However, the average person (LDS or not) should probably question why some people go to all the trouble of mocking LDS temple ceremonies, drive hundreds of miles to disrupt LDS conferences, and spit on artifacts Mormons hold sacred in front of their holy sanctuaries. Could it be that these close-minded, hate-filled "Christians" are the same type of people who would have called for the crucifixion of that controversial "menace to society", Jesus Christ, were they living 2,000 years ago?

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13 out of 20 people found the following comment useful :-
This film seems like a reheated Masonic Temple ceremony, 24 January 2007
1/10
Author: Deacon-Collar from United States

The acting, sets, and costumes were excellent but these things can never compensate for the lame screen play by Joseph Smith, Jr. This is so despite significant rewrites through the years by other writers. The story itself is like a bad version of Milton's "Paradise Lost" which ties in closely with Masonic Temple ceremonies.

The viewings I attended were very interactive with a costumed audience and not unlike "Rocky Horror Picture Show" in that regard although the participants only wore white and were much more sober than a typical RHP crowd. Both are definitely cult classics considering the many viewings they receive.

The acting is decent. Lena Tulaunen Rogers is totally steamy in the role of Eve. She left me wanting to see more. Ron Frederickson as Lucifer chilled my blood in one scene in which he turns to the audience and warns them about disclosing the secrets revealed in the film. I liked Gordon Jump (in the role of Peter) much better as the inept boss in "WKRP in Cincinnati". Definitely a poor casting choice.

This film can only be viewed as a sort of cult classic. If you can't enjoy it on that level my advice is steer clear of it.

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Saves your soul, emptiness follows, 9 July 2009
1/10
Author: optional optional2 from LOndon, England

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Bad acting, worse screen writing. The beginning is a collage of pretty landscapes and animals. But the warm fuzzies soon go away as the rest of the plot makes no sense and leaves you gaping your jaw at the inconsistencies. The acting seems rigid and is laughable at points. I blame the director more than the actors, they were working with a horrible script. The film has a few "participate with the movie" moments that are too contrived. You are expected to pledge your entire life and your talents and all that you have to the LDS church, without being told beforehand. The clothing packet is very awkward and you have to use it correctly or else you'll be given scorn from the movie administrators. While the temple film is supposed to be a spiritual experience, it lacks severely in that department. There are boring dialogs and strange handshakes, but no teachings from the Savior Jesus Christ. But there are long acts with Satan included heavily. It seemed more a movie to make people afraid of not doing temple covenants rather than give a good experience. Unless this comes out on DVD, I would never recommend this theater experience to anyone.

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0 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
propaganda, 25 December 2008
1/10
Author: rookall from United States

religious persecution aside... films like this are simply promotional material for a larger purpose.... eternal revenue! propaganda has been a fixture in film since the silent age and personally i could do without one more piece of "buy our non-sense"... on the other hand if you enjoy films so bad their funny... you know the Mormons never disappoint!... also, i don't appreciate actors being chosen less on their talent or even price but on their commitment to an unusual belief structure is disturbing... i couldn't find a genre to place this film besides corruption... but if you been dumb enough to visit Utah or stumble into the church of latter-day saints, you know exactly what i refer to..... cheers

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8 out of 20 people found the following comment useful :-
The strangest movie you'll never see, 4 April 2006
1/10
Author: lutheranchick from United States

This film is only available to those who are "temple worthy" members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (aka Mormons). It is shown to attendees at the Mormon temples throughout the country. While perhaps millions of people have seen this film (or the original live-action version), you will never see it on television, never be able to rent it from Blockbuster or Netflix, and never download it from a web site. Even devout Mormons will concede that this film is not well-produced and many consider it the low point of their temple experience. Nonetheless, that it is supposed to be a secret, and it is a secret kept by millions of people, makes this probably one of the most important low-budget films in American history.

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