National Treasure *spoiler*

[JayUtah]

One of the clues in the trail is an item hidden in the architecture of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and where to look for it depends on where the shadow of the bell tower falls at a certain time of day. Except that the clue does not include which day of the year to look. Depending on how precisely the shadow has to point, that would pose a problem.

And the film's treatment of significant excavations under Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan ignores the very real engineering problem of digging that deeply in that location. The water table in Lower Manhattan is notoriously high.

[Doodler]

One of the clues in the trail is an item hidden in the architecture of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and where to look for it depends on where the shadow of the bell tower falls at a certain time of day. Except that the clue does not include which day of the year to look. Depending on how precisely the shadow has to point, that would pose a problem.

And the film's treatment of significant excavations under Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan ignores the very real engineering problem of digging that deeply in that location. The water table in Lower Manhattan is notoriously high.

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to start up on this one. Pity, it wasn't all that bad a flick, in spite of glaring errors.

The one that got me was the so-called Scrolls from the Library at Alexandria. IIRC, those were kept in sealed urns. And I thought that was a pretty snap analysis of them without having opened an read them.

Also, some of the statuary in the Treasure Room was pretty impressively sized for having had to be moved through what looked like incredibly tight corridors.

[Humphrey]

Heh. i mentioned the shadow thing in the theater. got some nasty looks. :-P

Most anoying thing i found was how Stupid could that "master criminal" be? He left them all down there un chaned, alive, and un guarded?

[John Dlugosz]

One of the clues in the trail is an item hidden in the architecture of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and where to look for it depends on where the shadow of the bell tower falls at a certain time of day. Except that the clue does not include which day of the year to look. Depending on how precisely the shadow has to point, that would pose a problem.

I mentioned that to my sister, and she suggests that the shadow only has to be in the right general area, since you'll then see the marked brick.

[DataCable]

Wasn't essentially the same plot device used in Raiders of the Lost Ark as well? I don't recall a calendar date being specified in that one, either.

BTW, Welcome to BTV!BM!ND!... Jay, was it? =D>

[mike alexander]

Descend into the crater of Yocul of Sneffels, which the shade of Scartaris caresses, before the kalends of July, audacious traveler, and you will reach the center of the earth. I did it.
ARNE SAKNUSSEMM

[papageno]

Wasn't essentially the same plot device used in Raiders of the Lost Ark as well? I don't recall a calendar date being specified in that one, either.
As far as I remember, there was a time constraint (a few days or so).

[Normandy6644]

I liked the movie, and as long as you got past the unbelievable coincidences (he gave them the pipe too!), it was really entertaining.

[frenat]

Just saw the movie and had to groan at the shadow problem too. Even if the shadow had to be in the general location a few days (weeks maybe) in either direction would have moved it off that part of the building anyway. As for Raiders of the Lost Ark, is it possible that due to the nature of the jewel in the headpiece that it just need light from any angle to fall on it and would always focus it in the same direction?

[N C More]

Yeah, both my husband and I wondered about the shadow thing as well!

I also had to say a quiet, "oh no" at the very beginning when they described the mason in a conspiratorial manner. I know that the masons weren't painted in a bad light at all but just the idea that they were controlling things and sneaking around in conspiracy mode will probably just add to the woo woo notions that are out there regarding the masons.

Awhile back on another board (Jay will remember this guy) there was a fellow who was sure that the masons were in cahoots with "the aliens" and even had spaceships (derived from alien technology)! It's incredible what some people will latch onto.

However, it was a very fun flick. Go and see it and just chalk up the boo boos to Hollywood and have a good time. I give it a thumbs up!

[JayUtah]

I think that was the gentleman from Texas who quoted Mike Bara's latest anti-Masonic rant. He claimed Earth was in terrible danger from some kind of Planet X event and that the Masons were in cahoots with space aliens to evacuate them (the Masons only) and their families to bases elsewhere in the solar system and galaxy. I believe he suggested regular translunar flights were already being conducted. As I recall, the gentleman was quite upset at my requests that he connect his theory to some aspect of reality.

I really have no problem with Freemasonry being used as a fictional device. Fiction is not meant to be documentary; fiction is allowed to assert things that aren't true in order to tell us a story. Now that can be done plausibly or implausibly. Asserting things that violate physical law (i.e., things that cannot be true) are white lies of a different order than things which simply violate historical fact (i.e., things that might have been true or could be true, but just aren't).

It's one thing to create a fantasy universe involving omnipotent Freemasons, if that fantasy is expected to persist only for as long as you sit in the theater. It's another thing altogether to say that this is how the real world operates, which is what separates the conspiracy theorist from the screenwriter.

[N C More]

It's one thing to create a fantasy universe involving omnipotent Freemasons, if that fantasy is expected to persist only for as long as you sit in the theater. It's another thing altogether to say that this is how the real world operates, which is what separates the conspiracy theorist from the screenwriter.

Those whose fanatsy persists beyond the theater are the ones who write books like this (http://atlantisbook.com/orderpage.html) where reality and fiction have become a hodge podge of delusion...all for only $24.97!

[honestmonkey]

Wasn't essentially the same plot device used in Raiders of the Lost Ark as well? I don't recall a calendar date being specified in that one, either.

The floor was the calender.

They made a big deal of Indy checking where on the floor (there were many rows of holes in a grid pattern) to put the stick with the jewel on it so that when the sunlight came through the opening, a beam was directed to the correct spot. In fact, since the Germans only had half of the amulet thing, they had the wrong size stick, and it pointed to the wrong place.

They got it right, and that surprised me about National Treasure, because it was an "Indiana Jones" type movie, surely they've seen Raiders?

[DreadCthulhu]

Awhile back on another board (Jay will remember this guy) there was a fellow who was sure that the masons were in cahoots with "the aliens" and even had spaceships (derived from alien technology)! It's incredible what some people will latch onto.


That is pretty silly. I have been in the Freemasons for quite some time, and trust me, they don't have any connection with aliens, or any terrible monstrousities from beyond, or anything like that. They are completely free of non-human influence. You can quote me on that if you want to.

[ZaphodBeeblebrox]

Awhile back on another board (Jay will remember this guy) there was a fellow who was sure that the masons were in cahoots with "the aliens" and even had spaceships (derived from alien technology)! It's incredible what some people will latch onto.


That is pretty silly. I have been in the Freemasons for quite some time, and trust me, they don't have any connection with aliens, or any terrible monstrousities from beyond, or anything like that. They are completely free of non-human influence. You can quote me on that if you want to.

My Grandfather was a Master Mason.

He'd be glad to hear, the Organization, is still going strong.

[mjparme]

I am still wondering how the producers of the movie are avoiding a lawsuit from Dan Brown (Da Vinci Code).

Good thing that guy gave him the pipe too!