Leonardo Da Vinci didn’t exactly need a film to boost his legendary status, but it always helps to be immortalised on the big screen. Born in Italy in 1452, he was successful in so many areas of life that it’s impossible to credit his fame with just one specific discipline.
What we can say is that Da Vinci left his legacy in many fields and, more than 500 years after his birth, he is cited as a genius ahead of his time. In the centuries since his death, many biographies and other books have emerged, but it was in 2006 when the legend was rekindled thanks to a multi-million-dollar film.
The story of the myth
Immortalising the man best known for being the mind behind world-changing inventions including the original designs for modern flight, The Davinci Code film uses the inventor’s historic importance and impact on the world of today through an incredibly tense story line.
With the intent to uncover one of the world’s best kept secrets, Paris’s own Louvre museum is broken into by thieves, leaving behind the body of a gallery curator with strange symbols marked across and around him. The police call in Sophie, played by Audrey Tautou, a skilled cryptographer who they hope will be able to understand the meaning behind the break in and the victim’s granddaughter.
Needing help to crack the code, Sophie contacts Robert Langdon, played by Tom Hanks. As the two begin to unravel the mystery, they discover that Sophie’s grandfather was involved in the Priory of Sion- a secret society with forbidden knowledge dating back to the beginning of Christianity. As more details of the case come to light through clues hidden in some of Da Vinci’s most famous paintings, the two come across evidence they believe will lead to the location of the Holy Grail.
It’s not really a spoiler, as the movie’s story is common knowledge in the present day, but after solving the mystery, Robert Langdon discovers the last living descendant of Jesus Christ.
The Vitruvian Man is an ink drawing and was produced by Da Vinci around 1490, a time when he was at the height of his prime. It features a male figure standing in two separate positions which are superimposed on top of each other. It’s a classic example of Leonardo’s attention to detail when it comes to depicting anatomy. While it is kept in the Gallerie Dell ’Accademia in Venice, the Vitruvian Man is a priceless piece of work and as such, the piece rarely comes out on public display.
The cast who brought it to light
Whilst there have been criticisms regarding the plotline and information portrayed within Dan Brown’s novel and therefore the film, the cast of the film bring the story to light and create a great sense of tension throughout the duration.
The leading man of the film is no other than Tom Hanks, one of Hollywood’s finest. Hanks does an excellent job at portraying Robert Langdon, a talented Harvard symbologist. He is supported by talented actress Audrey Tautou, who plays the role of Sophie Neveu, perfectly depicting the characters mixture of her despair at her grandfather’s death and intent to discover the mystery.
The two are accompanied by other well-known actors, including Ian McKellen, who plays the role of Sir Leigh Teabing, and Jean Reno portraying Bezu Fache.
Whilst the plot holes within Brown’s novel were not as well received as hoped for, the cast of the film made the story a popular hit.
The success of the film
First came the book then the film and even if you are not a great fan of the work, there’s no denying that The Da Vinci Code was a global phenomenon. The movie debuted in 2006 and over the course of its first weekend, filmgoers in the USA alone spent over $77 million just to see it.
More than ten years later, DVD sales and sequels to the original have boosted the worldwide success and the legacy of The Da Vinci Code lives on.
Considering the initial budget for the film was $125 million, the $224 million it raked in world-wide shows the film was incredibly popular, despite the criticisms of Brown’s novel that inspired the film.
It’s a formidable tale and the movie was one of the modern success stories of the film industry and in turn sparked its own spin off industry.
Remembered through merchandise
The Vitruvian Man is a famous ink drawing produced by Da Vinci around 1490, a time when he was at the height of his prime. It features a male figure standing in two separate positions which are superimposed on top of each other. It’s a classic example of Leonardo’s attention to detail when it comes to depicting anatomy. While it is kept in the Gallerie Dell’Accademia in Venice, the Vitruvian Man is a priceless piece of work and as such, the piece rarely comes out on public display.
In the modern-day world where the cult of celebrity seems to dominate our media it would seem unlikely that a historical character such as Leonardo Da Vinci could still carry the status that would allow him to break into that world.
There is, however, something of a merchandising industry set up around the man, particularly in those parts of the world that were more closely associated with his life. Most of the imagery involved focuses on the iconic vision of the Vitruvian Man and this is where Dan Brown’s film has, perhaps inadvertently, helped to accelerate sales.
Among all the T shirts and posters, the modern day gives way to more traditional souvenirs with Da Vinci’s books and reproduced art that is still widely available. Postcards and prints of the Mona Lisa and the Vitruvian man can be found in many households and the respective gift shops in Paris and Venice see much of their trade come from the legendary Italian artist. For those that want to learn more, without having to hop on a plane, there are TV shows, both documentaries and fictional. Meanwhile, the norm gives way in certain areas to the downright quirky.
Leonardo Da Vinci himself has been immortalised in the world of online gaming. Wink Bingo have recognised his legacy and feature not one, but two online slots dedicated to the great man. Leonardo Da Vinci’s work has been marked in many ways and the virtual world are clearly proud to be paying their own homage.
A continuing legend
While much is known about the works of Leonardo Da Vinci, there are many areas of his life that remain a mystery. Dan Brown’s book and the subsequent film are representative of those grey areas.
The inferences to the location of the Holy Grail are covered widely by Brown’s work and the author himself asserted that 99% of it was true. Ultimately, the grail becomes the bloodline of Jesus Christ, but how much of this was known to Da Vinci will have to remain a secret.
For art lovers and those who retain a specific interest in anatomy and in any areas where Da Vinci’s inventions hold a relevance, there is no need for any more books, films or quirky souvenirs to enhance the story. The man will always be a legend and among his many achievements, he is one of the greatest artists that ever lived.
However, for those with just a passing knowledge of the great Italian, Dan Brown has elevated Da Vinci back into the wider public conscious. The Da Vinci Code is an indirect homage to his work, but the success of the film has helped to build some fascination with Leonardo’s life and whatever your opinion of the movie may be, we all owe its writer a debt of gratitude.
