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From director Ron Howard, producer Brian Grazer and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, the Oscar®-winning team of A Beautiful Mind, along with producer John Cally (the Oscar®-nominated The Remains of the Day), comes the film version Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. One of the most popular and widely discussed novels of our time, this movie includes a superb cast headed by two-time Academy Award®-winner Tom Hanks with Audrey Tautou, Sir Ian McKellan, Alfred Molina, Paul Bettany and Jean Reno.
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The soundtrack for one of this season’s most anticipated films, Columbia Pictures and Imagine Entertainment’s The Da Vinci Code, features original music composed by Oscar®-winner Hans Zimmer (Rain Man, The Lion King, Black Hawk Down, Gladiator).
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Famed symbologist Professor Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) is called to the Louvre museum one night where a curator has been murdered, leaving behind a mysterious trail of symbols and clues.
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From director Ron Howard, producer Brian Grazer and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, the Oscar®-winning team of A Beautiful Mind, along with producer John Cally (the Oscar®-nominated The Remains of the Day), comes the film version Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. One of the most popular and widely discussed novels of our time, this movie includes a superb cast headed by two-time Academy Award®-winner Tom Hanks with Audrey Tautou, Sir Ian McKellan, Alfred Molina, Paul Bettany and Jean Reno.
“This story has all the style and traditional suspense elements that make a movie work as an entertaining narrative,” says Howard. “It takes the viewer along with the confidence that it’s headed in a particular direction but then surprises you in so many ways. That’s why the story Dan Brown created so captivated his readers. It feels familiar as a mystery and as a thriller but then, wow, there’s this fascinating turn of events.”
“Robert Langdon is the thinking man’s hero, someone who is on a relentless quest to unravel this mystery,” observes screenwriter Goldsman. “Throughout history, we have been drawn to people who seek out the truth, who search for the grail. They were often knights, men who were pure of heart, strong of spirit and unrelenting.”
Hanks had been involved with The Da Vinci Code almost from its inception. Though he and Howard had not collaborated in the past several years, they remained close. “It was more than friendship that led me to want to cast Tom as Robert Langdon,” says Howard. “…There was a natural intersection between Tom as an actor and a person and the sensibility of the character of Robert Langdon. He’s this guy to a tee. Langdon is driven by curiosity and has a wonderfully dry sense of humour. More than anything else, Langdon is fascinated by details and eager to understand the truth. Tom is also very smart and fascinated by the world around him. In casting Tom, I was certain I had brought in a really intelligent and helpful collaborator.”
The name Sophie comes from Greek Sofia for wisdom and Neveu means “descendent” in French — a descendent of Mary Magdalene perhaps?
For Howard the role of Sophie Neveu was a crucial one in telling the story of The Da Vinci Code. “One of the themes that resonated with me when I read the novel, and one of the things I really wanted to make sure was front and centre in the movie, was the idea of the sacred feminine,” says Howard. “... Sophie’s emotional journey in The Da Vinci Code is really exciting. Having such a strong female character at the centre, watching her come to understand who she really is as this mystery of her life unfolds, adds a great deal of wonderful suspense to the thriller.”
Casting the right actress to perfectly capture this elevated view of Sophie Neveu was always going to be difficult, the filmmakers acknowledged. Several prominent French actresses were auditioned and the finalists flew to Los Angeles to read with Hanks. Audrey Tautou, who had only made one other English-language film, Dirty Pretty Things, was the least prepared in terms of the amount of time she had been given to work on her scenes, yet she immediately impressed the filmmakers with the nuances she brought to her work. “Audrey has a unique quality that, given the mystical elements of The Da Vinci Code, was absolutely perfect,” observes Howard. “She is both enigmatic and accessible.”
Adds Tom Hanks: “Audrey is intimidating and mysterious. She’s very ethereal in some ways, and yet, when she asks a question, you believe that this is a genuine inquiry.”
“Teabing is the sphinx of the story,” says Goldsman, “he is full of mysteries and serves as an engine, both in the book and the movie. Much of what happens is due to this puppet master.”
“There are a number of great British actors who could have played Sir Leigh Teabing,” says Howard, “but I met Sir Ian and I immediately knew we’d have a great time working together and that he’d do something remarkable with that character. It turns out I was right. I’ve admired him in so many different films, because he has this amazing range from high-profile popular-entertainment characters, to very obscure, dark, intriguing characters in small films.”
In taking on the role of Silas, perhaps the most bizarre character in Dan Brown’s novel, actor Paul Bettany says his primary mission was to humanize the deadly monk. “Silas is an incredibly alienated individual who is desperate for a father figure. The first person who is kind to him is Aringarosa. It’s unfortunate that he uses Silas’ damaged psyche as a weapon. Silas’ father had called him a ghost and Silas ended up in prison for killing him. Then he meets Aringarosa who calls and suddenly his physical being makes sense and has a meaning for him.”
Silas was the last major role to be cast because, though Howard auditioned numerous actors, he always felt there was something missing in their approach to the character. He had previously worked with Bettany in the Oscar®-winning A Beautiful Mind, and was an admirer of his performance in Gangster No. 1, which Howard felt showed enormous range and power. So he turned to Bettany in the hopes of finding the perfect Silas — and never looked back.
The name Bézu is the location of a Knights Templar fortress in Southern France, and Fache means cross in French.
Jean Reno had previously worked with producer John Calley and was very interested in the role of Bézu Fache because he was fascinated by the idea of playing a character who is disappointed when his trust in Aringarosa is betrayed. “He’s involved in this because he truly believes in something,” Reno explains. “But first and foremost he’s a cop and he’s trying to do his job. I was interested in exploring the idea of how my character would react when he’s betrayed by an Archbishop.”
Howard says there’s nobody better in his mind to play the French police captain than Reno. “Jean is one of those spirits that just brings a lot of joy to the process, as well as intelligence, great taste and talent.”
In portraying Bézu Fache, Reno was stepping into a role that was tailor-made for him as well, he explains. “It was quite an honor when I found out that Dan Brown said he wrote the character with me in mind. It made playing him in the film even more meaningful to me.”
The Da Vinci Code filmed at a number of locations throughout Europe and at Pinewood and Shepperton Studios, where several sets were built.
Although the production did shoot at the Louvre in Paris, it was essential to rebuild the Grand Galerie in a studio so that a majority of the action could unfold in a more controlled environment, and away from the masterpieces at the actual museum. To this end, production designer Allan Cameron constructed sections of the museum on the “James Bond” stage at Pinewood Studios just outside of London.
A number of other sets were also built at Shepperton Studios in the southwest of London, including the interior of Saint-Sulpice and a number of rooms inside Château Villette, where Leigh Teabing resides. “We wanted to use the real château in the story and we were lucky enough to get permission to shoot there,” says Cameron. “But the library, kitchen and study were built on the stage. They were interesting sets to build and dress since they include a significant amount of props.”
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The soundtrack for one of this season’s most anticipated films, Columbia Pictures and Imagine Entertainment’s The Da Vinci Code, features original music composed by Oscar®-winner Hans Zimmer (Rain Man, The Lion King, Black Hawk Down, Gladiator).
Zimmer recorded the soundtrack at Air Studios which Da Vinci Code fans will be delighted to know is situated on “Rosslyn” Hill in London, and also at Abbey Road Studios. Director, Ron Howard commented that the music recorded at the sessions was “powerful, fresh and wonderfully effective… Like every other facet of this movie, the score for The Da Vinci Code demanded a range of textures that recognized and reinforced the layers of ideas and emotion, which unfold as the basic story does.” Zimmer once again captures the essence of suspense and tension that builds throughout the film. “The inspired Hans Zimmer has given us extraordinarily memorable music to appreciate within the framework of a film or completely on its own, where you can let the sounds carry you on your own private journey,” summarized Ron Howard. The two have previously collaborated on Backdraft in 1991.
German-born Zimmer entered the world of film music in London as an apprentice to composer Stanley Meyers (The Deerhunter), with whom he collaborated on several scores. His first film was My Beautiful Laundrette (1985) and since then he has composed over 100 films, becoming one of Hollywood’s most sought after composers. In 1988, he earned an Oscar® nomination for Rain Man and was nominated for a Grammy® in 1989 for Driving Miss Daisy. He garnered the Academy Award® in 1994 for The Lion King, which also earned him a Golden Globe®, a Tony® and two Grammy® awards. In total, Zimmer has been nominated for seven Golden Globes, seven Grammys, and seven Oscars for Rain Man, Gladiator, The Lion King, As Good As It Gets, The Preacher’s Wife, The Thin Red Line, The Prince of Egypt, and The Last Samurai.
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Famed symbologist Professor Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) is called to the Louvre museum one night where a curator has been murdered, leaving behind a mysterious trail of symbols and clues. With his own survival at stake, Langdon, aided by the police cryptologist Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou), unveils a series of stunning secrets hidden in the works of Leonardo Da Vinci, all leading to a covert society dedicated to guarding an ancient secret that has remained hidden for 2000 years.
The pair set off on a thrilling quest through Paris, London and Scotland, collecting clues as they desperately attempt to crack the code and reveal secrets that will shake the very foundations of mankind.
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1. DIES MERCURII I MARTIUS
2. L’ESPRIT DES GABRIEL
3. THE PASCHAL SPIRAL
4. FRUCTUS GRAVIS
5. AD ARCANA
6. MALLEUS MALEFICARUM
7. SALVETE VIRGINES*
8. DANIEL’S 9TH CIPHER
9. POISONED CHALICE
10. THE CITRINE CROSS
11. ROSE OF ARIMATHEA
12. BENEATH ALRISCHA
13. CHEVALIERS DE SANGREAL
14. KYRIE FOR THE MAGDALENE
*Bonus track does not appear in film
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Tom Hanks Robert Langdon
Audrey Tautou Sophie Neveu
Ian McKellen Sir Leigh Teabing
Jürgen Prochnow André Vernet
Alfred Molina Bishop Aringarosa
Paul Bettany Silas
Jean Reno Bezu Fache
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