April 05, 2007 01:00am Article from: The Australian COCA-COLA is threatening legal action to stop an Italian film showing Jesus drinking from a can of Coke. Seven Kilometres from Jerusalem, directed by Claudio Malaponti and due out in Italian cinemas tomorrow, imagines a Christ who lives and preaches in the Middle East in the 21st century. Coca-Cola Italia has complained that the use of its brand image was unauthorised and unacceptable and likely to give Coca-Cola a negative image. The storyline revolves around Alessandro Forte, an Italian advertising executive played by Luca Ward, who travels to Jerusalem to escape a mid-life crisis. He encounters Jesus, played by Alessandro Etrusco, in the desert near Emmaus, and offers him a lift in his Jeep. As Jesus gets in, the executive reminds him to fasten his seat belt and hands him a can of Coca-Cola, which the thirsty Jesus drinks with enjoyment. "My God - what a testimonial!" the excited executive exclaims. In its letter, Coca-Cola Italia demanded that the offending scene be cut. Malaponti said that would mean completely re-editing the film in three days. He said the film had been well-received at the Vatican, adding that the Pope sent a message saying he hoped it would "increase love for Jesus". He said the Coca-Cola scene was "a coherent part of a film in which Jesus is portrayed as the greatest communicator of all time. This is a profoundly religious film". A spokeswoman for Coca-Cola Italia said the company had objected to the scene "because we are not interested in this kind of product placement". The Times, London, in The Australian http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21506827-2,00.html | |
【聯合報／編譯組／綜合報導】 2007.04.06 02:42 am 義大利一部宗教電影出現耶穌基督喝罐裝可樂的情節和畫面，梵蒂岡教廷看了並沒意見，反倒引起可口可樂公司不滿，指電影未獲公司授權使用該公司品牌，擔心會損害可口可樂的形象，因此要求電影公司刪除有關情節和畫面。 英國泰晤士報報導，引發義大利可口可樂公司不滿的電影，片名叫「距耶路撒冷七公里」（Seven Kilometres from Jerusalem）。這部電影將於本周五耶穌受難日當天在義大利上映，電影以虛構手法講述耶穌基督於廿一世紀在中東傳教和生活的情況，傳教期間，他在沙漠遇上男主角福特，還喝了罐裝可口可樂。 義大利可口樂公司看到影片後，去函投訴，指不能接受電影公司未經授權使用其旗下品牌。但該部電影導演馬拉蓬蒂說，這部電影在梵蒂岡上映時頗獲好評，耶穌喝可樂一幕亦沒引起教廷反感，並說電影凸顯了耶穌是歷來最偉大的傳道人，可口可樂公司的反應讓他難以理解。 http://udn.com/NEWS/WORLD/WOR4/3792270.shtml |