Sunday night in Tulsa: There will be Bloodline

Producer and Tabloid Baby pal René Barnett brings her controversial, acclaimed documentary film Bloodline back home to Oklahoma on Sunday, August 16th, in an exclusive one-night-only event at Tulsa’s historic Circle Cinema.

The movie investigates the popular theory that Jesus Christ married and fathered children with Mary Magdalene, finding the real story behind The Da Vinci Code. It caused a furor upon its release in theatres, has been presented around the world, and has only grown in popularity and influence since its release on DVD.

René Barnett is a native Oklahoman who worked for years with director Bruce Burgess on the project, presents the film on Sunday at 7 pm. The screening will be followed by a question-and-answer session that's bound to be spirited.

Barnett is a veteran producer whose television credits include Ripley’s Believe it or Not and Strange Universe. She is also host of the syndicated radio program Night Vision.

She got her start in radio at KAKC in Tulsa, as the newscaster who also provided occasional live sound effects on "Dr. Mazeppa Pompazoidi's Unfilmy Can Festival," a zany late night show featuring Tulsa natives Gailard Sartain and Gary Busey.

Bloodline runs at 7 pm Sunday night. The Circle Cinema is located at 12 South Lewis (at 1st Street) in Tulsa. More information at 918-592-FILM and the cinema website.

Bloodline opens in NYC: "A rollicking good ride!"

Bloodline, the documentary-thriller from Bruce Burgess and René Barnett, opens in New York City today (May 16th in Los Angeles), and if ever there was a chance for a work of cinematic art to change the world -- well, this would be the one.

The very entertaining film chases the theory that Jesus Christ wasn’t resurrected after his crucifixion, but was spirited off to marry Mary Magdalene and that they had children who emigrated to southern France, thus creating a bloodline that survives to this day but whose existence has been covered up by the Roman Catholic Church and remains protected and hidden by a secret Vatican society. The story was first presented in the book The Holy Blood & The Holy Grail and fictionalized a little too close to the bone in The Da Vinci Code, but in this movie form, as director Burgess chases down documents and clues, leading to amateur archeologists and a burial vault that could hold the key, the evidence that could shake a world religion at least opens up the taboo topic to even wider public discussion.

We attended an advance screening in Hollywood and can tell you that Burgess could teach Michael Moore a thing or two about making a point without twisting facts and hammering agendas. In Bloodline, the journey is as fascinating and illuminating as the end of the trail, and though Burgess is featured prominently as a bearlike Mooreian presence throughout the film, in the best journalistic tradition he listens to people and lets them have their say without without condescension (though not uncritically) or taking the easy route and making fun of them.

With a resume that includes investigations into Bigfoot, Area 51 and the Bermuda Triangle, Burgess has already been the target of some "mainstream" journos who've tried to marginalize him as part of the conspiracy fringe element, but it’s clear that his journeys through the paranormal and anomalist realms have taught Burgess that the people who claim encounters with them are not always wackos but more often ordinary, sane folks whose worlds were rocked by something they can’t explain or understand.

And most spectacularly, Burgess actually casts some doubt on what's literally dug up.

Always on the move, by planes, trains automobiles-- and camper van-- Bloodline unspools like a Bourne or Bond flick, with tapped phone calls, mysterious deaths, strange, ominous characters and even a potential villain who could give Blofeld a run for his money. All the real-life mysteries and controversy aside, it’s an edge-of-your-seat, rollicking good ride and well worth the admission.

And as an independent feature that depends on an audience to survive, it’s worth the support.

BLOODLINE SHOWTIMES:

May 9th 2008
Village East Cinema
181 2nd Street, New York, New York, 10003
212 529 6998 www.villageeastcinema.com
SHOW TIMES: Fri - Sun Noon, 2:30pm, 5:15pm, 7:45pm, 10:30pm
Mon - Thurs 2:30pm, 5:15pm, 7:45pm, 10:30pm
Q&A schedule: Friday (9th) and Saturday (10th) after 7:45PM show
Sunday (11th) after the 2:30PM show

May 16th-22nd 2008
Laemmle's Sunset 5
8000 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA, 90046
323-848-3500 www.laemmle.com
SHOW TIMES: Daily: 1:10, 4:20, 7:00, 9:55
Q&A schedule: Friday (16th) after 7:00PM show
Saturday (17th) after 7:00PM show, Sunday (18th) after 4:20PM show

June 23rd (only) and June 30th-July 3rd 2008
Yelm Cinemas
201 Prairie Park St., Yelm, WA 98597
360.400.3456 www.yelmcinemas.com

Bloodline trailer hits theatres

The trailer for Bloodline arrives in theatres in New York and Los Angeles today.

The documentary film traces a three-year investigation into the relationship between Jesus Christ and Mary Magdelene (and whether they got married and had kids) and culminates in the discovery of a body. How's that for a teaser? British investigator Bruce Burgess and American producer Rene Barnett have worked against all odds in creating this real-life, edge-of-your seat thriller that's even more involving than its cousin, The DaVinci Code.

Because it's real.

The movie is set to open in May in theatres across America. Tabloid Baby pal Daniel Brown (not the DaVinci author but the film editor-- see The Seventh Python) edited the film. And he's among many banging the drum (which he also does in his alt career as a musician).