Ep 5 - Silence: Struggling for Faith, Come Hell or High Water

Pop Culture on the Apricot Tree

We dive into Martin Scorsese's 2016 film Silence, an adaptation of the novel by Shusaku Endo. The story explores the story of Jesuit missionaries in Japan which resonates with the LDS mission experience. Joining us is special guest Van Gessel, a retired BYU professor who translated Endo's works into English and was a consultant on the film. We talk about his experience working on the film and the differences between the film and the book. Don't miss the debate on the morality of Father Rodrigues's final decision. Is this film about a failure of faith or the necessity of the atonement? Whichever you way you lean, it's certain that this film will make you think.

Our Ratings:
Content: Celestial-
Artistic Merit: 5 popcorn balls
Gospel Connections: 4 apricots

Best Books:
Liz - Dendo: One Year and One Half in Tokyo by Brittany Long Olsen - https://amzn.to/3j0SBPK
Daniel - Shtisel (Netflix - https://www.netflix.com/title/81004164?source=35) and Srugim (Amazon Prime - https://amzn.to/3qRFNj1); The Farewell (https://amzn.to/38mZNUz)
Jeff - Artifact Space by Miles Cameron (https://amzn.to/36LAaw9); Five Kingdoms series by Brandon Mull (https://amzn.to/3LxDfyt); Book of Enoch (https://amzn.to/376ri4a); The Lost Symbol (series on Peacock not recommended - https://www.peacocktv.com/watch/asset/tv/dan-browns-the-lost-symbol/5952493920723809112; book recommended - https://amzn.to/36LTc5y)
Van - Crash Landing on You (https://www.netflix.com/title/81159258); Departures (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V97h623Zqqk)

Links:
Shinya Tsukamoto - Japanese filmmaker who was cast as Mokichi - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinya_Tsukamoto
Alma and Amulek watch their converts being martyred in Alma 14 - https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/14?lang=eng Alma 1-29: A Brief Theological Introduction by Kylie Nielson Turley - https://amzn.to/3qVLZqk
Hesiod's Theogany - https://amzn.to/3J0VydX
"Do the thing that we would not do" - a paraphrase of Romans 7:15 - https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/rom/7.15?lang=eng
When You Can't Come Back: A Story of Courage and Grace by Dave and Jan Daravecky - https://amzn.to/3uQSgEP
"How often would I have gathered thee as a hen gathereth her chicks" - paraphrase of Matt 23:37 (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/matt/23.37?lang=eng) and 3 Nephi 10:4-6 (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/3-ne/10?lang=eng&id=4-6#p4)
"Sooner would a nursing mother forget her child" - paraphrase of Isaiah 49:15 - https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/isa/49.15?lang=eng
Earlier Japanese film of Silence - Chinmoku - https://amzn.to/3K15Rjy

Films with similar themes:
Heartbreak Ridge (1986) - https://amzn.to/35xqNQ9
The Mission (1986)- https://amzn.to/3NHt1xt
A Hidden Life (2019)- https://amzn.to/3J2Li4W

Find Us:
Liz - lizbusby.com
Daniel - Nauvoo Neighbor (https://nauvooneighbor.org/)
Jeff - Twitter: @JeffSBennion; Public Square Magazine (https://publicsquaremag.org/)
Van - translations of Endo's works (https://amzn.to/3DwTTLW); Wikipedia page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_C._Gessel); BYU devotional on pop culture (https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/van-c-gessel/welding-link-culture/)

Video editing by Robert Hill - https://roberthillw.wixsite.com/robert-hill

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