Secrets of the Code

One of the better documentaries piggybacking on the success of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, filmmaker Jonathan Stack's Secrets of the Code—narrated by Susan Sarandon and based on the bestselling book by Dan Burstein—offers a fast-paced summary of the contention from Brown and others that the Holy Grail refers not to a cup but rather the bloodline of descendants from Jesus Christ's marriage to Mary Magdalene. Topics covered include the cult of Magdalene (featuring discussions with modern-day "Magdalene pilgrims" who perform annual rites celebrating the sacred feminine and its connection to the mysteries of procreation), the Catholic Church's demotion of Mary from tacit apostle to prostitute, and detailed scrutiny of Da Vinci's The Last Supper (resurrecting the fierce debate over whether the figure to Christ's right is Magdalene or young St. James). Many of the same interviewees who have turned up in earlier documentaries are featured here—including Timothy Freke and Richard Leigh (Time Machine: Beyond the Da Vinci Code), Sean Martin (Templar Code: Crusade of Secrecy), and Elaine Pagels (The Gnostic Gospels)—discussing various facets of early Christianity. Recommended. Aud: P. (T. Keogh)