"Hours of Darkness" a mysterious movie from a church sermon
May 12, 2020 5:15:27 GMT
Morshe and Snood like this
Post by kochampiwerko on May 12, 2020 5:15:27 GMT
I got a weird case for you today regarding a seemingly non-existing movie.
I am surprised that no-one else has brought it here before as it is related to an American movie. Going straight to the point:
For years, during the Easter holiday in many Polish Catholic Churches some priests are saying the exactly same sermon. It seems like they use some ready-made sermons found on the Internet but this particular one baffles Polish people. It goes like that:
So, many people have been thinking that the movie is real. Especially that we know its title and its plot... The problem? There is no such movie as "Hours of Darkness". The plot seems to resemble a bit of a story of two different books:
"When It Was Dark" by Guy Thorne
"A Skeleton in God's Closet" by Paul L. Maier
So, few facts:
- The oldest mention of the sermon is from 2006 on a Filmweb discussion board. (Polish IMDB). Several people mention hearing the same sermon so it has been circulating probably for years by that time. www.filmweb.pl/forum/seriale/TYTU%C5%81+FILMU%2C+W+KT%C3%93RYM+ZNAJDUJ%C4%84+RZEKOMY+GR%C3%93B+JEZUSA,530731
- The only known source is this website with "evangelical materials for helping priests". The website is no longer available but there it has been archived by wayback machine in 2011. web.archive.org/web/20110626034956/http://duszpasterstwo.org/index.php?id=263&id2=35
- A Polish TV and a priest who supposedly wrote the sermon were asked but they didn't respond.
Possible candidates:
- "When It Was Dark" from 1919. Based on the book with the same name. A silent movie which is considered lost, and by being silent it wouldn't really be able to break 4th wall. (and highly unlikely that some random Polish priest would ever seen it) www.imdb.com/title/tt0244300/ (notice the only "review" there, written by a Polish person who is looking for "Hours of Darkness")
- "The Body" from 2001. Seems to be inspired by "A Skeleton in God's Closet". Again, no 4th wall breaking. www.imdb.com/title/tt0201485
Some people on the Internet claim to have seen it years ago in TVP (public channel - Polish TV) but obviously that's unverifiable. Other say that they heard the sermon in 90s but that's another claim without any evidence.
So here are the questions:
- Is it only a Polish phenomena? The sermon could has been translated from English/Italian/other language to Polish by some priest. And the original title has been "lost in translation".
- Is this movie even real or is it just a mix of aforementioned books and movies? There is a chance it's some obscure religious movie for DVD/TV only.
I am surprised that no-one else has brought it here before as it is related to an American movie. Going straight to the point:
For years, during the Easter holiday in many Polish Catholic Churches some priests are saying the exactly same sermon. It seems like they use some ready-made sermons found on the Internet but this particular one baffles Polish people. It goes like that:
[some theological introduction]This night is so important that if removed from the calendar the entire world would turn upside down.Years ago an American movie has been released titled "Hours of Darkness" (in Polish: Godziny Ciemności, it's a direct translation) which is based on a book "A Skeleton in God's Closet" (Polish: Oścień śmierci). It tells a story of an archaeologist who goes to Nazareth to research Jesus Christ case once again. He does some excavations and searches for Jesus' grave. Eventually he finds a grave which fits perfectly the Biblical description. Surprisingly the grave isn't empty! There are 2000-years old remains of a middle-aged man. A further research comes to a conclusion that the man has been tortured before dying. Has marks on his head, broken rib from a spear and holes in hands and feet. This shocking discovery proves that the Christianity is a lie and Jesus never resurrected! The news hits the headlines around the world. On a TV screen there are disturbing images: churches are being closed down, turned into garages or music halls. Crosses in public are being removed. Monasteries are dissolved. Priests are getting married. Foreign missionaries are going back to their countries. Number of divorces are skyrocketing. There is no-one willing to work in the care homes. The vulnerable and sick are in despair. The entire world experiences "Hours of Darkness" (hence the name). There is a plot twist though:Suddenly a director breaks 4th wall and speaks to the viewers. He explains: You just have seen a world in which Jesus didn't risen up. This story is fictional. I wanted to show the truth to the world. I wanted to show how Resurrection has shaped ours thinking, mentality, culture. We are still looking for an evidence for Jesus' resurrection however we should ask ourselves a different question: How world would look like if Christ wouldn't rose up?[rest of the sermon]
So, many people have been thinking that the movie is real. Especially that we know its title and its plot... The problem? There is no such movie as "Hours of Darkness". The plot seems to resemble a bit of a story of two different books:
"When It Was Dark" by Guy Thorne
"A Skeleton in God's Closet" by Paul L. Maier
So, few facts:
- The oldest mention of the sermon is from 2006 on a Filmweb discussion board. (Polish IMDB). Several people mention hearing the same sermon so it has been circulating probably for years by that time. www.filmweb.pl/forum/seriale/TYTU%C5%81+FILMU%2C+W+KT%C3%93RYM+ZNAJDUJ%C4%84+RZEKOMY+GR%C3%93B+JEZUSA,530731
- The only known source is this website with "evangelical materials for helping priests". The website is no longer available but there it has been archived by wayback machine in 2011. web.archive.org/web/20110626034956/http://duszpasterstwo.org/index.php?id=263&id2=35
- A Polish TV and a priest who supposedly wrote the sermon were asked but they didn't respond.
Possible candidates:
- "When It Was Dark" from 1919. Based on the book with the same name. A silent movie which is considered lost, and by being silent it wouldn't really be able to break 4th wall. (and highly unlikely that some random Polish priest would ever seen it) www.imdb.com/title/tt0244300/ (notice the only "review" there, written by a Polish person who is looking for "Hours of Darkness")
- "The Body" from 2001. Seems to be inspired by "A Skeleton in God's Closet". Again, no 4th wall breaking. www.imdb.com/title/tt0201485
Some people on the Internet claim to have seen it years ago in TVP (public channel - Polish TV) but obviously that's unverifiable. Other say that they heard the sermon in 90s but that's another claim without any evidence.
So here are the questions:
- Is it only a Polish phenomena? The sermon could has been translated from English/Italian/other language to Polish by some priest. And the original title has been "lost in translation".
- Is this movie even real or is it just a mix of aforementioned books and movies? There is a chance it's some obscure religious movie for DVD/TV only.
