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Conclave - Blog Posts
now usually when i say i want a character biblically i mean, well, fucking; HOWEVER in the case of Thomas Lawrence needing him biblically means needing to see him suffer 1001 times 😌
Vincent Benítez is an old man fucker bc he thinks there is nothing more beautiful than to live and to thrive despite everything and to have the privilege of carrying your life upon ur face and body
WTF why didn’t anyone tell me other people are lowky obsessed with this movie
i read the conclave book in less than a day and watched the conclave movie twice and i feel like i can say edward berger definitely read the book and thought "you know what the problem here is. not enough benitez as a jesus allegory content"
just a few changes to showcase this:
1. In the book Benitez is constantly portrayed being welcomed by Filipinos, Africans and other nations due to his reputation. Multiple times the book has shown Benitez being dragged into groups and numerous nationals listening intently to what he has to say, which is why he rose so slowly but prominently.
In the movie, Benitez is almost always alone--the scene where Lawrence finds him looking at the late popes turtles alone was originally Benitez talking to a group but deciding to leave to speak to Lomelli instead. The movie frames Benitez in the same quiet but thoughtful work as it does the nuns and all the important female figures in the Church--watching, listening, saying nothing until the spirit moves him to speak the truth. The book shows Benitez still being involved in the politics of the Conclave, dragged around his social groups, whether he wants to be or not; the movie expressly separates Benitez entirely from the politics, placing him in a kind of objective, angelic watcher position.
2. Jacopo Lomelli's name is changed to Thomas Lawrence. The book is likely referring to Jacopo as Jacob, the man who wrestled God, but in the movie he is clearly focused on being Doubting Thomas, the man who interrogates and sees proof of Jesus's resurrection from an abdomen wound. Guess who Lawrence was interrogating about the treatment of an abdomen wound in the movie
3. Speaking of the treatment, the movie changed Benitez's condition from having a fused labia to having ovaries, and also changed the way he found out from a car bomb explosion injury to an appendectomy. Again. This is probably an allusion to Doubting Thomas checking out Jesus's wound. But the fact that even this major detail was changed to fit the "Benitez as a Jesus allegory" narrative is hilarious to me
4. This is my biggest, funniest observation of the Conclave Book vs Movie Benitez. Book Benitez is determined to make Lomelli win. He gets up and speaks after the discovery of the terrorist attack to expressly say that the conclave has already had a majority vote (Lomelli) and that all the 24 people who voted for Benitez should vote for Lomelli instead to strengthen the church. He doesn't outwardly express any disdain for the conclave, just that he wishes they could work together to strengthen the Church. Movie Benitez is VASTLY different because he just straight up says sth along the lines of "all of you are petty and weird and know nothing about the conflict youre getting into and i cannot wait to go back to kabul and do some actual good for this world instead of being stuck here with all of you. " its just such a holy takedown of the church that clearly separates Benitez not as a member of any faction but as a voice of God
I love both the movie and the film for completely different reasons and I think everybody who reads or watches one should check out the other just to get a complete picture of both visions
Psst, the script for the deleted Conclave scenes just leaked 🙌
Got a conclave request on my Patreon.
Thomas Lawrence character of all time. he's a moral and intelligent and steadfast man with years of experience in wrangling total idiots. he's a teen girl with a crush swooning every time Vincent looks at him and writing 'Dear Diary today Vincent TOUCHED my HAND' except the diary entries are his prayers and they're going directly to God who is frankly sick of this shit. he's the saddest little meow meow to ever be born who won't kill himself because it's a sin and won't confront his feelings because he's English so he's resigned to every day just being an eternal torment. he wants to get passed around by his co-workers, even the ones he hates. he nearly dies in an explosion and his first thought is yay!! God's real after all!! he can't even work a printer. truly what a man what a man what a mighty good man
I love Vincent x Thomas with my heart and soul because with all that forbidden love legit all they want is vanilla marital sex. They are not angsty, no hate, just romantic love.
They are the older couple in the house next door. You look out the window to the beautiful garden they have grown having been in the neighborhood for decades. You ask them how they met, and they gush talking how they found each other at a time they both felt lost and it felt like a second chance. They are both retired. They are active participants in the community. They go to church every Sunday. Their sons and daughters visit every other week, the yard filled with noise of their grandchildren playing. They are that soft quiet love that make people wish they grow old together for.
But he is the Pope and he is the Dean.
Finished reading the book and I felt compelled to summarise my thoughts on Lomeli/Lawrence
Somebody give this man a hug or something😭
Ah yes, the duality of man or the most diabolical vape hit in history
I dedicate the Bellesco part of this to @eeriedragone <3
Yes, I spent the whole night finishing this. I was this desperate to see them hug🧎♀️
(Can‘t wait to put pope yaoi into my portfolio)
