The DaSega Code

Finally got the see The DaVinci Code this weekend. Hmmm. Not that impressed to be honest - it was pretty much identical to the book (as one would expect), and due to this it actually seemed as though I'd already seen it - everything was pretty much how I'd visualised it myself. Except for the pudding faced Audrey Tatou, that is. Anyway, this isn't a goddamned Dan Brown discussion forum - the reason I brought up said church scaring, conspiracy whipping tat was this: It's got a Dreamcast in it!

Not an actual Dreamcast console, you understand - that'd never go down well with Sony Pictures - but a DC logo. Sort of.

In the scene where Langdon (Hanks) is giving his piss poor 'lecture' on Religious Symbology at the Paris Ritz, have a look at the background on the big screen. Just incase you missed it - here's an Official Dreamcast Junkyard Screengrab (tm):

Even Robert Langdon plays Jet Set Radio. And if it's good enough for him...

SEE!!! IT'S THERE! I have to give full Kudos to my Dreamcast-Logo-Spotting cerebral inplant, but come on people - how good of a spot is that?!

This got me thinking about the actual logo itself and the meaning behind it. Whenever a piece of marketable shite is launched - be it a stereo, a car or a brand of yoghurt - the firm usually spend hundreds of thousands on brand development. How and why did Sega come up with the swirl?
Well, after much digging (aka Google), I discovered that the swirl is a religious symbol of some sort (hence Dr Langdon's useage for his slideshow) that has been found carved into the walls of Celtic tombs and other places where ancient civilisations are thought to have practiced some form of religious ceremony. Experts aren't entirely sure what it represents, but the most popular theory is that it represents life, death and rebirth. A sort of life-cycle, if you will.

So, were Sega cheekily marketing the Dreamcast as their 'rebirth'? It would make sense looking at the meaning behind the 'swirl,' it's just that, obviously it didn't work. It's also a Wicca symbol for 'goddess.' Sega and the occult? No wonder the Dreamcast flopped. Maybe they should have stuck to something less likely to upset an Elder God - like (cue clouds gathering) Sega Thunderbox.

Although...

10 comments:

Animated AF said...

Brilliant find!

gnome said...

You 're a sick person my dear tomleece...

Porroe said...

You are a troubled one indeed, but that was still fun

Tom Charnock said...

Lol :-D

Anonymous said...

I think it resembles a piece of coiled 'rope' as in 'money for old...'. I also think it resembles a birds-eye view of a 'Mr. Whippy' style ice-cream, as in 'I scream'. It could also mock an over-zealous Cumberland sausage as in 'horrendous pig pancreas and sage based delicatessen'.
HARRUMPH!!

gnome said...

And for the time being we ALL are enjoying the WC, aren't we?


:)

Tom Charnock said...

Of course we are! Although for some reason, it just doesn't feel as if the tournament is actually on. And some of the games have been really dull. Roll on Brazil to liven things up a bit...

Anonymous said...

I actaully noticed tthat in the trailer too, you are not alone :)

Ross said...

Thats an interseting find Tomleecee, I just figured it was just a cool-looking symbol. Never for once had I thought about the history behind it...

Tom Charnock said...

cheers Ross. Nah, me neither...I just had naff all to do at work!!!