Going Clear - Scientology Documentary on HBO

[JohnS]

At a London concert by RTF there was a large banner strung across the stage extolling L Ron Hubbard,.

[erwbol]

Front row seat at all the big conventions. If you didn't already know, now it should be clear how much money Chick Corea donates to this church and to what use it is put. That's why I won't buy any of his albums as a leader.

[gmonahan]

Finally watched it last night. It made a pretty powerful argument that the whole thing is a fraud in just about every sense of the word. I thought the stories about Hubbard were particularly interesting, though my guess is that Philip Seymour Hoffman's version in "The Master" was far more interesting than the real guy!

gregmo

[erwbol]

What a creep Hubbard was. Those colour interviews, look at that lower lip and those teeth! Ugh.

[Neal Pomea]

It was interesting to learn more about Hubbard and to see just how "accurate" PTA's film The Master was in summarizing his character and the beginnings of the cult.

It's probably just an urban legend, but my impression was that Scientology was more or less started as a bet between Hubbard and Heinlein that Hubbard could actually start a religion based vaguely on the lines of what is portrayed in Stranger in a Strange Land. Obviously the engram stuff got added later.

I heard it was a bet between Hubbard and Harland Ellison, but I don't remember details.

[johnblitweiler]

It was interesting to learn more about Hubbard and to see just how "accurate" PTA's film The Master was in summarizing his character and the beginnings of the cult.

It's probably just an urban legend, but my impression was that Scientology was more or less started as a bet between Hubbard and Heinlein that Hubbard could actually start a religion based vaguely on the lines of what is portrayed in Stranger in a Strange Land. Obviously the engram stuff got added later.

I heard it was a bet between Hubbard and Harland Ellison, but I don't remember details.

Scientology was founded in 1952. Stranger In a Strange Land was published in 1961. Harlan Ellison turned 18 in 1952 and was a student at Ohio State University, in his home state Ohio.

[Hot Ptah]

I watched this HBO documentary last night. Very powerful stuff.

I wondered why the filmmakers stopped Tom Cruise's story before his marriage to Katie Holmes and the birth of their daughter Suri. They focused on how his marriage to Nicole Kidman was supposedly destroyed by the Scientologists, but there was no mention at all of the more recent marriage to Katie Holmes.

Also, I wondered why there was no mention of the film starring John Travolta, "Battlefield Earth", based on Hubbard's novel. It is supposed to be one of the worst films of all time.

There is no mention of Chick Corea or any other musician in the film.

I found it interesting that the membership numbers have declined significantly for Scientology in recent years, while the assets of Scientology have greatly increased at the same time.

[7/4]

Also, I wondered why there was no mention of the film starring John Travolta, "Battlefield Earth", based on Hubbard's novel. It is supposed to be one of the worst films of all time.

The film was that bad.

[Daniel A]

Also, I wondered why there was no mention of the film starring John Travolta, "Battlefield Earth", based on Hubbard's novel. It is supposed to be one of the worst films of all time.

The film was that bad. I remember going to watch that film with a few friends when it ran just because we've heard that it was really bad. That day I was in a terrible situation otherwise because of my own poor judgement, but the film made me laugh so much that you could say L Ron Hubbard saved my life.

Edited April 1, 2015 by Daniel A

[erwbol]

Now I'm curious. I just downloaded Battlefield Earth in 1080p through bittorrent. I could use a good laugh.

Update

It's unbelievably retarded. WTF?

Edited April 1, 2015 by erwbol

[gmonahan]

"Battlefield Earth" won the Razzie for Worst Film of the Decade, and Travolta for Worst actor. Its status as one of the worst films of all time has remained virtually untouched. I watched it once with a friend, and we found it largely unintelligible and unwatchable (it's very dark--not in plot, of which it has little, but just hard to SEE). To me, it lacks any of the the fun of the really STOOPID bad films like Ed Wood's classic "Plan 9 From Outer Space" or my personal favorite, "They Saved Hitler's Brain." It really is a hopeless piece of shit, reminiscent, no doubt, of the source material and its talentless author.

gregmo

[Neal Pomea]

It was interesting to learn more about Hubbard and to see just how "accurate" PTA's film The Master was in summarizing his character and the beginnings of the cult.

It's probably just an urban legend, but my impression was that Scientology was more or less started as a bet between Hubbard and Heinlein that Hubbard could actually start a religion based vaguely on the lines of what is portrayed in Stranger in a Strange Land. Obviously the engram stuff got added later.

I heard it was a bet between Hubbard and Harland Ellison, but I don't remember details.

Scientology was founded in 1952. Stranger In a Strange Land was published in 1961. Harlan Ellison turned 18 in 1952 and was a student at Ohio State University, in his home state Ohio.

Ellison said he was in high school when he met Hubbard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9AGVARpqdk

[xybert]

Yeah i remember renting Battlefield Earth for a laugh and not being able to get through it.

[gmonahan]

If you want a real giggle, try watching John Wayne's notorious "The Conqueror" some time. Now, that one is a hoot.

gregmo

[Teasing the Korean]

If you want a real giggle, try watching John Wayne's notorious "The Conqueror" some time. Now, that one is a hoot.

Is that the one where he plays Genghis Khan? God, I can't stand John Wayne.