Bias against Scientology and Travolta is why it's rated so low
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Norse_Sage — 12 years ago(January 13, 2014 01:10 AM)
I don't know much about Scientology, but that couldn't possibly be the case, could it? Sounds more like a paranoid conspiracy theory.
What part of it sounds like a "paranoid conspiracy theory"?
Do you mean the part about David Miscaviege micromanaging the production of the movie?
Here is Mike Rinder, former head of OSA, and Marty Rathbun, former No.2 in the Chain of Command, taking about what happened:
Or, do you mean the bit about Hubbard infusing his Scientology and his deranged life view in the novel?
That is clear as day to anyone that has actually read the novel and knows a bit about Hubbard. Johhny Goodboy Tyler is written as a thinly veiled version of Hubbard himself, and his story mirrors that of Hubbard, as he WISHES to be seen by the public.
I probably should begin by stating that the parallels between Johnny Goodboy Tyler and Lafayette Ron Hubbard is in the 1000 page brick of a book "Battlefield Earth", not nearly as much in the movie derived from it.
The novel rivals the complete and unabridged Lord of the Rings in size, scale and scope (but not in quality mind you!!!), and the movie is a mere two hours long. Plenty was lost in adaptation, a lot of parallels between Tyler/Hubbard and the story/Scientology among them.
If any serious and independent scholar knowledgeable about LRH, both as he was and how he portrayed himself, had given this book the time of the day, analyzed it and published that analysis online - this is where I would have linked to it.
Alas, no serious professional scholar has ever given Hubbard's literary output that time of day (for good reason), so in lieu of that, you'll have to settle for that I have read the book, and that I have sufficient knowledge about Scientology and Hubbard (both as he portrayed himself and how he was) to spot the parallels and similarities. And they are really, really obvious and easily spottable. So much so that there isn't even any real room for debate. Anyone with even a rudimentary knowledge about Scientology, Hubbard and literary analysis will see it too, if they can stomach to actually read the damn thing.
"Battlefield Earth" the novel really is a fictionalized retelling of Scientology. The movie might not have had too much to do with Scientology, but the novel sure as hell does.
Humanity as it appears in the beginning of the book is much like hardline Scientologists view our wog world prior to Scientology - man is lost, having forgotten his past, held down by his own ignorance and superstitions and past events that screw him over to this day, he just doesn't know it. Enter Johnny Goodboy Tyler, who was always exceptional in every way (just like Hubbard, whose alleged childhood exploits rivaled those of Kim Jon-Il). "You are too smart for your own good", the tribal elders scold him, and try holding him back. But Tyler is so far beyond them, he has fundamental questions that needs answering. Like Hubbard did, he sets out traveling to learn the answers to his questions. Like Hubbard, he finds the answers to what has been plaguing man. Like Hubbard, he becomes a philosopher, a nuclear physicist, a military commander, and a crapload of other things. Like Hubbard, he walks through "the wall of fire" which nearly kills him, but he escapes alive, and learns the way to "clear the planet" so man can realize himself. Like Hubbard, he finds a batch of followers that see him as a savior and messiah to be worshipped. He has no trouble recruiting an army (essentially the Sea Org) among his followers. Tyler is humble in all of this, he doesn't want to be a hero, but reluctantly accepts the role as champion and figurehead to the people - but his real priority is continued research into the continued salvation for mankind (sound familiar?). And like Hubbard, Tyler eventually gets detractors, despite all the great things he has done in the service of both humanity, the planet, and the universe as a whole. Miserable, jealous, "Suppressive Persons" who want nothing more to see him fail, just because they are so petty and stupid, and spread lies about him and corrupting governments to go after him on bogus charges and even ally with the evil psychs to bring him down, jeopardizing the future of the planet and the entire universe in the process. In other words, non-scientologists are potential trouble sources and needs to be shown the light that is the truth of Scientology. And psychiatrists (here represented by the Psychlo's) are evil. Eeeviiiilllll!!!!!!!
And that is just the quick summary. I could embellish craploads more.
Suffice to say, Johhny Goodboy Tyler = L. Ron Hubbard, as he wants to be viewed by Scientologists - and he wants everyone to become a Scientologist, as they is the only possible salvation for not just the planet, but the whole UNIVERSE!!! Otherwise, we are all doomed and the psychiatrists (sworn enemies of Scientology) win.
Tesla was robbed! -
wallacesawyer — 12 years ago(January 21, 2014 03:29 PM)
What part of it sounds like a "paranoid conspiracy theory"?
This part.
Only when the movie bombed did the tune change. That's when Scientology distanced itself from it, and Miscavige threw Travolta under the bus. But make no mistake about it, the movie was from Scientology's point of view seen as means to lure fresh meat into Scientology and scam them for all they got.
http://www.freewebs.com/demonictoys/ -
arkayenether — 10 years ago(June 24, 2015 02:36 AM)
The one guy is actually right. There are quite a few parallelizes to this movie and Scientology's belief system. The easiest one to name off is that the psychlos are an analogue for psychiatry. Strapping you down and beaming information into your mind. Controlling your thoughts. That's how Hubbard viewed them.
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rrandcoyote — 11 years ago(July 10, 2014 07:53 PM)
Spot on! Thanks for your posting. I love watching ex scamtolgists expose the venal cult. But it's true..the movie and Revolta's over the top performance makes this a stand alone pos. I love that David Miscavage was the insane micromanager behind the scenes. PERFECT.
This film will stand as another testament against the crazy stuff the cult teaches. Fortunately top CoS people are leaving and blowing the whistle.
Can't stop the signal. -
CapnKaos — 12 years ago(October 28, 2013 02:08 PM)
My thoughts. The sheeple have spoken.
My thoughts: You're a pretentious git who thinks that people only hate on stuff in order to belong. While you're an "individual" who goes against the perceived flow of popular culture and champions things that were badly received and dump all over anything that was popular.
Yeah. You're a modern day rebel. -
TheFatDruidofNacyl — 12 years ago(November 04, 2013 08:59 PM)
There are many flaws related to this movie that have nothing to do with Scientology. I didn't even know about Scientology when I first seen this movie.
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JFByers — 12 years ago(December 24, 2013 05:21 PM)
I love the book (I read it three times, and every time I finished I wanted to start again), I don't care about Scientology, and I like Travolta, but this movie is beyond crap. The way it was filmed, the atrocious pace and plot I think is on par with Almighty Thor, from The Asylum.
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herbsuperb — 12 years ago(December 26, 2013 11:12 PM)
It'll make me laugh, simply on the basis of how horrible it is. But that does not make it good. This movie was simply awful, awful, AWFUL film-making. Nothing more to be said. It was actually painful to watch it unfold (collapse is the better word). Sure, I do think scientology is really, really stupid (not to mention dangerous). But even if I didn't, I still wouldn't like this movie.
On Travolta. He's made some good flicks. He can act. But his performance in this 'movie' was simply abysmal in every sense of thatwell.not very often used word.
Anyway. It sucked. Nothing to do with the cult of scientology, nothing to do with John Travolta. It just sucked. That is all. The first time I saw it, I had no idea it had anything to do with Scientology. After it was over I said 'God **** that movie sucked!'. -
Norse_Sage — 12 years ago(January 13, 2014 01:32 AM)
It sucked. Nothing to do with the cult of scientology, nothing to do with John Travolta.
The movie did indeed suck on its own terms, but the suckage of the movie was in no small part derived from two things:- The suckage of the novel, which has EVERYTHING to do with Scientology.
- The movie being micromanaged by David Miscaviege personally. He is the head of Scientology.
Tesla was robbed!
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movie_nazi — 12 years ago(December 29, 2013 03:03 PM)
I agree with you that the film is not as bad as it is made out to be. But it's not very good either. If Scientology gets a bad rap it's because it deserves it. It is a load of crap.
Battlefield Earth
(2000) - 4 outta 10 stars
My Vote history:
http://www.imdb.com/user/ur1914996/ratings -
miguelvilhena — 11 years ago(April 22, 2014 11:32 PM)
I think another big reason is that it's a sci-fi based on a book by Hubbard with John Travolta in it.
There are so many trendy cool to hate concepts there that is difficult to find anywhere else.
To me it is an entertaining movie, with a interesting although poor paced story.
"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people." -
schlob77 — 10 years ago(January 20, 2016 02:39 PM)
I've seen it and I rated it a one because it really is god awful. The story is just plain stupid, the funniest scenes are when they find the 1,000 year old fighter jets that still magically work and that they can fly them like experienced fighter pilots. CLASSIC!!
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Conan-1982 — 10 years ago(April 01, 2016 08:03 AM)
It is really bad, but if the Star Wars prequel can be rated around "7" I don't see why this one shouldn't.
It's the same level of incompetence but it ruined a source material that no one cares about, where the prequels ruined a franchise that everyone loved.
So the Star Wars prequels are much worse than Battlefield Earth.
What's best in life ? -
ewaf58 — 9 years ago(April 16, 2016 05:14 AM)
No it's not bad it's appalling. It is rubbish at every level - I watched it - mostly in horror - thinking it must get better soon - but it didn't.
Hubbard was a fraud who created a pseudo religious organisation which has destroyed lives by having a huge gullible following which it milks on a regular basis while feeding them ridiculous and often dangerous ideas.
Horrible at every conceivable level.