Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief (HBO Documentary)

MakeEmLaugh

HBO again proves itself to be head and shoulders above other television networks with this disturbing documentary about Scientology, featuring many interviews with former prominent members. For most people, Scientology doesn't need debunking; it's viewed as a silly cult participated in by wealthy film stars like Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

What is most effective about Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, are the details it gives of how lower-ranking members of the 'Church' operate – namely the 'Sea Org', who are basically slave labour (they earn – we are told – between 6c and 40c an hour), made to live in inhumane conditions, have their children taken away and raised without them and even encouraged to have abortions.

As the film is an adaptation of a non-fiction expose, it packs quite a lot in – from L. Ron Hubbard's time as a disgraced member of the Navy (which he naturally misrepresented in order to make himself seem like a hero), his abusive relationship with his first wife and daughter, his open admissions that 'religions are the only way to make any money – because the government can't take you', to his final years in exile as a tax-dodger.

It then details the growth of the organisation in the 1970s and 1980s, with celebrities like Cruise and Travolta. Finally, it details the physical and mental harassment members undergo, both within the organisation (by the ego-maniacal David Miscavige, who took over from Hubbard after the latter's death) and, even worse, when they leave the organisation and try to expose it.

I haven't seen that many Alex Gibney documentaries (he's almost too prolific to keep up with) but this is definitely worth a watch.

Duggy747

Was a good watch, nothing new if you're already aware of what they get up to (makes references and footage from other docs) but probably the best produced one on the subject.

Cruise and Travolta got a fair bit of a roasting, Cruise certainly got painted as an arrogant egotistical man who the church had set out to make him feel like a God to benefit themselves. Parts certainly suggest that him and Travolta do what they do for Scientology because of the amount of "dirt" they might have on them if they were to defect.

Was a bit surprised there was no mention of Miscavige's wife and Leah Remini though I'm sure there was a reason for that.

For anyone not too well up on Scientology it's certainly a good doc and it should be damning that so many ex-very high ranking people are giving interviews deriding how full of shít and dangerous the cult is.

Now, looking forward to what Louis Theroux's upcoming full-length documentary on them has to offer.

Adamantium

Full Documentary here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tiKwvahf9U

I've wanted to know as little about the religion for years, mainly because I love Cruise and few others in it, but I honestly felt pity for them now. It's mighty seductive, when there is very little solid to hang on to in LA/Hollywood.

Surprised to see Paul Haggis here! His reaction to recollecting gaining the secrets at the higher levels regarding the backstory of the cult was hilarious, coming in with a black secret briefcase and personally handwritten from Hubbard himself, so deep in at that point. Great interviews.

Sad Professor

I’m no Scientologist, but I wish someone other than Gibney had made this. He’s obsessed with personalities, allowing himself to be sidetracked by the personal and moral failings of his subject at the expense of the bigger picture. Plus he bangs out 2-3 documentaries a year. There’s no way he’s giving each of these subjects the proper attention.

Harvey Low Fat Milk

Sad Professor wrote: »

I’m no Scientologist, but I wish someone other than Gibney had made this. He’s obsessed with personalities.

I think he always a certain detachment from his subjects because of his prolific nature. I think his docs tend to give a good overview of a larger subject/issue without really delving in on a hugely deep level. I think he let's Wright and the former executives do a lot of the talking because of his research and their experiences respectively. I don't think there's many other ways he could approach this particular topic with such a clandestine organisation as the subject.

The Strawman Argument

Was pretty much exactly what I expected, as Harvey Milk says there, Gibney generally gives a good overview and that's about it. He's perfect for these kinds of things where someone's tasked with condensing a book into 90-120 minutes and it'll be an entertaining enough doc but he's not going to put in huge amounts of research himself or do anything remotely adventurous with the medium. Basically, if you liked the doc, then check out the book(s) or whatever it derives its content largely from for a more thorough assessment of the topic on hand.

Always pisses me off a bit when a Gibney doc gets a reasonable theatrical release cos they gain absolutely nothing from being watched in a cinema.

Skerries

I felt we needed to hear from some of the ordinary members of the cult that had left to contrast what the bigger guys experienced

JP Liz V1

Duggy747 wrote: »

Was a good watch, nothing new if you're already aware of what they get up to (makes references and footage from other docs) but probably the best produced one on the subject.

Cruise and Travolta got a fair bit of a roasting, Cruise certainly got painted as an arrogant egotistical man who the church had set out to make him feel like a God to benefit themselves. Parts certainly suggest that him and Travolta do what they do for Scientology because of the amount of "dirt" they might have on them if they were to defect.

Was a bit surprised there was no mention of Miscavige's wife and Leah Remini though I'm sure there was a reason for that.

For anyone not too well up on Scientology it's certainly a good doc and it should be damning that so many ex-very high ranking people are giving interviews deriding how full of shand dangerous the cult is.

Now, looking forward to what Louis Theroux's upcoming full-length documentary on them has to offer.

Just catching this now on Sky Atlantic and was surprised Remini missing but actor Jason Beghe featured quite a bit