Scientologists are planning a documentary on Louis Theroux

[Free to shine]

The Bunker's view:

Should Louis Theroux be worried? What a Scientology ‘documentary’ actually looks like

In the meantime, Theroux needs to differentiate his film from Going Clear and build excitement for it. His decision to tweet about Scientology making a documentary about him was pretty brilliant. It got a huge amount of press around the world, and seemed to get people very excited.

But we had another reaction: When doesn’t Scientology make a “documentary” about the people who do exposés about the church, at least in recent years?

It would actually be pretty unusual for Scientology not to film something about Theroux, given the effort he’s put into his project in recent months.

So what can Theroux expect? Well, let’s take a look at the historical record. It turns out that Scientology counter-documentaries have a pretty predictable look and feel, and narrative style — we’re not sure what to call it, except perhaps “smeary.”

http://tonyortega.org/2015/04/27/sh...-scientology-documentary-actually-looks-like/

 

[tetloj]

Louis' documentaries are produced by the BBC & don't appear in movie theater, but on the BBC TV channel. Louis is the focus of a Vice article today.

http://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/an-interview-with-louis-theroux

The Scientology film is Louis' first for a theatrical release

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/scientology-documentary-on-filmmaker-louis-theroux-2015-4/

British documentary filmmaker and broadcaster Louis Theroux, who is known for his funny TV series on off-beat cultural subjects like “America’s Most Medicated Kids” and “Twilight of the Porn Stars,” is working with the BBC on his first theatrical feature that will focus on Scientology, titled “Stairway to Heaven: Louis Theroux and the Church of Scientology.”

 

[Boson Wog Stark]

The show he did on the criminally insane was groundbreaking and phenomenal. If he can just treat some active clams like that, he'll do fine.

I love the parts where after interviewing someone, he then talks about it after he leaves, saying something wry or giving his thoughts. That will be perfect for interviewing active Scientologists, if he got any.

I haven't read about any of his techniques, but it is uncanny how it seems like there isn't even a camera present. He must do something where he spends a lot of time establishing trust, to get people to look as natural as they do, and to open up. That's why I'm especially interested if he got active Scientologists, because the moment their canned lines or "handling" slips, he's going to be there to get what they said. I'm really counting on him to ask some questions which they simply aren't prepared for.

If it turns out that it is mostly portraits of ex-members like Karen #1, I'm sure a sensitive and compelling portrait of their experiences will come out of it. In watching him interview people in his other shows, he asks a lot of questions I'd like to have asked, that most other interviewers would not ask. Instead of sounding like he has a list of prepared questions, instead he really listens to people, and responds to what they are saying, I think better than most interviewers do.

It'll be funny if he reads out one of these testimonies about DM, for comic effect. I'm with the people who say Scientology has no idea what they're in for with Theroux.

 

[Karen#1]

Now would it be illegal for Louis Theroux to give Saturday Night Live this binder of singing praises and admiration for Miscavige ? It was unsolicited, so is it privileged ?​

 

[Karen#1]

If it turns out that it is mostly portraits of ex-members like Karen #1, I'm sure a sensitive and compelling portrait of their experiences will come out of it.

Actually, I do not think personal stories will be told. Remember Louis said "not similar to Going Clear"

Think :

The Billion dollar *Cherch*
The Movie Star
The Sociopathic leader.

What an irresistible combo

Hollywood is listening.
​

 

[Smurf]

I love people's sense of humor.

 

[ThetanExterior]

Louis Theroux has a huge amount of experience in doing documentaries. He also has a first-class degree from Oxford University.

And the CofS think he's going to be impressed by some testimonials saying how wonderful David Miscavige is?

They are totally out of touch with reality.

 

[Elronius of Marcabia]

Louis Theroux has a huge amount of experience in doing documentaries. He also has a first-class degree from Oxford University.

And the CofS think he's going to be impressed by some testimonials saying how wonderful David Miscavige is?

They are totally out of touch with reality.

I almost spit my coffee as I read the last line TE if an understatement award exists I would vote
for this one, it's Golden

"They are totally out of touch with reality"

We have some other ways of saying it where I come from "they rubber never meets da road"
"put another quarter in da horsie daddy" and my favorite "your aligator mouth has overloaded your hummingbird ass"

 

[oneonewasaracecar]

Interesting article. This really resonated:

Oh, rilly? I guess now we know what to call a cultist's "confront."

Is confront cult speak for giving your enemies ammunition?

 

[oneonewasaracecar]

The Scientology film is Louis' first for a theatrical release

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/scientology-documentary-on-filmmaker-louis-theroux-2015-4/

This is interesting. We now have two feature documentaries on an essentially political subject.

It is telling. Michael Moore did two features films, one on the second amendment, and one on George Bush. I tend to think of Michael Moore as more of a political entertainer than a serious documentarian, but still.

Whatever your views of Michael Moore, the reason these films were successful is because the market wanted them. People want to know about Scientology.

The more people really know about Scientology, the more they want to know and then the more they ask, why are we funding this with tax dollars?

Four years ago, every major news story was an event.

Four years later, it's hard to keep up.

This has had such a huge effect, we are now getting serious leaks from the inside, source recordings of disconnection, source recordings of a witness testifying on record that Miscavige said his father should be left for dead.

How soon before someon within OSA gets serious evidence for the FBI.

 

[Intentionally Blank]

Louis Theroux has a huge amount of experience in doing documentaries. He also has a first-class degree from Oxford University.

And the CofS think he's going to be impressed by some testimonials saying how wonderful David Miscavige is?

They are totally out of touch with reality.

What??? The sanest, most ethical group on the planet? Say it ain't so.

 

[degraded being]

Now would it be illegal for Louis Theroux to give Saturday Night Live this binder of singing praises and admiration for Miscavige ? It was unsolicited, so is it privileged ?​

Does it have, "I am not auditing you", on the cover?

(Not that it would matter).

 

[catarina]

http://www.theguardian.com/film/201...heroux-church-of-scientology?CMP=share_btn_tw

 

[MrNobody]

http://www.theguardian.com/film/201...heroux-church-of-scientology?CMP=share_btn_tw

I wonder: Will mr. Theroux make himself available for interviews for a certain "church-"related media organization?

 

[Smurf]

I can see why Louis is seen as a threat to Scientology, Inc. The man is fearless & very thorough in his questioning, even when it puts him at personal risk. I was very interested in his 2003 documentary on racist Tom Metzger & the Neo-Nazi/skinhead movement in 2003.

Louis has stated in interview that a particular segment in the filming made him feel threatened.. when he was asked point-blank at the home of a skinhead family whether he was Jewish & Louis refused to confirm or deny it. Louis said he stopped filming at a point & admitted he was not Jewish, but at that point, they didn't believe him because he "looked Jewish".

[video=youtube;sShFz7oHlms]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sShFz7oHlms[/video]

[video=youtube;Xo_DuXWJgRM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo_DuXWJgRM[/video]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_and_the_Nazis

I was living in Portland, OR at the time that an Ethiopian student was bludgeoned to death at the hands of skinhead associated with Tom Metzger. I attended a Neo-Nazi rally, out of curiosity, and met Tom & his son, John, who infamously made a racist remark to a black activist on the 'Geraldo Rivera' show, which led to the activist angrily choking him, which led to an all-out brawl among skinheads & the audience. Geraldo got a broken nose in the brawl.

The family of the victim later sued the Metzgers & won a $12.5 million judgement against them in 1990.

What amazed me about the skinhead movement, and Louis does a great job in pointing it out, is how the children are influenced growing up in & being taught all that nastiness. It reminds me of the 2nd generation Scientologists being raised in a cultic environment.

Louis' documentary was filmed in 2003. Shortly after that, Metzger's house & assets were seized as part of the judgement & Metzger was forced to go on welfare. He has since moved to his home state of Indiana where his home has been raided several times by the feds.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulugeta_Seraw

 

[Free to shine]

http://www.news.com.au/entertainmen...es-and-neo-nazis/story-e6frfmyi-1227435514305

Theroux is currently putting the final touches to his latest documentary on Scientology; a project that has resulted in the powerful religion saying it is making its own documentary on him.

It’s a common tactic from Scientology when journalists attempt to delve into its workings, and Theroux is unfazed.

“One of the things I have always enjoyed about Scientology is their proactive approach to journalists who are covering them,” he says.

“In an odd way it’s kind of a privilege to feel as though I’m on their radar.”