Message Received
After Earth, the new Will and Jaden Smith movie, directed by M. Night Shyamalan, is a flop. As if that's not bad enough, some are claiming it's propaganda for Scientology. Which is why The Hollywood Reporter had Marc Headley, a former Scientologist, review it. Here are some of his findings:
I saw the movie After Earth and took notes on any parallels or “coincidental” similarities to Scientology teachings. [....M]ost of the Scientology influences play out in the film’s dialogue.
“Fear is a choice.”
L. Ron Hubbard’s teachings insist that emotions and fear are triggers and are part of the reactive mind. Through Scientology, one is supposed to “rid oneself of your fears.”
“Be in the present moment.”
Through Scientology training, one learns how to be in “present time,” or PT as it is commonly referred to by insiders. In order to operate as a higher being and be in control over one’s environment, it is considered key that a person exist in present time and not react to the past.
“What do you touch, see, feel, smell?”
While undergoing certain types of Scientology counseling, you are asked to recall what you see, hear, touch and smell. This is part of putting yourself in the moment and observing the moment with “full perceptions.”
Headley goes on to other connections, but this is enough. "Fear Is A Choice." "Be In The Present Moment." "What Do You Touch, See, Feel, Smell?" Really? These are pretty common sentiments. A bit new-agey, to be sure, but you certainly don't need to be a Scientologist to support them, or at least be aware of them.
Just how would you put out symbolic propaganda for Scientology anyway? It's one thing to show a Scientologist in a movie and make him a good guy, but some sort of secret moral message that supports Scientology? Either the characters act in ways we agree with morally, or not. I'm not saying films can't have messages, or try to make points, but there's only so much hidden messages they can have when it comes to supporting any specific cause. (And generally, the more specific they get, the more annoying the movie gets.)
It's reminiscent of the fears about movies in the post-WWII era--people were concerned about communists working in the industry secretly getting directions from Moscow. But even if this were true, would we really have to worry about Hollywood? Either the message is pretty clear--Russia is shown in a good light (as it often was during WWII films, by the way, for fairly obvious reasons)--or it's hidden. And if it's hidden--which is what a lot of people were looking for--just how much could you get across? Some character says "share and share alike" and we turn into commies?
So I guess if anyone wants to make a film that turns people into Scientologists, they'll have to do better than After Earth. Or Battlefield Earth for that matter.
posted by LAGuy @ 12:01 AM
7 Comments:
Hmm. Nitpicking:
Why a flop when it earned the same as Now You See Me? Is $30 million a flop? Not a megahit, but if it's at $60 million in 10 or 15 days on its way to $90 million, that's not cheese.
Purely expectations? Is it Babe Ruth pointing to the outfield?
Not sure I'm buying your McCarthy argument. Nothing easier than undermining decisiveness; people hate to make decisions anyway, so "can't we all get along" is a great and effective solvent to pour into a society. Sponsor message: "Join Hate Bush-Cheney today! Before it's too late!"
A key line from "Dune" I recall is "Fear is the mind-killer" - part of the Bene Gesserit mantra used to embolden their operatives. Maybe Frank Herbert inspired L. Ron Hubbard? (In fact, that's probably the case).
More importantly, how bullet-proof do you think Wil Smith's career is if After Earth is deemed a failure? Is Cruise damaged by Oblivion's fast track to the $2 movie houses?
I would recommend Smith do some initimate romantic comedy work to regain his mojo, before return to maga-budget films.
After Earth cost almost twice as much as Now You See Me, and the stars and director probably have a bigger chunk of the back end. Since a flop is a film that doesn't make its money back, these are important factors. Also, considering how it performed well under expectations, while Now You See Me performed above, the different between their grosses (Now You See Me presently has a slight lead) will almost certainly grow as the weeks go by.
Its numbers are similar to last year's underperformers John Carter and Battleship. Of course, it should do better in foreign grosses, but nothing can stop it from being a major disappointment.
Stars rise and fall. Five years ago Will Smith was as good a bet as there was--even when he was in poorly reviewed films they still were hits. But then he did Seven Pounds in 2008, which was a disappointment, and didn't make another film for four years. That was MIB3, which underperformed for the series (though it did well overseas) and now this. He's still a major star but seems to be on his way down--nevertheless, the audience still likes him and all it would take is good film to put him back on top.
Cruise is in a similar situation--made tougher in that he's even more identified with action than Smith, I suppose. Except for the lateast Mission: Impossible, his last several action films didn't flop, exactly, but didn't set the world on fire either. Once again, he's saved somewhat by his foreign grosses.
So FDR was a Scientologist? And New Age-y to boot? A rhetorical question, I know you strength-through-joy* don't undermine my single-mindedness types blame him for the Great Depression any way.
*An unobjectionable common sentiment no doubt
I think you need more hyphens to make your comment clear. (Not necessarily sensible, just clear.)
FDR spoke about fear, but not in the modern way that Will Smith does in the movie. For that matter, can you imagine FDR--or anyone in the 1930s--saying "be in the present moment"? It would have sounded insane. (Still sort of does.)
Actually, much of what FDR said would sound absurdly conservative today, but times change. For all I know, Scientology beat the New Age to the punch with these sorts of slogans. If so, I guess we're all Scientologists now.
We are the change we've been waiting for.
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