My Scientology Movie

You get a sense of the scale and ambition

of the Church of Scientology from the footage of their galas.

They look more like a Hollywood awards show

than anything recognizably spiritual.

A religion created by a sci-fl writer

and now run by a mysterious and unapproachable leader

whose disciples include top Hollywood actors.

For years my dream was that I might be the first journalist

to see another more positive side of the church.

Their commercials promise enlightenment

using techniques that combine spirituality and science.

With the ultimate aim of a planet free from insanity, crime and war.

The videos boast of the church's global reach

and followers, they say, are in the millions.

Watching their promotional films, I dreamed of experiencing their practices first-hand.

I made repeated requests to be allowed inside

but my approaches were all turned down.

Gradually I realised they were never going to let me in.

But inspired by their religious film-making

I began thinking of another way inside

that was still true to the spirit of Scientology.

I've been in touch with one of the most prominent ex-members of Scientology.

His name is Marty Rathbun

and my hope is that he can help me realise this idea I have.

For many years he was one of the most senior figures in the whole church.

Their photos show him in uniform

next to David Miscavige, the church leader.

And then in 2004 he left

and started giving interviews about the church and his role within it.

I was basically Mr Fix-It for Scientology for a number of...

well, a couple of decades, frankly. I mean, I was...

Wherever there was a fire, I was out there to put it out.

Do you need a push?

Maybe.

The church now regards him as deeply untrustworthy.

Oh, this Louis, he's a yoga master.

But for more than twenty years he was the consummate insider...

It feels pretty secure.

And he still believes in aspects of Scientology.

You want to just get some B roll? Yeah.

Have you driven in LA before, Louis?

Er, I've been living in LA for the last year.

Get out of town. Yeah. Where do you live?

North Hobart. Very close to the Celebrity Centre.

I'll be darned.

And we've flown him in from Texas where he now lives

and brought him back to Scientology's birthplace

and his old home, Los Angeles.

I've got my written response from the church.

Oh, really? I wanted to mention that.

Okay.

And what they mention is that Mr Theroux had been in

direct communication with and had interviewed bitter anti-scientologist

Marty Rathbun.

Is that what poisoned them against our production?

Is that what closed the door to us do you think?

Or would they never have taken part?

You can't film me.

- Okay. - We're not filming you.

You are, you have the camera in my face.

Turn the camera that way.

So what are you doing the documentary about?

It's about the Church of Scientology.

Oh.

You probably should interview her.

Well, maybe we will, but we should probably finish what we were...

Yeah. We'll finish what we're doing.

I am an actress and -

Well, we are in LA.

Yeah. Well, no, I mean I've done over 45 films... - Sure.

In French and Spanish and a lot of things.

Okay, well, my name is Paz.

Paz.

- How do you spell that? - Paz De La Huerte?

Yes.

That's great. Thank you so much.

They sent her over.

The church?

Don't you think?

No, they're not that sophisticated.

Honey trap.

They're not that sophisticated.

You would have done that in your day.

No, I wouldn't have done that in my day.

The founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard

was a writer of pulp fiction

and in 1950 he published a self-help book called Dianetics.

It became the basis for an entire religion teaching that we are all

immortal spirits called Thetans, who live multiple lifetimes.

Using Scientology processes we can become enlightened

remember past lives and carry all our present day memories

into future lifetimes.

Over the years Hubbard won thousands of converts.

Hello

Hello.

My name is David Miscavige

and I'm very happy that you could all make it to this important briefing this evening.

And then in 1986 there was a gathering of scientologists at the Hollywood Palladium

and it was announced that Hubbard had died.

The body he had used to facilitate his existence

in this messed universe

had ceased to be useful.

And in fact had become an impediment to the work

he now must do outside of its confines.

The announcement was made in this famous footage

by a young man in his twenties called David Miscavige

and he has run Scientology ever since

and done so, according to his critics

in an increasingly unpredictable and volatile fashion.

Joining us live tonight is David Miscavige

whose formal title is Chairman of the Board of the Religious Technology Centre.

The organization which manages Dianetics and Scientology.

Mr Miscavige took over as the head of Scientology in 1987

following the death of the church's founder, L. Ron Hubbard.

In 1992 he spoke to Ted Koppel the host of Nightline.

It was an unusually revealing encounter

and to date, his only TV interview.

So we've got actors coming in to be David Miscavige

and for me the idea really is to kind of recreate...

You know we can't get the real Miscavige

but we can create our own Miscavige

using lines from that rare Ted Koppel interview

to help Marty to cast him.

I'm gonna lean heavily on Marty.

I'm conscious it's his version and it's seen in hindsight

after an acrimonious split from the church.

- Okay. - Hi, guys.

Hi Chris. How you doing?

Hi, my name's Chris Gehrt.

Shall I... I mean should I sit in, what do you think?

Shall I do a Koppel voice?

- No. - No. It's cheesy.

- It's up to you, Louis, whatever you... - Yeah, I'll just do...

I'd like to begin, Mr Miscavige, with I guess the kind of broad question

perhaps folks at home may be asking themselves right now.

Perhaps folks at home might be asking themselves right now

but let me be the guinea pig for a moment.

Mmm.

See if you can explain to me why I would want to be a scientologist.

Because you care about yourself and life itself...

Because you care about - it's - your life. Wait, hold on.

Yourself and life itself. Yeah, yeah.

Scientology. The word means study of life, study of knowledge.

Er...

and that's what it is. It takes up all areas of life itself.

Things that are integral and maxims.

They're related to life and very existence.

Let me give you an example, it's better if I take that

because it's such a broad-ranging subject.

It's better if I take that because it covers such a broad range of subjects.

That's the area of communication.

Um, being able to communicate with the world around you and everyone here.

Good, good, good.

I just, I want it feel, um, as real as possible

but I also want to get Marty back into the headspace of where he was

when he was inside the church.

And we're using this rare bit of footage

because he was there in the studio at Miscavige's side

when it was recorded.

Thank you so much. Thank you.

That's not Miscavige.

I'm just... I'm serious, you know. All these guys that you'd like, they're no good.

Well, no, but he actually...

But this is not a minor game we're playing here.

Every man woman and child.

Their immortal future depends on us succeeding.

This is the attitude. This is what you're missing.

You've got to have that intensity. Okay? Because this is not some minor game.

I thought he had that.

This is dying. Not just dying this lifetime.

It's dying and dying and dying and dying and being a smouldering ember

that floats through space. Hurtling through space.

Literally that? It's literally that if we don't succeed.

Is that something he would say?

Absolutely, it's right in the policy letters

in keeping Scientology working.

We'd rather have you dead than incapable.

That's the training attitude.

That was your mind-set.

Yeah.

For 27 years.

Well, for 22 years.

First 5 years I was pretty laid back.

Scary, huh?

Makes you wonder what I'm capable of, right?

Little bit. Yeah.

I'll tell you what, let's stick with me, okay?

So far in life I haven't had a whole lot of trouble communicating.

Now see if you can communicate to me what it is

that you're going to be able to do for me that makes me a better communicator.

Well, number one, I would never try to talk you into that Scientology is for you.

You see, that's the funny thing about this

as if I'm now going to give a sales pitch to you on Scientology.

- So let's look at it this way. - See that edge...

he's got that down. He's pissed.

And... but he's not overtly showing it.

But he's combatting with me.

If you want me - if you want to see something else

throw any direction at me and I'll just give you another.

Get up and get in my face and put your finger in my chest