(Lame, perhaps, but I couldn't resist.)
CBC reported this morning that Tom Cruise is not allowed to shoot his upcoming movie, Valkyrie, on German military sites.
Not because he is too handsome, or because his daughter has a dumb name. No, for a far more intelligent and logical reason...because he is a Scientologist. And Germany's Defence Ministry considers Scientology a cult.
Valkyrie tells the story of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, leader of a 1944 plot to assasinate Adolf Hitler with a briefcase bomb. Cruise is set to star in and co-produce the film.
As the article states, the production team has not yet applied for permission to use the sites, but there is already an outcry against the possibility, both from the Defence Ministry and also Von Stauffenberg's son Berthold, who said Cruise should "keep his hands off my father."
Germany doesn't consider Scientology a religion, but a commercial organization. The government is monitoring the Church of Scientology because it believes the work of the church is "directed against the free democratic order."
Cult or no cult, I am not sure of my own scientologic opinion. But I do think this is a bit much. Cruise is coming to the country as an actor, to portray a story. By definition, as an actor, no one can argue that he is going to be portraying someone OTHER than his scientology-touting self. So where is the problem? I don't think he is attempting to enlist the German nation while on set. (I could be wrong...maybe the German Defence Ministry should anxiously be checking their inboxes for "Save the Date - Embrace your Inner Scientologist" cards.)
And the Ministry hasn't declared that the movie itself can't shoot - in fact they say they have an interest in the serious portrayal of the Stauffenberg story. Cruise isn't planning a Cocktail-esque debaucle...so I am a little lost as to why his religious or cult-ish beliefs are banning him from military territory.
But what do I know, this is only my second blog post...your thoughts would be much more valuable!
2 comments:
I think it may have something to do with the fact the Germans are concerned about Cruise's intentions, as a Scientologist, with any "sensitive" military info he might pick up while on set.
Who knows? Perhaps Germany fears a Scientology invasion. A "Shock and Awe" campaign of weirdoness...
This has to be against Germany's human rights code, but i don't know for sure. It's not too much of a stretch, is it, from 70 years ago.
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