More than three years ago, we first heard from producer Simon Chinn that he planned to make a feature film about Scientology that would star Louis Theroux. Since then, the BBC-backed producer hired a director named John Dower, won an Oscar (for Searching for Sugar Man), and tonight will finally reveal what he and Dower and Theroux have been up to.
We’re on the scene, and we’re really looking forward to tonight’s premiere of My Scientology Movie at the London Film Festival. We’ve been enjoying Theroux’s work since we first ran across him as a correspondent on Michael Moore’s 1990s series TV Nation. Theroux’s deadpan humor and fascination for America’s quirky subcultures should be a perfect fit for the Church of Scientology, which reportedly did its best to keep him from getting any access to its members and ended up sending people to film Louis as he filmed them (which is going on in the picture, above).
We really don’t know what to expect from this film — here it is the day of the premiere and we haven’t even seen a trailer from the BBC — but we’re ready for a great experience and we’ll tell you what we can after we’ve seen it.
Last night, we had a blast reuniting with many of the people we first met two months ago on our last trip to London. We also met author Russell Miller for the first time, and what a treat. After a late lunch we repaired to a pub and hoisted a pint with Jon Atack and Martin Padfield and Pete Griffiths, along with numerous Bunkerites — including Juicer77, who we first met in Washington DC and is now a UK resident. Johnny Tank was there from Norway. Our government man once again made the scene. Eivol Ekdal showed us his miniature copies of “The Unbreakable Miss Lovely,” and we had to learn to sign our name really, really small. Between the jet lag and the pints, that’s about all we can remember. We hope someone took photographs that came out better than ours did — and if so, please post them in the comments!
Now, on to the show. We expect it to be a riot!
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Bonus photos from our tipsters
Speaking of London, here’s the local Truth About Drugs footie team!
Chill EB brings down the house at the Fort Harrison Hotel…
Hey, girl. Are you ready for my Super Power?
Hey, girl. Why spend time on Barcelona’s amazing cultural offerings when you can watch this life-changing film with me?
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BOOK NOTES
We didn’t get a chance to include photos in our book, so we’ve posted them at a dedicated page. Reader Sookie put together a complete index and we’re hosting it here on the website. Copies of the paperback version of ‘The Unbreakable Miss Lovely’ are on sale at Amazon. The Kindle edition is also available, and shipping instantly.
Tony Ortega’s upcoming appearances (and check out the interactive map to our ongoing tour)…
Oct 23: Sydney, Giant Dwarf Theatre (with Steve Cannane and Bryan Seymour)
Oct 25: Melbourne, The Wheeler Centre, 3 pm, free but reservations recommended (with Steve Cannane)
Oct 28: Adelaide, Wheatsheaf Hotel, (with Sen. Nick Xenophon)
Oct 30: Perth, Collins Street Centre, Collins St and Shaftesbury St, South Perth, 7 pm
Past dates: Santa Barbara (5/16), Hollywood (5/17), Orange County (5/17), San Diego (5/20), San Francisco (5/22), New York (6/11), Chicago (6/20), Toronto (6/22), Clearwater (6/28), Washington DC (7/12), Hartford (7/14), Denver (7/17), Dallas (7/20), Houston (7/22), San Antonio (7/24), Austin (7/25), Paris (7/29), London (8/4), Boston (8/24), Phoenix (9/15), Cleveland (9/23), Minneapolis (9/24), Portland (9/27), Seattle (9/28), Vancouver BC (9/29)
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Posted by Tony Ortega on October 14, 2015 at 07:00
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Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…
BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of LA attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists
GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice
SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts
PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | Scientology’s Private Dancer
The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill
The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Our Guide to Alex Gibney’s film ‘Going Clear,’ and our pages about its principal figures…
Jason Beghe | Tom DeVocht | Sara Goldberg | Paul Haggis | Mark “Marty” Rathbun | Mike Rinder | Spanky Taylor | Hana Whitfield
