Tom Cruise and the pharmacological Nazis

Michael Cieply and Mark Landler's June 29th New York Times report on the Valkyrie dustup left things hanging, but also left the distinct impression that the filmmakers hoping to see Tom Cruise portray Berthold Graf von Stauffenberg in their account of a failed attempt to assassinate Adolph Hitler aren't going to let a little thing like refusal to allow shooting in certain authentic locations stop them.

Director Brian Singer told the reporters that while he would still like to shoot at Germany's Bendler Block complex,because of authenticity and all, he doesn't really need to. The piece describes Singer as "a history buff"—eight short grafs after quoting him as saying that he wasn't "aware of the issue of Scientology here in Germany." History, sure, current events, not so much. If you say so, guy.

But never mind that and never mind Singer's assertion that what Cruise and von Stauffenberg have in common is a near-blinding charisma. Commenter Addison deWitt used the phrase "insult to history" in evoking Valkyrie in the comments to my "Good luck schmuck" post below; given that Cruise as a Scientologist by necessity buys into an L. Ron Hubbard view of history, Valkyrie, co-producer Paula Wagner's protestations that this story has nothing to do with Cruise's personal beliefs notwithstanding, has the potential to be a compendium of insults to history. Remember Cruise's 2005 interview with Entertainment Weekly, wherein he asserted that history bears out the Scientology categorization of psychiatry as a "Nazi science?" And said that methadone was originally called "Adolphine"—named after Adolph Hitler, you know?

One can't help but wonder if Cruise might suggest to Singer and company that Valkyrie contain a scene featuring old A.H. cavorting among test tubes in a lab at Berchtesgaden, supervising Sigmund Freud in the creation of the most diabolical psychotropic drug ever unleashed on mankind.

But, assuming that Singer and writer Christopher McQuarrie are serious in their purpose, it might be interesting (albeit sickmaking) to observe how their attampt to recreate an era and an ethos with some modicum of accuracy fares when it collides with Cruise's fantasy world. One recalls another quote from that 2005 EW interview: "If they don't like it, fuck them. If they don't like it, fuck off."

Comments

[Aaron Aradillas]

My feeling is that Singer is not willing to put his rep on the line just to include an obligatory scene suggesting Hitler inventing psychotropic drugs. Just ask Roger Christain about being a yes-man to L.R.H. and having to make a case for Battlefield Earth. Cruise may have his beliefs, but he's also a smart businessman who knows how to present his image.

As for the movie? I look forward to seeing it, but confess I'm not much of a Singer fan. There really isn't much to write hom about after The Usual Suspects. Apt Pupil, X-Men, X-Men: The Last Stand, and Superman Returns are pretty non-event Event Movies. His first feature, Public Access, is an awful film-school-student-level attempt to psych-out both Goddard and Lynch. Unwatchable.

I feel this Cruise vehicle will be in the spirit of The Last Samurai, but not as good. (That's right, I did indeed write that the Last Samurai is a good movie.) I had hoped Cruise would've chosen to do that Michael-Mann-does-WWII movie instead.

[Marshall]

Glenn, I have to say this post is really reaching. Who in America was aware of the German/Scientology issue?

And Aaron, as everyone and their mother knows, Singer didn't direct X-Mean: The Last Stand. He directed Superman Returns instead, which was okay.

The Usual Suspects is still his masterpiece, but X-Men and X2 are both excellent, among the best comic book films. We'll let Public Access and Apt Pupil pass in silence.

I eagerly await both Valkyrie and his Harvey Milk biopic.

[G. Kenny]

Sorry, Marshall, but the Germany vs. Scientology story has been fairly well covered by American media, and it's nothing new. For starters, check out this Salon piece by David Hudson from 1997:

http://www.salon.com/feb97/news/news970225.html

No way Singer had no idea about this.

[Aaron Aradillas]

You're right, X-Men: The Last Stand was directed by that other uninspring director, Brett Ratner. X2: X-Men United was the title I was thinking of.

I've heard this it's-a-good-comic-book-movie line before. I honestly don't get it. What good is faithfulness to source material if it's going to be a drag to sit through? That's why I liked Troy more than most critics. As an English major I could care less about the story. Troy was far from a masterpiece, but at least it moved.

[WP]

Marshall, the Germany/Scientology thing really is pretty well known. But even if it *weren't* that well-publicized, it's ridiculous that someone would proclaim himself a history buff (with all the attendant implications of being tuned-in to the world outside one's yard and sensitive to international dustups) and then not bother to research something so directly relevant to one's own work.

[cigar nl site]

Buyers of guns must take gun-safety courses

[beer cleaner tap]

Today was a complete loss, but oh well. I don't care. So it goes. Nothing going on , but shrug. Not much on my mind these days. Such is life.

[homer simpsons dad]

Males should be allowed to go shirtless at home only - Or vary with places for another persuasive speech topic

[wood]

Prejudice will always be a part of society