Scientology appears to believe they can now tell the citizens of Clearwater what movies they can watch.
Another PR footbullet from scientology.
I wonder if COB Theaters are ready for the backlash for buckling to scientology’s “threats” not to show the film? It’s still on their website even….
Wonder if they might change their minds about being scientology bitches when word gets out?
And I wonder how this is going to effect the Academy Award voters. This is REALLY dangerous territory to be censoring movies. If there was not already a backlash in Hollywood, this might bring it on.
A movie theater in Clearwater, Florida — home of the world spiritual headquarters of the Church of Scientology — has dropped plans to play AlexGibney‘s documentary Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief after being pressured by the church, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter.
However, residents of Clearwater, including former members of the church, still will be able to see Gibney’s Scientology movie when HBO Documentary Films re-releases it in theaters. The AMC Woodlands Square 20 in the neighboring town of Olsdmar, some 12 miles from Clearwater, has agreed to pick up the documentary and play it on behalf of HBO Films.
Going Clear was released in only a few theaters on March 13, 2015 before airing on HBO on March 29, scoring HBO’s biggest premiere ever for a documentary. Gibney’s film, based onLawrence Wright‘s book of the same name, offers a damning view of Scientology, including the role such celebrities as Tom Cruise and John Travolta play in furthering the church’s efforts. It won three Emmys last Saturday, including outstanding documentary film.
Cobb Countryside 12, which had planned to play the movie, informed HBO Documentary Films in recent days that it wouldn’t play Going Clear after allegedly receiving threats from the church, according to sources. It’s unclear what those threats were and to whom they were directed. HBO declined to comment and Cobb could not immediately be reached for comment. A representative of the Church of Scientology did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In most cases, major theater chains won’t play a film that is available on other platforms. AMC has made exceptions for some specialty films, agreeing to rent, or “four wall,” an auditorium. Sources say that is the case with Going Clear.
As awards season gears up, HBO Films is re-releasing Going Clear in roughly 20 theaters in select markets, beginning with New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco. Washington, Miami and other major cities on Sept. 25. On Oct. 2, it will book additional theaters in other markets, including AMC Woodlands Square.
Beginning in the 1970s, the church began establishing a stronghold in Clearwater, a beach city on the west coast of Florida not far from Tampa, referring to it as their “Flag Land Base.” In 2013, Scientology leader David Miscavige led the dedication ceremonies of the Flag Building, a multi-million cathedral.
The Church of Scientology responded vehemently to the film, complaining to film critics about their reviews and denouncing the filmmakers and their interviewees.
Anyone who wants to view the movie can find it at free websites like I did. And I didn’t have to pay a dime. All they have to do is type in in the URL free movies and then go on from there. There are numerous sites that are defying Hollywood and showing their movies; try all of them until you get the movies. Oh, and PS, that LittleDick DM cant do anything about it! All people have to do is check their computers for “pups and cookies,” or the like,which follow people’s tracks and get rid of them. IAS also has software blocking the sites they can visit, also. They can be found, too. People can use a bunch of these anti-maleware and anti-virus software programs at the same time. If one doesn’t get the bugs, another one will. I know this will help. Good Luck, Folks! Get rid of those malicious bastards!
Maybe we can have a bake sale & RENT the theater in Clearwater then offer FREE showings for anyone that wants to watch.
If it is a PRIVATE event that is FREE to those interested what will poor COB do?
Anybody got the bucks & the guts?
Dont worry, it is going to be showing at the AMC theater complex that is 2 miles down the road from Cobb Countryside. It is just outside the Clearwater city limits. There are no theaters that show movies in “downtown” Clearwater. The Cobb theaters are the closest ones at the Countryside Mall — and the only other theater complex for most people in Clearwater is the AMC Woodlands.
Dave,
What will you do when HBO Films decides to put one of those building wrappers (like you see in Hollywood and near LAX) on that big blue glass office building in downtown Clearwater, as it anticipates and promotes its slot at the Academy Awards and a few Oscars? Have you piloted the Movie Theater False Purpose Rundown for the sheeple?
Were those threats, by any chance, made by a Jewish business man over skype?
LOL!!
The ridiculousness of Miscavige believing that it is “win” to censor a film that has swept the Emmys, and will still be shown 12 miles away, is mind boggling. His dirty laundry has been viewed by millions, yet, somehow, he still believes he can stop the damage by sealing off a few square miles. What’s next? Blocking the internet in Clearwater? Miscavige should be aware that no matter how much he idolizes and imitates Kim Jong Un, international intelligence reports are indicating that he will be toppled soon. That is what happens eventually to all despots.
David Miscavige is a psychopath with a huge ego, is surrounded by thousands of robotic sycophants who fear him, has access and control over billions of dollars, and is living in a country where the laws protect his criminality. What could possibly go wrong?
Dave,
Bring it on.
“Rest” assured, dear Davey. This isn’t going to stop. The more you try to plug the leaks, the more the pressure builds. The BURST is inevitable, Davey. The question is, will it be the bubble of 2 X billion Magnitude you blew, so painstakingly?
— Or will it be YOU?
Somebody some day will say ‘this is illegal.’ By then be sure orgs say what is legal or not.”
L. Ron Hubbard, Hubbard Communications Office Policy Letter, 4 January 1966,
LRH Relationship to Orgs
I think Tom Cruise may be the one to end Scientology or COBs control of it
How, by hugging DLHDM to death?
No, more likely Cruise will end DM by depriving the Big Being of oxygen by nonstop French Kissing, or by using other lasvicious techniques which are too pornographic to detail here…
A few of us have been tweeting to Cobb
@CobbTheatres Is their twitter handle.
Thanks.
The size two footprint branding shows up anywhere still tweetificatable by Cobbdom! 🙂
I have never met Mr. Miscavige, many sources have referred to him as intelligent. Somehow, I fail to see it.
The word that comes to my mind is “smarmy”. I had a serious question though, if Mr. Miscavige is intelligent, and he can see that he is having a negative effect(statistically obvious, from any OIC anywhere in the world) why does he continue to run this group into the ground? What has happened to the rest of the board of directors(it’s a rhetorical, yes I know they live in fear of the little guy), at what point may the trustees of the Corporation step in to remove the director? Since it has become obvious that the director is the problem, not the group. Then again maybe its just me…. Henry
“… it has become obvious that the director is the problem, not the group.”
Look at it this way. The group is the problem — its provenance, its mission, its methods and its effects. Their leader is a natural fit for the job. He’s exactly what they deserve. That’s why he rose to his position and has remained there for 30 years. The leader and the group are one and the same problem.
Yes, HGC you got it 🙂 The entire group has ‘out’ KSW Hahaha,
That is an interesting question Henry. Perhaps it can be answered another way. Here is an example: Instead of going over to the theatre and watching an Emmy and Academy Award Winning movie about the crimes of a destructive new cult that poses as a church to carry out it’s evil on innocent people…..come to Flag instead – the Mecca of technical perfection and empty your pockets of money for the staff so that when you leave the church you will blow someone else’s brains out for denying you more cash to give the church like Rex Fowler did (former church member now in prison for life for homicide on a fellow church member). 🙂
Henry James, the scn scam was falling apart LONG before DM took over. It cannot be run in an upward trending direction. He HAS accelerated its demise though. Remember, he is a PRODUCT of El Con’s tek. The problem is system wide in Scn.
This will fit right in into Going Clear sequel.
+1! Perfect, Dodo! As Alex Gibney has already said, he has enough material on Hubbard for a second documentary. If this snowballs………..
This article cracks me up. It informs people that the CoS has strong-armed Cobb Countryside 12 theater to not show the film and then tells them exactly where they can go and see it. It even makes a point to tell people that they only have to go 12 miles to see it. Great publicity for ‘Going Clear’ a multiple Emmy winner, while the CoS keeps showing its true colors.
Pepper, did you notice that every single market mentioned in the article has an org, including the “founding church” and “Mighty Miami”? And that they’ve pissed on DM’s Cheerios by showing it in New York just before Harlem opens its Idle Morgue? Please, let them try to organize protests. The counter-protests will be lulzy as hell.
Man, has Going Clear turned out to be the gift that keeps on giving or what? The full-page ads before Sundance, OSA operatives turning Sundance into Spy Vs Sci, the smear videos, the three Emmys, the almost-certain Oscar nomination, and now bullying a theater. This has become a thing of beauty and joy forever. There are countless feet and an armory full of bullets to shoot into them.
I’m with you, Espi! And I love, ‘Spy vs Sci!’ My friend, you do have a magnificent way with words. I wish I had your gift.
Oh, I would love to see protesters. I would also like to hear what they would have to say when asked if they have even seen the film, which of course, they haven’t. The CoS can’t cry bigotry forever. This film is weeding that out.
OSA will probably be videotaping everyone who drives that 12 miles to go see it. And will make sure staffers don’t get liberty when it is showing in the first place. Sail on, ship of fools, with Miscavige Jong Un at the helm.
That might be an insult to Kim-Jong Un…….
David Miscavige just can’t resist advertising for this film can he?
That’s how I helped control my teenage children’s dating life. I absolutely forbade them to speak to the ones I wanted them to associate with. Worked every time.
Thanks Dave. A guarantee of overflow crowds wherever the film is shown around Clearwater.
And when all the majors newspapers pick up the story, he’ll be in his office going: “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! It didn’t work! Fuck! Now more people will be going to see it! FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!
I see (aside from the foot bullet) the potential coming of the CoS party line: look at all the attention we’re getting via news outlets on CoS, when this story is inevitably picked up by more outlets, and let’s face it – if it’s true- it is great Oscar publicity. However, in reality it’ll likely be bad publicity for CoS, or the person(s) they blame or tag it on. But the flock will only hear/see stats, or potentially edited content of said reporting, about how the CoS/cause message is spreading and/or smashing suppression to the utter glee and validation of the group inside the bubble.
Outside the bubble…When you see the writing on the wall from orbit it really makes you ponder how unbelievably willful and stubborn a person or group can be as a means to achieve their own ends…even when the end product is 5 steps back from your previous 5 steps back.
Still, sadly, I feel for those who can’t or won’t see, but I continue to maintain hope that eyes will open. You just never know what spark may be the one to set the tinder aflame…and that proves true for those “IN” and those “IN” charge. But the repercussions would be different in those two, hypothetical, situations/EP.
This is what a Scientology World would look like.
Exactly.
I hope this story is widely published.
Some religion.
Not sure you have to worry about that, Mary.
This will speed up the sequel to “Going Clear”
Maybe turn “Going Clear” into a Franchise series.
Movie theaters should be revving up popcorn machines !!!!
The Hollywood Reporter has printed this story? LOL! Well, that nails the Oscar nomination.
It’s supposed to be the Cobb Theater, not the COB Theater!
Maybe not. If they have bowed to His wishes then they should be known as COB’s bitch theaters.
Yo Dave,
Now you’re talkin good buddy. You show em how to throw your weight around. Now it’s time to go for the throat. Call your buddy Chill and the both of you go cry to Obama about how unfair it all is. Show us…………Dave?
…”throw your weight around.” What, all 120lbs of him? Coop, I could pick him up and throw him like a football: A perfect spiral.
Oh boy, pass the popcorn. This might be the best ad yet for Going Clear!! … if numb nuts Miscavige keeps this up, the only people not seeing or hearing of this movie will be living in North Korea.
LMAO! Nice, Robert! However, Kim-Jong Un will probably watch it and proclaim DLHDM a wussy.
Business as usual in the Cof$. Gun cleaned, magazine loaded up with fresh ammo, take aim at foot – FIRE!
There is the old saying, “any advertising in good advertising.” Not so for the church of scientology. Their command of the tech of life is so superb, they kneejerk at the slightest quiver of entheta pointed their way. I had to use their term as there’s no comparison in the English language that will suffice for their antics.
They are in a league of their own, the dumb fucks!
David “Darth Midget” Miscavige either never heard or doesn’t care to follow this Ron Hubbard dictum:
“I don’t expect you to be driving down the highway with a great big flag on your radiator cap, Scientology, the S and double triangle and shoot everybody dead who dares whisper against Scientology or spread any entheta or something of the sort and never yourself doubt anything and always being there a sterling, good, solid representative Scientologist at all times. I’ve gotten sick of you too, occasionally.” – Ron Hubbard lecture “Scientology, Where We Are Going” given on 30 Dec ’61
No Hobson, he preferred to follow Hubbard’s example.
Be damned… interesting!
Burning the candle from both ends is not necessarily a scientology trademark or disposition but they sure flog it to death.
It’s easy to right… far more difficult to be wrong.
Michael Hobson, you’re quoting Ron Hubbard in a talk he gave in 1961 in which he was wearing his “Benevolent Leader” mask waxing poetic about not shooting people dead for issuing a whispered criticism of scientology. Your point is that David Miscavige isn’t living up to Hubbard’s 1961 message of tolerance and I don’t anybody could disagree but you’re leaving out the punchline.
Maybe it’s when they found out that Mike Rinder and Sara Goldberg would be answering questions for the audience at the first showing of “Going Clear” in Clearwater that Scientology dumped a pantload and started spitting the dummy everywhere.
If so, flunk for TR Zero Bullbait, Scientology!
LOLBwah-ha-ha-ha-haaaaa!!!!
Alanzo 🙂
Cobb Theatre’s COO is Mr. Jeremy Welman.
To be routed to him or his voicemail call 205-802-7766. I left a message requesting that the documentary GOING CLEAR: SCIENTOLOGY THE PRISON OF BELIEF be put back on the schedule.
Ext: 112
I just now left a message. I hope everyone does.
Here’s the Contact Us page on the Cobb Theaters Corporate Website:
http://www.cobbtheatres.com/contact.asp
They operate over 200 theaters nationwide and are headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama.
Cobb Theatres
Guest Relations
2000-B SouthBridge Parkway
Suite 100
Birmingham, AL 35209
Phone: (205) 802-7766
Alanzo
How can people who are “at Cause,” have all the right answers and specialize in areas such as communication and PR possibly fall into one of the most elementary traps of PR?
They think that they may have dealt a blow to wog’s enjoying whatever movie they see fit. However, they have not only embarrassed the current “church” regime. They have made it perfectly clear that their “tech” is a hoax.
Yes indeed, they are the perfect example of the business they ply when you really look at them. What they say and what they do are two completely different things.
The image of miscavige foaming at the mouth forms easily with all the church’s PR decisions, actions and accomplishments of all the applications of the tech both red and green. Inside the mind of miscavige is a little dick dreaming to be a lot bigger; that is the only motivation behind the dwarf’s enforced application of all technologies, his versions especially. Don’t for a moment think there is anything about the Cof$ that isn’t angled towards miscavige’s ego. He alone is steering that ship through all waters.
My thoughts exactly Todd Cray, this is like amateur night. Though I’m certain Mr. Miscavige assigned someone “disposable” to actually carry out this fools errand. Henry
Wozzis, Todd? Wotchoo mean, I bin wastin’ my donashins to dat wunnerful cherch of Shinetollogee ? An I thort thay wuz goin’ tu giv my boy a gud edicashin when dey opens upp da nu bransh in Harlum. Dats wot day sed on dere flya. I didin wanna see him cleanin’ out no toilets like me his papa. I gonna send him dere too git back muh donashins. He betta get dat munee back, cause hees gonna brake da plase dowwne if day don’ giv it back. hees siks foot forr an he ways too fiftee an’ hees onlee twelv. Hee don’ lissen wen I tells him hee mussin’ doo dat. An if he don’ git back muh donashins, I gonna brake evritin’ els in dat mother f–n plase too
big johnni black frum da bronx.
Wow. This is big and I’m sure there is more to the story. Thanks, Mike for the breaking news. As always, you rock. I think a follow up by a certain Joe Childs is in order.
Another amazing resemblance between CoS and N Korea: Threatening movie houses what will happen if they “dare” play a certain movie, whether it’s “The Interview” or “Going Clear.”
This is NOT just the “church” acting as a concerned citizen; nor is this just a minor dispute. This is an ATTACK on key American values and on American citizens.
The irony is yet again lost on the CoS: By their actions they prove that they are indeed any bit the repressive organization that the film claims them to be. However, a case could be made that it is legally (if not morally) OK for a “church” to act in a repressive manner within its own four walls. But how does the “church” care to defend this attack on the rights of “civilians,” I.e. non-scn Americans who wish to enjoy the right to watch whatever movie they choose. Never-ins are now treated to a demonstration that the “church” is not just harmful to some “suckers who joined up for some incomprehensible reasons” but a threat on society at large.
Nor does the “church” seem to realize that this kind of monkey business gives your average citizen an even greater determination to see a film that they otherwise may have skipped. Let’s face it, documentaries are not exactly top draws in movie houses–except for when the “church” helps out in promoting them!
I can just imagine (although I choose not to) COB and his cadre stroking themselves while they’re celebrating a “devastating blow of epic proportions” to the enemy. The biggest victory since, say, Pearl Harbor. Little do they understand the real price of their “victory.”
Eloquently stated, Todd. The incredulity of ‘bubbledom’ just boggles all logic. 🙂
This will just make people want to see the film and will find ways to do that. What it does do is prevent any current Scientologist from seeing the marquee or the poster outside or a preview and wondering.
When I lived in Clearwater, up to 2009, most SO staff, all Execs and most Clearwater public went to Woodland AMC 20 for movies an the fact they picked up the documentary, it’s a good thing.
The OSA is hard at work to recruit their public to go to theaters and spy who went to see the documentary.
Can they get any lower?
Oh, definitely! Much lower. So low, it would take you years to get to the surface. So low, that parents of SO would be ashamed!
Yeah, OSD. …Like that never-ending-feeling when you’ve just been unexpectedly dumped to the seabed, by an overbalanced twenty footer? And you try to reach the surface though an impenetrable ceiling of froth and air bubbles ?? ? 🙂
You must be a surfer! You are absolutely right. And…been there done that. Of course I was 22 years old in Hawai’i. I was going to live forever…..
Gotta love the GO, I mean OSA. They help the Co$ whither away.
Excellent news! This will certainly backfire and create more Academy sympathy for Going Clear as Mike suggests above. Bring on the threats! More, More! Make yourselves look even more ridiculous, in FL of all places! This is great
Mike, Can I have your permission to post this on Underground Bunker? Thank You
No permission needed. Go ahead.
Now that’s what I call maintaining friendly relations with ones environment.
Once again, attack, attack, attack….idiots.
I can’t wait for the eventual fall of DM & the cult of Scientology. I just hope it’s in my lifetime.
Me too. Then again, the hangover will probably kill me anyway – be worth it!
I don’t even live in Clearwater and this bothers me. Who the f**k do they think they are to be censoring movies with threats? Its not like they generate any income for the theater. Disgusting.
If you live anywhere near Clearwater this should really make you angry. Who wants Co$ using threats to dictate what films are shown in their area? I hope this turns into a huge footbullet for them.
Miscavige, you are a pathetic, whiny bitch hiding behind your lawyers skirt.
What kind of threat would be effective? A boycott? How will that work? They don’t allow Flag public to go to movies while they’re “on course”. The Sea Borg can’t afford a small popcorn at an AMC theater (most middle-class wage slaves like me have to fill out loan papers to afford a ticket, popcorn, soft drink, and candy). This doesn’t fly. So it must be a picket of the theater by Sea Borg bussed in. That would scare your average member of middle management into making this kind of decision. That actually makes sense.
Of course, you have to ask this: Could AMC have countered this one by saying, “Okay, you can picket. But we’re not showing any Tom Cruise or John Travolta film, ever.” If they get /b/ackup from the other theaters in Clamwater, that could put another bullet in the proverbial foot. I’d love to see that happen.
I would think that the threat of a major lawsuit, their usual “technique”, would probably be effective against a small localized theatre. In any case, this will probably get wide news coverage. Certainly the Tampa papers will go to town with it.
Thanks, Mike, for grabbing onto this one so quickly. Nothing yet on the Bunker. I’m wondering if we’ll hear anything directly from HBO? They’re not likely going to like scio attempting such an attempt at censorship. And all to keep the locals from drifting away from the corral.
“In any case, this will probably get wide news coverage.” And that, Peter, is what we are all waiting for. When I left a message with Mr. Welman, I told him censorship does not go over well in this country as well as a few other thoughts that were on my mind. I ended with telling him it probably won’t make much of a difference if he caves in to the cult as the media is going to have a field day with this news! Although, Mr. Welman, the press, I’m sure, will want to interview you.
We could just fire up a Mac-book and have it projected on the side of the building.
And yet no one had a problem with Battlefield Earth stinking up the theaters?
Hahahahaha
That movie has to rate as the worst of all time. ‘Attack of the Killer Tomatoes’ is a classic compared to the waste of celluloid Battlefield Earth used up.
It did nearly set the record for The Rasberry Awards, an award for worst instead of best.
But a real fiasco, and in large part because Miscavige would come in, panic everyone in his usual style, micro manage (again typical) and override the director, becoming the single agent most responsible for entirely screwing that movie up. When the horrible reviews started coming in, he washes his hands and blames Travolta and whoever else he could point at. The dude really is a worm, even when he is not playing dictator, & takes every chance to prove it. I don’t like blaming him for screwing up the church (I think the church is screwed up by design, and i actually have a bigger beef with him…) but a lot of people do. It does appear that everything he touches turns to ____ . But, what’s wrong wth Killer Tomatoes?
Ketchup… the punch line from Uma Thurman’s joke from Fox Force Five in Pulp Fiction. Oh my, I have far too much time on my hands since leaving the Cof$. I know it hasn’t anything to do with answering your question but it’s the best I’ve got.
I’ve heard some of the theaters that showed Battlefield Earth, took years to get the stink out of their theaters. Some just abandoned their buildings altogether. Some intentionally burned their buildings down and salted the ashes.
Surf’s up with you on that one O,S.Dude. Classic comment!
And that was because they showed one measly (although shitty) movie. What will have to be done with the Idle Morgues that will be abandoned? Chernobyl comes to mind.