MovieChat Forums > The Master (2012) Discussion > This film IS NOT about Scientology!

This film IS NOT about Scientology!


It is about how authority doesn't always hold any...authority.
Freddie was a symbol of vulnerability after a tumultuous period in American history when many young men found themselves lost and disillusioned, looking for anything to latch onto. And The Master was just another opportunist, taking advantage of the current situation; a historical staple which has repeated itself over the eons.

Scientology is only one of many bull**** 'faiths' to prey on this sort of vulnerability, and it is the most relevant example only because it has persisted for so long.
But do you really think Hubbard was the only intellectual bastard savvy enough to come up with some vague explanation for all the things that worry us in this life, especially during that time?

This movie isn't condemning scientology. It doesn't have to. Scientology condemns itself.

This movie condemns arrogance, and the will to power.

"Buy the ticket, take the ride." --Raoul Duke, the great shark hunter

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You bring up a great point about what the focus of The Master is. So what if it's Scientology, right? The broader and more interesting point is what you brought up.

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let me just start by saying the master is one of my favorite movies of all time, with that being said it is totally 100% a riff on scientology! trust me i know, i was sent somewhere the end of last year(i wont say where unless someone absolutely wants to know, im sure some of you already do) and it turned out to be a recruit center for scientology which was fronted as something else. everything that is done in the cause is a mirror reflection of something that is done in scientology. maybe the film isnt exactly about scientology but alot of things the cause did was based off of it.

so if someone where to say the master has nothing to do with scientology they are completely wrong. the walking to the wall and touching it is known as an objective exercise. these are done to bring the person into present time and some other BS. the questions that PSH is asking phoenix during the first processing scene (called auditing in scientology) are taken straight from interviews given to scientologists. (how are you doing?, how is your body doing?, are you getting along with others? ect....) also when phoenix and the daughters boyfriend are sitting in chairs 3 feet from each other saying things too "push each others buttons" is what they call bull baiting. it is a type of T.R. or training routine. there are many T.R.'s scientologists do but this was the only one i saw in the film.

But the funniest thing about my entire experience of being there was - when i left to go i brought a whole bunch of movies with me. being the film fiend that i am, the master happened to be one of them. well, when they found out that i had it with me they did not like that at all. someone went into to my room and took it and it was never given back! :( i hate scientology and i really hope it meets its demise during my lifetime. i know i will support its down bringing until the very end!!!

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its about all religions.

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Thank you everyone for your replies, this thread has been very illuminating.

Maybe I should have said: This film is about MORE than Scientology.
It is a great, thought-provoking film, and I'm happy to be among you viewers who have been affected by it as well.

"Buy the ticket, take the ride." --Raoul Duke, the great shark hunter

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Well, that's one way to put it, Illuminating. Seriously, I don't think people will ever agree on what this film is "about" after reading this thread....can I just say it's VERY influenced by Scientology IMHO. But overall it is about More than just Scientology, like tph890 just remarked. I'm leave it at that...

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I've just seen it - certainly seemed to be based on the early days of Scientology; there were far too many coincidences for it to be otherwise.

I'm not sure I agree it was a 'great' film, it was way too slow for me, but it was a good illustration of the attractions of such organisations to those who might not quite fit elsewhere.

But how odd too that Seymour went from doing this film to MI-III, which clearly wouldn't have happened had anyone at Scientology taken offence to The Master?

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Doh.... mixed up my Mission Impossibles - MI-III was five years before this movie!


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The film is not SOLELY about $cientology - but even within your explanation (which I agree with) it contains elements of it...






"Your mother puts license plates in your underwear? How do you sit?!"

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It was definitely inspired by Scientology even if it wasn't totally about it. The part on the boat is akin to the SeaOrg.

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