Archive for the ‘Valkyrie’ Category

Tom Cruise: Germans Do the Right Thing

September 15, 2007

Tom Cruise doesn’t need any more free publicity, but the German government gave him and the movie Valkryie plenty of it when they refused to let them film the saga of anti-Hitler plotter Claus Van Stauffenberg at the Bendlerblock.  It’s now a memorial and part of the German Defense Ministry–but it was where the generals who rebelled against Hitler were tortured and executed in 1944.

Guess what? As we advocated here, the German government had a change of heart and the filming is OKed.  From a PR perspective, if an artist wants to tell the story, the government should try to help make it happen–even if that artist is a ‘wacky Scientologist.’ 

The German government finally realized what a PR disaster it was to look like they were denying Cruise filming rights because of his religion.  We know where that goes.

Posted in Colonel-Claus-von-Stauffenberg, Valkyrie, tom-cruise | No Comments »

Let Tom Cruise Film

June 25, 2007

Tom Cruise has never won an Oscar, but he has won fame as the world’s best-known Scientologist.  To many, Scientology is a controversial, even debatable, religion.  It is not recognized as such in Germany.

So when producers of Tom Cruise’s new movie, Valkyrie, asked to film at German military sites, Cruise was refused because he is a Scientologist, according to the German Defense Ministry.  (Drudge links here.) Valkyrie is the story of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, leader of the unsuccessful attempt to assassinate the Nazi dictator in July 1944. 

Probably a thriller, Valkryie is also the story of someone who, no matter how late and convoluted his reasons, stood up against tyranny.  (Sophie Scholl is a better example of suicidal courage in the face of Nazi torture and murder.)

There’s much to admire about the new Germany, from its conscientious efforts to acknowledge the Holocaust to its support of the United States.  But from a public relations perspective, Germany should allow Cruise and his team (including respected director Bryan Singer) to film wherever they want, regardless of Cruise’s support of Scientology.

Beyond that, Germany should not be in the position of determining what is a state-approved religion and what is not.  We know where that goes.

Posted in Bryan-Singer, Colonel-Claus-von-Stauffenberg, Germany, Oscar, Scientology, Sophie-Scholl, Tribbles, Valkyrie, tom-cruise | 2 Comments »