Scientology has often seemed like an omnipotent force that many were afraid of, but lately there have been a lot of cracks in the dam, including a number of recent books, and Going Clear, the documentary based on the best-selling volume of the same name.
Going Clear was created by Alex Gibney, who has also recently come under fire for a new documentary on Steve Jobs, which should premiere some time later this year. In the meantime, The Hollywood Reporter tells us that Going Clear has had the biggest premiere of any documentary on HBO in ten year, with 1.7 million viewers tuning in. (This doesn’t include DVR views, which could make the numbers grow even bigger.)
While Scientology has been going full force against the documentary, the reviews for it have been pretty strong, with many who’ve seen it shocked and amazed by what’s in it.
You have to hand it to anyone who’s not afraid of standing up to Scientology’s bullying, and Gibney’s documentary should go a long way to exposing the truth behind L. Ron Hubbard’s creation. As the LA Times reports, the church has called it “one-sided, bigoted propaganda built on falsehoods,” which is probably a form quote they send out about everything that isn’t pro-Scientology, and it indeed sounds like their usual rhetoric. HBO should also use that quote in the ads as another great reason to watch the documentary.
