An intriguing, but bizarre, biographical documentary by Channel 4 on the ‘Secret Life’ of L Ron Hubbard – the Sci Fi author and creator of the Scientology cult. This biopic from 1997, with some fantastic archive interviews with the man (and other people from the ‘org’ who knew him) – is an interesting look at the start/development of the weird cult and its even stranger founder: L Ron Hubbard. There’s some revealing information inside, such as Hubbard’s spiralling manic-depressive emotional state, the use of drugs on himself/family and the resentment he felt towards his son due to Quentin’s homosexuality (eventually causing suicide). Also, the political repercussions to L Ron’s actions as Scientology’s leader – especially legally in Europe, is an important history to the world’s largest (and most farcical) cult. A controversial public figure, many details of his life are subjects of contention. The Church of Scientology has produced numerous official biographies which present Hubbard’s character and his multi-faceted accomplishments in an exalted light. Biographies of Hubbard by independent journalists and accounts by former scientologists paint a much darker picture of Hubbard and in many cases contradict the material presented by the Church.
