Battlefield Earth (film)

] Travolta and Krane also signed the cinematographer and most of the principal actors. Corey Mandell, a screenwriter who had previously worked with Ridley Scott on "Blade Runner", signed on to write the script for the film, which had previously gone through 10 revisions. Mandell stated in an interview, "I am not a Scientologist ... I came on board because John asked me to read the book and said, 'It's not a religious book. It's a science-fiction story. There's nothing sacred about the story, nothing of the religious philosophy.' I was given this to read purely as science fiction — to see whether it was intriguing as a movie. And it was."

The cast included Travolta, Barry Pepper, Forest Whitaker, Kim Coates, Richard Tyson, Sabine Karsenti, and Michael Byrne. Travolta's wife Kelly Preston also appeared in one scene, playing Terl's "baldish Psychlo girlfriend". Travolta originally saw himself in the role of Tyler, but by the time the movie was actually made, Travolta felt he was too old to play the role, and took the role of the main villain instead. [cite news | last =Peterson| first = Robert| title =John Travolta on 'Battlefield', NASA | work =Space.com | publisher =Imaginova Corp. | date = 2000-05-03 | url = http://www.space.com/sciencefiction/movies/battlefield_earth_travolta_000503.html | accessdate =2008-02-01 ] Travolta's role in the film required what he described as an amazing physical transformation: "I wear a tall head apparatus with strange hair. I have amber eyes and talons for hands. It's quite remarkable ... I'm on 4-foot stilts." [cite news | last =Pearlman | first =Cindy | title =Big hairy deal: Travolta as alien Terl | work =Chicago Sun-Times | page =39 | publisher =Chicago Sun-Times, Inc. | date = 2000-03-02] To star in the film, Travolta turned down the movie "The Shipping News" and postponed production on "Standing Room Only". [cite news | last =Garner| first =Jack | title =To stay on top, Travolta seeks one substantial movie each year | work =Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | page =3C | date = 1999-06-18 ]

The movie was filmed in Canada, with principal filming taking place in Montreal and several other Quebec locations during the summer and autumn of 1999.cite news | last =Denerstein | first =Robert | title =Travolta's On Roll of a Lifetime | work =Rocky Mountain News | page =6D | date = 1999-06-20 ] [cite news | last =Staff | title =Battlefield Earth - The Movie | work =Official website | publisher =Author Services Inc. | url =http://www.battlefieldearth.com/movie/movie.html | accessdate = 2008-01-20 ] In January 1999, Travolta flew his private Boeing 727 on a secret visit to Montreal to scout out locations for shooting. [cite news | last =Canadian Press | title =Travolta eyes Montreal for film location | work =The Record (Ontario, Canada) | page =D19 | date = 1999-01-28 ] The film was reported to have been the most expensive production shot in Canada up to that point. [cite news | last =Staff | title =Studio Briefing | work =Internet Movie Database | date =1999-07-29 | url =http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/1999-07-29#film1 | accessdate = 2008-02-12 ] It was also reported that the production costs would have been twice as high had the film been shot in the United States.

In an ominous sign for the film's prospects, it was "plagued by bad buzz" before release with the media speculating about the possible influence of Scientology and commenting on the production's tight security.cite news | last =Leiby | first =Richard | title =John Travolta's Alien Notion; He Plays a Strange Creature In a New Sci-Fi Film, but That's Not the Only Curious Thing About This Project | work =The Washington Post | publisher =The Washington Post Company | date = 1999-11-28 | url =http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/06/AR2005070601403.html?nav=rss_metro/religion | accessdate = 2008-02-01 ] As the film was entering post-production, the alternative newspaper "Mean Magazine" obtained a copy of the screenplay. "Mean's" staffers changed the script's title to "Dark Forces" by "Desmond Finch" and circulated it to readers at major Hollywood film production companies. The comments that came back were universally unfavorable: "a thoroughly silly plotline is made all the more ludicrous by its hamfisted ["sic"] dialog and ridiculously shallow characterizations", "a completely predictable story that just isn't written well enough to make up for its lack of originality". One reviewer labeled the screenplay "as entertaining as watching a fly breathe".cite news | last =Ebner, Mark | title =John Travolta: The Star Who Ate Hollywood | work =Mean Magazine | page =Vol. 1 Issue 5 | date =September–December 1999 ]

"Battlefield Earth" was released on May 12, 2000, three days after the 50th anniversary of the publication of Hubbard's book "", a date celebrated by Scientologists worldwide as a major Scientology holiday. [cite web| url = http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=900376| title = Scientology 101: Definitions and Facts About Scientology| accessdate = 2006-09-04| date = 2006-08-23| work = ABC News| publisher = American Broadcasting Corporation] Its premiere was held on May 10, 2000 at Mann's Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. [cite news | last =Staff | title =Hollywood Celebrities Turn Out for World Premiere of Sci-Fi Adventure 'Battlefield Earth' | work =Press Release | publisher =Warner Bros. | date =2000-05-09]

Box office and merchandising

"Battlefield Earth" grossed $21,471,685 in the United States and Canada and a total of $29,725,663 worldwide, falling well short of its $75 million production budget and $20 million in estimated marketing costs.mojo title|id=battlefieldearth|title=Battlefield Earth. Retrieved 2008-01-13.] Financially, it is regarded as one of the most expensive flops in film history,cite news | last =Staff | title =Nothing says disaster like 'labour of love' | work =National Post | date=2000-05-23 ] and a box office bomb. [cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2001/02/12/entertainment/main271419.shtml|title=Battlefield Earth Tops Razzies, Box Office Bomb Picks Up 8 Nominations: Box Office Bomb Picks Up 8 Nominations|work=CBS News|publisher=www.cbsnews.com|date=February 12, 2001|accessdate=2008-05-07|last=Associated Press] [cite news | last =Maynard | first =John | title =Saturday | work =The Washington Post | publisher =The Washington Post Company | date =July 7, 2001 ]

The film's exceptionally bad reviews and poor word-of-mouth led to a precipitous falling-off in its grosses. Having earned $11,548,898 from 3,307 screens on its opening weekend, its take collapsed by 67 percent to $3,924,921 the following weekend, giving an average take of $1,158 per screen. The film made 95 percent of its entire domestic gross in the first two weekends and flatlined thereafter, with earnings dropping a further 75 percent by the end of its third week to $1 million.

The following week, facing earnings of just $205,745, Warner Bros. attempted to cut its losses by slashing the number of screens at which the film was being shown. The number was reduced from 2,587 to 641. [cite news | last =Lyons | first =Charles | coauthors =Dana Harris | title =Samaha ducking the bullets on 'Battlefield' | work =Variety | date = 2000-06-12 ] By its sixth weekend on release, the film was showing on 95 screens and had made $18,993 in a week – less than $200 per screen. [cite news | last =Staff | title =Business Data for Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000 | work =Internet Movie Database | url =http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0185183/business | accessdate = 2008-01-20] International earnings were equally dire. The film finished with a gross of $21.4 million in the US and just $8.2 million from the rest of the world.

A limited range of merchandising was produced for the film, including posters, a soundtrack CD by Elia Cmiral recorded by the Seattle Symphony, and a re-released version of the novel with a new cover based on the film's poster. [cite news | last =Olson | first =Catherine Applefeld | title ='Earth' To Elia | work =Billboard | date = 2000-05-21] [cite news | title ='Battlefield Earth' Movie Tie-In Edition Unveiled by Stars of Film in New York | work =Press Release | publisher =Bridge Publications | date = 2000-02-17 ] Trendmasters also produced a range of action figures of the main characters, including an convert|11|in|mm|sing=on figure of Travolta as Terl voicing lines from the film such as "Exterminate all man-animals at will!", "You wouldn't last one day at the academy", "Man is an endangered species", and "Ratbastard!". [cite news | last =Finnigan | first =David | coauthors = Scott Hettrick | title =Travolta faces off with self on toy 'Battlefield' | work =Hollywood Reporter | date = 2000-02-15 ] cite news | last =Staff | title =Scientology to get 'Earth' toy money | work =The Times of India | date =2000-02-16] cite news | last =Ealy | first =Charles (The Dallas Morning News) | title =Battlefield's Travolta Doll Swears Like a Trooper | work =Sun-Sentinel | page =1D | date =2000-03-13 ] In Hubbard's novel the term "Ratbastard" is never used, and Terl instead refers to Jonnie Goodboy Tyler as "rat brain".

A special edition DVD was released in 2001, including two additional scenes which added two minutes to the film's running time.cite news | last =Berkwits | first =Jeff | title = Battlefield Earth Special Edition DVD | work =Sci Fi Weekly | publisher =SciFi.com | date = 2001-02-05 | url =http://www.scifi.com/sfw/screen/sfw6628.html | accessdate = 2008-02-03 ] The DVD includes commentary tracks with director Roger Christian and production, costume and creature designer Patrick Tatopoulos, as well as special features including John Travolta's alien makeup test. Jeff Berkwits of "SCI FI WEEKLY" wrote that "... the Battlefield Earth Special Edition DVD is packed with information, offering an enlightening glimpse into the creative process behind this imperfect but entertaining picture". Randy Salas of the "Star Tribune" described it as the "Best DVD for a bad movie."cite news | last =Salas | first =Randy A. | title =DVD Views: DVDs prove they're here to stay and have plenty to offer | work =Star Tribune | date =2002-01-01 | ] A review of the DVD release in the "Los Angeles Times" was more critical: "A dated visual style, patched-together special effects and ludicrous dialogue combine in a film that is a wholly miserable experience." [cite news | last =Staff | title =Video News; What's New | work =Los Angeles Times | page =F.24 | date = 2001-01-18 ]

Critical reception

Critically, the movie was seen as a disaster and reviews were nearly unanimously bad. It received a "rotten" rating of three percent on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 115 reviews. [cite news | last =Staff | title =Battlefield Earth (2000) | work =Rotten Tomatoes | publisher = IGN Entertainment, Inc. | url =http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/battlefield_earth/ | accessdate = 2008-02-03 ] On Metacritic, the film had an average score of 9 out of 100, based on 33 reviews. [cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/battlefieldearth |title=Battlefield Earth (2008): Reviews |accessdate=2008-02-03 |publisher=Metacritic] Film critic Roger Ebert gave the film the rating of half a star out of four and described it as "something historic, a film that for decades to come will be the punch line of jokes about bad movies".cite news | first =Roger | last =Ebert | author =Roger Ebert | url = http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20000512/REVIEWS/5120301/1023 | title = Battlefield Earth | work = Chicago Sun-Times | date = 2000-05-12 | accessdate = 2006-07-29 ] Ebert commented in his book "Your Movie Sucks": "Some movies run off the rails. This one is like the train crash in "The Fugitive"." [cite book | last =Ebert | first =Roger | authorlink =Roger Ebert | title =Your Movie Sucks | publisher =Andrews McMeel Publishing | date =2007 | page =23 | isbn = 0740763660] Leonard Maltin rated the film a "BOMB" in his book "Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide", writing: "Clumsy plot, misplaced satire, unbelievable coincidences and a leaden pace trample Travolta's weird but amusing performance."cite book | last =Maltin | first =Leonard | authorlink =Leonard Maltin | coauthors = Cathleen Anderson, managing editor | title =Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide 2004 Edition | publisher =Penguin Group (USA) Inc. | date =August 2003 | page =Page 91, "Battlefield Earth (2000) C-117. BOMB"| isbn = 0-451-20940-0] David Bleiler gave the film one star out of four in the "TLA Video & DVD Guide", writing: "This is disjointed, tedious and every bit as bad as its reputation." [cite book | last =Bleiler | first =David | title =TLA Video & DVD Guide: The Discerning Film Lover's Guide | publisher =St. Martin's Griffin | date =2004 | page =48 | isbn = 0312316909] Jon Stewart mocked the film on his satirical television program "The Daily Show", describing it as "a cross between "Star Wars" and the smell of ass". [cite web|url=http://www.comedycentral.com/extras/the_daily_show/temporary_episodes/TDS_6003.jhtml|title=Episode #6003: July 11th, 2001-James Woods|publisher=Comedy Central|date=2001-07-11|accessdate=2008-03-17]

Rita Kempley of "The Washington Post" commented: "A million monkeys with a million crayons would be hard-pressed in a million years to create anything as cretinous as "Battlefield Earth"."cite news |first = Rita |last = Kempley |author = Rita Kempley |title = 'Battlefield Earth': A Vain Search for Terrestrial Intelligence |url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/entertainment/movies/reviews/battlefieldearthkempley.htm |work = Washington Post |date = 2000-05-12 |accessdate = 2006-09-06] Elvis Mitchell of "The New York Times" wrote: "It may be a bit early to make such judgments, but "Battlefield Earth" may well turn out to be the worst movie of this century" and called it "Plan Nine From Outer Space" for a new generation".cite news | last =Mitchell | first =Elvis | title = Film Review; Earth Capitulates in 9 Minutes to Mean Entrepreneurs From Space | work =The New York Times | publisher =The New York Times Company | date= 2000-05-12 | url =http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05EEDF173BF931A25756C0A9669C8B63 | accessdate = 2008-01-29] cite news | last =Campbell | first =Duncan | title = Cult classic: Does John Travolta's Battlefield Earth contain subliminal messages recruiting Scientologists? Amid a flurry of bizarre claims and counterclaims, only one thing is certain: it is one of the worst movies ever made. | work =The Guardian | publisher =Guardian News and Media Limited | date = 2000-05-31 | url =http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4023865,00.html | accessdate = 2008-01-20 ] The British film critic Jonathan Ross offered a particularly unsparing critique: "Everything about "Battlefield Earth" sucks. Everything. The over-the-top music, the unbelievable sets, the terrible dialogue, the hammy acting, the lousy special effects, the beginning, the middle and especially the end." [cite news | first = Jonathan | last = Ross | author = Jonathan Ross | title = What does Travolta think he's doing? He looks like an over-stuffed, dreadlocked, Cabbage Patch Doll | work = Daily Mirror | date = 2000-06-02]

The "Hollywood Reporter" summarized the film as being "a flat-out mess, by golly, with massive narrative sinkholes, leading to moments of outstanding disbelief in the muddled writing and shockingly chaotic "mise en scène" that's accompanied by ear-pummeling sound and bombastic music". [cite news | last =Hunter | first =David | title ='Battlefield Earth | work =Hollywood Reporter | date = 2000-05-12 ]

Particular points that critics held up for censure included its overuse of angled camera shots (which, according to the director himself in different reports, are used in all but one frame of the film or even in every single frame), derivative special effects, and unbelievable plotting.cite news | first = Steve | last = Persall | url = http://www.sptimes.com/News/051200/Alive/Space_aliens_without_.shtml | title = Space aliens without a clue | work = St. Petersburg Times | date = 2000-05-12 | accessdate = 2006-07-30 ] cite news | first = Bob | last = Graham | url = http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/04/30/PK88588.DTL&type=music | title = What on Earth Are These Guys Doing? Roger Christian directs Travolta in sci-fi tale about humans fighting mineral-sucking giants from outer space | work = San Francisco Chronicle | page = PK-54 | date = 2000-04-30 | accessdate = 2006-07-30 ] [cite video | people = Christian, Roger; Tatopoulos, Patrick | title = Battlefield Earth (commentary) | medium = DVD | publisher = Warner Home Video | location = United States | date = 2001-01-16 ] The Rhode Island "Providence Journal" highlighted the film's unusual color scheme: "Battlefield Earth's" primary colors are blue and gray, adding to the misery. Whenever we glimpse sunlight, the screen goes all stale yellow, as though someone had urinated on the print. This, by the way, is not such a bad idea." [cite news | last =Staff | title =Earth to John Travolta ... | work =The Providence Journal | date = 2000-05-20]

In her book "Celebrity Tantrums!: The Official Dirt", Lisa Brandt called the film a "Scientology stinkburger". [cite book | last =Brandt | first =Lisa | title =Celebrity Tantrums!: The Official Dirt | publisher =ECW Press | date =2003 | page =177 | isbn =1550225669 ] The film is profiled in "Better Living Through Bad Movies" by Scott Clevenger and Sheri Zollinger, who comment: "So what new truths have we gleaned from "Battlefield Earth"? First, we have learned that spirituality is a fine thing, but it's probably best to avoid joining denominations that make action movies." [cite book | last =Clevenger | first =Scott | coauthors =Zollinger, Sheri | title =Better Living Through Bad Movies | publisher =iUniverse | date =2006 | page =27| isbn = 059540023X]

The film was reported to have been greeted with widespread derision in preview screenings for the public and critics. An audience of Los Angeles entertainment journalists, critics and others greeted the film with guffaws and hoots at a screening in Century City, while other viewers in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore responded with derisive laughter or simply walked out. At a post-launch publicity event, Travolta, on asking assembled journalists if they had enjoyed it, received no reply.cite news | last =Waxman | first =Sharon | title =The Launch of a Star Vehicle That Explodes in Laughter | work =The Washington Post | publisher =The Washington Post Company | date = 2000-05-12 ] He later asserted that other film-makers had enjoyed the movie: "When I felt better about everything was when George Lucas and Quentin Tarantino and a lot of people that I felt knew what they were doing, saw it and thought it was a great piece of science fiction." [cite news | last = Staff | title =Earth under threat again as Travolta hints at sci-fi sequel | work = The Guardian| date =2000-10-19 | url = http://film.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/Exclusive/0,,384911,00.html | accessdate = 2008-01-20 ]

Responding to the criticism, the film's producer Elie Samaha complained: " [The] critics were waiting for us to ... chop our heads off. Everybody hated Scientology for some reason. I didn't know people were so prejudiced." He argued that despite the film's poor performance it would cover its costs in due course: "Maybe [in] the second cycle with Internet, and HBO, and DVD, you always make your money ... so I'm not going to lose sleep over one movie that did not perform for us." [cite news | last =Powell | first =Betsy | title =Power Producer All Fired Up | work =Toronto Star | date = 2000-07-16 ]

The reviews were not uniformly negative. Bob Graham of the "San Francisco Chronicle" wrote that the film "effectively presented" the "wary, uncomprehending relationship" between the humans and the Psychlos.cite news |last =Graham |first=Bob| title =Travolta's Demolition Derby: Comic-book nuttiness lifts 'Battlefield Earth' | work =San Francisco Chronicle | publisher =Hearst Communications Inc. | date =January 19, 2001 | url =http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2001/01/19/DD162654.DTL | accessdate =2008-06-12] A review at "JoBlo's Movie Reviews" was also positive, and Berge Garabedian wrote, "Despite starting off like a bad "Star Trek" episode, this film eventually graduates to a higher level with great special effects, some really slick bad-ass aliens, an intriguing premise and a good flow of loud, campy fun." [cite news | last =Garabedian | first =Berge | title =JoBlo's Movie Review of Battlefield Earth | work =JoBlo's Movie Reviews | publisher =JoBlo Media Inc. | date =2000-05-01 | url =http://www.joblo.com/reviews.php?mode=joblo_movies&id=597 | accessdate = 2008-02-03] Luke Thompson of "New Times LA" wrote: "Think "Independence Day" without the ponderous build-up or self-importance. Imagine how much more enjoyable the other blockbuster-of-the-moment, "Gladiator", might have been if Joaquin Phoenix had addressed every one of his rivals as 'Rat brain.'" [cite news | last =Thompson | first =Luke Y. | title =Review: Battlefield Earth | work =New Times LA | date = 2000-05-09 ] Sean Axmaker of the "Seattle Post-Intelligencer" wrote positively of the interaction between Travolta and Whitaker in the film, comparing them to Abbot and Costello.cite news | last =Axmaker | first =Sean | title =Logic is the big loser as humans fight for freedom in 'Battlefield Earth' | work =Seattle Post-Intelligencer | publisher =Hearst Newspapers | date =2000-05-12 | url =http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/movies/earthq2.shtml | accessdate = 2008-02-03 ] Axmaker wrote that they provide "... much-needed comic relief in an otherwise humorless paean to freedom". Axmaker also wrote positively of the production design used in the film, commenting that the director had created "a world of crumbling dead cities and empty malls turned into human hunting grounds..." Hap Erstein of "The Palm Beach Post" commented: "..production designer Patrick Tatopulos contributes some good work, imagining the ruins of Denver and Washington, D.C., with echoes of Planet of the Apes."

"Battlefield Earth" frequently appears on worst film lists, [cite book | last =Simens | first =Dov S-S | title =From Reel to Deal | publisher =Warner Books | date =2003 | pages =123 | isbn = 0446674621] [cite news | last =Hinson | first =Mark | title =The Worst Movies of 2000 | work =Tallahassee Democrat | page =G3 | date =December 29, 2000 ] [cite book | last =Saltzman | first =Marc | title =DVD Confidential 2: The Sequel | publisher =McGraw-Hill Professional | date =2003 | pages =47 | isbn = 0072229861] and hit #14 on Rotten Tomatoes' "100 Worst Of The Worst Movies" list. [cite news | title =The Worst of the Worst Pictures: The 100 Worst-Reviewed Films of All Time | work =Rotten Tomatoes | publisher =IGN Entertainment, Inc. | date =2008-01-20 | url =http://www.rottentomatoes.com/features/special/2007/wotw/?r=14&mid=1097232 | accessdate = 2008-01-20 ] "The Arizona Republic" listed it as the worst film of 2000, and called it a "monumentally bad sci-fi flick". [cite news | last =Muller | first =Bill | title =Heavenly Films, Down to 'Earth' | work =The Arizona Republic | page =E1 | date = 2000-12-31] Richard Roeper placed the film at number five on his list of "40 movies that linger in the back chambers of my memory vault like a plate of cheese left behind a radiator in a fleabag hotel".cite book | last =Roeper, Richard | title =10 Sure Signs a Movie Character is Doomed, and Other Surprising Movie Lists | publisher =Hyperion | date =2003 | page =62 | isbn = 078688830X] In 2001 the film received the "Worst Picture" award from the Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association. James Franklin of McClatchy-Tribune News Service put the film as the worst of his "summer blockbuster bombs" list, giving it a rating of four stars for "traumatic" on his scale of how the films "generate a perverse sense of nostalgia". [cite web|url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/stories/0612glsummerbombs.26984446.html|title=Looking back at summer blockbuster bombs|work=The Dallas Morning News|publisher=The Dallas Morning News, Inc.|accessdate=2008-06-12|June 12, 2008|last=Franklin|first=James (McClatchy-Tribune News Service)] Christopher Null of Filmcritic.com put the character Terl from the film at number 8 on his list of "The 10 Least Effective Movie Villains", writing: "we still can't imagine how anyone would go face to face with one of these creatures and react with anything other than simple laughter". [cite web|url=http://www.filmcritic.com/misc/emporium.nsf/reviews/The-10-Least-Effective-Movie-Villains|title=The 10 Least Effective Movie Villains|work=Filmcritic.com|accessdate=2008-06-12|date=May 13, 2008|last=Null, Christopher]

Razzies

The movie swept the 2000 Golden Raspberry Awards and received seven "Razzies", including Worst Movie of the Year, Worst Actor (Travolta), Worst Supporting Actor (Pepper), Worst Supporting Actress (Preston), Worst Director (Christian), Worst Screenplay (Mandell and Shapiro) and Worst Screen Couple (Travolta and "anyone sharing the screen with him").cite book | last =Grant | first =John | title =Sci-Fi Movies: Facts, Figures & Fun | publisher =Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. | date =2006 | page =87 | isbn = 1904332358] This tied for the highest number of Razzies "won" by a single film at that time, with "Showgirls" achieving seven "wins" in 1995.cite news | last =Staff | title =It's Official: ‘Battlefield Earth’ Is Tied With ‘Showgirls’ as Razzies’ All-Time Worst! | publisher = Golden Raspberry Award Foundation | date = 2001-03-24 | url = http://www.razzies.com/asp/content/XcNewsPlus.asp?cmd=view&articleid=44 | accessdate = 2008-01-20 ] "Battlefield Earth" was later awarded an eighth Razzie for "Worst Drama of our First 25 Years". [cite news | last =Staff | title =All-Time Razzie Champions: As of 25th Annual RAZZIE Awards/2-26-05 | publisher = Golden Raspberry Award Foundation | date = 2001-12-26 | url = http://www.razzies.com/asp/content/XcNewsPlus.asp?cmd=view&articleid=90 | accessdate = 2008-01-20 ]

As Travolta did not attend to collect his trophies, an action figure of Terl, his character, accepted them in his place. Travolta responded a week later to the awards: "I didn't even know there were such awards. I have people around me whose job it is to not tell me about such things. They're obviously doing their job. ... Not every film can be a critical and box office success. It would have been awful only if "Battlefield Earth" was neither. That's not the case. It is edging toward the $100m mark which means it has found an audience even if it didn't impress critics. I'd rather my films connect with audiences than with critics because it gives you more longevity as a performer." [cite news | last =Staff | title =Travolta reacts to Raspberry awards win | work=The Guardian | date = 2001-04-03 | url = http://film.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/Exclusive/0,,467861,00.html | accessdate = 2008-01-20 ] He later insisted that he still felt "really good about it. Here I was taking big chances, breaking a new genre."

Pepper said that he regretted not having been invited to the Razzies and blamed the movie's failure on "a weak script and poor production values". [cite news | last =Staff | title =Barry Pepper amused by his worst supporting actor award for "Battlefield Earth" | work =The Canadian Press | date = 2001-03-30 ] J.D. Shapiro, the writer of the film's screenplay, did attend in person to receive his trophy; he commented that Travolta had called the script "the "Schindler's List" of science fiction". The film's producer, Elie Samaha, declared that he welcomed the "free publicity", as "the more the critics hit "Battlefield Earth", the more DVDs it sells. It is the kind of film that makes a movie legend and we feel we have enough staying power to last long after the critics have quieted down." [cite news | last =Sinclair | first =Keith | title =Battlefield Earth gets record seven Golden Raspberries; Travolta voted the worst actor of the year | work =Glasgow Herald | date = 2001-03-26 ]

Controversies

Claims of Scientology influence and subliminal messages

Stacy Brooks, then-president of the Lisa McPherson Trust stated, "There's no way that this movie would be happening without Scientology's backing ... This is one example of how Scientology insinuates itself in various aspects of the culture." Mark Bunker characterized the film as a recruitment tactic for the Church of Scientology, stating, "It's designed to introduce L. Ron Hubbard to a whole new generation of kids. It's there to plant a favorable seed in children's minds."cite web | first = Don | last = Lattin | title = Travolta's Religious Battlefield: Critics say movie bolsters Scientology | url = http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2000/05/15/DD13098.DTL | work =San Francisco Chronicle | date = 2000-05-15 | accessdate = 2008-02-02 ] Bunker criticized the promotional methods of the film – instead of granting interviews about the film to the press, John Travolta went on a book tour and signed copies of L. Ron Hubbard's novel. Bunker stated, "When Michael Caine goes around to promote "The Cider House Rules", he doesn't tour bookstores and sign copies of John Irving's novel ... Through the movie tie-in with the book, kids will send in the card to get their free poster, and eventually be introduced to Dianetics." Scientologist Nancy O'Meara, at the time treasurer of the Foundation for Religious Freedom and currently treasurer of the Cult Awareness Network, [cite web|url=http://www.cultawarenessnetwork.org/WhoWeAre.html|title=Who We Are|publisher=www.cultawarenessnetwork.org|work=Cult Awareness Network|accessdate=2008-05-16|last=O.Meara|first=Nancy] responded to Bunker's statement: "Gimme a break ... That's like saying people are going to go see "Gladiator" and then suddenly find themselves wanting to explore Christianity."

Before the film was released, rumors and allegations began to circulate that "Battlefield Earth" contained subliminal messages promoting Scientology. [cite news | last =Whipp | first =Glenn (Los Angeles Daily News) | title ='Battlefield' Mirth: Hubbard Hubbub Hush-Hushed | work =The Stuart News | page =D3 | date =May 12, 2000 ] cite news | last =Erstein | first =Hap | title =Scientology? Sci Fi? Space Opus Presto Stinko | work =The Palm Beach Post | page =1E | date =May 12, 2000 ] [cite web | title = Battlefield Earth + Government Intervention | publisher = Fight Against Coercive Tactics Network | url = http://www.factnet.org/govintervention.htm | accessdate = 2007-02-01 ] [cite web|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/film/0020,159653,14861,20.html|title=The Vulgar Classes|work=The Village Voice|publisher=Village Voice Media|date=May 16, 2000|accessdate=2008-06-10|last=Hoberman|first=J.] Former Scientologist Lawrence Wollersheim, in a press release issued by his group Fight Against Coercive Tactics Network, said that the Church of Scientology "has placed highly advanced subliminal messages in the "Battlefield Earth" film master to surreptitiously recruit new members from the movie audience and to get the audience to develop a revulsion for psychiatry and current mental health organizations and practices". [cite web | last = Wollersheim | first = Lawrence | authorlink = Lawrence Wollersheim | title = 4/14/00 Update on Subliminal Advertising | publisher = Fight Against Coercive Tactics Network | date = 2000-04-14 | url = http://www.factnet.org/subliminaladvertising.htm | accessdate = 2007-02-01 ] cite web | first = Rick | last = Lyman | title = 'Battlefield Earth': Film Dogged by Links to Scientology Founder | url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D03E3DC1F38F932A25756C0A9669C8B63 | work =The New York Times | publisher = The New York Times Company | date = 2000-05-11 | accessdate = 2008-01-12 ] Other critics said that the film "is a veiled attempt to gain converts and influence," and that writers were gagged from making connections between Scientology and the film with threats of lawsuits. [cite news | last =Mallia | first =Joseph | title =Inside the Church of Scientology - Church wields celebrity clout | work =Boston Herald | page =30 | date = 1998-02-05] [cite news | last =Wigmore | first =Barry | title =Trav in movie outcry | work =The Sun | page =17 | publisher =News Group Newspapers Limited | date = 1999-07-24 ] Warner Bros. dismissed the claims as "silly nonsense", the Church of Scientology denounced them as "hogwash" and the media reacted with skepticism; as the British journalist Duncan Campbell put it, "the only subliminal voice I could detect came about 10 minutes into this 121-minute film and it seemed to be saying "Leeeaaave thisssss cinemmmaaa nooow". When asked about the similarities between the film and Scientology beliefs in intergalactic travel and aliens, church spokesman Aron Mason stated, "That's a pretty crude parallel ... You'd have to make some serious leaps of logic to make that comparison." John Travolta also stated that the film was not inspired by Scientology tenets. [cite news | last =Bradberry | first =Grace | title =Travolta's faith in the movies - America | work =The Times | publisher =Times Newspapers Limited | date = 2000-02-19 ]

Fraud by Franchise Pictures

Following the failure of "Battlefield Earth" and other films independently produced by Franchise Pictures, "The Wall Street Journal" reported that the FBI was probing "the question of whether some independent motion picture companies have vastly inflated the budget of films in an effort to scam investors". [cite news | last =Staff | title =FBI Probes Big Indie Budgets | work =Internet Movie Database | pages =StudioBriefing | date = 2002-06-06 | url =http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/2002-06-06#film5 | accessdate =2008-01-20 ] In December 2000 the German-based Intertainment AG filed a lawsuit alleging that Franchise Pictures had fraudulently inflated budgets in films including "Battlefield Earth", which Intertainment had helped to finance.cite news | last =Randall | first =Laura | title =Franchise, Intertainment duel; Countersuits ask $75 million-plus each in film licensing dispute | work =Hollywood Reporter | date = 2000-12-22 ] Intertainment had agreed to pay 47% of the production costs of several films in exchange for European distribution rights, but ended up paying for between 60 and 90% of the costs instead. The company alleged that Franchise had defrauded it to the tune of over $75 million by systematically submitting "grossly fraudulent and inflated budgets". [cite news | last =Staff | title =$75M Battlefield Over Film Flops | work =New York Post | date =2001-01-19 ]

The case was heard before a jury in a Los Angeles federal courtroom in May–June 2004. The court heard testimony from Intertainment that according to Franchise's bank records the real cost of "Battlefield Earth" was only $44 million, not the $75 million declared by Franchise. The remaining $31 million had been fraudulent "padding". Intertainment's head Barry Baeres told the court that he had only funded "Battlefield Earth" because it was packaged as a slate that included two more commercially attractive films, the Wesley Snipes vehicle "The Art of War" and the Bruce Willis comedy "The Whole Nine Yards". Baeres testified that "Mr. Samaha said, 'If you want the other two pictures, you have to take "Battlefield Earth" — it's called packaging'". Baeres commented: "We would have been quite happy if he had killed ["Battlefield Earth"] ". [cite news | last =Hiestand | first =Jesse | title =Baeres: No secret budget deal | work =Hollywood Reporter | date = 2004-05-10 ]

Intertainment won the case and was awarded $121.7 million in damages, bankrupting Franchise Pictures. Samaha himself was declared by the court to be personally liable for $77 million in damages. [cite news |last=Shprintz |first=Janet |title=Intertainment's attempt to collect |work =Variety |date=2004-06-21 |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117906744.html |accessdate=2008-07-02] However, the jury rejected Intertainment's claims under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute, which would have trebled the damages if Franchise had been convicted on that charge. [cite news |last=Shprintz |first=Janet |title=Samaha Slammed |work=Variety |date=2004-06-17 |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117906574.html |accessdate=2008-07-02]

The failure of the film was also reported to have led in 2002 to Travolta firing his manager Jonathan Krane, who had set up the deal with Franchise in the first place. [cite news | last =Staff | title =Krane Gives John No Lift | work =Daily Mirror | date = 2002-04-02 ]

Followups and sequels

"Battlefield Earth" is significantly shorter than its source novel, covering only the first 436 pages of the 1,050-page book. A sequel covering the remainder of the book was originally planned at the outset. When asked during promotion of the film if there would be a "Battlefield Earth 2", Travolta responded, "Sure. Yeah ... I am so thrilled, believe it or not, at the outcome because I didn't believe I could get it done."cite news | last =Staff | title =Travolta warns of possible sequel | work =Houston Chronicle | page =A2 | date =October 20, 2000] cite news | last =Staff | title =Earth under threat again as Travolta hints at sci-fi sequel | work =The Guardian | publisher =Guardian News and Media Limited | date = 2000-10-19 | url =http://film.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/Exclusive/0,,384911,00.html | accessdate = 2008-02-02 ] Travolta asserted that the first film would become a cult classic, stating that there were already fan websites dedicated to the film. Corey Mandell, the scriptwriter for the first film, was commissioned to deliver the script for the sequel and Travolta, Pepper and producer Krane were all signed up to the sequel in their contracts for the first film. Christian and Whitaker were approached to reprise their respective roles, and the producers planned for a 2002 release date so as not to compete with George Lucas' "". [cite news | last =Staff | title ='Earth' Gets Sequel Before First Release | work =The Journal Gazette | page =1D | date =2000-01-08 ] cite news | last =Kit | first =Zorianna | title ='Earth' Is Bound For 2nd Chapter | work =Hollywood Reporter | date =2000-01-06 | url = http://www.allbusiness.com/services/motion-pictures/4838060-1.html | accessdate =2008-01-20 ]

According to James Robert Parish's "Fiasco: A History of Hollywood's Iconic Flops", the disastrous performance of "Battlefield Earth" and the collapse of its financial backers made it very unlikely that a live-action sequel will be made. In a 2001 interview, Travolta stated that a sequel was not planned: "Ultimately the movie did $100 million when you count box office, DVD sales, video and pay per view ... But I don't know what kind of number it would have to do to justify filming the second part of the book. And I don't want to push any buttons in the press and stir anybody up about it now." [cite news | last =Pearlman | first =Cindy | title =We're safe: Travolta promises no 'Battlefield' sequel | work =Post-Tribune | page =A2 | date = 2001-06-15]

Author Services announced in 2001 that Pine Com International, a Tokyo-based animation studio, would produce 13 one-hour animated television segments based on the book and rendered in a manga style. [cite news | last =Staff | title =Battlefield Earth Soon To Become An Animated TV Series | work =Battlefieldearth.com | publisher =Author Services Inc. | url =http://www.battlefieldearth.com/news/betv.html | accessdate = 2008-01-20 ] The plans appear to have fallen through and, according to Parish, "little has been heard of the series since".

Parodies

"South Park" parodied the film at the 2000 MTV Movie Awards.cite news | last = Ortega | first = Tony | title = Sympathy For The Devil: Tory Bezazian was a veteran Scientologist who loved going after church critics. Until she met the darkest detractor of all. | work = New Times Los Angeles | date = 2001-09-27 | url = http://www.rickross.com/reference/scientology/scien348.html | ] cite news | last = South Park | title = Battlefield Earth Spoof - "The Gauntlet" | work = MTV Movie Awards | publisher = MTV, Comedy Central | date = 2000-06-08 | url = http://www.xenutv.com/us/mtvawards.htm | ] The MTV short was the first time "South Park" had satirized Scientology, in a piece entitled: "The Gauntlet". Although the short was primarily a "Gladiator" parody, with the characters fighting Russell Crowe in the Roman Colosseum, it included "John Travolta and the Church of Scientology" arriving in a spaceship to defeat Crowe and attempting to recruit the boys into Scientology. Travolta, along with his fellow Scientologists, was depicted as a Psychlo, as he appeared in the film.

A commentary for the film was released by RiffTrax on January 28, 2007.cite news | last = Michael J. Nelson | coauthors = Kevin Murphy, Bill Corbett | title = Battlefield Earth | work = The RiffTrax Store | publisher = RiffTrax | date = 2007-01-28 | url = http://shop.rifftrax.com/rifftrax/battlefield-earth | accessdate = 2008-01-21] The RiffTrax includes comedic audio commentary from "Mystery Science Theater 3000" veterans Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett.

References

External links

* [http://battlefieldearth.warnerbros.com/ Official U.S. movie website] (Warner Bros.)
*amg movie|1:184582|Battlefield Earth
*mojo title|id=battlefieldearth|title=Battlefield Earth
*imdb title|id=0185183|title=Battlefield Earth
*metacritic film|id=battlefieldearth|title=Battlefield Earth
*rotten-tomatoes|id=battlefield_earth|title=Battlefield Earth