To understand why making a film based on Battlefield Earth was so important to L. Ron Hubbard, one must just go back to his early years of writing for Science fiction pulp novels. The books were seen as the lowest form of entertainment at the time, printed on paper that was only meant to last long enough for someone to read it once. Hubbard was literally paid by the word and could barely eke out a living writing them. He doubtless fantasized about being taken seriously and possibly seeing one of his novels being turned into a feature film. Science fiction was typically never given a serious look by the major studios and thus became a fixture of Hollywood’s Poverty Row.
Hubbard’s catchphrase of ‘Holy Xenu!’ never quite caught on.
Unappreciated for his voluminous science fiction output, Hubbard parlayed his more bizarre ideals into Dianetics, which became a space age self-help fad in the 1950’s. After seeing huge growth for a couple years, this money-making scheme quickly died out and went bankrupt. Hubbard eventually won back control of Dianetics and turned it into what is now Scientology, allegedly after being challenged to create a new religion. While Hubbard would gain huge success and acclaim with his newly invented religion, he would always long for the bigger success that always seemed to elude him. The success of Star Trek and Star Wars would cause him further distress; after all, they were obviously partly inspired by the type of pulp science fiction he was writing years before in relative obscurity. When the work of pulp rival Philip K. Dick began getting reassessed and adapted into films, Hubbard slid further into depression. That’s when he decided that he could show these young people how it was done and gain more adherents to his religion by writing the ultimate science fiction book that would lead to the ultimate film.
Terminix tries to go ‘virus’ to attract the youth of today.
After the book was published, Hubbard desperately tried to gain buzz about his book. He sent an autographed copy to his most fervent Hollywood follower- John Travolta- to get him interested in the book. Travolta desperately wanted to get the book made into a movie and his interest finally attracted attention. Hubbard’s Author Services, Inc. signed a contract with a Hollywood production company to turn the book into two feature films with mid-level budgets of $15 Million each. Ken Annakin, famed director of classic films such as Swiss Family Robinson, was signed to help adapt the book. A giant inflatable “Terl” was placed on Hollywood Boulevard to excite the public about the planned Battlefield Earth franchise. It looked like Hubbard’s dream would finally come true.
At least Ken Annakin’s dream came true.
However, despite the inflatable Terl and the contest setup to award a set visit to a lucky winner, the project collapsed. By 1986, John Travolta’s career had crashed and burned. Saner heads prevailed in realizing how ridiculously hard it would be to translate Hubbard’s crazed and dull writing onto the big screen. Scientology itself lost interest after its successful (and fraudulently inaccurate) commercials promoting Dianetics provided it with a huge increase in membership and money. Hubbard would eventually spiral downward, passing away that year. Battlefield Earth would go into hibernation- awaiting an uptick in the career of its biggest (and only) Hollywood fan- John Travolta.
Sorry about that, John- I thought you were acting in this picture. So I guess I’ll have a Tab.
