Philip Seymour Hoffman channels L. Ron Hubbard in ‘The Master’ trailer

Philip Seymour Hoffman

I’m growing very excited about The Master, which will not only see Joaquin Phoenix’s grand return to non-douchetastic acting but will also bring one of my favorite directors, Paul Thomas Anderson, back to the big screen. Of course, I’ve been stoked about this movie ever since it was announced as a rumored anti-Scientology film. Then we saw the first trailer where Joaquin seriously brought his former intensity to the forefront again in the midst of fleeting glimpses of a creepy, foreboding film.

Of course, the first trailer (wisely) didn’t really tell us anything about the titular character and served to build suspense until further clues were revealed. Now there’s a new trailer that heavily features Philip Seymour Hoffman as the charismatic yet menacing cult leader who can only be L. Ron Hubbard by another name. Hoffman is so good in this trailer that it’s easy to see how Phoenix’s troubled character falls under his spell, and Amy Adams plays the Master’s wife. Now let’s check out this trailer and discuss below:

Philip Seymour Hoffman Joaquin Phoenix

I am a writer, a doctor, a nuclear physicist, a theoretical philosopher, and above all, I am a man. A hopelessly inquisitive man, just like you.” Yep, that is totally L. Ron Hubbard with a few well-placed adjustments. Now if there was any further doubt at all that this movie is “loosely based” upon Scientology, Anderson has already screened the movie for Tom Cruise (they previously worked together in Magnolia, which was made during Tom’s period of CO$ inactivity). According to The Wrap, Tom had issues” with the movie, which pretty much means that it pushes a lot of CO$ buttons.

(Confession time: I have a bit of a crush on Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead), who scored this movie and has previously worked with Anderson on There Will Be Blood. Where Greenwood is involved, the score is destined to be great.)

Joaquin Phoenix Amy Adams

Joaquin Phoenix

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Screencaps courtesy of YouTube

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72 Responses to “Philip Seymour Hoffman channels L. Ron Hubbard in ‘The Master’ trailer”

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  1. David says:

    Looks really great.

    • RovingLass says:

      Phillip Seymour Hoffman is so amazing. He just sort of slips into the skin of the role he is playing. It’s never PSH acting, it’s him being the character. Can’t wait.

      • JD says:

        I would watch PSH washing his underwear.
        One of the best actors (if not the best)out today.

    • corny says:

      Finally a well acted movie not meant for 12 year olds! Can this be true?

  2. erika says:

    PTA was good friends with JB.

    there must be some truth to JB and TD’s being frightened about the CO$. PTA rules!
    cant wait to see this!

  3. Amelia says:

    I’ll see this purely on the basis it’s anti CO$ with PSH. It’s a cult, pure and simple.
    By all means believe little blue men in leiderhosen are going to cause the end of the world. Just don’t charge people for the honour of doing so.

  4. Eve says:

    Saw the trailer yesterday. This is going to be so awesome!

    And I really can’t wait to see Joaquin Phoenix back. I’ve been missing his acting a lot lately — better put, for the last three years.

    • Maguita says:

      This trailer gave me chills! It is going to be so great!!!

      John Travolta had started promoting Savages. Although we all know that everyone has been warned NOT to ask about his legal troubles, would anyone though from American media have the balls to ask what JT thinks about The Master?

      hi-hi-hi-hi-hi.

      • Eve says:

        I have the feeling all scientology’s high-profile celebrities will be asked about this movie.

      • Maguita says:

        I really hope so!

        Shouldn’t @originialKitten be losing her sh-t all over this new trailer by now?

      • TheOriginalKitten says:

        @Maguita-I FB’d this teaser-trailer this AM. I can’t stand that I have to wait! I hate caving to overhype but seriously-is there any way this movie WON’T be awesome?

      • Maguita says:

        October 12th…

        Do not jinx it O.Kitten, but cross-my-fingers, I agree this movie looks f-cking amazing. The kind of calm drama that weirdly has you on the edge of your seat.

        This second trailer looks a lot less Jason Borne-esque, yes?

    • bluhare says:

      Me too on the Phoenix train. Love him.

      Justin Thereaux looks a bit like Joaquin Phoenix.

  5. JustaGirl says:

    Creepy but it looks good.

  6. RocketMerry says:

    Chills. This trailer perfectly gives out that impression of being slowly and mercilessly brain-washed and indoctrinated (by the Co$).
    Joaquin is just so, so good.

  7. Hautie says:

    I am looking forward to seeing this film! I am ready for a legit character driven movie.

    Instead of all the CGI and lets blow all the sh*t up! movie type of nonsense.

    Speaking of the all mighty Cult and their golden child. I read an interesting blurb about Cruise the other day.

    http://www.janetcharlton.com/adam-carolla-thinks-tom-cruise-is-battling-to-be-normal/

    Adam Carolla really did hit the nail on the head.

    • Leigh says:

      Holy crap! That is the most accurate ans succinct description of Tom Cruise I have ever read

    • Kimbob says:

      Thanks Hautie for providing that link. Very interesting, indeed! Very funny too…I mean, bringing your MOM & CUPCAKES to watch football w/GUYS?!

    • Kimlee says:

      I think what he said about Tom is right on point. I remember in an interview Tom did 2 years ago where he said somthing like he always playing a character even for his kids and all I could think is that if you can’t be yourself around your kids and family then who can you be yourself around.

    • Emily says:

      I am ready for a legit character driven movie.

      Yes! Also a movie that isn’t a rehash. And this looks like it will be a movie that treats its viewers like we have brains. A gutsy movie all around.

  8. marie says:

    I can’t wait for this movie, love Hoffman and Phoenix, such great actors..

  9. Peach Dancer says:

    So looking forward to this one. One of my fav movie scenes is the “I drink your milkshake” scene from There Will Be Blood, with Daniel Day Lewis and Paul Dano giving an out of this world performance.
    This one is equally great cast. Love Philip Seymoure Hoffman, he is masterful and Pheonix is great too. Hopefully PTA will do his next movie with RDJ, that would be cinematic heaven!

  10. Kimbob says:

    Yep, yep, & yep….can’t wait to see this movie. Phillip Seymour-Hoffman AND Joaquin Phoenix are both a couple of my most fave actors.

    And what about the subject matter??!! Seriously, we CANNOT get any better than this! I sure hope this movie will shine correct light on the TRUE CO$, which is nothing more than a glorified, money-hungry, money-grubbing C-U-L-T, that ruins countless lives EVERY DAY, & counts among its’ members, only the weakest of the weak, and grossly exploits these members due to their said “weaknesses.”

    CO$ only refer to themselves as a “church” so they have a tax-free status. CO$ breaks apart families, isolating said members from any and all family members that have dissenting views/opinions about CO$. The family members (& BTW, this also extends beyond family members….it also includes anyone that said member formally assoiciated w/that had/has dissenting opinions of the “church.”) These people are referred to by CO$ as “suppressive persons.” Why does CO$ do this? Because that way, they will have unfettered access to said member’s assets that they brought w/them when they became “members.”

    CO$ really doesn’t want to have anything to do w/anyone that does not have a substantial bank account. If CO$ does recruit someone that doesn’t have a substantial bank account, it’s ONLY BECAUSE that person will be used as an indentured servant to them. One of the many of thousands of minions that performs menial slave labor for them. After all, EVERY organization needs someone to do janitorial services, and such.

    I could drone on and on about the nasty CO$, but I’ll spare my fellow bloggers. After all, I think I’ve made my point. My fervent wish is that this movie will pre-emptively snuff out any potential interest by people in this world that find themselves “lost,” therefore having a great vulnerability to CO$.

  11. Nanz says:

    Really looking forward to this movie. Like someone else said (I’m paraphrasing), I’m ready for a character-driven drama, rather than a shoot-em-up/blow-em-up action movie.

  12. normades says:

    I smell Oscar for everyone involved.

  13. ramona says:

    Bedhead? Jonny Greenwood is MINE. MINE MINE MINE. MINE. I’d cut off several toes for the chance to run my fingers through that emo fringe. Gaaaaaaaah.

  14. johnnybadboytapia says:

    I love Hoffman, but JP has to work to win me back!

  15. Dash says:

    Please tell me… Am i the only one who finds PSH sooooo sexy?

    • Mira says:

      I’m with you, PSH is hot. Have you seen Before the Devil Knows You’re dead?

    • Jackie O says:

      i have been crushing on him for years.

      • Chatcat says:

        Me too…this guy has so much talent and personality. Hell, I have loved him since he played Dustin in Twister! Loved that stupid movie.

    • Issa says:

      Yes! He’s witty & intelligent. I love intelligent men, its
      my turn-on. I can overlook obvious flaws if they are intelligent.

  16. Cam S says:

    Count me in! Didn’t Seymour Hoffman & Cruise also work together on a Mission Impossible movie?

    I think it’s odd that Scientology was telling people they claimed were “clear” that indeed they were not, and they’d have to take (buy) more classes to become clear. HA! When my friend was baptized, they didn’t make her do it twice! And come to think of it, I don’t think it cost her anything….

    • Mira says:

      Yes, in Mission Impossible III. They have also worked in Magnolia, directed by PTA. And this is PSH’s fifth movie with PTA.

  17. Mira says:

    I saw the trailer yesterday, got super excited and I’ve since chain-emailed, forcibly shoved all and sundry into watching the second trailer. I did that for the first one and I’ve managed to stroke the interest of 2 friends considering most of them are not big on character driven films. I can barely contain my excitement, but at the same time I don’t want to get over-excited and jinx the movie. No, I’m losing it. PTA, JP and PSH – an auteur, a great cast and a theme based on the politics of religion/cult. That’s a big wow!

    • bluhare says:

      Most excellent use of the phrase “all and sundry”!!

      • Mira says:

        Sorry, are you being sarcastic or is the usage correct? I’d love to hear back because English is not my first language 🙂

  18. tru tru says:

    Thanks CB!!

    this looks soooo good and I love me some Hoffman and Phoenix, I like them gritty, devouring the roles.

    I can’t WAIT for this one to come out.
    give me Draaaaama!

  19. Katyusha says:

    I bet PSH will nail it – He’s so fantastic.

  20. gloaming says:

    See any similarities? 🙂

    http://twitpic.com/9y79ib

    These teasers are incredible.
    The scenes between the three leads are going to be electric.

    Being that it’s filmed in 65mm it still looks beautiful on crappy youtube, It’ll look amazing in the Cinema.

    Some more info on the Cannes footage here
    http://cigsandredvines.blogspot.com/2012/05/scene-by-scene-breakdown-of-master.html

    I know it’s early to speculate, but I wonder how a movie that bashes Scientology and El Ron Rhubarb , will do in the awards season.

  21. Jackson says:

    Looking forward to this movie immensely. Love PSH and JP. Love what I hear of the score as well. Probably the one movie I will see this summer on the big screen.

  22. Nanea says:

    I hope that many people who until now thought that Co$ was just a church will wake up and see the creepy cult behind it, and distance themselves from tossing even more money at people like Crazy Cruise and Tortured Travolta, the puppets of Maniacal Miscavige.

    I am so much looking forward to this.

  23. fabgrrl says:

    Phillip Seymour Hoffman is so great in everything he does.

  24. stinky says:

    go JP!! love him bringing the frantic at the end of the clip….

  25. sup says:

    I loved all his work… particularly all the coen brothers stuff and flawless… will be watching this…

  26. Dimebox says:

    Fabulous trailer! Those rapid-fire questions while JP is in jail, is that what an auditing session feels like? If so, I thought what a wonderful metaphor that the character is behind bars.

  27. tmnt says:

    I’ll watch anything with Amy Adams.

  28. pinchofsalt says:

    Best news of the week! PSH is an amazing actor and I can’t wait to see JP back on screen. It’s been too long. Happiness 🙂

  29. I Choose Me says:

    I so want to see this. Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman. Sold!

  30. Issa says:

    I can’t wait to see this film. Its the top film I want to see this year. Can’t believe a director actually has the guts to make a film about CO$. PTA is quickly becoming my favorite director.

  31. Tiffin says:

    I’m so excited to see this movie! I hope PTA doesn’t alter any of it to make it more palatable to his ‘good friend’ Tom Cruise.
    By the way, did you know that Jeremy Renner was originally cast to play Joaquin’s role? He dropped out after working on Mission Impossible with – Tom Cruise. Makes me love PSH even more……

  32. B says:

    God, I am SO excited for this.

  33. D1 says:

    For awards like the Oscars & SAG, which are voted on by Hollywood people, it will be fascinating to see if this film gets many nominations.

    While there are several high-profile Scientologists in show business, it’s not clear to me just how widespread COS membership is in Hollywood.

  34. Feebee says:

    ‘Chilling’ and ‘gives me the chills’ is so overused in reporting these days however both are applicable to that trailer.

    Hoffman is brilliant and glad to Phoenix back to quality acting.

    Is the time-setting for the movie consistent with Hubbard and Co$? When does movie come out?

  35. lucy2 says:

    This looks very good, and the cast is stellar. PSH is such a great actor, so much more interesting than most of the “leading men” out there.

    I didn’t know Tom Cruise once was on the outs with COS. How interesting that some of his best work was done during that time. That link about him trying to be normal really makes a lot of sense.

  36. skuddles says:

    If anyone can pull off this role it’s PSH – the guy is incredibly talented!

  37. barb says:

    They can’t piss off Tom Cruise. Unfortunate, but true. Why did he even feel he had to play it for him first? They’re going to censor it probably, just to not piss off the powerhouse Scientology dude.

  38. Lara says:

    I am getting very excited myself! The movie looks terrific. Phillip Seymour-Hoffman has such a mischievous and engaging charisma in the trailer!