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Cruise has the Reich stuff

37 Comments
By Chris Betros

Here’s something you don’t see every day in Tokyo. Last week, Tom Cruise, his wife Katie Holmes and their daughter Suri turned up in Hibiya Park after having lunch at a sushi restaurant. While Suri, who turns 3 in April, played with Japanese children, Cruise chatted with their startled moms. Afterwards, the 46-year-old star took his family to a baseball game.

Cruise loves Japan and the Japanese certainly love him. After being mobbed at Narita airport, he and his family were flown to Roppongi by helicopter. Following countless interviews and walking the red carpet at the Japan premiere of his latest film, “Valkyrie,” Cruise took a chartered flight, the “Sky Cruise,” from Haneda to Osaka with 40 fans selected from 3,000 applications. “It’s exciting to be here with my family for the first time,” said Cruise, fulfilling a promise he made when he was last here, in 2006. The total cost of his visit reportedly cost promoters 200 million yen.

Japan is the last stop on Cruise's worldwide tour to promote “Valkyrie.” Directed by Bryan Singer, it tells the true story of a plot by senior German officers to assassinate Adolf Hitler in the summer of 1944. Cruise, sporting an eye patch, plays Col Claus von Stauffenberg, one of the chief conspirators.

“I didn’t know this story,” admitted Cruise. “When I first read about it, I was fascinated. It has action and suspense, but it is really about how a man is called upon to make sacrifices in extreme circumstances. As an American, I never learned about World War II history from that perspective. I hate the Nazis but I never realized that there were Germans within that world, who were against the Nazis and who were willing to try and end the atrocities. Maintaining one’s integrity against great odds is a timeless theme.”

Cruise said that as a father, he could identify with the decision that Stauffenberg chose to make. “Fortunately for me, I don’t have to make such choices, but as a parent, we have to look at how our actions will affect the world our children live in. Stauffenberg couldn’t even discuss what he was planning with his wife and children.”

Not knowing much about the protagonist, Cruise said he read numerous biographies and was astounded at the man’s life. “He was in hospital with shrapnel in his back and had lost his eye, yet he never took painkillers. Everything I learned about him told me that he loved his family and country. For him, the Nazis were the antithesis of what he wanted for Germany and the world.” Wearing an eye patch was cool, he added. “I always wanted to wear one since I saw John Wayne in ‘True Grit,’” he joked.

Making a movie about the plot entailed an extra challenge since we know that the assassination attempt failed. “When I make movies, first and foremost, I want to entertain audiences,” Cruise said. “Even though the outcome is known, this story works as a conspiracy thriller set during World War II. When I made movies like ‘Mission: Impossible,’ ‘Minority Report’ and ‘War of the Worlds,’ we had to sit down and come up with drama and suspense. With this, we just had to pick up the history books. Bryan and I sneaked into a early preview for an audience. I was ready to take notes, wondering if they would get what we were trying to communicate. It was great when the audience stopped moving. Nobody left the cinema and at the end, there was a standing ovation.”

The biggest reception was in Berlin where the world premiere was held. “I‘ve been to Berlin several times,” said Cruise. “I went rowing on the lake at Wannsee one afternoon, and got to thinking that this is where so many atrocities originated and wondered how they could have happened in such a beautiful and cultural city.”

At first, the city authorities had been reluctant to let the film be made on location, but finally agreed. There was also early talk that some Germans objected to Cruise being cast as Stauffenberg. However, Cruise said he was embraced by the family. “They all came to the premiere. I signed at least 60 posters for Stauffenberg’s nieces, nephews and grandchildren. It’s a big family. I was in London one day and two of his grandnieces came up to me on the street. They’re everywhere.”

Despite the serious subject matter, Cruise said that everyone had fun on the set. “Usually, the more intense a scene is, the more laughter there is afterwards. I work very hard on each scene and I expect a lot from everyone else too because I want to give audiences the best possible movie. During the shoot, we went camping in the desert and got to fly the old warplanes.”

Cruise said that he has been to many countries to promote “Valkyrie,” meeting people and learning about their cultures, lifestyles and concerns. “For modern audiences, I hope the message of this World War II story will be that next time, everyone will stand up to tyranny and it won’t happen again.”

During his 4-day visit to Japan, Cruise took time out to appear on the "SMAPxSMAP" TV program and dined on tuna and Kobe beef, prepared by the boys. Looking ahead to his next project, Cruise said he has started working on a script for "Mission: Impossible 4."

"Valkyrie" opens in Japan on March 20.

© Japan Today

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37 Comments
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I'm so glad Tom and family went to Japan. It seems he loves Japan like I do. Wonderful people. Wonderful customs ( I hope I said that right).

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right... He loves Japan. That Samurai role got him hooked.

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Okay JT. We are sick of hearing about Cruise. You can stop now.

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The "Riech" stuff? Pretty tasteless headline.

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I saw him on Fujii TV. The interviewer told Tom that they were both 46. He reacted just the way I do when someone tell me that: no response but a look that says, "whooopideedoo". I thought, what's next: a blood type question?

Katie looks good in long hair and a little Japanese from a distance. Her small rack probably gives J girls everywhere hope.

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Yeah, maybe that headline should be changed to "Cruse has the Right Stauffenberg"

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I'm with timorborder on the headline tackiness. Clever, but tacky nonetheless.

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This is the last time you'll see this for a while. Valkyrie is a complete failure at the boxoffice and Cruise is on his last legs as a movie star. Cuise, thankfully, has no other movies lined up for 2009 and it's unlikely we'll see him in 2010. I'd bet ¥50,000 that he starts MI:4 ASAP! It's interesting how "Valkyrie" and "Australia", both HUGE flops everywhere else, are being marketed in Japan as "DAI HITTO" movies.

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I'm sure that Tom knows about and has probably seen THE DESERT FOX. I can't believe that he didn't know about this story.

Erwin Rommel is a far more interesting figure, but I guess it's hard to outdo James Mason. He directly opposed Hitler's orders to send Jewish prisoners to concentration camps, and among other insubordinations was also involved in the plot to kill Hitler. I guess Claus von Stauffenberg was the second most interesting guy in the whole story, because of his cool eye-patch.

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There was also early talk that some Germans objected to Cruise being cast as Stauffenberg. However, Cruise said he was embraced by the family. “They all came to the premiere.

This Tom's "proof" that he was embraced by the family??? I think, Tom, that being invited over to the Stauffenberg family residence to celebrate you and your film would have been proof of being embraced. Methinks Tom is merely tolerated because the Stauffenbergs have little choice. I also think that Tom is one pompous ass for making this statement. Did he learn this little self-righteous lying game from his "friends"?

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I thought the movie was pretty good myself, mainly thanks to the outstanding British cast.

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Valkyrie is a complete failure at the boxoffice

Completely wrong. The movie so far has grossed more than 182 million dollars. Production cost 75 million dollars. Maybe that is not a huge success, but very far from 'complete failure'.

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Critics seem to agree that Cruise's performance was extremely hollow. About all I can praise him for at this point is for (apparently, did not see it) not throwing in gratuitous action, such as von Stauffenberg gunning down waves of Nazi thugs singlehandedly, in order to make up for his own short-comings as an actor.

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presto345: Production cost 75 million dollars. Maybe that is not a huge success, but very far from 'complete failure'.

It might depend on the context. As a supposedly top grade Hollywood film with supposedly top grade actors and having supposedly top grade marketing (JT has mentioned the film enough times), not being a huge success can be viewed as being a complete failure.

Many would say the film is not living up to expectations...at all.

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Many would say the film is not living up to expectations...at all.

In the past 'Many' have had to reverse their opinion. And showing in Japan has not started yet . . .

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best

headline

ever

lol

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Now if the idea of Stauffenberg would be somehow translated to the situation in North Korea.

There should be one subtle difference. This time it should work.

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Women always go after men in uniform and the eyepatch only helps. Cruise is doing a good job to promote the movie.

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Yes, that is a very tacky headline. Bordering on offensive. If one of us made a comment like that the mods would pull it.

Cruise wasn't very good in Valkyrie and the whole movie was rather silly in all the shooting that Cruise did. But I guess you have to have the start doing something if you're going to pay him all that cash.

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...and the Japanese certainly love him

Wouldn't that be more accurate to say that the romance-starved Japanese women certainly love him? I mean seriously, how many J-guys are going to go see this movie unless their girlfriend drags them there?

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Wouldn't that be more accurate to say that the romance-starved Japanese women certainly love him? I mean seriously, how many J-guys are going to go see this movie unless their girlfriend drags them there?

Mate its a WW2 action movie what you on about?

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I happen to think the headline is a nice pun! I guess, many in the PC crowd would take offence, it's just not kosher for them... Personally, I dislike tiny Tom, but I think this was a blitzkrieg of a performance.

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"Mission: Impossible 4"

M:I3 was good. But I liked these lines from M:I:

Luther: "You really think we can do this."

Ethan: "We're going to do it."

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Cruise has the Reich stuff

really? okay then. I'll heil a taxi and march to the nearest cinema as soon as it opens since I hear the film is a real gas.

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really? okay then. I'll heil a taxi and march to the nearest cinema as soon as it opens since I hear the film is a real gas.

PaulieWalnuts, why aren't you working for a tabloid writing this stuff? Or are you? Brilliant!

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hahahaha walnuts. good bhoy

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winnieboy -- mate, I am not "on about" anything. What is your problem? Respectfully, this is not a WW2 "action movie". It is a WW2 drama about a real incident, mostly focused on the drama/tension/intrigue of the incident. The only real "action" is at the start when he is in the desert, and the end. Unless you are interested in the subject matter it is pretty much a yawner, since everyone knows the outcome anyway. Not excatly the right formula to attract a large male audience in Japan.

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I saw him on the SMAP show last night (yes, I tune in most weeks to see what celebrities order for dinner). I wonder if the stars all warn each other before they come to Japan that they will have to go on SMAP x SMAP. Still, Cruise was good-natured and enjoyed the cuisine, though I find it hard to believe that the SMAPsters did the actual cooking in that short time.

I don't know how well "Valkyrie" will do in Japan. As a World War II history buff, I enjoyed it. Even though the outcome is well known, as Cruise said, it's still a pretty good conspiracy movie, that just happens to be set during World War II.

By the way, I don't know why some readers are complaining about the headline. I've worked in the media before and those sort of puns are commonplace. Considering the subject matter of the film, I don't see anything offensive about the term "Reich." That's my two Deutsch marks' worth, anyway.

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No disrespect mate I havent seen the film just the adverts but its not exactly a romantic comedy is it. JUst by that it is more a film I would be dragging me missus to see thats all.

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Obviously it's all business but I think the way Tom Cruise goes the extra mile to make his fans happy is really cool. You can say what you like about him but it seems he always has time for fans and is more than happy to spend hours with them, posing for mobile phone cameras, giving autographs, etc. In this respect he's a model for other hollywood stars who might have delusions of grandeur...

Again on SMAPxSMAP last night he was good-natured and gracious. It must be a kind of torture for foreign stars who go on there, to be confronted by these 5 guys who collectively seem like a bunch of idiots. One thing that I noticed last night was how, when Cruise was giving out presents to the Smap boys (his pen, sunglasses, etc), none or almost none of the SMAP-pers said thank you. They merely looked at the objects or tried to make a stupid joke. Basic good manners and pleasantness were only in evidence from Tom Cruise... and good for him.

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japan is my favourite country ;D, and tom cruise even with all the hype about his religion is a pretty down to earth guy and a great actor ;]

I havent seen the movie yet, and i probably wont due to it being about the nazis and im not into movies about them.. but it does look good ;]

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What's with the headline? Quite a tasteless joke to refer to anyone as a Nazis. Surely tasteless puns for entertainment-brain-dead people can be avoided on the backs of 6 million who died.

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Completely wrong. The movie so far has grossed more than 182 million dollars. Production cost 75 million dollars. Maybe that is not a huge success, but very far from 'complete failure'.

NO. With a 70million dollar promotion budget, it is hardly a success and has not made money, once distribution is factored in.

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I see the tacky headline remains.

Such titling does not reflect well on yourselves, JT.

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imacat, it was sort of an odd scene though, first time I've seen a tie and he was just handing out his personal belongings when there wasn't enough gifts.

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You guys who dont like the title.. get over it.. its clever, wheres your sence of humor? sheesh. xD

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Tom Cruise is a fantasy character with no credibility .. i have seen blocks of wood express more emotion than he has... Tom Cruise as a Nazi?? give me a break.

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