FILM / Rushes

The rumbles produced by American Premiere's investigation into the Church of Scientology's influence on the entertainment world continue. Not content with the 2,000-word response allotted them by the editor, Susan Lyne, in this month's issue, the church has also released a 16-page pamphlet entitled Premiere Propaganda, dedicated to proving that John Richardson's piece 'grossly distorted' the truth, used quotes 'out of contex' and was deliberately 'antagonistic in tone'. This despite six months of fact checking . . . However, why not simply sue for libel and be done with it? Perhaps because the church's attention has switched elsewhere, to Los Angeles magazine's cover story on the Scientology disciple Tom Cruise. The story states that the star prefers to hire those who practise his following and refuses to work with those who have publicly rejected his faith. This includes the producer and ex- Church member Don Simpson, who, LA claims, once threw Scientology chairman David Miscavige off the Days of Thunder set, rather than be coaxed into using the Scientology-patented recording device Clearsound. It ended up being employed on Cruise's Far and Away instead.

Nominations for Worst Haircut in the History of Cinema: (Male) Richard Gere in An Officer and a Gentleman (the skinned rabbit look) and The Cotton Club (the dead seal look). Dirk Bogarde in My Mother's House (who Frenched that kiss curl?). Nicholas Cage in Peggy Sue Got Married (kill it before it escapes]). Roger Daltrey in Tommy (more shagpile than an Axminster). Kevin Costner in JFK (where did he put the basin) and The Bodyguard (the surly with the fringe on top).

Nominations for Worst Hairstyle in the History of Cinema: (Female) Lana Turner in Madame X (there goes the ozone layer). Julia Roberts in Hook (the crop that failed). Michelle Pfeiffer in Love Field (the bubble cut that burst). Anne Bancroft in The Hindenburg (wash and groan]). Last and least, Meryl Streep's Down Under pudding cut in A Cry in the Dark - why it didn't frighten that damn dingo away we'll never know.

(Photograph omitted)