George Clooney Plays Me in a Movie

Most us can't say one of the biggest actors on the planet has portrayed them in a major motion picture. Not only can Peter Brusso claim to be inspiration for George Clooney's character in The Men Who Stare At Goats, but as inventor of a self defense tool called the Defender, Brusso may also tout of its inclusion in the popular film.

The Men Who Stare At Goats has more than held its own at the box office after opening on November 6^th 2009. Up against mega blockbusters like the FX laden 2012, this modestly budgeted film boasts superstars like Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey. Based on real events and people, the movie entertains as a wry look into the U.S. Military's exploration of psychic warfare tactics. It's garnered both critical praise and public favor for its dark comedic charms. Since approaching Peter Brusso for an interview before the film's release, I've come to know this fascinating martial artist, engineer and inventor.

Recently, Brusso and I chatted on his reaction to a Hollywood A list actor like George Clooney channeling him for the movie, and the depiction of his Defender self defense tool in the film.

What did you think of the movie?

I loved it. I thought it was incredible. If you read the book, the book is kind of scatterbrained a little bit.

Not focused?

Exactly. It's really all over the place. The screenwriter did an awesome job of bringing everything into an interesting story angle for the film. Yes, there's license given on creativity and about this and that, but it ultimately makes for a fantastic movie. I loved it and saw it twice.

Was George Clooney's playing of Lynn Cassady a solid blending of you and others? Was it a real amalgam of real life people into one character?

Absolutely. I could see myself in a majority of what George Clooney did. Even though they had Guy Savelli in one part, and Clooney sort of looked like Savelli, there were even parts of Michael Echannis and Glen Wheaton thrown in there. But I was kinda shocked to see myself being played there up on the big screen by George Clooney. There were many scenes in the movie clearly about me, from my life and what happened with me and Jon Ronson in Crazy Rulers Of The World.

What stands out to you about the movie as the best? What do you like least?

The more I watched Clooney, it appeared that they drew on more of my background than they realized or had intended to do, that was interesting to me, and to be so kind of shocked by that. I had seen the predator scene in the trailer and the 'choke me scene' before, but in actually seeing the movie, it was surprising to hear whole phrases I had said to Jon Ronson, now come out of George Clooney's mouth in The Men Who Stare At Goats.

How they portrayed Guy Savelli was what I liked least. Guy's got a lot of play in this whole thing, and to see him marginalized and somewhat humiliated was my least favorite part. Guy has an important part in the whole real story, so being portrayed that way is a little tough. I think one thing that was weird in the movie was when Kevin Spacey's character took over and threw everybody out. He was playing a tough guy that took over and destroyed things, that doesn't serve well and it never happened, there was nobody like that.

Are people searching you out now more and finding you because of the film's impact?

I have transformed in the last three weeks into someone who is blessed. There are things that are happening these days that I could not have thought of ever. They run a range from the First Earth Battalion side of true believer types, to the extreme other side of people who are looking to buy a Defender and protect themselves for their personal safety. From Sci-Fi at the one end to the U.S. Marine Corp, it's run a real gamut of interacting with people from all over the world.

Do you feel disappointment that The Men Who Stare At Goats didn't delve more into the real world of Col. Jim Channon's First Earth Battalion?

Col. Jim Channon was a revolutionary individual on many planes. Channon essentially created a 4X4 ATV vehicle for the Seals that runs around the desert and shoots up tanks and has a grenade launcher on top. The movie never hinted at that practical contribution from him that has truly saved lives. Still, the movie is a wonderful dark comedy, even brilliant, in ways. Hopefully as more and more people see the movie, they will do their own research to learn more of the real story and the real people, perhaps even buy Jim Channon's First Earth Battalion manual which is available for download online.