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Celebrity
Interview Series |
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Ron Shelton
Writer/Director is Among Ojai's Film Pros Serving as Advisers |
Dated: May 31, 2000 SHELTON IS AMONG OJAI'S FILM PROS SERVING AS
ADVISERS Writer/director Ron Shelton ("Play It to the Bone," "Bull Durham," "Tin Cup," "Cobb," etc.) serves on the Honorary Advisory Board of Ojai Film Festival 2000 and plans to participate in a filmmakers' panel during the Film Festival. This interview was conducted at his home in Ojai on May 15. Q: Ojai has a lot to offer in terms of the arts, outdoor activities, community involvement, Theater 150, etc. What are your favorite activities here? A: Sitting quietly under the stars. Picking oranges for breakfast. Q: You divide your time between Ojai and L.A. Is it difficult for you to transition between the two? A: No, it's impossible to do what I do and not have a base in Los Angeles. At the same time, you can't live in it without having a place to go where your soul gets recharged a little bit, and Ojai's that place. I grew up in the hills above Santa Barbara, so I get my love of the chaparral and oranges and snow-covered mountains and all of those smells from my childhood. Q: What do you see as some of the benefits for a film festival here in Ojai? A: Well, I like the idea that it can be low-key and casual and a celebration of film, rather than about awards and press and red carpets and all the nonsense which has ruined most film festivals. A festival is supposed to be a celebration of all kinds of filmmaking. Q: The theme of Ojai Film Festival 2000 is "Horizons Lost and Found…Enriching the Human Spirit Through Film," and we expect this festival to attract primarily documentaries, independent and foreign films, i.e., non-Hollywood films. As an independent filmmaker, what appeals to you about those types of films? A: Well, the independents think I'm a Hollywood filmmaker, and the Hollywood guys think I'm an independent filmmaker. But I think the monolith that Hollywood has become, imposing its will on the world, needs to be countered everywhere it can. I don't think of Hollywood films and non-Hollywood films, I just think of good films and bad films. That's quoting Duke Ellington, who said there's only two kinds of music, good and bad. And I hope that the Ojai Festival evolves into something that simply is out to get good films shown, regardless of where they come from. Q: When you watch a film, can you still be transported by the magic? A: Once in awhile, but it's hard to, even in really good films, because you're so aware of the mechanics and the craft. The movies that still can move me are movies about human behavior, because there's nothing more surprising and shocking and disturbing and thrilling than a turn of human behavior. I want to be surprised, I want to be moved, I want to be taken away by the magic, but it's harder and harder. Q: You've just been selected to be one of the first colonists on Mars, and you can only take two movies with you. Which two do you pick? A: I'd take Sam Peckinpah's "The Wild Bunch," and I'd take Jean Renoir's "Rules of the Game." Q: You're one of the only people that hasn't said Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life." A: I hate "It's a Wonderful Life." And I'd like to be quoted on that. Q: Can you tell us about some of your recent and upcoming film projects? A: The last one we made, independently, was called "Play It to the Bone," a mixture of the vulgar and the profane and the sweet and the physical. It was a movie that didn't perform, as we say, but I'm proud of it. I'm trying to get away from sports for awhile. I started out writing political movies…"Under Fire"…and I'd like to get back to movies with a more political content. I'd like to do movies about cops, some crime movies. And bring to them whatever I know about character and drama and storytelling that you've seen from my sports movies. Q: When will "Play It to the Bone" be out on video? A: This summer. Q: Lately there's been an outcry, people saying that the "reel violence" in movies causes violence in the real world. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the view that violence in films can be cathartic. How do you feel about this issue, and what do you see as some of the moral and social responsibilities of those involved with making films? A: The answer of course is, it's both. There's no question that there are some people who saw something in a movie and went out and recreated it. And there's other people who see something in a movie that terrifies them and it keeps them terrified forever. It has always been thus, however. We don't have the moral pulse of the world in our hands, we are just telling stories…that are hopefully honest human behavior. Q: Do you have any advice for people planning a career in film? A: Real estate. Q: What do you love most about being a writer/director? A: I love most watching an idea grow and change, and evolve. I became a director to sort of watch over its growth and allow it to become something else. And your cameraman, your editor, your actors are a huge part of that. When I hire an actor, I say, "Now it's yours. Show me what I don't know." So it's the dynamic life of the idea that is the most exciting. For more information on Ojai Film Festival 2000 or to volunteer, call 640-1947 or visit the Web site at http://filmfestival.ojai.net. |
Dated: May 19, 2000 LOCAL COUPLE SERVES ON FILM FESTIVAL BOARD
Actors Dwier Brown ("Gettysburg," "Field of Dreams," "E.R.") and Kim Maxwell-Brown ("Galaxies Are Colliding," "Knot's Landing") own Theater 150, helped found the Ojai Playwrights Conference, and serve on the Honorary Advisory Board of Ojai Film Festival 2000. Kim was named an Ojai Living Treasure in 1998. Q: What are some of the things you like best about Ojai? DWIER: It seems like everywhere you go, there's people having an opportunity to see each other. It's like being in a midwestern small town, only all the people there are cool artist types. Q: Would you describe Ojai as a hotbed of cultural activity? KIM: I think everybody's involved in something that means something to them, whether it's an arts organization, or an environmental organization, or a political organization. Q: What do you see as some of the benefits of a film festival held here in Ojai? DWIER: I was surprised to see a young kid from Ojai won the animation short thing at the Santa Barbara Film Festival. It would be better for him to win one in his hometown. Having one [here] has been long overdue. Q: The theme of Ojai Film Festival 2000 is "Horizons Lost and Found… Enriching the Human Spirit Through Film." Could you name a few films that stand out for you as having this quality? KIM: "Field of Dreams" (laughs)…I love the medium of storytelling. "My Life As a Dog" was probably the first film that I remember seeing in a movie theater where it literally took my breath away. I want to forget that I'm watching a movie; to watch a story unfold in front of me and be pulled in. Q: When you watch a film, can you still be transported by the magic? DWIER: Yeah…you try to go with that willing suspension of disbelief, and try to take it in. For the most part I get swept away, maybe even more than other people, as an actor. Q: You've just been selected to be one of the first colonists on Mars, and you can only take two movies with you… DWIER: "It's a Wonderful Life" and "American Beauty." One shows the power of hope and faith and belief in yourself, and the other shows a lot about what happens when you lose your hope and faith and everything else. And I think seeing both of those things reminds you the world isn't always what we hope it's going to be, but if you live expecting the world to be the good place you want it to be, then things tend to fall into place a little better. KIM: Those are both really great answers…I might choose something like "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," just because I'm not quite as gentle of a soul as my husband. I kind of like to FILIBUSTER! Q: Could you tell us about some of your recent and upcoming film, TV, or theater projects? DWIER: Last November I got to do a film in Australia, currently running on Disney Channel, called "Rip Girls." And at Theater 150 we're doing a play called "Hate Mail." It's sort of a spoof of "Love Letters," where two characters read correspondence they've had with each other for a period of time. "Love Letters" is a little sweeter and… KIM: A lot sweeter. DWIER: Also I'll be directing a film in the summer, here, using as many Ojai people as I can get. KIM: It's called "Twinkle, Twinkle," written by Ojai screenwriter Steven Bauer. And I'll be producing that. I'm going to be directing my first short film this summer as well. DWIER: We've long had the idea of trying to create a place where actors can work, which is why Theater 150 came into existence. And now because of our desire to move into films, we'd love to center that here. Wouldn't it be great if there was this little Ojai Studio… KIM: The support up here from the community, from other artists, directors, writers, designers, and actors has been extraordinary. Q: As professional actors, you've both worked in TV, film, and theater. Which is your favorite? KIM: I love the medium of storytelling, and it's obviously very different from film to theater to television. I love theater. Films also have a real magic about them. I don't really think I have a favorite. I have a respect for all of them. DWIER: I have to agree…every time I do a play, then I want to do a movie, and vice versa. I think of film as a director's medium because he has the ultimate control. On stage it's more an actor's medium. Q: Do you have any advice for people planning a career in film? DWIER: If you don't have to be an actor, don't. There's a lot of things that are great…having a lot of spare time and being unemployed. To be serious about being an actor, you have to know yourself. And to know yourself, you have to look at the good and the bad. KIM: If there's something else you want to do with your life, you should do it, but if this is what you want, sink your whole heart into it and go after it as voraciously as you can. Study, ask questions, volunteer, and help and listen, and… DWIER: Write. KIM: Write. That's very good. Write, write, write. "Hate Mail" runs at Theater 150 from May 19 - June 18 with alternating casts. For tickets, call 646-4300. For more information on Ojai Film Festival 2000, call Beverly Rose at 646-5874 or visit the Web site at http://filmfestival.ojai.net. |
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Dated: May 10, 2000 FILM FESTIVAL IS WAY FOR ROSSOVICH TO CONNECT
Actor Rick Rossovich has appeared in more than 20 movies ("Roxanne," "Navy SEALS," "Top Gun," etc.) and starred in the network TV series "Pacific Blue." He lives in Ojai with his family and serves on the Honorary Advisory Board of Ojai Film Festival 2000. Q: What are some of the things you like best about Ojai? A: Seclusion. Just being away from everything and everybody in Ojai. 'Cause everyone's alone here. We're all loners in a way. Q: What are your favorite activities here? A: I like to panhandle in the Arcade area, if I can get any territory from the skaters…. I think Ojai has a lot to offer for residents and for tourists as well. My wife is really involved with the Art Center and drawing classes and the yoga scene in town and all that kind of spiritual stuff. I drink coffee, and I just like sit on my porch. Q: What do you see as some of the benefits of a film festival held here in Ojai? A: It's nice to have something that's really close and to feel part of the film community without having to even leave the Valley. Q: The theme of Ojai Film Festival 2000 is "Horizons Lost and Found… Enriching the Human Spirit Through Film." Could you name a few films that stand out for you as having this quality? A: Well, I'm a real fan of foreign films. I'm a big fan of simple films that have kind of a different point of view from American culture. If I can just reach back and have one recently that I saw this last year, maybe something like "Central Station." If I go to a Swedish film, maybe "My Life As a Dog." Films that zero in on our human nature. Q: When you watch a film, can you still be transported by the magic? A: I'm probably a bit jaded with the mainstream stuff that we see and how it tries to sometimes pander to us, but it sounds like the Ojai Film Festival will probably get more of the kind of films I like than what's just put out there to sell tickets. Which is why I think it's a great idea. Q: Do you think film will still be with us in 100 years? A: It's probably going to be a lot different. But the spirit of it will be the same, to show us ourselves, and to elevate rather than keep us down. I think film always has a message of freedom even if it's a story about something that's not about freedom. It's always about freeing yourself and transporting yourself to somewhere else. Q: Imagine you've just been selected to be one of the first colonists on Mars, and you can only take two movies with you. Which two do you pick? A: Maybe it should be a…you know, India makes 600 movies a year, average. And they're about 4-6 hours long each. Q: So how about Satyajit Ray? A: Yeah, one of his deals. Maybe it should be like world music… But I live on Mars. I live here. (laughs) Q: Could you tell us about some of your recent and upcoming film or TV projects? A: I just finished a movie for Disney called…oh, they're changing the title..."Miracle in Lane 2" or "Just in Time." It's a nice little movie I did with this kid Frankie Muniz from…you know the show "Malcolm in the Middle"? He's a great young actor, and I had a lot of fun with this kid. There's a lot of poignant scenes, and it's a lot of comedy and irreverence. Q: Lately there's been an outcry, people saying that the "reel violence" in movies causes violence in the real world. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the view that violence in films can actually be cathartic. How do you feel about this issue, and what do you see as some of the moral and social responsibilities of those involved with making films? A: Well, I think your question's your answer. It's going to be both ways. If it's handled with sensitivity and understanding and a point of view that's actually showing what's happening or what results happen from violence, then it can teach us a lot. Q: What about the effect on kids? You have children of your own. A: We let our kids watch everything. But we talk about it. And because they have that freedom, they're not like trying to eat sugar, you know? We should be really sensitive to it. A lot of people are drawn and swayed and pulled and pushed by these things, and I don't have the answer. How about that? I have no answer. Q: Do you have any advice for people planning a career in film? A: I think our culture's really driven by our media, and in a lot of cases everyone expects that to happen at the strike of a match. And sometimes it does. It happens, but prepare for the long road, is what I say. And look over the horizon and see what really matters to you, what you're passionate about, and then learn as much as you can and just set your sail. Q: What do you love most about being an actor? A: When it all kind of jells, comes together. When it works, that's when it's golden. And when it doesn't, then you're just waiting for the next job and you want to be back in the garden. That's when I come to Ojai and hide. I've been hiding a lot. (laughs) Q: Any other comments on Ojai Film Festival 2000? A: I'm behind it! For more information on Ojai Film Festival 2000, call Beverly Rose at 646-5874 or visit the Web site at http://filmfestival.ojai.net. |
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Dated: March 15, 2000 ACTOR MALCOLM McDOWELL MAKES HIS HOME IN SHANGRI-LA
Legendary actor Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange, If…, O Lucky Man!) has been an Ojai resident for almost 20 years, and serves on the Honorary Advisory Board of Ojai Film Festival 2000. This interview was conducted on Feb. 15 at Local Hero bookstore in the arcade. Q: What do you like best about Ojai? A: The tranquillity and natural beauty and the town, which is charming. Last year I was traveling for 10 months, so it makes a difference when you get back to a little Shangri-La like this. Makes it all worthwhile. Q: What are some of your favorite activities here? A: Activities such as the Film Festival and all that are very important. I love this little theater that Kim Maxwell-Brown started with her husband [Theatre 150]. My favorite thing is the Tennis Tournament. Now that for me is the finest, one of the great tennis tournaments of the world. It's fantastic! Q: What do you see as some benefits of a film festival here? A: It would be very good for the town. Anything we can do to help the shopkeepers and the restauranteurs, who put their money and their life into what they do.… That's why we buy locally always. Q: The theme of Ojai Film Festival 2000 is "Horizons Lost and Found… Enriching the Human Spirit Through Film." Could you name a few films that stand out for you as having this quality? A: I suppose if you go back to the greatest film of all time in terms of enriching the human spirit, it would be the Jimmy Stewart film, It's a Wonderful Life. It's a wonderful film. Q: A Clockwork Orange is being re-released in England, and of course we all remember your unforgettable portrayal of Alex in that film. What makes Alex so fascinating to us? A: You get the sense that he must have tremendous intelligence, and yet there's no morality. That's a very exciting combination, isn't it? Q: Frightening. A: It's a frightening combination, yeah. Because there's no self-censorship. But his one saving grace is that he loves Beethoven. How bad can you be? Q: What do you see as the underlying theme of that film? A: That film is about the freedom of choice. That should be an inherent right of every citizen -- to choose. And these choices are being diluted, diluted, diluted. Burgess was very clever because he made the hero…or anti-hero immoral. By making him an immoral character, there's a real dilemma. It's like the First Amendment rights, where do you draw the line? The thing is, there should be no line really. Q: You've played a lot of "bad guys." Do you find those roles more challenging or fulfilling? A: I wouldn't know, 'cause I'm never offered anything else. (laughs) Playing bad guys can be great fun. But what's good and what's bad? A so-called "baddie"…in his eyes he may not be bad at all, just misunderstood. Nothing is black and white. Q: When you play those characters, do you feel compassion for them? A: I love all the characters I play. Even serial killers. There's always something in a person that's to like. Q: Do you think film will still be with us 100 years from now? A: In some shape or form. I don't know whether they'll go to a new format. But there's nothing quite like going into that theater, is there really? Seeing it on a big screen is fabulously exciting. Q: You've just been selected to be one of the first colonists on Mars, and you can only take two movies with you. Which two do you pick? A: The Maltese Falcon. Always been a favorite of mine. Only two is not really fair, but I'll say The Thin Man. Q: Could you tell us about some of your recent and upcoming film projects? A: I've got two sort of major movies coming out, one of which I think is fantastic. It's called Gangster No. One, about the rise and fall of a charismatic gangster in the East End of London. It's a very well-written script, very violent, very profane -- and fabulous. Q: You have a film screening here on March 19, My Life So Far. A: A very charming film set in 1930, in that twilight zone between the wars in Europe. It's actually in Scotland, a beautiful house on a loch. Directed by my dear friend Hugh Hudson, who did Chariots of Fire. Q: Let's talk about "reel violence." A: I think one has a moral responsibility to one's fellow human beings. But I am not a great believer that violence begets violence. What's more harmful is seeing a sort of insidious television show for children that purports to be morally sound, where the "good" sheriff comes in and kills 12 people. I think it's very, very rare that people see a movie and want to go out and copy it. Films mirror what's happening in society, not the other way around. Q: Do you have any advice for people planning a film career? A: Don't. Stay away if you've got any sense, with the proviso that anybody that really wants to do it will do it regardless of what I say. And I think you have to have an almost blinkered obsession with wanting to do it, to make it. Q: What do you love most about being an actor? A: I still get tremendous joy out of it. If I didn't, I'd give it up tomorrow. It's a very Brechtian thing because it means I'm really enjoying myself, playing this part, but you're going to believe me anyway. That is what I always try to achieve. Q: Any other comments? A: I just hope people come out and support a new venture in Ojai. If we're going to have a Film Festival, let's do it properly. Let's really do it. "My Life So Far"will be screened at the Ojai Playhouse, 145 E. Ojai Ave., Sunday at 4:30 p.m. For more information on Ojai Film Festival 2000, call Beverly Rose at 646-5874 or visit the web site at http://filmfestival.ojai.net. |
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Dated: March 8, 2000 LOCAL FILMMAKER SUPPORTS OJAI FILM FESTIVAL
Ojai Valley News ... In 1998, the award-winning documentary, "Rock the Boat," appeared at about 100 film festivals and took filmmaker and Local Hero owner Bobby Houston to more than 20 film festivals. The energy and ideas he experienced at those festivals led to Houston's involvement with Ojai Film Festival 2000, where he serves on the Honorary Advisory Board. This interview took place at Local Hero on February 22. Q: What are some of the things you like best about Ojai? A: There's a tremendously high quality of life. About as good as you can imagine, without living in Colorado (laughs). Q: What are some of your favorite activities here? A: The whole time I lived in Los Angeles I felt like I was in a cage. And what I do here is, nearly every other day I run through the groves and the mountains. I'm like a dog that gets let out for a run every day. And I ride my bike a lot, and the point is this Peter Pan quest to stay fit and exercise without ever operating heavy machinery inside of a gym. Q: What do you see as some of the benefits of a film festival in Ojai? A: Film festivals rely upon ferment. People have to bump into each other, there has to be excitement on the street, the talk has to be flowing, there has to be gossip, there has to be urgency. It's not a city experience, it's a village experience, and so a lively village and a film festival are natural roommates. They belong together. Q: Hopefully the Film Festival will also benefit local businesses. A: It can't help but benefit businesses. You're using the town in the way it wants to be used. You know, people who have come here not to shop for Navajo moccasins, but to really meet each other and dine and get together. Q: The theme of Ojai Film Festival 2000 is "Horizons Lost and Found… Enriching the Human Spirit Through Film." Could you name a few films that stand out for you as having that quality, your personal favorites? A: This is what got me in trouble in Hollywood in the first place, because in an interview for like a Jr. Vice President job at United Artists, I said, "John Cassavetes made all my favorite films." And they said, "Leave the room and don't come back." My favorite recent film is "American Beauty," but I also liked "Magnolia" enormously. I like films that go to extremes. I have a fatal case for black comedy. I liked "Flirting with Disaster" by David Russell. "Jerry Maguire" was the best commercial film, I think, of the last five years…absolutely beautiful. Q: When you watch a film, can you still be transported by the magic? A: Definitely. I mean, it's a little more rare for me to be blown away by a film because I see the wires and the pulleys. It's like looking at a car. Most people look at the curves. I know what's under the hood, so it's harder, but when a film is brilliant, it's brilliant. Q: Do you think film will still be with us 100 years from now? A: I think real life is in more danger of going away than movies. Q: You've just been selected to be one of the first colonists on Mars, and you can only take two movies with you…. A: "The Last Picture Show." Then, because I want to be happy…it might be a Merchant-Ivory movie, I have to admit. It might be "A Room with a View," or could I take like all the Jane Austen movies? Q: Could you tell us about some of your recent and upcoming film, TV, or documentary projects? A: "Rock the Boat" led to a job we're doing now for the Teaching Tolerance Program, which is a series of films commissioned by a liberal civil rights foundation in Montgomery, Alabama, and they distribute free curriculum to 14,000 high schools each year. The film we were commissioned to make is called "A Place at the Table," and it's about stories of immigration and of people's journeys to reach the American middle class. It's told through teenagers -- for teenagers. Q: How do you feel about violence in films? A: We've been imprinted with terrible, terrible fantasies in pursuit of profit, and I think it's disgraceful. I think the film industry should have found a way to curb violence a long time ago. We went out and shot a short ad hoc documentary immediately after Columbine because I knew so many kids who felt Columbine was meant to be a wake-up call and it probably wasn't going to be. I think Columbine was probably the most important event of the last 20 years, and America totally missed the message. Q: Do you have any advice for people planning a career in film? A: I didn't go to film school, and suffered enormously because of it. So my advice is to hang in there and go to graduate school and professionalize thyself. Q: Now you've acted and directed, you've written, made documentaries, so you are definitely a hyphenate. What do you like most about being any or all of the above? A: Directing from your own script is the single greatest thrill I've ever experienced. Q: Any other news or comments? A: One of the things I mull over a lot, about living in Ojai, is the continuous sputtering out of momentum. I feel like Ojai sort of washed up on the beach after the New Age movement. And I think the Film Festival has a chance to create some momentum, cultural momentum. For more information on Ojai Film Festival 2000, call Beverly Rose at 646-5874 or visit the Web site at http://filmfestival.ojai.net. |
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Dated: February 23, 2000
Writer, director and producer David Zucker ("Airplane," "Naked Gun," "High School High," etc.) is a member of the Ojai Film Festival 2000 Honorary Advisory Board and has long been a supporter of the Ojai Film Society's commitment to bringing quality cinema to the Ojai Valley. Zucker is making his film, "A Walk in the Clouds," available for screening this Saturday to benefit Ojai Film Festival 2000 and has offered the use of his Ojai estate at Whale Rock Ranch for the Ojai Film Festival 2000 Founding Sponsors Celebration and fund-raising event to be held March 18. Kristy Dark and John Grant conducted this interview with Zucker on February 15. Q: What are some of the things you
like best about Ojai? Q: Ojai has a lot to offer in terms
of the arts, outdoor activities, community involvement, etc. What are
your favorite activities here? Q: What do you see as some of the
benefits of a film festival held in Ojai? Q: The theme of Ojai Film Festival
2000 is "Horizons Lost and Found Enriching the Human Spirit Through Film."
Of the many films you've seen over the years, could you name a few that
particularly stand out for you as having this quality of "enriching the
human spirit"? Q: You've been involved with numerous
films, seen the inner workings. When you watch a film, can you still be
transported by the magic? Q: Are there certain types of films
that appeal to you the most? Q: Do you think film will still
be with us 100 years from now? Q: You've just been selected to
be one of the first colonists on Mars, and you can only take two movies
with you, which two do you pick? Q: Could you tell us about some
of your recent and upcoming film or TV projects? Q: Lately, there's been an outcry,
people saying that the "reel violence" in movies causes violence in the
real world. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the view that violence
in films can be cathartic. How do you feel about this issue and what do
you see as some of the moral and social responsibilities of those involved
with making films? Q: Do you have any advice for people
planning a career in film? Q: What do you love most about being
a writer/director/producer? Q: We're delighted to have the opportunity
to show "A Walk in the Clouds" at a benefit screening for Ojai Film Festival
2000. It's such a wonderful film, with a great cast including Keanu Reeves,
Aitana Sánchez-Gijón and Anthony Quinn - and beautifully directed by Alfonso
Arau. As a producer of "A Walk in the Clouds," any comments you'd like
to share with us? "A Walk in the Clouds" will be screened at the Ojai Playhouse, 145 E. Ojai Ave., Saturday at 4:30 p.m. In anticipation of Ojai Film Festival 2000, the Ojai Valley News will be running a series of profiles of local entertainment personalities. For more information, call Beverly Rose at 646-5874 or visit the Web site at http://filmfestival.ojai.net. |
