The Art of Overeating

Malibu Life The Malibu Times | October 29, 2009 SECTION Learning about ‘The Power of One’ Tom Hanks and Rita B Wilson join Los Angeles Malibu High freshmen hear from Oscar- “I’ll quote [Samuel Goldwyn] and say, ‘If you Philharmonic Music winning director John G. Avildsen on the want to send a message, call Western Union,” Director Gustavo Avildsen said. “The story was emotional, but peo- film he made about the theme of South ple don’t like to be preached to. You got to keep INSIDE Dudamel and wife African apartheid and the power of one Eloisa for an evening of people awake in a dark theater. It’s always the human story that makes a movie work.” magic at Disney Hall. young man to fight against it. People B2-3 After his lecture, Avildsen, who has directed Malibu Seen, B2 By Melonie Magruder seven actors to Oscar wins or nominations, expand- ESports B14 Special to The Malibu Times ed on the elements that make a good movie. “It’s all in the casting,” he said in describing a s part of the freshmen seminar curriculum at habit he employs of asking the actors to improvise. Pet Pourri B9 Malibu High School, a program that encour- “You find out if the actor can really do it. When I ClassifiedB11 Aages local youth to engage in community ser- was reading Burgess Meredith for ‘Rocky,’ I asked vice, ninth graders were treated to a one-on-one last him to read the scene where Rocky’s been asked week with Oscar-winning director John G. Avildsen. to clear out his locker at the gym. Burgess read the The subject: Avildsen’s 1992 film “The Power of scene, then added, ‘Have you thought about retir- One,” which took on the then-sensitive theme of ing?’ Stallone said no. Burgess said, ‘Maybe you South African apartheid and the power of one young should think about retiring, kid.’ We kept it in the man to fight against it. film.” Doug Seelig, whose son, Gabe, is a freshman at Avildsen also said that good screenwriters are Malibu High, produced several of Avildsen’s films essential. He himself has used the same writers and prevailed upon his old friend to speak to the on several of his films, such as Kamen and Steve youngsters. Shagan (“The Formula” and “Save the Tiger”). “The school has used this film for a number of years, not just as an illustration of the ‘separate but equal’ nature of apartheid, but also to show that one person’s or one group’s action can institute significant change,” Seelig said as he set up a video Malibu High School camera to record Avildsen’s address to the students. announces September “We are not immune to these issues today.” Students of the Month. Avildsen, a spry 73-year-old with expressive People, B3 blue eyes, began his lecture by pulling out the Oscar he won for directing “Rocky” and setting it casually on a bench on stage. “If anyone wants to be photographed with my little friend later on, Director John Avildsen and actor Morgan Freeman here you go,” he said. on the set of “The Power of One,” a story of South African apartheid and one man’s struggle to fight it. The first question from the audience was, “How did you get into directing this film?” and Avildsen took off. “Well, our writer Robert Kamen (also scenar- Nelson Mandela showed, that can happen.” Photos courtesy of Doug Seelig ist for Avildsen’s “Karate Kid” series, as well as Avildsen actually met Mandela, the Nobel the “Transporter” series, “Gladiator” and “Lethal Peace laureate who spent 27 years in prison for Weapon 3”) really liked the book and it had been fighting apartheid and who was the first democrati- recommended to one of our producers by his cally elected president of South Africa, on a flight daughter,” Avildsen replied. “So, essentially, we from London to Johannesburg. made this film because a father wanted to keep his “Mandela had been a boxer, so we talked about daughter happy. It wasn’t very mainstream. People ‘Rocky’ and boxing,” Avildsen said. “The funny are not going to say, ‘Hey, honey, let’s go see that thing is, before I did ‘Rocky,’ I didn’t know a thing apartheid movie.’” about boxing.” “Work to Surf,” a biopic Shot during 60 days in Zimbabwe (since Because of his limited knowledge of the sport, “But, you know, a lot of it is luck,” Avildsen Avildsen with Doug Seelig, on local surfer Allen South Africa was still under U.N. sanctions at the Avildsen said that he watched hours of boxing said. “I was set to direct a film on Malta, but who has produced many Sarlo, premieres Friday time), “The Power of One” had an international movies in preparation for “Rocky” and was aston- the funding suddenly fell through and I was out of the director’s films, at Duke’s. B14 cast, including industry heavyweights like Morgan ished at how phony they all looked. His solution, of work. The next week, I was sent the script for at Malibu High School Freeman, John Gielgud, Stephen Dorff and Daniel in conjunction with star Sylvester Stallone, was to ‘Rocky.’ I’m a big believer in the chaos theory.” where Avildsen spoke to Sharks water polo team the freshmen class about Craig. Upon its release, Seelig recalled that the film choreograph each move in the boxing sequences After emphasizing the “Brave New World” of the movie’s theme of how chomps Villanova. was polarizing, with many white South Africans and rehearse them for weeks before shooting, a accessible tools, Avildsen asked the students how not just one person can Sports, B14 objecting to the film’s depiction of their own his- practice that he incorporated into preparation for many were interested in becoming filmmakers and make change, but also a tory. “The Power of One,” as well. nodded approvingly when a number of hands shot community coming together “On the other hand, some people were inspired “Never underestimate the importance of up. can solve problems. to join the Peace Corps,” Avildsen said. “I wanted rehearsals,” Avildsen emphasized. “Cameras and editing equipment are cheaper to show that it wasn’t just the power of one person, When asked if “The Power of One” was sup- and more user-friendly than ever before,” Avildsen but that if all local tribes stopped bickering and posed to be a political statement or just a good said. “And you’ve got YouTube to distribute for came together, they can achieve great power. As story, Avildsen chuckled. you. So go out and make some movies!” Local author indulges in CARTOON CORNER ‘The Art of Overeating’ With her book, “Well, I do like my Landis’ solution was comfort food,” Landis explained, laughing over to turn the diet man- lunch at Coogie’s Beach tra on its head and Café (she ordered one celebrate the joys of fried egg, three pieces of endless brownies. turkey bacon and a glass of cranberry juice). “But this was more a satire on By Melonie Magruder the whole diet indus- Special to The Malibu try. I think excessiveness Times is part of the American nature. We really are a mericans are food-obsessed culture.” fat. According Malibu resident Leslie Landis’ background Ato the Centers Landis will read excerpts is not in gastronomy. for Disease Control and from her book, “The Art She was a practicing Prevention, 34 percent of Overeating” Nov. 5 at family therapist up until of us qualify as being Pepperdine University’s a few years ago when obese, with another 30 Payson Library. she moved to Malibu. percent designated as Many of her clients were being merely overweight. “The Art of Overeating,” overweight and were Nearly 18 percent of the billed as “a bellyful of depressed, though she country’s children dan- laughs about our food- said she isn’t sure which gerously tip the scales. phobic culture.” Its over- condition led to the Yet a quick glance at arching message seems to other. Amazon.com reveals that be, when in doubt, eat. Her husband, Martin diet books continue to Landis is a tiny little Landis, an investor in be one of the most popu- bird of a woman whose commercial real estate, lar genres on the market. closet probably never also tends to carry a bit Into this dichoto- saw larger than a size of extra avoirdupois and By Tiana Fazio my has stepped Malibu four in her life. So, does Landis allows that she is author Leslie Landis with she practice what she a classic codependent— her upcoming release, preaches? See Landis, page B3 Advertise in the MALIBUTIMES Magazine 310.456.5507 B1-3,14 10-22-09.indd 1 10/27/09 6:26:15 PM.

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