ENTERTAINMENT November/December 2011
EASTSIDE
Page 15
Goldworm produces and manages golden fates ■ By Danielle Fox (‘13)
ness school experience... You merge all of that together and my life which seemed like it had no path Taking the role of assisall of a sudden seemed like tant after producing a it had some path.” multi-million-dollar film In 2009, as the Executive was demeaning, if not gutsy. Vice President of Television But to Adam Goldworm at Industry Entertainment, (‘94), the founder of Goldworm boldly left Aperture Entertainthe company to ment, the scenario found one of his own: seemed necessary in Aperture Entertainvying for the acclaimed ment. position he holds toAs a manager and day. a producer, Gold“My life was a lot worm has helped like Benjamin Button’s mold the careers of where in reverse it some of the industold a good story,” try’s finest, such as Goldworm said. “In “90210”’s Jessica reverse I was an assisLowndes. tant, went to business He said, “It’s so school, wrote for a hard to do anything paper and then proin this business duced a movie. I had that it’s good to tried everything else have these little at that point and nothreminders now and ing had worked for me, again that the so I figured why not things you are doing start at the bottom?” have a material At East, Mr. Robert impact on people’s Nation influenced lives.” Goldworm’s involveCurrently, Goldment in the Theater worm is working on Department. A f t e r two horror film projstarring in the producects: The Last Witch tion The Diary of Hunter, a supernatAnne Frank, and parural action movie ticipating in the One about a man cursed Acts competition, with immortality, Goldworm sought to and Friend Request, take his passion for a film that underfilm to another coast: scores the horrors of Los Angeles, Califorsocial networking. nia. As an acclaimed During his time at producer and manUCLA’s film school, Courtesy of Adam Goldworm Goldworm Goldworm got a first, Clockwise from top: Adam Goldworm on the set of “Masters of Horror”; ager, yet ephemeral, taste Goldworm shooting the premiere episode of “Fear Itself”; Goldworm attests that no matter how unconvenof the stakes that having fun backstage. tional the rise to the come with producing a eccentric career rise to top, all dreamers can masgood film. worm shifted career paths, Karate Kid Daniel Larusso’s ter their own fates with the The film Luckytown, feaattending UC Berkeley’s “Wax-On, Wax-Off ” epiphright mindset. turing Kirsten Dunst and Haas School of Business any. Goldworm said, “If James Caan, ended up as a and writing obituaries for “He realizes all this nonthere’s anything else in the bust; but, nonetheless, Variety Magazine. sense [Mr. Miyagi] was world you’d rather be doing, Goldworm learned that a So, with ten years’ worth teaching actually has a purthen you should probably do producer must be ready to of industry experience—and pose. For me, it was a weird that. But, if not, if you’re meet the odd ends of a gama business degree—Goldcombination of having a like me and this is the only ble. worm’s job selection as an large encyclopedic knowlpassion that you really “It’s really hard to make assistant for Industry edge of film met with havhave, well then, you just a good movie. There are so Entertainment was suring on-set production expehave to get out here and go many different things that prising and opportune. As rience and having the busifor it.” can go wrong between the his boss was putting togethEastside Entertainment Editor
casting and the writing and the weather, or just poor choices during production, that you realize afterwards what a miracle it is whenever anyone makes anything good,” he said. Meeting one futile endeavor after another, Gold-
er the financial pieces for the Showtime series “Masters of Horror,” Goldworm became a great asset, using his knowledge and love of horror films to spur the production of the show. Goldworm compares his
Goldworm’s Management and Production Accomplishments 2001: Goldworm produces Luckytown. 2006: “Masters of Horror” wins Emmy award for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music, is nominated for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) and wins Saturn award for Best Television Presentation. 2007: “Masters of Horror” wins Saturn award for Best Television Series Release on DVD and is nominated for a Saturn for Best Presentation on Television. 2008: Goldworm produces “Fear Itself ” and is one of 35 executives under the age of 35 selected for the Hollywood Reporter’s Next Generation. 2011: Goldworm is producing The Last Witch Hunter, The Brood, Friend Request, “Haunted” and managing “90210”’s Jessica Lowndes.
Broadway remembers MLK Jr. through a different light ■ By Claire Hoffman (‘12) Eastside Staff
On October 13, The Mountaintop premiered on Broadway to a full house. The play dramatizes Martin Luther King Jr.’s last night before he was assassinated, taking place April 3, 1986 in King’s motel room in Memphis, Tennessee. Originally opening in London, in 2009, The Mountaintop is written by Katori Hall. The drama primarily explores a less moral side of King, but also elucidates some of King’s political and spiritual viewpoints. The name of the play comes from King’s famous speech “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop.” Destined to be a success because of its weighty topic and stars, The Mountaintop will run until January 15, with most of the seats already
sold out. The Mountaintop stars Samuel L. Jackson and Angel Bassett, both Oscarnominated actors, as King and his hotel maid, Camae. Although Jackson has never been a lead in a play before, Bassett is most familiar with the stage since her debut performance as an actress in August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone. Jackson has a personal connection to King since he heard King speak at his college several times and was an usher at his funeral. Jackson portrays a different King than the saintly man students learn about in school—a man who cusses and drinks whiskey. Although
this King is different from the beloved icon version of King, The Mountaintop does not interfere with any of King’s political notions. “Yes, there will be people who say we don’t have enough icons and now y o u ’ v e spread dirt on the icon
by making him a womani z e r , smoker, drinker, curser or w h a t e v e r,”
said Jackson in an Entertainment Weekly interview, “but he’s human.” Despite the acknowledged superior acting, The Mountaintop has not been universally well-received. Although the drama won the Olivier Award in London for the best new play, here the staging has been criticized. Instead of focusing on Martin Luther King Jr., The Mountaintop centers on the overly seductive Camae, the chambermaid. The perpetual presence of Camae seems pointless, not advancing the audience’s perception of King; however, others praise the play for its risky portrayal of King. The Mountaintop will
be a hit no matter what because of the high demand to see a play about a national hero. But audiences will have to decide whether this new interpretation of Martin Luther King Jr. can coexist with their wellinstilled loyalty towards the man. People will choose whether this supposed tarnishing of King’s private reputation encroaches on their views of his aid to this country.
Art by Joel Greenspan (‘13)/ Eastside Art Directior