Academy Award-winning producer Jim Wilson’s latest film,
the highly acclaimed “50 to 1,” which depicts the down-home Cinderella story of
2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, will make its California debut on
May 23 in Monrovia at Krikorian Premiere Theatre and at six other
Krikorian venues in Southern California — in Buena Park, Downey, Pico Rivera,
Redlands and Vista.
Wilson, who produced 1990’s “Dances With Wolves,” which
starred Kevin Costner and took Best Picture honors and six other Academy Awards,
is a long-time horse owner and passionate lover of horses and Thoroughbred
racing. He participated in a question and answer session regarding the film, its
rollout and reactions that it has created, two weeks in advance of its Southern
California debut.
Q. We’ve heard good things about “50 to 1” and its depiction
of a small group of New Mexico horsemen en route to the win of a lifetime. How
long do you anticipate the film running locally?
A. It’s all according to supply and demand. As
long as people go, it will continue to run. Typically, theatres now will show a
film for a week or two or longer, depending on how many people are coming. I’m
in a theatre in New Mexico now where we beat Spider Man and we’re in our eighth
week. You just never know.
Q. George Krikorian is very involved in the Thoroughbred
business as an owner/breeder and he now sits on the California Horse Racing
Board. Has he seen the film?
A. I invited George to a screening, I would say five months
ago. He said, ‘When you get ready to release it in California, give me a
call.’ So, obviously both of us being horse owners, I said ‘You betcha.’ So when
we finished our seven-state tour, I called George and he said, ‘Let’s put it up
there.’
Q. This state-by-state rollout is kind of an unorthodox
approach with a new film. What’s been your thinking on this?
A. It’s really unorthodox. Part of it is I don’t have the
money. I don’t have the funds of a giant studio that can put up 30 or 40 million
dollars and gamble and see how we’re going to do. So part of it is financially
driven in that we’re able to go state by state and as you do one state, you sort
of take those proceeds and go on to the next. It’s kind of a throwback to the
70s and 80s when there were a lot of grassroots (movie) campaigns and it worked. The first idea was to go from New Mexico (where Mine That Bird was based)
and weave our way up through seven states to Kentucky, which we did on tour.
We were on a bus for nearly six weeks. It’s just that love and attention that
I find really pays dividends. It may sound silly, but Mine That Bird was 30
lengths behind (in the 2009 Kentucky Derby) and he took his time. This kind of
film is going to need a rollout. It’s a word-of-mouth film. If you go on Tomato
Meters or IMDB, people are loving this film.
Q. How would you compare your movie to recent films such
as “Secretariat” and “Seabiscuit?”
A. It’s a bit of a romp. It’s much more comedic
than either “Secretariat” or “Seabiscuit,” because the characters were just that
and the horse was a bit of a character, too.
Q. As you know, so many people say that our game is dying
due to a variety of factors. Why do you continue to have a passion for it and
continue to lay your own money down trying to promote it?
A. Look, when you love a sport like I do this, like none
other, that doesn’t go away. The economics could go to the absolute bottom and I
will always love a man and a horse in unison racing around a track. That in and
of itself will never be taken from me, or a lot of people. That’s just not going
to leave them, it’s just such a phenomenal sport. One can point a lot of
fingers.
I actually think the product works very well. I think racing is attractive in
terms of what it has to offer. We can always market wiser and better and there
are new audiences to approach. I think “50 to 1” is just a little kernel of
that. No one movie is going to turn the whole thing around but I do know that as
I play this film around the country, I’ve run into a lot of people who (for
various reasons) have been driven from the theatres but they’ve come back to
this movie and they’ve said ‘I haven’t seen a film in 20 years and you’ve
brought me back and I greatly appreciate it.’ They give me a big hug and I know
that we are introducing this sport to a lot of people who don’t know a darn
thing about racing.
Q. By your own admission, the film is devoid of
“A List”
actors, but we’re told the acting is outstanding. HRTV’s Laffit Pincay is shown
in the movie trailer interviewing trainer Chip Woolley during the pre-Derby
walk-over and it appears very realistic. That said, it’s no secret that Bob
Baffert is less than pleased with the way he has been depicted.
A. I don’t know if Bob’s seen the film. Historically,
you have to go with Bob as the competitor to these guys (Mine That Bird’s
connections). Because he was that person. In the Breeders’ Cup in 2008 in the
Juvenile, he won with Midshipman. He is the face of racing. There is no better,
if you want to call it villain or competitor than this guy. He historically is
the guy that took on Mine That Bird at Santa Anita in the (2008) Breeders’ Cup.
Midshipman was owned by the Sheik, and these guys (Mine That Bird’s
connections) finished dead last. And, you know, Bob is there pumping his fist
and doing what Bob does. I’ve known Bob for 25 years and I know how Bob can be.
I’m hugely respectful of him as a trainer and all of that. I love Bob. I like to
watch Bob and see what Bob does, but he had Pioneerof the Nile in the following
Derby (2009). He is the guy historically, to follow. If you are somebody who’s
going to take on the industry, Bob is the one you want to beat. He’s the one
that I want to beat when I go to the track. He’s hard to beat. With that shock
of white hair and his swagger and all of that.
Q. We understand Baffert took time to meet with the actor
(Bruce Wayne Eckelman) who portrayed him in advance of the movie being filmed.
A. Bob was nice enough to meet with Bruce at Del
Mar. He drove down to Del Mar and Bob took him to the backside and showed him
around the barn. Bob couldn’t have been nicer. We can make a big brouhaha about
it…I think Bob should just see it (the film). To say that we painted Baffert
as someone who is occasionally arrogant? Yeah. Am I occasionally arrogant? I can
be.
For the rest of the story, Southern California racing fans
will have to wait until “50 to 1” comes to town.
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