7/14/2011 - West Side Leader
By Craig Marks
Corbin Bernsen made his way down the Akron Civic Theatre’s red carpet, he was surrounded by media and fans.
“He’s being mobbed!” some-one shouted.
“It’s OK,” said his wife, actress Amanda Pays. “He likes being mobbed.”
If so, Bernsen was in the right place. On July 9, the Civic hosted the world premiere of his Soap Box Derby film, “25 Hill,” and Akron gave Bernsen and his talented cast a warm welcome. Bernsen wrote, directed and co-produced the film, in which he co-stars with Nathan Gamble.
Gamble plays 11-year-old Trey, who bonds with Bernsen’s character, Roy, an embittered fireman. Both Trey and Roy are, in Roy’s words, “broken people,” but their shared passion for the derby brings them together and enriches their lives.
Gamble was asked what he enjoyed most about making the movie.
“Just to be with all the people who are really in love with the Soap Box Derby,” he said. “It’s great to see people who are really into it.”
Derby volunteer Jack Colman, of Akron, was one of the people waiting in line to see “25 Hill.”
“I’m just here to support the derby,” he said. “It’s something Akron doesn’t need to lose. We’ve lost enough.”
Preserving our country’s treasured traditions, such as the derby, is one of the themes of the movie. (The theme went for the premiere as well. Bernsen said, at first, he wasn’t sure about the stars shining on the Civic ceiling, but tradition won out.)
Before the movie was screened, Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic presented Bernsen with the key to the city and commended him for his enthusiasm and vision.
“I am blown away,” said Bernsen, who went on to thank those who helped make the movie possible.
Along with Bernsen and Gamble, the cast members who walked the red carpet were Timothy Omundson (Trey’s father, Thomas), Maureen Flannigan (Trey’s mother, Maggie) and Bailee Madison (Kate, a fellow racer with a high-tech pit crew).
Omundson’s wife, Allison Cowley-Omundson, is a graduate of Firestone High School.
“I remember the night Corbin came over and offered Tim the role,” she said. “When he told me the premise and it was going to be filmed in Akron, I could not believe it. I told [Tim], you’re doing this movie.”
“I had no choice,” said Omundson.
Little persuasion was needed for Akron Aeros play-by-play announcer Jim Clark, who was cast as a derby announcer.
“I got a late phone call to take a small part that was being filmed the next day,” he said. “It was fun. Corbin Bernsen was great to work with, and it was neat to see how they shoot a movie. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
The audience was generous with its applause, clapping as the opening credits rolled and at such moments as Trey’s heartfelt video plea to save the derby. There were also mini-ovations when familiar faces — local residents who were used as extras — appeared on screen.
After the movie, Mark Adamczyk, of Akron, gave the film a “thumbs up.”
“I thought it was great,” he said. “Nice screenplay. The message was really good, and my boys really seemed to like the racing action. We enjoyed it a lot.”
Moviegoers at the screening, the first of two over the weekend, were able to exchange their tickets for a DVD of the movie. For a limited time, the DVD will be available at Acme stores.
Craig Marks is a cartoonist and editorial, sports and entertainment writer for the West Side Leader.
