Sunday, August 05, 2007

Eagle Island Films and the Werner Erhard "documentary"

Recently, a film has been shown in New York City, called: Transformation: The Life and Legacy of Werner Erhard.

The film was produced by two production companies: Robyn Symon Productions, which is the production company of the film's director, and a lesser known company, callling itself " Eagle Island Films ". In addition, much of the material in the film is copyrighted by, you guessed it - Landmark Education!

For those interested, more information has come out regarding just exactly who was behind the production of the film. On the film's web site, the film credits " Symon Productions, Inc. and Eagle Island Films " -- However, this mysterious company " Eagle Island Films " seems to have only produced one film, namely, this one. Here is an interesting chain of events related to Werner Erhard's attorney:

March 3, 1991 -- Werner Erhard is investigated by " 60 Minutes " - and the program airs on CBS.
More Allegations Against est Founder -
The Chronicle Publishing Co. / March 5, 1991

April 1992 - Walter Maksym, attorney for Werner Erhard, represents Erhard in lawsuits which involve 20 defendants from the media/press. San Jose Mercury News Tuesday, April 7, 1992 Est Founder sues critics; suit names Mercury News writer

San Jose Mercury News - Tuesday, April 7, 1992 - Est Founder sues critics; suit names Mercury News writer - Mercury News Staff Report (excerpted)

"Werner Erhard, controversial founder of the self-improvement program known as est, has filed a wide-ranging defamation lawsuit against 20 defendants, including a Mercury News staff writer, news media, commercial publications and private groups that have criticized Erhard or his teachings...During the "60 Minutes" report, one of Erhard's daughters told CBS that her father had molested her. While Erhard did not appear on the program, CBS aired portions of Hubner's taped interview, in which Erhard denied the incest allegations...Erhard's attorney, Walter Maksym of Illinois, could not be reached for comment."

1992 - Breakthru Publishing, same publisher that published Diets Don't Work, publishes 60 Minutes and the Assassination of Werner Erhard, (and the Diets Don't Work, Inc. company has Walter Maksym as president)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakthru_Publishing
http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/product-compint-0000736885-page.html

2006 - Transformation: The Life and Legacy of Werner Erhard film - with production companies Robyn Symon Productions and also Eagle Island Films - with Walter Maksym president and executive producer of Eagle Island Films - and Walter Maksym having once represented Erhard in suits against 20 defendants in media/press about very same story.

John Marshall Law Schook Briefcase, Fall 2006, Vol. 6, Issue 2

"Walter Maksym is executive producer of the upcoming film "STASH," set in Chicago. Maksym is president of Walter Maksym Publishing, president of Diets Don't Work, Inc. and president and executive producer of Eagle Island Films."

The Internet Movie Database also lists Walter Maksym as the executive producer of "Transformation: The Life and Legacy of Werner Erhard", and lists Eagle Island Films as one of the two production companies.

Does it not seem very strange at the least, that a man that represented Werner Erhard in lawsuits against CBS and 20 defendants related to this "60 Minutes" investigation, has now come to be the Executive Producer of this mysterious " Eagle Island Films " - that has now produced a film describing these self-same events???

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good article, the world needs to know.

The Recession said...

Brilliant. Bought the DVD and recognized it as a fluff piece. so many obvious ommissions. ONE daughter participates and gushes? Where are the others? His son? His wives?