Love the man, only mildly like his movies... OK, I only mildly like some of his movies. But as a dude? Kevin Smith is tops. Maybe his move towards talk show/talk circuit presentations is the best "direction."
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Kevin Smith: "I Am So, Like, Sick of Movies and Shit"
On the road with the cult filmmaker turned podcaster turned DIY warrior
Kevin Smith exhales a cloud of pot smoke. “Does this bother you?” he asks, looking up from his pipe as I enter his backstage dressing room at Denver’s Paramount Theater. Smith has retreated here, alone, after an hour and 15 minutes spent onstage answering questions from hundreds of his rabid fans following a screening of his new film, Red State. “Do you want some?”
PHOTO BY KEVIN SCANLON
Kevin Smith
PHOTO BY KEVIN SCANLON
"Four years ago I started this Red State conversation. And if I would have just done it as a podcast, it would have been done four years ago."
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The Wiltern
3790 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90010
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For the record: I answered no to both questions. But the fact that this is how Smith greets a journalist whom he’s never met is emblematic of the 40-year-old’s current modus operandi: totally unpretentious, fully accessible, completely self-indulgent.
It’s been 17 years since Smith’s starless, black-and-white, credit card–financed filmmaking debut, Clerks, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was bought by Harvey Weinstein for distribution by Miramax, which itself had only recently been acquired by Disney. Clerks grossed more than 100 times its $27,000 budget in its theatrical release before becoming a hit on home video, and in terms of pure return on investment it’s still considered one of the most profitable films of all time.
This success earned the neophyte from New Jersey what he calls a “catbird seat” for the American so-called independent film boom of the 1990s. From that seat, along with contemporaries such as Richard Linklater, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, Smith was able to build a career incorporating many of the freedoms afforded an independent, while still making films generally financed, marketed and distributed with corporate money.
It’s a position of privilege that, Smith is the first to admit, he landed in by chance. “I got into this business by a fucking fluke of history,” he tells the crowd in Denver. “A very fucking rich man” — Weinstein — “wanted to prove to the world that he still had balls and could pick up an American independent film, even though Mickey Mouse owned him.
“I’m not a filmmaker,” Smith continues. “It’s difficult for me. This is not my first language.”
That the audience applauds Smith’s self-deprecation with the same boundless enthusiasm they accord Red State — the new film that this self-proclaimed nonfilmmaker wrote, directed and edited — offers a clue to one element of Smith’s appeal. His success is almost an inverse Horatio Alger story: It’s not so much about hard work paying off as it is about the dream of living large (no pun intended) on as little effort as possible.
Smith has often said that seeing Linklater’s Slacker at New York’s Angelika Film Center on his 21st birthday was a personal turning point. He left the theater thinking, “If this counts as a movie, I think I can make a movie, too.”
If Slacker was an ode to hanging out, roaming the city streets and chatting as a kind of sport, Clerks is a celebration of the same pursuits (well, maybe without the walking) as sanity-maintaining subversions of service-industry drudgery. In simplest terms, Clerks is a movie about collecting paychecks while maintaining a constant conversation.
Nearly two decades later, in more ways than one, Smith is coming full circle. Red State, his 10th directorial effort, is his first film since Clerks to be financed and produced independently. And in October, Red State will become his first movie that he’ll distribute himself, under the banner of Smodcast Pictures.
The new company is named after his popular independent radio franchise, which includes a series of podcasts featuring the ramblings of Smith and friends, some of them recorded live in a small Hollywood theater he’s dubbed Smodcastle. Smith is using his podcasts to promote a road-show tour — launched last month at Radio City Music Hall, and concluding at the Wiltern on Saturday night — during which he’s visiting large theaters in 15 cities, screening Red State and engaging in lengthy, rowdy conversations with his audience about the movie, his previous work, his podcasts and various other pursuits.
Within these conversations (which fans pay dearly for; the cheap seats at the Wiltern go for $69.50, including fees), Smith confirms that the Internet rumors are true: He’ll make one more movie after releasing Red State — a script he’s writing called Hit Somebody, a hockey movie inspired by the Warren Zevon song of the same name — and after that, he’s quitting filmmaking.
“I’m so, like, sick of movies and shit,” Smith tells the Denver audience. “All I want to do is talk, talk, talk.”
Post–Hit Somebody, Smith says, he’ll be able to do just that, devoting more attention to his speaking tours — an annual ritual that grew out of, and eventually outgrew, the college screening circuit that Weinstein forced Smith and producer Scott Mosier to travel to spread the Clerks gospel in between Sundance and the film’s October 1994 theatrical release. He’ll also expand the Smodcast network by launching a daily two-hour morning Internet radio show, and he eventually hopes to turn Smodcast Pictures into a distributor for other people’s movies.
34 comments
Lol...Maybe if his films were better he probably wouldnt be quitting..His movies as of late have been quite boring...He lost that spirit after Dogma ever since then nada. So no big deal in my book. Just gives someone hungrier and with more creativity a chance. Now if only M Night whatshisname will follow suit.
Clerks II was good. It had heart behind it. Everything else? Yeah they were pretty bad. But he had dipshits putting him down hardcore. That would dishearten even Kings and Nobles
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[incorrect event name listed dept.] APRIL IS JAZZ APPRECIATION MONTH!
Thurs. Apr. 28th - Special TRIPLE signature "Companion Events" Jammin Foundation & Linda Morgan, Ms. SmoothAhead Jazz Presents: HONORING -6PM CHARLES OWENS "Sensei Maestro" & DOLORES PETERSEN - A.Pro-Advocate Rep.
SHOWCASE: And OPEN MIC / JAM: "Welcome Home" And JAM w/ D'z "Lady & Gentlemen" In-House Live Jazz Trio "redoubtable jazz vets" Karen HERNANDEZ & Tony DUMAS · Ralph PENLAND
7PM SHOWCASE: feat. "Woodwindist" FUASI ABDUL-KHALIQ visiting from Germany, "Special" Guest Co-Host JEFFREY WINSTON - Jazz Historian, Philantropist, writer8PM (sign-up 7:30PM) OPEN MIC / JAM: "heavy surprise guests" "stellar assortment of top-flight jazz musicians" Guest Co-Host "Young Lion" RANDAL FISHER - Intern/s DOLORES PETERSEN Presents: @ HSB&G 6122-6124 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood
This is an efing boring article, you lost me after the second paragraph; I didn't finish reading it. Sharp your writing skills.
ur an asshole using a word like that, u are trying to make urself seem above us all with your vocab, must be a film student
this guy is such a douche. never thought he was funny. his lame attempts at humor and use of offensive material come off like a community college student who still makes fart noises in the classroom like a third grader. dont get me wrong, i'm not offended by the jokes, theyre just not funny. clerks was probably the worst movie i have seen in my life
If you thought Clerks was so bad, why did you (a) watch more of his movies; (b) read this article? You don't like the guy, cool. Yet you took the time to read a six-page article on him? Seems weird to me. You must not have much of a life.
The guy simply isn't any good anymore. I loved Clerks, thought Mallrats was funny (purely because of Jason Lee), loved Chasing Amy and Dogma, J&SBSB was alright, liked Clerks 2 and Jersey Girl, and then...HATED Cop Out, Zack & Miri. Hating 2 movies isn't that bad but I used to love Smodcast and now, yikes! HE isn't funny. Scott is GREAT and the only reason I still listen once in a while. But he is so, so terrible. I have NO problem with smoking weed, but if the anti-drug guys and gals need an example of how far some one can fall, look no further than this guy. But, it may not be the weed. It may be the one thing that people don't want to directly blame. I think it may also be his wife. In case Mr. Smith (I'm not on a first name basis with him anymore as we've grown apart) ever reads this, I'll refrain from going any further on that as, even though his wife his ruined his sense of comedy, she should be more important to him than his career.
I love his films. He's a great guy, but sadly lives in a world 3/4 full of wankers.He definitely deserves better from people who slag him off for the sake of it. I mean nobody HAS to watch his movies. I don't like many people or they don't appeal to me and often I don't even know what they look like because I ignore the stuff that I know isn't to my taste.Not give it/them attention just so I can mouth off about them online.This was a good piece too.Now give that penis a sandwich.
You are so, like, sick of movies and shit, Smith? What a coincidence! Why? Because movies, moviemakers, and moviegoers are all sick of YOU.
Suggestion: please take a wee break from the endless Smith Co. branding and self-promotion. Just go away and leave us all alone for, like, 5 or 10 minutes, during which time you could put down the bong, maybe study writing and/or directing, learn how to structure a screenplay, use the camera to tell a story...y'know, shit like that?
[listing dept.(corrections & details]Upcoming Events• Showcase And Open Mic / JamEvery week Thursday Thurs. Apr. 7th, 7p and 8p, sign-up 7:30p (Blues, Jazz, Latin, Pop And multi-genre)SHOWCASE: And OPEN MIC / JAM: "Companion Events" (vocalists/instrumentalists)LARRY DAVIS "CD Release Party" And JAM... + (both events) Guest Host: James GERALDEN & "D'z" In-House Live Jazz Trio " 'Lady & Gentlemen' too " Karen HERNANDEZ & Tony DUMAS · Don LITTLETON "masterful" accompanist/improv-musiciansDOLORES PETERSEN Presents: @ HSB&G 6122-6124 Sunset Blvd., HollywoodThurs. Apr. 7th, 7p and 8p, sign-up 7:30p (Blues, Jazz, Latin, Pop And multi-genre)
[listing dept. details] Thurs. Apr. 7th, 7p and 8p, sign-up 7:30p (multi-genre - Blues, Jazz, Latin, Pop)SHOWCASE: and OPEN MIC / JAM: "Companion Events" (vocalists/instrumentalists)LARRY DAVIS "CD Release Party" and JAM... Guest Host: James GERALDEN DOLORES PETERSEN Presents: @ HSB&G 6122-6124 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood
He's one of the nicest people I've ever had the privilege to meet, and considering his place in the world - he didn't need to give me the time of day. He's ALL Class - no matter what ANY paper says. Great interview, I'm looking forward to the show on Saturday!!!
[listing dept.]
APRIL 2011 DOLORES PETERSEN Presents: (instrumentalists/vocalists)02 Carlos Guitarlos 6-9pm Señor Fish [Blues, Pop, Rock’n Roll, Roots]03 Serge Kasimoff 5pm Duna Csárda [Classical, Jazz, Latin, Pop]03 Javier Vergara 5-7:30pm Señor Fish [Jazz]07 SHOWCASE: 7pm Larry Davis CD Release Party HSB&G [Jazz]07 OPEN MIC / JAM: 8pm Guest Co-Host James Geralden - HSB&G [Jazz, multi-genre]09 Carlos Guitarlos 6-9pm Señor Fish [Blues, Pop, Rock’n Roll, Roots]10 Serge Kasimoff 5pm Duna Csárda [Classical, Jazz, Latin, Pop]10 Javier Vergara 5-7:30pm Señor Fish [Jazz]14 SHOWCASES: 7pm Sharon Stanley HSB&G [Jazz]14 OPEN MIC / JAM: 8pm HSB&G [Jazz, multi-genre]16 Carlos Guitarlos 6-9pm Señor Fish [Blues, Pop, Rock’n Roll, Roots]17 Serge Kasimoff 5pm Duna Csárda [Classical, Jazz, Latin, Pop]17 Javier Vergara 5-7:30pm Señor Fish [Jazz]21 SHOWCASE: 7pm Society of Singers Fundraiser HSB&G [multi-genre]21 OPEN MIC / JAM: 8pm HSB&G [Jazz, multi-genre]23 Carlos Guitarlos 6-9pm Señor Fish [Blues, Pop, Rock’n Roll, Roots]24 Serge Kasimoff 5pm Duna Csárda [Classical, Jazz, Latin, Pop]24 Javier Vergara 5-7:30pm Señor Fish [Jazz]28 Pavior Night 5:30-7pm Honoring Charles Owens and Dolores Petersen HSB&G [Jazz]28 SHOWCASE: 7pm Fuasi Abdul-Khaliq, Guest Co-Host Jeffery Winston HSB&G [Jazz]28 OPEN MIC / JAM: 8pm Guest Co-Host Randal Fisher HSB&G [Jazz, multi-genre]29 Chambers, Herbert & Ellis 8pm Duna Csárda [Jazz]30 Carlos Guitarlos 6-9pm Señor Fish [Blues, Pop, Rock’n Roll, Roots]NOTICE - L.A. Acoustic Meetup Fridays @ Cafe Audrey on hiatus until further notice.
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