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
Dinerstein, who was brought onboard to design a release plan while Red State was in production, says the goal is to maximize Smith’s fan base while spending as little money as possible on traditional promotion. “On this preview tour to date, we haven’t spent a dime on ‘advertising,’ ” Dinerstein says, and though he doesn’t promise total advertising abstinence going forward, he stresses that Smith already has the kind of awareness within a certain demographic that money can’t buy. “I think there’s absolutely a built-in audience [that] Kevin’s able to communicate with in a very unique way — there’s an inherent trust between his audience and Kevin.”
What seems most striking about the microcosm of that audience making up the near-sellout crowd at Denver’s Paramount is the extent to which Smith’s modes of communication have become infectious. The great majority of seat fillers that night look as though they were carved in Smith’s image: They’re mostly male, apparently born after the JFK assassination, and, in keeping with Smith’s own dress code, clad in backward baseball caps, hoodies and voluminous hockey jerseys.
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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Preshow, while finishing up smokes outside or standing in line for beer, they buzz with the sound of fandom. Friends debate the relative merits of Smith’s films (“Dude, Cop Out is not that bad!”) and try to one-up one another with Smith-related anecdotes. Strangers exchange Twitter handles and promote their own, likely Smith-inspired blogs and podcasts.
For a self-admitted “huge fan of Kevin Smith” like 24-year-old Michael Cuculich, paying more than $100 for tickets for him and his wife to attend tonight’s show was about more than the bragging rights of seeing Red State early. In January, he wrote a post on his blog, cucumovies.blogspot.com, crediting Smith as a major influence in his decision to “actively pursue my dream” of making movies, starting with his application to the Vancouver Film School — Smith’s alma mater.
Cuculich updated the post after Sundance to state his admiration for Smith for “reviving and reinventing independent film, right as I’m getting ready to enter it.”
Waiting for the show to start at the Paramount, Cuculich says buying road-show tickets was his way of buying into that reinvention. “Even though I’m broke, that’s money I’m willing to invest.”
Cuculich says he’d be “bummed” if Smith quits the filmmaking game after Hit Somebody, but his ardor for all things Smod seems to back up Smith’s insistence that “the movie is irrelevant — it’s [just] what gets ’em in the door for the conversation.”
That conversation starts while the movie is in progress. The viewers make catty, snarky comments loud enough to hear several rows over (“Whoa, turn the lights out!” shouts one dude when Melissa Leo’s would-be seductress appeared on-screen), and cheer wildly when the bad guys are blown away. Meanwhile, Smith sits in the back of the theater at his laptop, live-tweeting his reactions to the audience’s reactions.
And when he returns to the stage after the movie, Smith starts the formal conversation by grading their performance. “You were very interactive. And a little bloodthirsty. Way more bloodthirsty than Chicago.” With that, the crowd goes nuts.
But is this what he tells all the crowds? What if Smith’s claim that he’s quitting filmmaking to “talk, talk, talk,” is, in fact, all talk? After his self-admitted “Barnum-ism” at Sundance, how can we trust that anything he does is anything but a publicity stunt?
We can’t. Like it or not, in the post–reality TV social-media world where Smith lives, a product and its promotion are virtually indistinguishable — it’s all entertainment. To fret about that disappearing line is to admit to not getting it. And while Red State represents a creative 180 for Smith as a director, more than that, it may be a test perpetuated by Smith the marketer, to measure exactly how far outside of the usual comfort zone he can convince his faithful to travel.
For what it’s worth, the people working with Smith have either been fed the same line as the rest of us, or have simply been asked to parrot it. “I hear the same thing as you — Kevin tells me he’s going to make one more film and then hang up his skates,” Dinerstein says. “I don’t have a crystal ball, and it would be a shame if he quits. But I hear the same thing as you.”
Kelly — who calls Red State Smith’s best film and says, “It should be nominated for Oscars” — is slightly more skeptical. “I don’t think that ‘retirement’ is ever a permanent thing,” he says. “There is always the option to switch gears and return, especially when you retire at the very height of your game, with miles to go before you sleep. Kevin is only 40 years old, and I certainly hope that he makes many more films one day. But maybe he won’t. Who knows?”
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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