Any fans of Kevin Smith?

[looneytooney]

I would love to know if there are fans of Kevin Smith's work on this forum besides me. I love all of his films - "Clerks", "Mallrats", "Chasing Amy", "Dogma", "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back", "Jersey Girl", "Clerks II", and "Zack and Miri" (in chronological order), even "Jersey Girl" because it was something much different from his usual work and shouldn't get the flack it usually does.

My favorite film of his has to be "Chasing Amy" because the dialogue is great, and it takes a much more mature turn than his other films.

What are your feelings on Kevin Smith and his films? Also, what is your favorite?

[Lawrence Hall]

Clerks is a masterpiece! One of the few 90s films that can have that claim.

[SNES Chalmers]

Oh yeah, I'm a pretty big Kevin Smith fan, mainly the View Askewniverse films, but I have seen some of his other movies. It's kind of hard to actually list my favorite films in order, but what I do know is that Mallrats is my favorite movie of his, while I feel Chasing Amy is probably the best film he has made to date.

I also like some of his work outside of his movies. I have Clerks: The Animated Series and the Degrassi: The Next Generation episodes he was in on DVD, I have the interview DVD's he did like An Evening With Kevin Smith, I used to subscribe to his podcast, and I have a few of his comic book story arcs.

I would still like to go to his comic book store out in New Jersey someday though...

[cbrubaker]

I'll have to watch CLERKS someday. The only ones I've seen of that is the short-lived cartoon series from ABC, which I thought was OK at best.

I'm fascinated by the making of the film, though. Basically Smith paid through his own means (selling his comic book collection, maxing out all of his credit cards, insurance money from the car he lost in a flood, etc.) just to make the film.

He was actually working at the store the film was shot in. He wasn't allowed to shoot during the day so he had to film in midnight. With his daytime job he barely slept during the production of the film.

With having to put all of his money into the film he would have lost everything if it flopped. Luckily it was actually a hit, especially considering that it only ran in less than 100 theaters. It made more than $3 million in box office (the budget was $30,000).

[Studio Toledo]

Originally Posted by cbrubaker

I'll have to watch CLERKS someday. The only ones I've seen of that is the short-lived cartoon series from ABC, which I thought was OK at best.

Interesting you saw only that, I saw the movie back in the VHS days myself.

I'm fascinated by the making of the film, though. Basically Smith paid through his own means (selling his comic book collection, maxing out all of his credit cards, insurance money from the car he lost in a flood, etc.) just to make the film.

It's an interesting story at least, and one that thankfully didn't spell disaster or the end of his life in the process (as is the case for many B-movies).

He was actually working at the store the film was shot in. He wasn't allowed to shoot during the day so he had to film in midnight. With his daytime job he barely slept during the production of the film.

He borrowed a line someone else had said about filmmaking, "Film what you know", which is why we have the Quick Stop in the film. It's also been mention the video store on the other side of the strip was where he even edited the film at too.

With having to put all of his money into the film he would have lost everything if it flopped. Luckily it was actually a hit, especially considering that it only ran in less than 100 theaters. It made more than $3 million in box office (the budget was $30,000).

Slacker was made for $23,000 and that director went on to make Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly.

[looneytooney]

Originally Posted by cbrubaker

I'll have to watch CLERKS someday. The only ones I've seen of that is the short-lived cartoon series from ABC, which I thought was OK at best.

I'm fascinated by the making of the film, though. Basically Smith paid through his own means (selling his comic book collection, maxing out all of his credit cards, insurance money from the car he lost in a flood, etc.) just to make the film.

He was actually working at the store the film was shot in. He wasn't allowed to shoot during the day so he had to film in midnight. With his daytime job he barely slept during the production of the film.

With having to put all of his money into the film he would have lost everything if it flopped. Luckily it was actually a hit, especially considering that it only ran in less than 100 theaters. It made more than $3 million in box office (the budget was $30,000).

Get the Clerks X DVD and watch "The Snowball Effect" on Disc 3. It's one of the most inspiring documentaries I have ever seen.

[FishBulb]

I enjoyed his first three films to varying extents, but Dogma and the Jay and Silent Bob movie were a huge step down IMO. He has a tendancy towards self-indulgence that mars even his better films. I haven't seen his three most recent films, so I can't really judge them beyond saying they don't seem terribly appealing. But as this is supposed to be a positive thread, I'll end by saying that I saw Mallrats a couple of weeks ago and it's still very funny, even Affleck is pretty good in it. "Oh what, 15? I thought she was 36!"

[looneytooney]

Originally Posted by FishBulb

I'll end by saying that I saw Mallrats a couple of weeks ago and it's still very funny, even Affleck is pretty good in it. "Oh what, 15? I thought she was 36!"

Affleck before he became big in Smith's next movie, "Chasing Amy".

[Matt the Y]

I love Kevin Smith. I've seen "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back", "Clerks II", and "Zack and Miri Make a Porno". I've got to see the others especially the original "Clerks".

Oh, and the short-lived "Clerks: The Animated Series" was absolutely brilliant.....

[looneytooney]

Originally Posted by Matt the Y

Oh, and the short-lived "Clerks: The Animated Series" was absolutely brilliant.....

He was going to make "Clerks II" in the same animated style about Dante and Randal making a movie about the Quick Stop.