Kevin Smith is everywhere these days. But is he going somewhere?
Smith burst onto the scene in 1994 with the micro budgeted “Clerks,” a film that I’ve been told was barely watchable prior to significant post-production that pushed the budget well over $200K, a still smallish amount for the time. I’ve been a consistent admirer of his work but not always a fan. Since his impressive start with a few special movies like “Chasing Amy” and the terrific “Dogma,” his audacious work as of late hasn’t measured up. When I interviewed him back in 2004 about the soft and largely unsuccessful “Jersey Girl,” I found him to be open to fair criticism. The guy could tell I did not like the film and he seemed to be okay with that.
But his conduct surrounding “Red State” shows an utter disregard for any kind of criticism—fair or otherwise. As he crisscrosses the country on what could be described as a barnstorming trip self-distributing his latest feature, he keeps showing up on YouTube where he demonstrates a devil-may-care attitude. And his standup comedy rap might be getting a little old. After all, like me, the guy is no longer in his 30s. Recently, I caught his one-man show, “Kevin Smith: Too Fat For 40,” on Netflix and found his irreverent, expletive filled ranting fun, for a little while. I suspect that his waning popularity will fade more until he decides to, and this is harsh, grow up and make another significant film. He’s certainly got the talent. After reading Todd McCarthy’s largely positive review of “Red State,” I suspect that Smith’s new horror film isn’t going to win a new hoard of adoring viewers. As of writing this column, the film registers a 29% rotten rating on RottenTomatoes.com (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/red_state/). Of course, I will see the film, eventually, and decide for myself.
In a recent interview with the NY Post, Smith has said he doesn’t even consider himself a filmmaker, rather, he was “never made to be a filmmaker.” As he continued his tour with a screening of “Red State” and Q&A last night at Radio City Music Hall, it is becoming more and more apparent that Smith would rather be the new slacker Spalding Gray than the next Robert Altman.
Sure, he’s readying a hockey movie reportedly called “Hit Somebody” and without filmmaking Smith would never have been pushed into popular culture. The attempt with “Red State” was, I think, to grow as a filmmaker and to make a movie that commented metaphorically on a serious political issue. “State” is a satiric look through the horror genre lens at pastor Fred Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church. In the movie a pastor not unlike Phelps is played by actor Michael Parks (from “Kill Bill”). The cast also includes recent Oscar winner Melissa Leo.
With Smith’s name recognition, his eclectic and well-known cast, and the horror/satire subject matter, “Red State” most certainly could have found some kind of traditional distribution. But Smith opted to do it himself. And my feeling is that the decision was not exclusively creative but, instead, there were smart financial considerations at work. And as Hollywood’s grasp on the theatrical and home distribution models has lessoned significantly, Smith’s self-distribution plan may be a stroke of genius. In fact, his tour is not just about his latest movie, it is a test of the Kevin Smith brand. And that brand includes the launching and merchandising of a number of ventures including an internet radio station and the extension of something affectionately called his “view askewniverse.”
The traveling roadshow that is Kevin Smith and is more than just movies might be coming to your town. It will be in Atlanta on March 29th, 2011, at the Cobb Energy Centre. You can request a screening in your home town through the film’s many websites including http://www.coopersdell.com/.
