By Tom Leao

American director Kevin Smith is, above anything, a nerd (my note: not a cool way to kickoff a report, but don't take that journalist bad, as i know him personally, far from a mean guy). He's a completly pop/trash culture literate guy, unconditional Star Wars saga fan and comic books collector.He'd probably be the last person we'd imagine involved in the middle of religious controversy promoted by his most recent film, "Dogma", which had its release date postponed in Brazil for next 28th.

Around here, the movie has inspired protests even before released. The Property and Family Tradition Movement (TFP) has started a campaign for over 2 months in order to forbid "Dogma"'s exhibition on Brazil, including Internet mailchains and a under-signed adressed to the Minister of Justice, Jose Carlos Dias. TFP claims the movie is blasfemous. One of the possible exhibitors, the Luiz Severiano Ribeiro chain intends to watch the movie this week still to "evaluate its commercial potential"( my note: now you figure the hell it is to watch indies around here...).

SINGER IS GOD'S HUMAN INCARNATION IN THE PICTURE

"Dogma"'s already been filed in a infamous list besides some other more serious movies such as " Je vous salue Marie", by Godard, and "The Last Temptation of Christ". It's the director's fourth commercial work after the New Jersey comedy trilogy ( 'Clerks', 'Mallrats' and 'Chasing Amy' - my note: around here 'Clerks' was titled 'The Balconist' and 'Mallrats', grab a hold on your panties, 'Stopped at the mall'. The reason for such disastrous translation work is due to Shannen Doherty's presence on the movie. 'Beverly Hills 90210' was translated here as 'Stopped at the ball', which was a 70's expression for something, non-related whatsoever with anything of that series plot,so... now if you could stop laughing...) with basically same characters and cast. Back in "Dogma" are characters Jay and Silent Bob ( Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith himself) present in all the movies before, plus recurring actors as Ben Affleck ( Bartleby angel), Matt Damon (Loki) and Jason Lee (Azrael), besides names like Salma Hayek ( the muse Serendipity), Linda Fiorentino (Bethany), Chris Rock (Rufus), Alan Rickman (Metatron) and luxury cameos by Janeane Garofallo, Bud Cort and singer Alanis Morissette, as God's human incarnation. The movie's a comedy that checkmates Catholic churches dogmas, because the plot that involves two fallen angels, a descendant of Christ, a renegade apostle, demons and the very God. From his home in New Jersey, Smith talked to O GLOBO about the fuzz around his movie, which after catholic groups protests, was released on a limited circuit on the US.

RELIGION DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SO SERIOUS, SMITH SAYS

The movie begins with a titlecard explainig it's a fantastic comedy and, if God exists, He must have some sense of humour too. During the interview, the director repeated constantly the necessity of knowing something before criticizing or opposing it:

-I don't mean that's necessary to be raped to know a rape, but some knowledgement of the cause is needed to defend or oppose any subject. My movie is pro-faith, pro-catholic - says Smith. And the director says that with cause knowledgement.

- I'm a practing catholic, attend sunday mass and have a baptized daughter. The only thing I'm not is an altar boy (laughs). Besides, what I try to express with my movie is that religion doesn't have to be something so serious. You don't have to feel guilty or miserable. On the future I believe Catholicism will review its dogmas and will try to be more open and free. On the movie, there's a priest that tries to renew Jesus' image with the line "Jesus is cool", which is very similar to the Priest Marcelo Rossi. The director thought it was a good coincidence and was surprised knowing our pop priest's got a CD on the albums' chart (my note: the director thought wrong and surprise doesn't even begin to describe it):

- This priest's even more daring than mine. But they represent the change I think it's about to come on the Catholic church on the 21st century. We'll be happier catholics, no guillty,no pain, more open to the world (my note: dear Smith, if Marcelo Rossi represents the future of catholic church, you'll become jewish in no time).

DIRECTOR SAYS 'END OF DAYS' MAKES INVOLUNTARY HUMOUR

The fact the movie was released in such a mystic time, end of the century, is merely accidental:

- I didn't think about any of this. This millennium deal doesn't affect me. What happens is I wrote the script in 1984, when I was nobody on the showbizz, and only now I could shoot it, because I needed money for this movie, that recquired SFX and some production, instead of 'Clerks'. As a comedy, Smith says 'Dogma' runs against 'End of Days', starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, currently showing in Rio:

- 'End of Days' is much funnier than 'Dogma', because its humour is involuntary, as my movie is an actual comedy.