Actors join ‘Taillights’
By Andrew Hindes

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) – Denise Richards (“Wild Things”), Jake Busey (“Contact”) and Breckin Meyer (the upcoming “54”) are set to star in the indie action comedy “Taillights Fade.”

The film follows two couples as they race across Canada to help a jailed friend by emptying his warehouse full of pot before the cops find it. Elizabeth Berkley, Margot Kidder and Tanya Allen round out the cast.

The five-week shoot begins in British Columbia on Wednesday, with Malcolm Ingram directing from a script by screenwriter partner Matt Gissing. “Chasing Amy” director Kevin Smith is serving as an executive consultant.

IT’S THE END OF THE ROAD FOR ARMAGEDDON POSTER: A spectacular billboard advertising the forthcoming blockbuster ARMAGEDDON has been ordered down by Californian police. The enormous advert, which was painted onto the side of a building, has proved so realistic it has snarled up traffic on the busy San Diego Freeway in Los Angeles. The film, about an asteroid hurtling towards Earth, is not set for release in America until next month, but film bosses wanted to get the hype underway hot on the heels of the dissapointing box office performance of rival blockbuster GODZILLA. The huge Armageddon ad makes the building look like it’s been hit by a comet which has blasted right through to the other side. But because of the threat of multi-car pile-ups, Californian Highway Patrol asked film studio TOUCHSTONE PICTURES to paint over the eye-popping artwork. A studio insider said, “It is a bit of blow as we are using the design across the country so we are having to wipe it out six or seven times.” TERRY CURTIN, spokeswoman for parent company WALT DISNEY, says, “The City of Los Angeles ordered us to remove the billboard as it was a traffic obstruction.” Armageddon stars BRUCE WILLIS, BEN AFFLECK and LIV TYLER.

Warner Brothers and Kevin Smith???

Ok folks, now the first thing I’m gonna say, is don’t go running out telling everyone you know that this is so, Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut, I got some interesting vibrations that came out of the oil tincan today. The first one was that WARNER BROTHERS is talking to Kevin Smith about SUPERMAN LIVES and that theproject isn’t dead, then the next bit came from another vibration saying that WARNER BROTHERS is hiring Kevin Smith to do the script for THE SCOOBY DOO MOVIE. Sudden evil comes over Harry as he envisions Ben Affleck with blonde hair as Fred and Banky as Shaggy (REPEAT THIS ISN’T TRUE JUST A HARRY DELUSION)

So what can we gleam from this? Well that according to the sources I have in Terry Semel’s office, Kevin Smith and Warner Brothers are talking about…something. Ok all you View Askewers, what’s up?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — MAY 27, 1998

Independent Film Channel and Oni PressStay Open All Night

The Independent Film Channel will air an Open All Night Clerks MarathonSaturday, June 13. The Open All Night Marathon will present the widescreenformat version of Kevin Smith’s film CLERKS for 12 straight hours. Theshowings will alternate between the version of the film as seen intheaters, and the version of the film with director Kevin Smith’scommentary about it, as found on the Criterion laser-disc edition. Aftereach showing, there will be a never-before-seen on television segmentpresenting out-takes and the theatrical trailers from the film.Oni Press is a promotional partner in this event. During the breaksbetween showings of the film, an Oni Press placard bearing the companylogo and featuring a graphic of CLERKS: THE COMIC BOOK and the photo coverof JAY & SILENT BOB #1, along with the Comic Shop Locator Service Number(888-COMIC BOOK) will be shown. A voice over urging viewers to call inorder to find out where and how they can obtain copies of the books willaccompany the visual.

The Independent Film Channel is the most widely distributed channeldedicated to independent film on television. Managed and operated by BravoNetworks, IFC is a pay-channel presenting independent films uncut andcommercial-free, 24 hours per day. The IFC advisory board is comprised ofMartin Scorsese, Jodie Foster, Tim Robbins, Robert Altman, Joel and EthanCoen, Martha Coolidge, Jim Jarmusch, Spike Lee, Steven Soderbergh and EdSaxon. IFC reaches more than 13 million homes nationwide.

We at Oni Press are very excited about this opportunity, and are surethis will be an exciting event for the Independent Film Channel, theirviewers, comic shops, their customers, and Kevin Smith fans all-around. Formore information on this event, please feel free to contact either theoffices of Oni Press or the Independent Film Channel as listed below.

Where to begin…

First off, I’ve gotta say that I’m the most exhausted that I’ve ever been in my life. We’re all running on fumes here at ‘Bearclaw’, as we make that mad dash to the finish line (we’re about five days away from wrapping).

Which means that more folks are starting to disappear. Today we lost two of them: Salma and Alanis.

Yes – Alanis is in the movie (though what part she’s playing, wild horses couldn’t drag out of me).

Two very different actresses; two very different performances. One very depressed director.

Salma was an anthrapomorphic sonic boom on set – a presence that always invigorated. When they said big things come in small packages (whoever said it first), they were talking about the mujer herself (hopefully, ‘mujer’ still means ‘woman’… my Spanish is mucho rusty). Hers is a breakthrough performance, marking new terrain for the little Latina. A loooooooong time ago, Robert Rodriguez and I were talking about Salma being cast in the flick, and he said she had a knack for comedy that hadn’t been explored yet.

Call me Magellan.

And as for my favorite Canadian/Human on the planet…

Well, how can I put this diplomatically…

Fuck anyone that had the temerity to diss her on this board. She turned in one of the best peformances in the flick – not an easy feat, that, considering the high calibre of work turned in by everyone. And in addition to her thesping skills, she’s about the kindest, most pure soul I’ve ever met (qualities that always come in handy on a movie set – especially one that’s as ready to cash it in as this one). She’ll be missed by not many – but rather ALL (especially yours truly).

And lastly, last week, me and Mewes performed ‘the song’ in the strip club. I was the most terrified I’ve ever felt, having to get up and sing – so much so that I demanded a closed-set (only six folks, two cameras, me and Mewes). But when all was said and done, to be really honest here, the scene was hillarious. It represents a whole new side to Silent Bob.