OK

Well it looks like it will see the light of day after all. Plans are afoot……..I’m just working things out now with fearless leader.

Alls I can say right now.

But thank you to everyone who posted on the subject a couple of boards ago……it inspired me to give it a final push.

” DOGMA- God is a woman. Jesus is black. Prophets are into smoking herb and heavy masturbation. Obviously, anyone easily offended by jokes about religion should just sod right off”.

SUPERMAN REBORN

Sadly, that first section of this article was no joke. Erstwhile producer (and ex-hairdresser) Jon Peters has been trying to get this off the ground since 1997. At the outset, the project was promising due to the fact that Peters had commissioned cult-icon Kevin Smith (Dogma) to write a faithful script that would introduce new fans to DC Comics’ oldest champion of truth, justice and the American way while also paying respect to longtime comic retentives. Smith’s initial script, entitled Superman Lives was a genuine treasure, updating the character while retaining the spirit of what made him an icon in the first place.

Enter Peters, whose input ranged from “Y’know what makes comic book movies so great? Real martial artists,” to “I loved the gay character in Chasing Amy so much that I want one in this movie too — ooh, I know, let’s make it a gay, hyperintelligent, robotic canine! That’s sure to pack ‘em into the seats!” Not surprisingly, Smith moved on and disassociated himself from the project, which still has Nicholas Cage attached for the Clark Kent role (to Cage’s credit, he has admitted to being a fan since childhood). As early as last year, Tim Burton expressed interest in directing, but opted to do Sleepy Hollow when no new script of any caliber emerged. Don’t look for the flick to hit the local multiplex in the forseeable future.

…By the time he he made 1995’s Mallrats, things seemed to be going from bad to worse. But it was this misbegotten mistake that would turn his life around. Mallrats was an embarrasing failure, but its writer-director Kevin Smith was able to see past Affleck’s baby face and envision the makings of a star. “I was like, ‘Why is Affleck always playing the bully? He is so not that,’”, Smith told Premiere magazine. “Around that time I started writing Chasing Amy and I decided to give him the leading man part.”……Last November, they (him and Matt Damon) co-starred in Kevin SMith’s Dogma, a controversial comedy in which they play a pair of fallen angels whose banishment lands them in the American Midwest-a fate to which they can relate. “It was easy to fall into playing old buddies who have been kicking around on Earth together for eons, because that’s how we feel about each other,” Damon explained. “We’ve been through a lot together; we’ve had some exciting times and some pretty boring ones, so we can imagine spending an eternity in Wisconsin together.” And then there is the loyalty factor. Affleck’s career started to take off while Dogma was in production, but his commitment to the project never wavered. “No matter how much Ben’s star rose during the making of Dogma he never lost his desire to make the film or his belief in it,” reported Smith. “Without Ben, I don’t think I could have done this movie.”…

Coolest Omnipotent Being: ALANIS MORRISETTE AS GOD

It was God versus Satan in our celestial poll, and being the Good Samaritans you 11th Hour readers are, Dogma’s God (Morissette) triumphed over End of Days’ Satan (Gabriel Byrne) 37% to 31%. (Although one enthusiastic fan did specify “Gabriel Byrne pisses fire!” on their ballot.) Other cool omnipotent types: Imhotep, The Blair Witch, Mr. Jingles and the Headless Horseman.

Dogma and the world of Kevin Smith

The new movie Dogma opens this week. We take a look at the film online and how director Kevin Smith has used the Internet to build quite a fan base.

To a broad audience, Kevin Smith is not the most well known director. But to the under 30 “Generation-X” crowd he is a near God. His four films to date have covered the 1990’s and left a trail of pop culture references and impressed fans. His new movie Dogma opening this week, and it takes a potent mixture of Catholicism, fart humour and comic book adventure and turns it into one of the most controversial, yet entertaining movies of the year.

The Kevin Smith legend started in the early 1990’s. A native of Red Bank, New Jersey, Kevin had always been interested in writing and film, but dropped out of the Vancouver School after one year. Working in a local convenience store, he was inspired by Richard Linklater’s film Slackers, and decided he would make his own film with some friends. Turning the camera on his own life, he created a story set in his own place of work, populated with the suburban freaks and weirdo’s that he knew so well. This movie, Clerks became an enormous hit at the Sundance Film Festival, was bought by Miramax, and while it was not a box-office blockbuster, it did very nicely (especially considering the film’s budget was around $27,000.) More importantly, Smith began to draw more and more fans that enjoyed his humour, his pop-culture references and his outlook on life. The biggest thing he has going for him is that he is almost exactly the same as most of his fans, he just gets to make movies for a living.

Smith’s next film, Mallrats could hardly have turned out worse initially. It was a studio film with a $6-8 million dollar budget and was not what anybody really expected. It failed at the box office, and was panned by the critics who had adored Clerks. All was not lost in the long term though, because Mallrats has become a hit on video, and has drawn even more fans. It may be less perceptive than his other films, but Mallrats is simply a laugh out loud silly comedy. Even Smith jokes about its lack of success now, and it has never really done him any harm.

Chasing Amy was a return to form on all fronts. The amusing but also romantic and bittersweet story of a comic book artist who falls in love with a lesbian was adored by critics and made a very healthy box office total. It helped make Ben Affleck a star, and earned Joey Lauren Adams a Golden Globe Award nomination. It had all Smith’s hallmarks of dirty humour and weak men coping with strong women, but it added a much deeper love story and look at relationships. During this time, Smith also helped Ben Affleck and Matt Damon get their project Good Will Hunting made at Miramax – a move that yielded mega-success and several Oscars for his good friends.

It also led him to Dogma. Billed as a fantasy, it details the story of two renegade angels (Affleck and Damon,) who attempt to get back into heaven, but destroy humanity in the process. Trying to stop them are Bethany the abortion clinic worker (Linda Fiorentino,) the unknown 12th Apostle (Chris Rock,) and Smith’s favourite duo, the Cheech and Chong for a new generation, Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes and Smith himself.) Immediately attacked by a group known as the Catholic League, Dogma was called blasphemous in as many ways as possible, despite Smith always stating that his film is “pro faith.” More importantly, Smith is a practicing Catholic himself, and had always wondered whether non-Catholic fans would get some of the references that he had written. With most of the protests directed at Miramax and their parent company Disney, the film was quickly sold to the smaller Lion’s Gate studio, who set out to market their cheaply bought new property in the best way possible. Their tactic worked well, and Dogma has given Smith and his View Askew team the biggest box office total in North America of any of his films – over $30 million. More importantly, it has given him more fame than ever before.

Years before this, Kevin Smith discovered the Internet. From late 1996, his View Askew company website has consistently informed and entertained fans, and given them more access to his inner world than any filmmaker has ever allowed. He has his own real-life and online store Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash, that sells movie merchandise and comic books, including everything to do with Smith’s movies. Hot items include the comics based on Smith’s films, and the issues of the classic Marvel superhero comic Daredevil that Smith has written.

Fan sites abound for Kevin Smith movies, with the biggest and best being News Askew. The two fans, Brad and Chris, that run the site are the biggest Smith devotees out there, and chronicle every move that Smith or his ever widening circle of friends and colleagues make. It makes for very informative reading when you want to know what’s happening and can’t be bothered to wade through the message board or dozens of other media sites. Other interesting sites include Project Pocket Watch, one artists vision of Kevin’s now rejected Superman movie script, and Graphitti Designs, where you can buy action figures of many of Smith’s characters, from Jay and Silent Bob to the upcoming “Buddy Christ”. You don’t know who “Buddy Christ” is? You’ll have to see Dogma and find out!

Kevin Smith is an outstanding example of someone who is famous, yet retains his roots. He refuses to leave his hometown, and will never give up contact with his fans. His web presence is what should be standard in the film world, but rarely is.

The boy who put Red Bank, New Jersey on the map — Kevin Smith — is everywhere these days. His alter-ego, Silent Bob, has a cameo alongside Jay, his annoying sidekick, in the newly released third installment of the Scream franchise; Clerks: The Cartoon will debut on ABC in March; and his satirical look at religion, Dogma, created more controversy in the Catholic Church than the Inquisition. Additionally, Smith will guest star on an upcoming episode of Law & Order and take a turn in the hot seat on the Dennis Miller Show on HBO.

So now what is a successful director and media figure to do? Well, Smith asks his fans what he should concentrate on next. He dropped by his own View Askew Productions website [http://www.viewaskew.com/] and posted to the message board, seeking opinions as to whether or not he should do a sequel to Mallrats. Smith concluded that the first installment never really got a fair chance in the theaters, and now, thanks to home video, has a real fan base for a sequel. Smith also divulged that if he does do Mallrats 2, it would probably be the last outing for the not-so-dynamic duo. He has plans to make more diverse films in the future in favor of getting away from the Jay and Silent Bob stereotype.

…

Chase gets visibly annoyed when he discusses his failed attempts to ressurect Fletch.

“I have a great Fletch idea but I got screwed by Kevin Smith, this guy I don’t even know, I had lunch with him once,” rants Chase, “I was told he grew up on Fletch, thought it was the best thing he ever saw.”

“He’d just done this movie, Chasing Amy, so I said ‘Do you really want to write and direct one?’ and he said ‘Yes, I do. Give me a year.’ So I have him a year. At the end of the year, I heard from the producer; he needs another year. Gave him another year. At the end of the second year, I heard from the producer, ‘Kevin doesn’t want to do it.’ Two to three years I waited for this guy who has never sent me a note, a postcard, called me or anything. That’s a lot of time lost when you’re my age and you want to do a Fletch picture. I find it surprising and rude and way off the beat, particularily for a young director.”

May 12, 1999

Ah, Chevy. I knew you were a back-biter. Here’s my history of the ‘Fletch’ project.

1) I meet with Universal after ‘Amy’. They as if I want to do anything with them. I say that they’ve got ‘Fletch’ and I’d write a ‘Fletch’ flick for them, if they wanted (not only did I dig the first flick, but I was a huge fan of the series of books by Gregory McDonald). They said “Hmmmmm…” Then they said “Who do you see as Fletch?” I looked at them blankly, then said “Chevy Chase, of course.” They said “Isn’t he too old?” Then I said “No – he’s the man when it comes to Fletch. You can’t make a Fletch flick without him.”

2) I’m sent to meet with Brian Grazer of Imagine Entertainment to discuss project further. He comes on as Producer. We meet with Alan Greisman (sp?) who was a producer on the original ‘Fletch’ flicks. He says Chevy is excited, and I should meet him and grab lunch, etc.

3) I meet Chevy Chase who – over the course of an hour lunch – procedes to take credit for anything funny that ever happened on the planet. Ever. He tells me the whole flick was ad-libbed, and that that’s how he’d like to do the next one. I tell him that I’m all about the script. He nods politely, as I’m a neophyte in this biz. I mention that we’re doing a flick called ‘Dogma’, and ask him if he’d want to come down and do a day or two (as Glick; I’d wanted Carlin, but his manager passed on the script; George and his manager later changed their minds). He says “Send me the script.” I do (he calls the office twice to ask about the ‘Fletch’ script; ‘Dogma’ is never mentioned again).

4) I get bogged down doing ‘Dogma’ and twenty other things. My agent asks if I’ll ever get to ‘Fletch’. I say “Yes, but in about a year and a half; after all this ‘Dogma’ stuff.” He says that Uni and Grazer are only as high on the project as I am (they’re not really interested in being in the Chevy Chase business anymore), so if I’m not passionate about it right now, we should let it go. I take the advice of counsel, and the project goes away.

That’s it. There was only going to be another ‘Fletch’ flick because I brought it up during a meeting with Universal. They were only considering Chevy Chase because I was fighting for him (even told them there’d be no point in doing the flick without Chase). I wanted to call it ‘Son of Fletch’, and cast Joey as his daughter. Lee was going to play her beau. I wanted to get Goldie Hawn for a cameo. But things got too hectic, and something had to give. ‘Fletch’ gave.

Now, the assertion that Chevy had to find out about it too late from a friend is assinine. The studio knew a year ago. I’m sure someone passed the message onto him way earlier than he lets on in the Post piece. But if he’d rather think I let him down, that’s cool. Hell – he’s let me down dozens of times (‘European Vacation’, ‘Christmas Vacation’, ‘Vegas Vacation’, ‘Cops and Robertsons’, ‘Oh Heavenly Dog’, that Jonathan Taylor Thomas picture, etc.).

When all was said and done, at least I got to meet Chevy Chase, I used to think. Now I’m sort of regretting it.