Published in the Asbury Park Press 1/06/02

By ELEANOR O’SULLIVAN
MOVIE WRITER

IT’S BACK, WITH A WORLD premiere no less. VULGARTHON

The third annual “Vulgarthon,” a festival of films made and mentored by Kevin Smith, will run tomorrow and Tuesday at Clearview Cinemas in Red Bank. No tickets, priced at $60 and including after-screenings’ partying, remain; sales were done exclusively on a first-come, first-served basis through Smith’s View Askew Web site.

A spokesman for Clearview Cinemas, White Street, said he had been told by a representative for View Askew, Smith’s Red Bank-based production offices, that Monday’s tickets sold out in 15 minutes. A second night was added because of the demand.

At the top of the “Vulgarthon” bill is the first commercial screening of Bryan Johnson’s “Vulgar,” a very dark comedy about abuse and self-awareness. It stars Brian O’Halloran, Old Bridge, as a kiddie-party clown who is raped at a stag party by a man and his two sons. O’Halloran starred in Smith’s debut feature, “Clerks.”

All of “Vulgar,” which Johnson both wrote and directed, was shot in Monmouth County, including at the Pan American Motel in Eatontown; the White Crystal Diner in Atlantic Highlands; an old water park in Long Branch and a nursing home in Holmdel.

Shooting on “Vulgar” took place in 1997, and post production was completed in 2000. Smith and Johnson unveiled the movie at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2000, where it was picked up by Lions Gate Entertainment, a Canadian-based company that previously distributed Smith’s “Dogma,” after acquiring it from Miramax Films.

Lions Gate anticipated it would release “Vulgar” in 12 American cities, including Red Bank, by the summer of 2001, but has not done so. Calls to Lions Gate Entertainment’s offices in Los Angeles and Canada were not returned.

In addition to “Vulgar” from Johnson, Atlantic Highlands, the comedy “Big Helium Dog,” from Middletown’s Brian Lynch, also will be shown. Both Johnson and Lynch are proteges of Smith.

As for the balance of the “Vulgarthon” bill, this is what the View Askew Web site says: “THE ACTUAL, FINAL LINEUP IS BEING PLAYED CLOSE TO THE VEST, ALL MYSTERIOUS AND CLOAK-AND-DAGGER.”

However, past festival bills have been rounded out by Smith’s own films, including “Clerks,” “Mallrats,” “Chasing Amy” and “Dogma.”

Fans of Smith’s films will hardly be disappointed at that bill. In previous years, they have traveled considerable distances and stood in freezing winds just to get a seat in the Clearview Cinemas for Smith’s movies.

“We love Kevin Smith and we love his movies, all of them,” said Mary Rose Camenzuli of Long Island City, who shivered in line in 1999 while waiting to get in to see Smith’s “Dogma.” And Josh Carson of Raleigh, N.C. made the trip earlier that day with his father and kept going, despite “popping the tires on our van” to see the film.

An invitation-only post-screening party will be held, as Smith says on his Web site, “in a bowling alley. That’s right – Memory Lanes in Red Bank (just a few blocks from the theater, though not really a “walk”) is playing host to the after-gig, as they’re about the only place large enough to fit you lot, that’ll also serve booze (for you drinkers) and pizza (real pizzeria pizza from real pizza ovens) until 2 a.m. The Memory Lanes folks will be shutting the place down for everyone but Thon-goers (from either night), and this most excellent band Merrick will be providing the music (I’ve been to a few of their shows, and they’re the proverbial ‘bomb’). I don’t think there’s a cover charge, but Pizza and booze will cost you (you must be 21 or older to drink, of course). After Merrick’s set, the lanes will be open for bowling.”

A word of caution for bowlers: Despite Smith’s comments, the Web site says the party will be held tomorrow night only. A spokesman for Memory Lanes, Shrewsbury, says league bowling will take place as usual on Tuesday night. Check with the bowling alley (732-747-6880) to be absolutely sure.

And by the by, proceeds from the sale of “Vulgarthon” name buttons will go to a Sept. 11 New York disaster relief fund.