- In the biggest news of the week, the Weinstein brothers are close to purchasing back the company they founded way back in 1979, the company that brought us “Clerks” and so many more of Kevin’s wonderful films. Kevin spent the later part of the week tweeting his support as well as some fun attempts to sweeten the offer to Disney. This from the Hollywood Reporter:
- Weinsteins to take back Miramax
It looks as if the Weinsteins have managed to fashion a winning bid in the Miramax auction and will take back operating control of the company they founded in 1979 and sold to Disney for $80 million in 1993.
Running the process internally, the Burbank studio for months has been soliciting offers for the recently shut specialty-film unit and its 611-title library.
Miramax founders Harvey and Bob Weinstein had been building enough financial muscle to put together an offer of $600 million or thereabouts, seeking to top bids from such rival suitors as businessmen Alec and Tom Gores and a more controversial one from Hollywood wheeler-dealer David Bergstein.
Harvey and Bob Weinstein have been kibitzing with billionaire financier Ron Burkle throughout the auction process. In addition to Burkle’s Yucaipa group, the duo’s backers include hedge funds Fortress and Colbeck Capital. In effect, Burkle and friends would be the official buyers, but the Weinsteins effectively would run the operation.
No word yet on when an official announcement of the deal will be made, as Disney lawyers apparently were still going over the financial details provided by the Weinsteins on Thursday.
“No deal has been reached,” a Disney spokesperson said Thursday night.
WaxWord did a great job summarizing Kevin’s tweets of support as well:
- Exclusive! Kevin Smith Sweetens Weinstein’s Offer for Miramax
News from Silent Bob, the man who lately made SouthWest Airlines tremble with his mere thumbs.
Filmmaker Kevin Smith writes WaxWord that he has desperately been trying to help Bob and Harvey Weinstein close the deal to buy Miramax. “I’ve sweetened the Weinstein’s offer to buy Miramax back,” he writes. “All day yesterday and just now this morning, I’ve been throwing Tweets and large artwork at the Mouse to up the ante, but they’ve not responded.”
Smith is a Weinstein diehard, who has been following the MIramax sale closely. The brothers bravely backed Smith in making such lasting cultural oddities …landmarks… movies as “Clerks,” “Mallrats,” and “Chasing Amy.” He has been Twittering (@thatkevinsmith) to his million-plus followers about the deal – offernig Mickey Mouse paintings, for example.
The deal is in the midst of pitched negotiations since the Weinsteins were granted an exclusive window through the weekend to try and close the deal.
Here is what Smith has offered in the past few hours, via Twitter:
Ease on down, Dis! 600mil & 2 huge paintings: http://twitpic.com/1gaz4s http://twitpic.com/1gb15k For Miramax. Deal? #YoPharaohLetMyPeopleGo about 2 hours ago via web
On top of Weinstein 600mil bid, AND my giant “Blue Mickey”, I’ll also throw in Helnwein’s “LA Confidential”: http://twitpic.com/1gb15k about 2 hours ago
Your silence in the matter telegraphs the tough negotiator you are, Disney. So lemme sweeten the pot with ANOTHER piece of giant Disney art! about 2 hours ago via Echofon DearDisney: Friday, I offered to sweeten Harvey/Bob’s 600mil Miramax bid w/ inclusion of this giant MM painting: http://twitpic.com/1gaz4s about 2 hours ago via Echofon
That & I promise to never tarnish your magical legacy w/ twat & cock jokes ever again. Please, Disney… #WaltWouldSellMiramaxToHarveyAndBob about 18 hours ago via Echofon
This amazing, eight foot Gottfried Helnwein piece will look dope in some lucky Disney exec’s office! So 600 mil… PLUS a Mickey painting! about 18 hours ago via Echofon
Dear Disney, I’d like to sweeten Harvey & Bob’s 600k offer for Miramax by throwing in this giant painting: http://bit.ly/9ackU4
The Weinsteins had last offered $600 million in cash, to those who are following this process. They need to come up with a bit more to beat out their rivals, Alec and Tom Gores, and David Bergstein.
Now they have the mighty Silent Bob on their side. He concludes: “Please inform the Disney cabal that I’m super-serious. They’d look awesome in any exec’s office.”
Archive for April 18th, 2010
View Askew NewsBites™
- Part one of Vic Barry’s epic audio interview with Kevin is available for download right now. This one includes: Kevin’s experience of Dublin, What happened after Zack and Miri, How “Cop Out” has a connection with his Dad, Critics, his evolution, and more. Part two should be on the way this week.
- DVDTalk reveals the second part of their extensive, exclusive interview with Kevin. More great DVD and film-centric stuff here as Kevin discusses things ranging from the “Daredevil” film, “The Crazies”, “Road House”, and, of course, a little bit of “Clerks”, “Mallrats”, and “Chasing Amy” thrown in for good measure. Here’s a snippet:
Kevin Smith: (laughs) Roger Ebert is in rare form with how he keeps re-tweeting his Cop Out review. I was thinking if Roger was trying to send me a message. But he’s liked enough of my stuff in the past. He liked Jersey Girl, but I know he didn’t like Mallrats and Clerks II. He also said something great about Chasing Amy saying how he regretted not putting it in his top ten. Roger has always been so fucking fair. Even though people kept pointing out he keeps re-tweeting that Cop Out review and saying, “isn’t that suspicious?” Obviously I’m not retarded, it’s very suspicious. But he’s a guy who’s been nice to me throughout my career in particular when I really needed it. I wasn’t going to start yelling, “he did what? I fucking guested on his show!” I mean I’ve been saying a lot lately and it’s dawning on me, but I’m almost 40. Getting mad at Roger Ebert is just not in the cards for me. He’s an icon and I like the dude. He didn’t like it? That’s fine, he liked something else I did. It’s not like I don’t get it. I used to be very contentious… Shit, used to be? A few weeks ago I took on a huge corporation (laughs). That was a real thing, but getting mad about an opinion isn’t my thing. Maybe they’ll like the next one. For Cop Out, it’s a different world. A bad review for Cop Out isn’t going to fucking kill the movie. Most people going in are thinking, “we know it’s stupid, who cares?”
Read it all over at DVD Talk.
- Rotten Tomatoes rates the Top 10 films of Chris Rock, with “Dogma” clocking in at #4:
We’re talking about Dogma, the 1999 comedy in which Smith pits a pair of exiled angels (Ben Affleck and Matt Damon) against a ragtag group that includes a Greek muse turned stripper (Salma Hayek), the heretofore unknown 13th apostle (Chris Rock), Jesus Christ’s last surviving relative (Linda Fiorentino), and a pair of unwitting prophets (Jason Mewes and Smith as, of course, Jay and Silent Bob) — all while God (played by Alanis Morissette, natch) lies trapped in the comatose body of a homeless man (s)He was using to play skee ball. Not for the easily offended, obviously — but despite what Dogma’s detractors may have thought, Smith didn’t go for cheap gags, instead using humor to leaven a thoughtful look at what we believe, and why. “Make no mistake,” cautioned TV Guide’s Maitland McDonagh, “Kevin Smith’s talky, farcical comedy of cosmic errors is clever. But it’s clever in a deeply juvenile way.”
- “Clerks” scores a mention in this UK-based article, where it’s revealed that the film is actually on a blacklist from being viewed in a local prison. Truthfully, though, it seems all 18+ rated films were banned, not just specific titles.
- Leaving Mundania is an engaging documentary that explores the lives of anime enthusiasts who express their fandom through “cosplay” (costume play). This film follows several cosplayers from the Greater Toronto Area as they prepare for their annual pilgrimage to Anime North 2009, the largest anime fan convention in Canada. One of the cosplay folks is a “Silent Bob” clone, and has a photo stream available here if you’re curious.
- Speaking of that classic, Total Film has it on its list of “90’s Films That Should NOT Be Remade” :
#16: Clerks (1994)
The ’90s Film: At the time, Kevin Smith’s comedy was a defining document of no-budget slacker filmmaking, with its slapshod camerawork, shaggy-dog dialogue and on-the-pulse video store setting.
Nowadays, apart from still being hilarious, it’s a period piece. The technical ability bar has been raised for budding auteurs, and – as Clerks 2 confirmed – nobody rents anymore.
If They Have To Remake It: It should be topical. Let’s set it in the vast warehouses of Lovefilm.com, with Dante and Randall bitching and moaning all day long as they traipse to the stockroom to post yet another boxset of The Hills.
- In this “interesting” tune from avante-garde metal band “iwrestledabearonce”, a famous “Clerks” line is sampled at the end. A fascinating listen, seeing music like this even exists.
- Back on March 4th, Dave Letterman ran a piece in which “Biff Visits a Movie Set”, which turned out to be the shoot for “Cop Out”. Bruce, Tracy, Kevin, and Malcolm were all spotted. Check it out above!
The “Twitter” Report…
- More great tweets from Mr. Smith this week, including a “Red State” tibit, celebration on the return of Miramax to its rightful owners, comic news, and more random goodies. Here’s a taste of what you missed if you weren’t following:
Via @dvdmike “another 80’s score on #redstate?” Gonna try… TRY… to go no score whatsoever. No score, no music. Just dry and unsettling.
Via @Saint_Johner “u finally getting sick of Twitter? I don’t see as much from ya lately” Sick’a Twit’a? Nev’a! (Just been writing, sir…)
@MikeSeils “SouthwestAir hiring a social media superstar: http://bit.ly/dCp2r1 ” I’d do that job FOR FREE. But first, they gotta let me remake THIS commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHnqnyzegfc …with me as the lead, in titular attire. #KindaSaidTitJustNow
My Gay Proxy, @MalcolmIngram, drops another episode of THE TORONTO, ONTARIO MO & GLO SHOW! In a good way. http://smodcast.com/moandglo
Wanna see me doing it with @SMosier? http://viewaskew.com/events/livenudesmod/ Wanna see me doing it alone? http://viewaskew.com/events/hob
Via @JIMMYDANGER1 “The head backer for Weinsteins is Ron Burkle, co-owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins.” Wow. And me with a hockey movie…
Saw Al Pacino waiting at a light just now. Dude looked contemplative – like he was thinking “Holy shit: I’m Al motherfuckin’ Pacino…”
Walt of @BryAndWalt fame is almost done drawing our 44-page WIDENING GYRE #6! And look who’s back: http://www.viewaskew.com/kevin/lawton.jpg
Remember, it’s totally free to follow Kevin’s tweets at Twitter or via your favorite client of choice.
