- How to know you’ve got a good movie trailer on your hands: It gets people talking. The press takes notice. And, most of all, it makes you ask the queston: “How soon can I see that movie?”. The “Red State” trailer, which took the web by storm and surprise yesterday, does all those things. The quick-edit, score and dialogue-free style has us replaying it over and over again, catching new glimpses each time. Just as Kevin promised, “Red State” looks like nothing he’s ever put in front of a camera before – Unrelenting, bleak, and DARK. We love it.
Take a look at some of our favorite shots grabbed from the teaser – If you blinked when you watched, you might have missed them.
We rushed the link up yesterday, but have had some time to catch up on everything else now — Here’s Kevin’s lead-in and introduction from yesterday’s twitter stream when he unleashed the video:
It’s been a bumpy 2010 – some people might even say turbulent. I’m not clear on turbulence concept as I didn’t fly much this year… *ahem*
I also got into scraps galore – some justified, some childish. I can make no excuses but to admit I’ve learned from both. We rise, we fall. We turned one podcast into MANY this year. I released the highest grossing flick I’ve ever made. I had FUN. All thanks to you good people. For someone in my line of work, no paycheck – no matter how astronomical – can hold a candle to an an appreciative & invested audience.
You folks ARE worth far more to me than you can ever know – or SHOULD ever know, for that matter, as it’d give you the thin girl upper-hand. Every day, I wake up, take a leak, & open Twitter. And you “strangers” Tweet sentiments so nurturing/encouraging, it’s as if you’re family. I’d like to thank you, the folks on Twitter – with whom I spend more time than I do my own family – for your 2010 cyber-affection/attention.
And the best way I can thank you is to STRONGLY suggest you click on the homepage for http://smodcast.com Merry Christmas, SModomites.
And then came the net’s reaction, to which Kevin said this:
Via @B_Hebertson “People talking shit on movie news sites pisses me off” Why? They’re talking about RedState – that’s all that matters.
However, if you wanna lessen the sting, let’s do some simple math: over @ AICN, inarguably the site with the most trash-talkin’est of all the TalkBack boards offered at any of the movie-centric urls, the RedState trailer’s getting lots of chatter – the most, it would seem, with 120 comments. And that’s not 120 different people making comments; just 120 comments. Let’s be VERY generous and say 100 people made those 120 comments since that story went up around noon. That’s not bad; again – good enough to make it the current top commented story. However, If I walk away from Twitter to take a leak, I’ll return to about 120 new comments – no repeats, all uniques. And go read my Twitter feed today: there are literally THOUSANDS of Tweeted kudos from people who’re gonna pay to see RedState as soon as they can. And those cranks at the movie site comments section that sparked this discussion? They’re gonna pay to see it, too – just to see if they’re right. If they don’t they can’t be considered serious cineastes, can they? So don’t sweat the comments, man: a) the number of negative comments in the TalkBack section of the most popular movie website on the planet number under 100; and, as explained, they’re gonna give me their money anyway. And b) ALL chatter is good chatter. So let ’em scrum in the corners all they want; I’m way up here with the puck, and the goalie’s a sieve.
We also loved this post from AICN gury Harry Knowles on the new trailer as well as his thoughts on Kevin’s other works. Take a look.
And finally, what about that mysterious MARCH title card at the end? Seems that, according to Kevin, it’s just a plan/goal, but he seems confident that the film will be ready for a quick turn around once distribtuion is announced:
Via @ToastedSchizo “So ballsy of you to put ‘March’ at the end without a distrib.” JFK told a story about his Grandfather, who grew up in Ireland. Walking home from school, there was this long, high stone wall that – if gotten over – halved the time it took to get home. One day JFK’s grandfather threw his cap over the wall – knowing if he came home without the cap, he’d be bitch-slapped. To fully motivate himself to do something difficult, he committed – to a risky degree. Tagging that trailer with March was me throwing my hat over the wall. #FuckWaiting
Kevin continues to show his dedication and love for the film by taking it right to the most simple of approaches — He’s created his own poster art, cut his own trailer, handled all his own press. The movie cost just under $4 million to take, and the trailer was cut in less than 20 minutes. Yes, TWENTY MINUTES!
“Red State”, today, is the most talked-about film on the internet. We’re just glad that March 2011 is just a few months away. Can’t wait? Watch this site for details on how you can be part of the “Red State of the Union”, semester #2, at SModcastle, later in January.
Archive for December 24th, 2010
It’s a New Year’s Eve FIASCO – BE THERE!
- With Christmas almost here, the next question on many folk’s minds becomes what their New Year’s Eve plans might be — Los Angelinos, your dilemma is now solved. Kevin has announced a 3 hour event at the Jon Lovitz Comedy Club at Universal Citywalk, a marathon “Babble On” with the hilarious Ralph Garman.
The show begins at 9:00 PM on Friday, December 31, 2010. This one-time-only New Years Eve Fiasco includes:
- A very special 3-hour HOLLYWOOD BABBLE-ON!
- The famous HB-O drinking game LIVE! Everyone gets a copy of all the official rules with admission!
- The premiere of the new HB-O game show: “KEVIN’S CLOSET”! Win semi-valuable prizes that have been pulled from the depth’s of Kevin’s closet at home!
- Big Kahuna Package Includes: (1) Admission, Guaranteed Seating, H’ordeurves, Dessert, 2 glasses of champagne per person OR bottle of champagne per couple.
You can buy your tickets online immediately — And we highly recommend it, as this is a sure sell-out affair. Be there for the funniest December 31st, 2010 on any coast.
View Askew NewsBites™
- The people behind this look back at 2010 flicks really should be hired by the Oscars or at least the MTV awards to throw together film clippage — It’s an amazing look back at the films produced or released this year, and a must-watch (and yes, it’s got a little “Cop Out” in there, too).
- Kevin says that the new Weinstein deal announced last week makes the long-awaited (and in our opinion, superior) “Jersey Girl Extended Cut” Bluray a “real possibility”.
- Among those on the wish list for a future edition of SMovieMakers at SModcastle? JJ Abrams. With “Super 8” on the fringe, perhaps he’d like to show clippage to a select audience of 50? If you’ve got a connection, let him know.
- Longtime View Askew contributor, and star of the “Blow Hard” and “Mo and Glo” podcasts, Malcolm Ingram has a new quest — To make a porno. Stay tuned to new episodes of “Blow Hard” for details. You can also get involved immediately through a donation on that site.
- With today being Christmas eve, just in case this is our last visit with you pre-holidays, let us wish you and yours the very best of holidays — Thanks for spending a few minutes with News Askew, whether you’re here at the ‘ol .com, on twitter, or your other e-delivery product of choice. And don’t forget, big changes and enhancements to News Askew are coming in 2011. See you soon.


















