- Straight from Panasonic, View Askew’s now offering the 30 second and the rarely-seen 60 SECOND VERSION of Kevin’s Panasonic DVD recorder commercial, for your viewing pleasure. Simply surf over and enjoy. All in Quicktime format. Later this week, we’ll see the debut of a hilarious 3 minute “Behind The Scenes” segment. Exclusively from View Askew!
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View Askew NewsBites™
- AICN’s got a review of Ben Affleck’s upcoming film, “Paycheck”. It’s an action flick directed by John Woo and based on a Phillip K. Dick story, which really is a nice 1-2 punch on paper. But do they pull it off? The review claims the dialogue suffers, but that Ben is charming and the action is top notch Woo that we’ve grown to know and love. Check it out HERE.
- This one sounds familiar to us, but oh, what the hell – Let’s run it anyway! There’s apparently a fan-made, but unfinished, Bluntman & Chronic video game that you can actually download and try! Snoogans.
- Wanna see what the Project Greenlight people are up to next? “Project Runway”, anyone? Man, wouldn’t ya pay just about anything to watch Chris Moore critique supermodels? That’d be friggin fantastic.
- Hey all your Region 4 DVD’ers — And you know who you are — Wanna know how your new Mallrats SE DVD stacks up against our region one disc? Check out the review. The disc streets in Australia on November 19th. Yeah, you want it.
- Apparently, there’s a character in the new Tony Hawk’s Underground video game that many folks think is a likeness of Jay. No screenshots here or any real evidence, but we’ve gotten enough mail about it that we figured we’d at least mention it.
- And finally today, it wouldn’t have been Halloween here at News Askew without a few Halloween costume shots. So check out Joli as Jay, an unknown dude as Buddy Christ, and hit Files Askew for a newly designed version of the printable Nails cigarette carton. And feel free to send all those unwanted chocolate bars this way. Actually, don’t — There’s plenty already.
View Askew NewsBites™
- Just a few small items again today. First off, there’s a new Stash Bash summary and photos from one fan’s trip available HERE.
- According the the trailer for Ashton Kutcher’s next vehicle “The Butterfly Effect,” Ethan Suplee, View Askew’s lovable Willam Black, has a role in the movie playing a character named “Thumper.” That’s it for the weekend — Hopefully things will pick up again this week. We’ll keep ya posted on anything we hear.
View Askew NewsBites™
- Just a few quickies today. First and foremost, Antony’s huge Stash Bash report with a ton of beautiful new photos is up and available as part of his Renaissance Man series over at MoviePoopShoot. Don’t miss it.
- Here’s the latest article regarding that Clerks play that was being staged in Bakersfield, CA:
License issue stops ‘Clerks’ in tracks
By DANIELLE C. BELTON, Californian entertainment writer
The Man has apparently shut down The Empty Space’s exercise in vulgarity that was the Kevin Smith classic “Clerks.”
Licensing woes have temporarily closed what was a wonderfully disgusting play based on Smith’s first film, “Clerks.” The black-and-white movie told the story of convenience store lackey, Dante Hicks, and one tumultuous day in his life, marked with angry girlfriends and moronic customers.
Roger Mathey who adapted and directed the show thought he followed the right legal protocol to get Jay and Silent Bob to wax profane live in Bakersfield, but it seems that while he got permission from Miramax to use the script, he still needed an OK from Smith himself to play his doppelganger.
“It’s unfortunate,” said Jeff Lepine, The Empty Space’s executive director. “In the future we hope to continue on doing it.”
Mathey called it a case of “Hollywood Law.” He said he was surprised to receive a letter from Kevin Smith’s lawyer asking him to stop performing “characters” that were the property of Smith. While Miramax seems to have rights to the script, Smith owns the character rights to Jay and Silent Bob and their likenesses, and as any Smith film lover knows there is no Kevin Smith film without Jay and Silent Bob.
Bob, played by Smith himself, and Jay, played by Jason Mewes, are two slacker drug dealers. Jay never shuts up and Bob is as his name says, silent.
Mathey said Smith’s attorney was concerned about people appropriating Smith’s characters, defaming them, or profiting from them without the permission of Smith himself.
Mathey said he understands Smith’s concerns, but said his production is in honor of the filmmaker and his tawdry characters. Mathey even bears an unnatural resemblance to Smith and plays Silent Bob in the Empty Space production.
“We’re not mocking (Jay and Bob),” Mathey said. “We’re a tribute to them.”
Mathey hopes to get this matter cleared up. He’s been in direct talks with Smith’s lawyer and might even get a meeting with the cult film director in order to reassure him that his production of “Clerks” is short on money-making, but big on love.
But despite losing their late-night production for the month of October, the good-natured po’ folks at The Space hold no ill will toward Smith’s attorneys who are just protecting the director from poachers wanting to make a quick buck off his hard work.
“Hopefully Roger Mathey will get a meeting with Kevin Smith,” Lepine said. “We understand where Kevin Smith is coming from.”
By DANIELLE C. BELTON, Californian entertainment writer
The Man has apparently shut down The Empty Space’s exercise in vulgarity that was the Kevin Smith classic “Clerks.”
Licensing woes have temporarily closed what was a wonderfully disgusting play based on Smith’s first film, “Clerks.” The black-and-white movie told the story of convenience store lackey, Dante Hicks, and one tumultuous day in his life, marked with angry girlfriends and moronic customers.
Roger Mathey who adapted and directed the show thought he followed the right legal protocol to get Jay and Silent Bob to wax profane live in Bakersfield, but it seems that while he got permission from Miramax to use the script, he still needed an OK from Smith himself to play his doppelganger.
“It’s unfortunate,” said Jeff Lepine, The Empty Space’s executive director. “In the future we hope to continue on doing it.”
Mathey called it a case of “Hollywood Law.” He said he was surprised to receive a letter from Kevin Smith’s lawyer asking him to stop performing “characters” that were the property of Smith. While Miramax seems to have rights to the script, Smith owns the character rights to Jay and Silent Bob and their likenesses, and as any Smith film lover knows there is no Kevin Smith film without Jay and Silent Bob.
Bob, played by Smith himself, and Jay, played by Jason Mewes, are two slacker drug dealers. Jay never shuts up and Bob is as his name says, silent.
Mathey said Smith’s attorney was concerned about people appropriating Smith’s characters, defaming them, or profiting from them without the permission of Smith himself.
Mathey said he understands Smith’s concerns, but said his production is in honor of the filmmaker and his tawdry characters. Mathey even bears an unnatural resemblance to Smith and plays Silent Bob in the Empty Space production.
“We’re not mocking (Jay and Bob),” Mathey said. “We’re a tribute to them.”
Mathey hopes to get this matter cleared up. He’s been in direct talks with Smith’s lawyer and might even get a meeting with the cult film director in order to reassure him that his production of “Clerks” is short on money-making, but big on love.
But despite losing their late-night production for the month of October, the good-natured po’ folks at The Space hold no ill will toward Smith’s attorneys who are just protecting the director from poachers wanting to make a quick buck off his hard work.
“Hopefully Roger Mathey will get a meeting with Kevin Smith,” Lepine said. “We understand where Kevin Smith is coming from.”
- It’s not a View Askew film by any means, but a few bits of Kevin’s diaglogue made it into “Overnight Delivery” (a film process which Kevin spins a good yarn about from time to time in Q&A’s). According to dvdfile.com, New Line will be releasing the film on DVD on January 20th. A bare bones release, it will include anamorphic widescreen and full screen transfers, English Dolby 5.1 and 2.0 surround tracks and no extras. Retail is $19.95.
- And finally today, some campus screening opportunities at Michigan State. At the Campus Center cinemas, for 3 consecutive weekends, starting on the weekend of November 7-9, they will be showing a Kevin Smith film every night for the entire weekend. Week 1: Clerks. Week 2: Mallrats. Week 3: Dogma. Click here for their schedule. It’s free for students with a valid campus ID. Each student can bring only one guest, so you gotta know an MSU student to attend. Enjoy, and we’ll see ya next time.
Pansonic Ad Available Here!
- We’ve finally got a full video capture of Kevin’s Panasonic DVD recorder ad for your viewing pleasure. The clip is being served right here at the News Askew server, and runs around 3 megs in size, so it shouldn’t bog things down too much. Enjoy.
View Askew NewsBites™
- Just a few small items for ya today in addition to the commercial. First off, check AICN for a small Stash Bash 2 wrapup and Jersey Girl story. Very minor spoilers, and positive comments about the film. Don’t forget to visit our wrapup page for lots more.
- DavisDVD has a first look at the DVD cover for “Comic Book: The Movie” (featuring a cartoonish Kevin face!).
- Jim Carrey has signed onto “Six Million Dollar Man” for Dimension, which is to be written and directed by Todd Phillips. No word on if any aspects of Kevin’s script for the film from many years back will be used. Variety reports:
A long-in-development feature-film adaptation of the ABC TV series THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN has finally gotten off-the-ground thanks to Jim Carrey. The actor and his crew had the idea to turn blend their idea for an action movie spoof with SIX MILLION and turned to OLD SCHOOL director Todd Phillips and writer Scot Armstrong to team on the film for Dimension. Only recently did the project turn into a comedy – it was previously a big-budget action film, just the thing Carrey wants to spoof. The project has been around for some time going back as far as the mid/late-90s and a Kevin Smith draft of the script (that you can check out right here http://www.joblo.com/moviescripts18.htm in the JoBlo script archives). Phillips and Armstrong will begin writing the script as soon as the finish their next project SCHOOL FOR SCOUNDRELS, also for Dimension. Filming on SIX MILLION is expected to get underway in fall of 2004 after Carrey wraps FUN WITH DICK AND JANE and Philliips SCOUNDRELS. Next for Carrey is a starring role in LEMONY SNICKET’S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS, which begins filming later this month, and a starring role in ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS mind, set for release early in 2004. Phillips is currently in post-production on STARSKY AND HUTCH with Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, which is set for a spring 2004 release.
- Jay & Silent Bob have been spotted in “The Picture of Everything”, a huge web drawing which basically strives to be, well, a picture of everything. Here’s a small portion in which they’re included, see if you can track them down in the full size one! Adios amigos.
Stash Bash 2: The Aftermath!
- This shot (thanks to Dean) from the StashCam over Bash weekend says it all — Intense! Kevin, Jay, Walt, Bry, and surprise guest Brian O’Halloran signed the weekend away, took photos, and wowed them all. News Askew is recapping the best stories and photos from the event, so be sure to send them to us, along with your photos. New stuff is being added all the time, so be sure and pop by from time to time to spot the new stuff. With such a varied event, there’s stories to tell from the Stash, both inside and out, the bowling alley, and everything in between.
We hope everyone had a good time in Red Bank, and made it home safely after your weekends. It’s always such a huge anticipation getting these events set up, and a little sad when they’re over. Let’s hope that View Askew fans can have another opportunity to get together again soon — Who wants to host the next party? We’re there.
Have Fun @ Da Bash!
- As this will likely be the last update here at NA before Stash Bash 2, we’d like to wish everyone a safe trip into Red Bank and a great time at the party. If you choose to drink (alchohol, that is…) at the bowling alley party, as Kevin has asked, please do it responsibly and remember who this event was set up to honor. So take it easy, folks. But have fun, of course.
Weather in Red Bank over the weekend is looking to be rain-free, which is nice, with temps in the high 50’s to low 60’s. So, you’ll likely want a pair of jeans or something similar on, along with a long-sleeved shirt of some kind, and a jacket if you plan to be out and about in the evening hours. Of course, we’re not your mothers, so dress your damn selves. But be smart about it, as we expect there will be some “outdoor time”, at least as you line up to get into the Stash for your alloted time slot.
This event was painstakingly set up and organized by Ming, Kevin, and a lot of other folks, so please be polite, courteous, and stick to your allotted timeslot. Don’t make it tough on the folks running the event, enjoy your hour inside, then let everyone else have a turn. An hour of time per 30 folks should allow everyone plenty of time to shop, chat, and get stuff signed until their heart’s content.
Have a blast at Stash Bash 2, and for those of you who can’t attend, expect a report and photos here at News Askew over the weekend.
View Askew NewsBites™
- DVDFile.com is reporting that “Comic Book: The Movie” (in which Kevin cameos) will hit DVD on December 16th. Among the special features is “additional interviews with Stan Lee, Kevin Smith, High Hefner and Bruce Campbell.”
- Disney has jumped ship on what sounded like a very interesting flick for Affleck, “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past”. Hopefully, another studio will pick this one up.
- Scott Kurtz, creator of the popular web comic “PVP” , is obviously a View Askew fan, as he’s posted a photo of some Clerks inaction figures in his cell phone photo gallery. Scott’s PVP book is now being published by Image.
Askew’s Brian Lynch To Write For Spidey…
- A congratulations to View Askew’s own Brian Lynch for landing a new writing gig on Unlimited Spider Man for Marvel! Fans know Lynch for having the only currently-unreleased and less seen (but incredibly funny) View Askew flick, “Big Helium Dog”. Of course, Brian’s been keeping busy doing a ton of scriptwriting and with his weekly Monkey Man column over at the ‘Shoot, as well.
MARVEL’S NEW ‘UNLIMITED’ CREATORS
…First up, a View Askew.com homeboy done good – Brian Lynch, who’s Monkey Man strip appears weekly on Newsarama’s sister site, www.moviepoopshoot.com.
“I had just finished writing a really good “stoned guy hits his head on something” joke for Scary Movie 3 when my managers called me to say Marvel Comics wanted to find screenwriters looking to also work in comics,” Lynch explained. “I did, and Marvel asked me to submit a treatment for a character they were looking to relaunch. I wrote this really goofy six-issue arc that I was really proud of, they read it and liked it but decided to go in a grittier direction with the book, but told me they’d be on the look out for anything I might click with. There were a couple more near-misses, and I was starting to worry nothing was clicking, but a few days later, Teresa contacted me and told me about the Unlimited books. I wrote up a list of ideas, Teresa picked her three favorites, I wrote two of them, one of them was the Spider-Man story that will appear in January. They like the other one too, hopefully it’ll pop up somewhere.”
…First up, a View Askew.com homeboy done good – Brian Lynch, who’s Monkey Man strip appears weekly on Newsarama’s sister site, www.moviepoopshoot.com.
“I had just finished writing a really good “stoned guy hits his head on something” joke for Scary Movie 3 when my managers called me to say Marvel Comics wanted to find screenwriters looking to also work in comics,” Lynch explained. “I did, and Marvel asked me to submit a treatment for a character they were looking to relaunch. I wrote this really goofy six-issue arc that I was really proud of, they read it and liked it but decided to go in a grittier direction with the book, but told me they’d be on the look out for anything I might click with. There were a couple more near-misses, and I was starting to worry nothing was clicking, but a few days later, Teresa contacted me and told me about the Unlimited books. I wrote up a list of ideas, Teresa picked her three favorites, I wrote two of them, one of them was the Spider-Man story that will appear in January. They like the other one too, hopefully it’ll pop up somewhere.”
Thanks to Newsarama for the story. Big Helium Dog, by the way, you’ll all finally be able to see. Soon.