Leaving on that jet plane

My apologies for not having been around for awhile. After the UCF gig last Friday, I kind of shut down for a few days. In light of the ‘Dogma’ goings-on of late, I figured the best thing to do last weekend was go to Disney World -the Animal Kingdom, to be precise. After that, Jen and I dropped in on the new Universal theme park, Adventure Islands (or something). If you ever get the chance, go. They’ve got this Spiderman ride that’s quite… well, Amazing. And if you’ve ever been even the slightest fan of Dr. Seuss, they’ve got a section called Seuss Landing that’s like walking into a Seuss book. Highly recommended.

All that aside, I’m heading out west, as most of you know, for a quick signing at Golden Apple on Thursday. From there, it’s out to Oakland for the WonderCon on Saturday and Sunday. After that, it’s up to Skywalker for the final mix on the flick (this time, with the new score as well).

As for Cannes… well, I’ve yet to hear anything myself, so I wouldn’t put too much stock in those internet reports. Believe me – when I know, you’ll know.

That being said, keep your fingers crossed.

Hope to see some of you at either appearance.

Speaking of the Cannes stuff, lots of internet sites and press (Holywood Reporter) have been assuming Dogma’s in at Cannes, but if Kevin can’t confirm yet, don’t think it’s true. On an slightly related note, another incredibly interesting andstrange sounding film called “Being John Malkovich” is VERY close to being accepted for the festival. Corona’s Coming Attractions has a great page on this film, which we just can’t wait to catch a glimpse of if it’s as weird as it sounds.

SUPER BOWL KICK-OFF FOR ‘CLERKS’?
By DON KAPLAN

ABC officials are considering giving the coveted post-Super Bowl slot next year to the new animated show, “Clerks,” according to the show’s creator.

The edgy comedy – spun off from the 1994 cult hit written and directed by Kevin Smith – is about the lives and times of two slacker store clerks who work in a run-down quickie mart and a video store in central New Jersey.

“ABC has the Super Bowl next year and they have said that they want to debut the show sometime next January,” Smith told The Post yesterday. “So it could be on after the Super Bowl, but it’s not confirmed yet.”

The game is the most-watched TV event of the year, and the show that follows is the most-coveted debut slot of the season.

“The Simpsons,” “King of the Hill” “The Wonder Years” and “Homicide: Life on the Street” have all debuted during that same valuble airtime.

“Clerks” – a critically acclaimed film that was shot in black-and-white with a no-frills style – starred Brian O’Halloran (“Chasing Amy”) and Jeff Anderson. Both are being pursued to reprise their film roles for the animated show.

Like “The Simpsons,” “Clerks” will feature celebrities lending their voices to the show. Marquee names who have already agreed to appear include Ben Affleck, Alanis Morsette and Chris Rock, an internet news site, aint-it-cool-news.com, reports.

“They’re all friends who have said they’re interested,” Smith said. “But no deals have been signed yet.”

Taking the indie out of IndieWood
Is Kevin Smith fiddling while “IndieWood” burns?

On the Web page for his Catholic Church satire Dogma (www.viewaskew.com), the New Jersey filmmaker shrugs off the crisis his film is causing not only to distributor Miramax, but all of independent film.

Smith, an icon to the indie world for Clerks and Chasing Amy, is cockily stating Dogma will premiere at Cannes next month, even though the festival’s program announcement is still two weeks away. He’s also confident of a major release this fall – Dogma posters reading “October 1999” are already on-line.

There’s also numerous on-set photos, a copy of the script (which he’d prefer you didn’t read) and his own self-effacing report of a Dogma test screening (he admits the three-hour film is too long).

It’s pretty sly for a byte guy. But he should flip his baseball cap back the right way round, because his cherished indie status is fast fading.

Last week, Miramax bowed to pressure from its corporate parent, Disney, and announced it would do the unthinkable: sell Dogma to another (read: braver) distributor. Disney declared Dogma – with its vulgar humour about beer-spewing angels, high-fiving Christs and profane apostles – was “inappropriate” for any of its labels.

Miramax leads the pack of Hollywood-owned independent film companies – called IndieWood by the online indie film site IndieWire (www.indiewire.com). Until now, Miramax has fought the good fight on behalf of indie films, even if the term “indie” – in the age of a $40-million Shakespeare In Love – is now as meaningless as “alternative rock.”

When they first butted heads with Disney, over 1995’s parent-shocking Kids, Miramax honchos Harvey and Bob Weinstein maintained their independence by creating a new arm’s-length label, Excalibur Films. IndieWood rival October Films made a similar move last year when it used the production company Good Machine to put out Todd Solondz’s controversial (and brilliant) Happiness.

This time, even though the Weinsteins are going to use the sleight of hand of first buying it back from Disney themselves, they’re going to then sell it to a third party distributor, with no connection to Disney – not even an arm’s length one like Excalibur.

With Dogma, the Weinsteins would rather sell than take the heat, even though so-called anti-Catholic films never arouse the masses the way the Nervous Nellies fear – remember the bogus fuss over Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation Of Christ and Jean-Luc Godard’s Hail Mary?

From a business perspective, you can’t blame the Weinsteins. They can make way more money by churning out brainless teen fodder like She’s All That than by championing a filmmaker like Smith, who attracts more heat than money.

IndieWire has been playing “Taps” not only for Dogma, but for other signs that IndieWood is being swallowed by Hollywood.

Last week saw the gobbling of October Films and Gramercy Pictures (the PolyGram affiliate that released Fargo) by Barry Diller, the former head of Paramount and 20th Century Fox. Diller, who is now a TV mogul with his USA Networks, plans to roll October and Gramercy into a new company, USA Films.

If that isn’t enough, Karol Martesko has announced he’s resigning as publisher of Filmmaker magazine, the indie Bible he co-founded in 1992. He’s taking up the more lucrative offer of publishing two computer trade magazines, Silicon Alley Reporter and Silicon Alley Daily.

There are still a few people out there for whom the indie flame burns bright. A recent edition of IndieWire called for submissions to the 6th Chicago Underground Film Festival, Aug. 13-19, billed as The Festival For All The Brothers And Sisters Who’ve Had Enough Of The Man. Right on!

SO WHO’LL HANDLE DOGMA?

Director Kevin Smith isapparently certain that Miramax will be able to find a distributor whowill be brave enough to handle his satiricalmovie about the Catholic Church, Dogma (1999). As reported in today’s Toronto Star, Smith is”cockily stating” that Dogma will premiere at the prestigious CannesInternational film Festival in May, eventhough an announcement of the Festival’s schedule will not be made foranother two weeks. Moreover, he’salready posted pictures of Dogma posters on his Web site, reading”October, 1999.” In the meantime theStar observed, Miramax is being taken to task by fans of indie films forits decision not to defend Dogmaagainst the suits at Disney, with some suggesting that the whole affairmay represent the death knell forindependent filmmaking. Last week, Miramax said that it would buy Dogma back from Disney and thenattempt to sell it to another distributor in a maneuver to isolateDisney from any further controversy overthe film. Meanwhile, Smith has told the New York Post that ABC is considering giving thepost-Super Bowl time slot next year to his animated sitcom Clerks, basedon his 1994 indie hit. “But it’s notconfirmed yet,” Smith added.

A WORLD I NEVER MADE in LONG BRANCH

“Hero Cop Shot By Dead Daughter’s Dealer.” And with this tabloid heading, a twisted tail of honor, sorrow, and obsessive love begins to unravel. Written by Bryan Williams, the New Jersey Repertory’s playwright in residence, “A World I Never Made” is a stunning drama that is definitely a must see. The play stars Steve Carroll and Brian O’Halloran, who was the lead role in Kevin Smith’s “Clerks” as well as appearing in “Mallrats,” “Chasing Amy,” and the upcoming films “Dogma” and “Vulgar.” Performances begin Thursday, April 15, and run through May 2. Tickets are priced between $30 and $15 and can be reserved by calling 732-229-3166.

The $15 dollar tickets are considered student rush tickets, meaning a student can call the day of the show and pick up the expensive tickets for half the price. Get there, people!

Lord, Have Mercy

Oddly, a movie that features a trash-talking Apostle and a female God is not one with which Disney is eager to be associated. Dogma, written and directed by Kevin Smith, takes an unorthodox look at religion, and Disney, producer Miramax’s parent company, fears it will offend Roman Catholics. So Miramax honchos Bob and Harvey Weinstein have said they’ll but the rights to the film and sell it to another distrubitor. Smith, a practicing Roman Catholic, says the movie “was always intended as a love letter to both faith and God almighty.”

Again, just a very brief rehash of some of the larger stuff we printed and discussed earlier, but it’s nice to see thepublicity spreading. We’ll have more for you in the coming days, we expect a few more stories before this all dies down(for a little while, anyway!).

As always, we appreciate you stopping by today. We’ll be back with lots more, including that HUGE Chasing Amy 2 Years Later page (we’re working tirelessly to get that sucker together) and lots more news. Catch ya next time.