• GREAT news about the DVD release of “Live Free or Die Hard” comes to us via Movieweb today. While it seems that the previously mentioned Blu-Ray version will only include the theaterical version of the film, there WILL be a fully UNRATED cut of the flick as part of the two-disc special edition on standard DVD. Hooray! Not only that, but disc two of said edition will indeed house the complete conversation held on the Fox lot between Bruce and Kevin. The running time’s listed at 23 minutes, so it’s a bit shorter than was filmed, we believe, but still, better than nothing!

• Scott Mosier returns triumphantly to SModcast this week, bringing the original duo back behind the mic. Of interest this week, a contest! Yeah, WIN SOMETHING! Not only that, but another contest that will accompany a LIVE edition of the program. Coool. Take a look at the very brief loglines for this week’s ‘sode:
  

  
  SModcast 27: Scott-Land

  
  In which, after too long an absence, Mos finally returns… and has his heterosexuality repeatedly called into question. Also: a contest!

  
  As always, SModcast is totally free and exclusively available for download through Quick Stop Entertainment.

• As promised, Kevin’s blog updates on his day-to-day continue at the usual spots online. We won’t be doing a daily alert to each posting (we urge you to visit the official sites for that), but we will be clipping any tidbits relating directly to the news aspect of upcoming projects, or other items of interest. Sort of a blog Cliff’s Notes, if you will. Thursday’s blog featured the most extensive report of the week, where Kevin relates the Battlestar Galactica saga (and shares some jealousy-inducing photos). We also hear a bit more about “Red State”. Here’s some Galactica tidbits for ya:
  A few months back I got a call from Endeavor (where I’m repped) saying the folks at “Galactica” were asking if I’d wanted to direct an episode. I asked for some time to think about it, because while I love that show, I honestly felt there was nothing I could bring to it. When I directed the “Reaper” pilot, we were creating the world/tone/look from the ground-up. “Galactica” has been on the air for a few years now, has a genius staff of writers who’ve created a brilliant mythology and many hours of compelling television, and sports a distinctive look that’s never deviated from. In truth, I’m more a writer than a director, but I wouldn’t be writing my “Galactica” episode (nor would I want to; I’m not a good enough writer to tackle a “Galactica” script, to be honest); and in terms of directing… well, when a show’s been up and running as long as “Galactica”, and the look is established and distinctive, it’s not like a visiting director jumps aboard and says “I’m gonna change everything for my episode…” – particularly for a show that’s gonna be in it’s final season.

  
  I mean, does anyone remember when Quentin directed an episode of “E.R.”? When all was said and done, even with a genius like Quentin at the helm, that episode looked like every other episode of “E.R.”. The same can be said of his recent stint directing “C.S.I.” (Quentin, apparently, only directs shows with initials as titles). And that’s not me criticizing Quentin – not in the least; that’s me saying that, when a successful television show is up-and-running (not in the pilot stage), nobody is allowed to come in and alter the status quo.

  
  Kevin goes on to explain what happened from that point, including a reprinted e-mail from David Eick (one of the geniuses behind the show). In short, due to the uncertainly and their thinking Kevin would be a tough get due to the “Heroes” gig, the position for the episode was filled while Kevin was contemplating the gig. There’s so much more, and it’s a much better read, so be sure and check out the full entry.

And a taste of the “Red State” stuff:

…I check email, where I find a few more thoughts from Dan Etheridge on “Red State”…


I have to say, I haven’t really been able stop thinking about the script since yesterday. That’s surely one sign. Malcolm and I were IM’ing this morning, debating points about it.


He made one good point, in that he’s read the other movie you’re shooting (apparently a tonal opposite of RED STATE). He said making that movie first might make the subversive nature of RED STATE more possible. True, I think.


Anyway, you sure did write a helluva provocative script.

The script for “Red State” will be officially submitted this week. Everyone who’s read it so far has had a very strong reaction, and that’s a great sign. This one sounds bleak and so different than anything View Askew has done before — It’s going to be tough resisting reading this or spoilers before we see the film, as we’re already intrigued beyond belief.

For the latest, complete, unabridged posts from Kevin Smith, subscribe yourself to his Myspace blog or visit the “My Boring-Ass Life” blogsite.

• Coming Soon checks in with the DVD specs of the upcoming Blu-Ray release of “Live Free or Die Hard” (November 20th in North America, an earlier October 28th internationally). The big extra we’re all waiting for is the extended chat that Kevin held with Bruce Willis on the FOX lot, though no specific word on its inclusion here. Of interest, though is an exclusive video game that will only be available on the Blu-ray disc, which features (we believe, at least) Kevin as The Warlock:
  …actor and director commentaries and the exclusive high definition BD-Java multi-level strategy game “Black Hat Intercept!”

  
  “Black Hat Intercept!” begins with a warning from ‘The Warlock’ (cult-classic writer, producer and director Kevin Smith) that a computer virus has been placed inside an unwitting Internet company’s mainframe by the infamous cyber-terrorist, Thomas Gabriel. As the team leader from inside the surveillance van, players must guide an agent into the building, outwit the building’s security systems and personnel without being detected and then wipe the hard drive clean before the virus destroys the U.S.

  
  Additionally, the BD debut of the “Die Hard Trilogy” comes locked and loaded with numerous bonus features including deleted scenes, featurettes, actor and director commentaries, visual effect breakdowns, alternate endings, side-by-side comparisons and much, much more.

  
  We were hopeful for an edgier cut of the film as well, after the whole R vs. PG-13 debate, though it looks to not be the case here — We’ll see that stuff as extra scenes. No word on Kevin’s involvement with the DVD commentary due to his cameo role, though the guy never met a DVD track he didn’t like — We’re hopeful that the man’s involved as much as possible on this one. We’ll keep you posted as we learn more.

  
  And by the way — The disc will also support the new D-Box chair which, believe it or not, rumbles and moves in sync with the film. Basically, it turns your living room into a ride! Pretty nifty, though at over $10,000 for the system, not an accessory we’ll be able to afford anytime soon. Ah, technology.

• Some kind, albeiet brief, words about Clerks II’s DVD release in South Africa are here courtesty of the “Tonight” website.
• Aint It Cool runs a positive review of “Gone Baby Gone” including some praise for director Ben Affleck (minor spoilers in their review) :
  If this is an indication of his skills, I’d like to see more from Affleck. He has pace, shots, and construction down.

• And finally today, has the Flying Car become the Flying Saucer? We’ll take two. See ya next time!

• You asked for, and the man has delivered. With a new entry today, Kevin promises to resume a more regular blog schedule, where he’ll once again detail his day-to-day, even if he feels it’s not that interesting to the general public (for the record, we’re enthralled by it all, just as the rest of you are). You can visit the official blog site as well as Kevin’s Myspace for the complete entry. Here’s a taste of what you’ll see in today’s trimphant return, which features “Red State” details, poker, and flicks:
  Finished “Red State” around 1-ish. Totally different than anything I’ve written before. Very fucked up. Shortest script I’ve ever written, too, as well as the least dialogue-driven (not to say there’s not a lot of dialogue in it still; just not nearly as much as I’m used to writing). It’s a weird, relentlessly bleak and extremely unsettling affair, that “Red State” script. If you didn’t know I wrote it, and you read it, and I told you afterwards that I’d written it, you’d be like “Bullshit.”

  
  After letting said story stew in my head for nearly a year, the actual writing of “Red State” didn’t take very long at all. Granted, I’d done about twenty pages of an outline that I worked off of, but from the moment I started the actual screenplay (from “INT AIRPORT – DAY”) to the moment I finished what I’d consider the first draft (“The End”), it was a five day affair.

  
  When I’d gotten to page 87, I sent it to Scott, Malcolm and Bryan to read. All came back thumbs up. Mosier had excellent notes and suggestions, as per usual, so I went back, stripped stuff out, wrote new stuff, and wound up with 84 pages. 11 pages later, I was done. Like I said: shortest script (in terms of page count) I’ve ever written.

  
  Mos was out when I finished writing, so the first person I sent the end pages to was Malcolm. Malcolm IM’s me back, quite simply, “I dare you.” That made me chuckle.

  
  The blog’s been a fascinating read since it first started a couple years ago, so we say WELCOME BACK to what looks to be some daily, at least more regular posts. Fascinating stuff that the dude can manage to pull all nighters watching 90’s flicks and playing online poker. Ah, the life of Hollywood, eh? We’ll of course remind you of anything interesting that shows up in the blogs as they continue, though we of course encourage you to make Kevin’s blog pages a part of your daily web travels.

  
  A few other “Red State” bits from the board as well. Regarding fears over the budget and subject matter:

  “We’re kind of anticipating… reluctance, shall we say, from the money people. This flick wouldn’t necessarily occur to some as “audience-friendly” on the page. It’s one thing to hand them a script full of funny stuff with proven characters that a niche audience has enjoyed previously; it’s another thing to hand them this.

  
  Which is not to say that I fully expect them to show me the door. I just wouldn’t be shocked if Harvey and Bob were like “We can’t go for the ride with you on this one, Kevin.” In that instance, Scott and I would just explore other financing avenues that’ve historically shown interest in what we do (Lionsgate, indie investors, etc).”

  
  And on the excitement level over making the picture:

  “A bit. Because it’s outside of our wheelhouse, there’s a touch more excitement, due to the fact that we’re heading into unchartered (for us) waters on this one.”

  
  Kevin and Scott plan to bounce some further script tweaks off of each other before the pass it on to Harvey and Bob. Once again, expect more psychological horror than gore, but from the sound of it, this one’s gonna be way intense. Man we’re stoked. Two totally different but COOL films scheduled for 2008 from View Askew. Keep with us for the latest!
  

• If you’ve noticed some slowing regarding loading the site, posting comments, searching, and generally getting around, you’re not alone. Our news database here with over 10 years of stories seems to be a bit much for the system to handle in its current state. We just wanted to inform you that we’re on top of things, and working to solve the problem. As soon as we have things running speedier, we’re sure it will make your travels here much more efficient.

  
  And hey, speaking of efficiency — We’re beta testing a new search that will give you tons of control over the news you search for — We’re betting it’ll come in very handy when you’re trying to track down something from years ago. We’ll be giving you your own chance to test drive News Askew SuperSearch in the coming days. We sure hope ya like it.
  

• Wanna win something REALLY cool? How about a Reaper poster, signed by director Kevin Smith himself? TV Squad’s got one to give away, and it’s as posting a comment on their website. You can only enter once, and a winner will be chosen at random. If you snag it, let us know — We’re tempted to enter ourselves though now that we’ve let the cat out of the bag, we expect the comment thread to run pretty wild over there. You’re welcome.
• Starting this week, Clerks II is now FINALLY available on DVD in South Africa, sadly though, in a slimmed-down single disc edition. But hey, it’s better than nothin’.
• The FX dude behind “Dogma”, “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back” and “Vulgar”, Vincent Guastini, is the subject of a new video interview. He talks about his effects work, childhood and life and gives insight to why and how he got into this business. Among the films Vincent talks about in this in-depth 14-part Q & A formatted interview are the ground breaking thinning prosthetics in the film “Requiem For A Dream”, how he took over the make-up effects on his first studio epic of “The Last Of the Mohicans”, the animatronic effects in the film “Dogma”, and more. He also talks of his relationship with Kevin in the piece. Watch it all in a nifty question by question interactive interview over at “Interviewing Hollywood”.

• You heard it here first, folks — Kevin scoops us tonight with the news that he’s finished his first draft of “Red State”, his first foray into the horror genre. The exciting news here is that it sounds so DIFFERENT than anything we’ve seen in the 14 years of the View Askewniverse, in tone, dialogue, and running time. Like that leaked script page of “Zack and Miri”, this blurb from Kevin will be remembered as that first post that really sent our minds spinning about the possibilities. Here’s Kevin:
  It is written.

  
  Finished “Red State” today.

  
  Shortest flick (in terms of page count) that I ever wrote. Least amount of dialogue, too (not to say there’s no dialogue; just that there’s about half as much as I normally write).

  
  Unlike any other script I’ve ever authored, to say the least. Very fucked up. If I’d never said anything about it in the press and put it out under a pseudonym, I doubt anyone would ever connect me with it.

  
  Can’t wait to shoot it.

  
  Kevin’s kept the plot details of this one fairly secretive so far — We know that there’s a very small cast set for this one, though no credible rumors regarding the roles at this stage of the game. We know it’s horror but not in the traditional sense. Due to the a small cast, we’re not expecting to see a mass murder bloodbath type picture here, but something likely more psychological. Kevin compared it to “The Shining” in a recent interview.

  
  Stick with us for the latest news on “Red State” and everything else in the Askewniverse. This is the first time we can recall that Kevin’s had TWO scripts written and ready for shooting at once. We’re anxiously awaiting for these two post-Clerks II follow ups.

• Our pal the professional photographer Albert Ortega shot some of his beautiful high res shots over today for some of the more recent events that Kevin’s been spotted at — Most sites charge you cash to view stuff of this quality, so enjoy. We thank Mr. Ortega as always for the hook-up, and think you should thank him as well! Here’s what we got for ya. As always, click for a closer look using our fancy new image engine.
  KEVIN’S “SUPERBAD” AT THE PREMIERE

  

  THE SMITHS MEET “THE SIMPSONS”

  

  THE KING OF THE SAN DIEGO CON, WITH SPECIAL “REAPER” GUESTS!

  

  

  

• You addicted to the Nintendo Wii as much as this webmaster? Then you might find these Mii images from Flickr and ShowMii amusing. The Mii’s are the graphical avatars that you create to represent yourself on the system. They’re pretty fun and versatile.
• Variety is reporting that our pal Ben Affleck may be joining the already impressive ensemble of “He’s Just Not Into You”:
  Affleck in talks to star in comedy

  
  New Line is in negotiations with Ben Affleck to round out the cast of ensemble comedy “He’s Just Not That Into You,” with Drew Barrymore and Nancy Juvonen producing through their Flower Films banner.

  
  Shooting starts Sept. 10 in Los Angeles, with Ken Kwapis (“License to Wed”) directing.

  
  Along with Affleck and Barrymore, “You” will star Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Ginnifer Goodwin, Scarlett Johansson and Justin Long.

  
  Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein (“Never Been Kissed”) adapted the bestseller about modern-day relationships by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, who worked together on “Sex and the City.” The book focuses on how men and women often misconstrue the intentions of the opposite sex.

• That famous “Robot Chicken” mention of Scott Mosier that we mentioned back in March of 2006 can now be witnessed on YouTube. Enjoy the Mosier goodness!