SModcast 13: SFodcast (or SWodcast) –

In which a hero falls…and gets temporarily replaced by a guest host, one man’s trash becomes another man’s trash at the local flea market, life behind a comic book store counter is brought to life with tales of a questionable customer base, and the war against the aggressors from the stars gains a production assistant.

What about other sex comedies?

“Bachelor Party” is a movie I always liked. It’s pretty dirty for a Tom Hanks movie especially. There’s some bestiality jokes in there and stuff like that. That one always kind of shocked me. Kevin Smith was an inspiration language-wise, I would say. His movies were some of the first movies that I saw people just cursing up a storm and that was very amusing to me [Laughing], so I think we took a nod from that, definitely when it comes to sexual language anyway. I don’t know though, what other ones are good? Any suggestions. [Laughing] What should I see?

Q: “Also, a while ago Kevin said he had an idea for a children’s book. Do you think he’ll write that before Harley is too old to enjoy it?”

Jen: “Kevin has had a very funny, sweet children’s book idea for years. Since we lived in our first house in New Jersey. Harley was one, she’s now almost eight. I would be delighted if he wrote it in my lifetime. He found an illustrator that he liked for it, but he just can’t seem to commit. It would probably take him all of twenty minutes to complete. Can’t tell storyline, but it does have very familiar domestic characters you’re sure to recognize!”

I asked him if Kevin was writing him a part in his next movie and he said “yup we start filming in November” and I double asked him if he had a part and he said he did. So according to him we can officially say he’s in the movie. He seemed like genuenly the nicest celebrity I’ve ever met and it was a true honor to meet someone I look up to so much. With all he’s been through he should be an inspiration to everyone to strive for being a better person.

The Sims Movie Planned

The integration between games and movies has grown steadily over the last few years, and now one of the biggest gaming franchises is getting involved. 20th Century Fox will be making a film version of The Sims, reports Variety. The screenplay will be written by Brian Lynch, but it is not yet known who the director or other “talent” involved will be.

The Sims movie will be a “live-action version,” reports the newspaper, presumably meaning that it will feature real-life actors and actresses as opposed to animations. It is not known how the producers intend to adapt the life simulation series for movie goers. The feature film project has been set up with producer John Davis, with Steve Asbell overseeing the project for Fox and EA’s Rod Humble managing the property for Electronic Arts.

Brian Lynch wrote and directed the movie Big Helium Dog, a 20th Century Fox mockumentary comedy released in 1999. John Davis’ production credits include Eragon, When a Stranger Calls, and Norbit.

EA’s Sims Studio head Rod Humble commented, “The Sims has done an interactive version of an old story, which is what it’s like to have infinite power and how do you deal with it. Given that that’s an old story, you can imagine how easily that would translate to traditional storytelling.”

The first Sims game, which was created by Will Wright, was released on the PC in 2000, and PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube versions followed in 2003. It spawned a series of expansion packs for the original game, a sequel, The Sims 2, and a series of expansion packs for the sequel, too. The Sims 3 is currently in development, along with a Wii and Nintendo DS game called MySims. In total, the games in the series have sold more than 85 million copies worldwide.

“It is bad guys versus good guys, and everyone wants to see that story,” says director — and hardcore “Star Wars” fan — Kevin Smith in the documentary. “That story will never grow tired, never grow old.”

Students enjoy film course

Some students spend their summer vacations watching movies with friends.

Students enrolled in BCA 520J are doing the same thing – and getting college credit for it.

Department of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts faculty member Jeffrey Smith is teaching a one-credit summer class that will look closely at the works of writer and director Kevin Smith.

“We’ll be learning about Kevin Smith himself, and analyzing his films in terms of discovering what it is about Smith that comes out in his films, and how much of an effect that has on the stories,” Smith said.

“BCA 520J: The Films of Kevin Smith,” which runs from Monday through Thursday this week, studies the motifs, themes and styles of Kevin Smith’s movies “Clerks,” “Dogma,” “Jersey Girl” and “Clerks II.”

Shelby Township sophomore Michael Miserendino said he was excited to be able to take a class dedicated to Kevin Smith’s work.

“I’m just pumped to be taking the class in the first place,” he said. “Kevin Smith has been my favorite filmmaker for a long time and its pretty cool that there is a class offered.”

Jeffrey Smith said students are attracted to film courses by either the films being shown, the director of the films or both.

“Once (students) get into the courses, however, they find they enjoy learning a new way to appreciate the films they already like,” he said.

Holt senior Amanda Dykhuis said she is a fan of Kevin Smith and wants to get greater insight into his movies.

“I love Kevin Smith movies, he’s my favorite director,” she said. “I just want to learn a little more about Kevin Smith and the kind of work he does.”

There are a number of special film classes that are being offered this summer by the Department of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts.

Lansing sophomore Jose Velasquez said he is interested in learning more about movies so he can analyze and contrast other movies.

“This summer I am also enrolled in BCA 520A,” he said. “It’s a class about devil pacts in the movies.”

Jeffrey Smith said the only other director course being offered this summer is BCA associate professor Kevin Corbett’s “Terry Gilliam Films” which runs from June 4 through June 7.

Smith to CMU?

There have been rumors that Kevin Smith would be making a surprise visit to CMU to speak in Jeffrey Smith’s class this week.

Jeffrey Smith said that while news about the class was post as front page news on Kevin Smith’s website for a number of weeks, he has heard nothing about a possible visit.

“If he does show up, it will likely be a huge surprise for everyone involved — especially me,” Jeffrey Smith said.

“…It should be noted that Harvey Weinstein has forged fruitful relationships, perhaps even harmonious ones despite his reputation for shouting matches, with several directors. Kevin Smith (Clerks, Dogma) Anthony Minghella (The English Patient, Cold Mountain) and Lasse Hallstrom (The Cider House Rules, Chocolat) all came back to work with him.”

Currently they are showing the clip of the interview with Rachel the intern on their Howard TV on demand channel. When they reference him they even show a quick picture of him on screen, the producer Gary (Bababooey) incorrectly refers to him as Silent Jay (which I find hilarious) which then brought out a couple people singing the “Smoking weed” song and Howard says “That guy is a genius”.

Atheists. And then there are the people — yes, they exist — who don’t get “Star Wars,” don’t like “Star Wars,” don’t think Luke Skywalker is fit to kiss Frodo’s big hairy toe. One such heretic showed up in Kevin Smith’s film “Clerks II” defending “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.” “There’s only one return,” sneers the film’s hero. “And that’s ‘Return of the Jedi.’ “

The devilish new drama REAPER will follow at 9:00 p.m. With executive producers Michelle Fazekas, Tara Butters, Mark Gordon, Deb Spera, Tom Spezialy and executive producer/director Kevin Smith, this humor-filled adventure is the story of a slacker named Sam (Bret Harrison, “The Loop,” “Grounded for Life”) who learns that his parents accidentally sold his soul to the devil before he was born, forcing him into a new life as the devil’s bounty hunter. Ray Wise (”24,” “The Closer”) plays Satan, and Tyler Labine (”Boston Legal,” “Invasion”) plays Sam’s best friend Bert “Sock” Wysocki.

An Interview With Renée Humphrey

By Chris Graves

CG: For those who do not know, what is your background and how were you introduced to the world of View Askew and Kevin Smith?

RH: I’m from the San Francisco Bay Area where I did a lot of theater and some commercials as a kid. I moved to Los Angeles by myself when I was sixteen to try and get acting work in film and television. I met Kevin at the audition for MALLRATS, although we both had had films at the Sundance Film Festival the year before, so we were aware of each other.

CG: How did you land your role in the 1994 indie film FUN, and what was that experience like winning the Outstanding Performance Award when the film went to the Sundance Film Festival?

RH: Oddly enough, while doing my first movie in 1992, JAILBAIT (the quintessential B movie starring me and C. Thomas Howell), I met the director of FUN. He came on as the director of JAILBAIT a couple of weeks into shooting when the original director had to leave for some reason. My good friend and fellow View Askew-ian Malcolm (Ingram) likes to say, “So, jailbait led to fun…” Winning the award was, in retrospect, a little too much for me to handle at the time. I didn’t have a broad enough perspective on life at age nineteen to appreciate what was happening.

CG: I’ve read that you once worked with Francis Ford Coppola on an experimental radio drama. What was the drama called and what was it about? Did you work directly with Mr. Coppola?

RH: Yeah, there were about four other actors and Mr. Coppola in this little room, sitting around a microphone. It was 1988, I was living with my parents in Marin County which is right next to San Francisco and his Zoetrope offices. I don’t remember what it was called. I think he was work-shopping a screenplay as a radio drama. It was an interesting experience. My memory of it is a little shoddy because it was so long ago.

CG: Can you describe how MALLRATS came into your life and what it’s been like to be a part of a movie with such a huge cult following? Any weird fan encounters over the years?

RH: Mostly it’s been great being a part of MALLRATS. It’s added a lot of excitement to my life that probably wouldn’t have occurred without it, since I stopped pursuing acting jobs about seven years ago. I really haven’t had any weird fan encounters, people who write to me or come up to me are usually just very nice.

CG: Any thoughts on Ben Affleck? You looked pretty bored with him in your big scene at the end of Mallrats? How was that scene filmed and was it uncomfortable at all?

RH: Well, I was supposed to look bored. Ben wasn’t the big star he is today so it didn’t have extra special significance at the time. It was just funny and strangely wonderful when he started calling out the names of the New Kids on the Block, completely unprompted. I am pretty sure that scene was the first scene filmed in the movie so… it was a good ice breaker. We weren’t naked or anything so it wasn’t that hard. (pun subconsciouslyintended)

CG: The film DRAWING FLIES was finally released a few years ago on dvd. What are your thoughts on the film looking back? Were there any fond memories or anecdotes people might not know about during the film’s production?

RH: You know, I remember one night when somebody came back from the bar next to the warehouse we were living in, and said that someone had been walking around the bar selling raw meat. This still confuses me, and to this day I sometimes ponder whether this could have been true, and how were they carrying it, was it packaged? I always imagined just a bunch of raw meat in a plastic bag. DRAWING FLIES will always have a warm place in my heart. I know that sounds corny, but it’s true. I am really glad I was a part of it.

CG: What was it like working with Denzel Washington in the 1995 film DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS?

RH: Working with Denzel Washington and the director Carl Franklin was great. All of the people on that show were good to work with. Outside of working with the View Askewniverse, it may have been my best overall film experience.

CG: THE WONDER YEARS, IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, THE COMMISH, and DIAGNOSIS MURDER are all television programs you have been a guest star on. Do you have a favorite appearance? A least favorite?

RH: I probably had the best time doing THE WONDER YEARS and IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT. Maybe to my own detriment (definitely to my financial detriment) I never really enjoyed doing television.

CG: You were present at the MALLRATS 10th anniversary Q & A. Did you enjoy yourself and was there anything awkward about that experience?

RH: I was nervous before we went on. But once we were onstage, the audience was kind, and Kevin and Scott, and everyone in the View Askew world are almost like family I’ve known them for so long now, that I felt comfortable right away and just enjoyed the show. These people are pretty funny.

CG: What was it like reprising your MALLRATS role of Trish the dish for your cameo in JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK? If there’s ever an animated direct to dvd MALLRATS sequel, would you be open to providing your voice for the character again?

RH: Sure, I’d love to do the voice, I haven’t heard anything about that though. Doing JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK was sort of surreal for me. I had moved back to San Francisco and quit acting and then went to do that little scene and lived the movie life again for a few days. I had a great time, but for the first time in my life it seemed foreign and that, incidentally, made me want to try and work movies back into my life.

CG: Can you tell me about the production company you co-founded, The Titan Motion Picture Group?

RH: Titan was originally formed (in 2005) to make horror movies because the guy whose brainchild it was, Josh Logan, does a lot of work in special effects. But we ended up making this little road movie thriller called FAMILY. FAMILY has done pretty well for us, Lifetime Movie Network picked it up for US broadcast and we are about to close the US DVD deal, and it has sold to a bunch of foreign territories. We should be able to pay back our investors by the middle of next year so that is good. I think Titan will only continue to exist in connection with FAMILY because everyone has gone on to other jobs. Josh and I will hopefully produce something together again.

CG: Do you have any new projects coming up?

RH: For too many years now my biggest project has been trying to get out of debt, which evidently takes a long time, so beware! I do have the rights to a new screenplay, given to me by a writer, Howard Jaffe, that I have been working with for the past few years. I think it could be a really good movie and am starting the process of trying to put it together. I acted in FAMILY and there is a role in this one that I want to play.

CG: What is your favorite View Askew/Kevin Smith flick (MALLRATS / DRAWING FLIES excluded)?

RH: I am going to have to say CLERKS 2. First, because of how funny it is, and second because that’s how I met Trevor.

(Editor’s note: The Trevor in question is Trevor Fehrman, who played Elias in CLERKS 2, whom she’s recently been dating.)

CG: And finally, do you still keep in contact with anyone from View Askew?

RH: Yes, I see them probably five or six times a year, maybe more. They are all really lovely people and I’m glad to know them.