Kevin Smith had originally written the celebrity father cameo for Bruce Willis during his “Bruno” musical period during the mid-’80s, but had to cut it after the Die Hard star passed on appearing in the film. So the Clerks director shifted the time period to the mid-1990s to accommodate the Fresh Prince-turned-box-office-king Will Smith. When Ben Affleck’s character attempts to resurrect his flagging PR career, his client Will Smith gives him some advice. The irony of the scene? Affleck’s Ollie Trinké previously lost a job when his daughter’s need for a diaper change lead to a disastrous press conference for Smith at the height of his rapping career. Light, funny, and poignant, the short scene between the two fathers near the end of the film is sharply written and they play it beautifully.

The horror script isn’t written yet, but is planned to be more visual and less dialogue dependant than his usual movies. He also cited Race With the Devil as a contemporary for his idea. And it will have gore.

Joe Utichi writes: “Rotten Tomatoes UK can exclusively reveal that Kevin Smith’s next project – a horror movie – is called “Red State”. Up until now Smith has revealed little about the film other than the fact it’s a horror movie and it’ll be decidedly less joke-y than his back-catalogue. But, in addition to the title, Smith was keen to give us a head’s up on the plot of the film.

If you’ve seen any of his “An Evening With…” DVDs, you’ll know how much fun it can be to sit down in an audience and listen to “Clerks II” director Kevin Smith talk. In London this past week with his family – his daughter Harley is missing Johnny Depp’s daughter Lily-Rose while he’s in town working on “Sweeney Todd” so they arranged an international play-date – Smith took to the stage of the Prince Charles Cinema just off Leicester Square for two of his infamous four-hour Q&As.

But even in the relatively small company of five hundred that packed into the cinema on each night, getting a question in proved difficult as Smith worked his trademark tangential style around topics as diverse as his favourite dinosaur, why he hasn’t yet seen Firefly and what happens to a Dachshund post-coitus.

So RT-UK naturally leapt at the chance to spend some time with Smith one-on-one while he was in town and he graciously allowed us a whole two hours to riff on whatever came to mind. We’ll be sharing the full conversation very soon but we did want to rush this item to your attention right away.

UK audiences recently saw documentary journalist Louis Theroux spend time with members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, a controversial church group made largely of members of the Phelps family and run by preacher Fred Phelps. Infamous in America for taking a supremely homophobic stance and for picketing the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq, the group see media interviews as a platform for airing their views and the word of their founder, Fred Phelps.

“That dude has always fascinated me and he’s really informed the horror movie that I’m working on,” Smith told us, “The movie’s called ‘Red State’ and it’s very much about that subject matter, that point of view and that position taken to the absolute extreme. It’s certainly not Phelps himself but it’s very much inspired by a Phelps figure.”

But while Smith is convinced that “horror” is the right definition for the film, he’s not so sure audiences will agree. “To me there’s all kinds of horror, and killing someone’s not the absolute worst thing you could do to another human being,” he said, “The death in a horror movie has always been the money shot in a very exploitative manner. Stabbing somebody and splashing blood all over them is the equivalent to some dude exploding over some broad’s face.

“And to me, too, the notion of using a Phelps-like character as a villain, as horrifying and scary as that guy can be, there’s even something more insidious than him that lurks out there in as much as a public or a government that allows it and that’s the other thing that I’m trying to examine in a big, big way. It’s weird because for a few months I’ve been saying ‘horror movie’ and technically it is, but it’s also not a very traditional horror movie in the sense that people have been asking me, ‘Is it a slasher movie? Is it like the Japanese horror flicks?’ It’d be much easier to just show it to them when I’m done and be like, ‘This is what I meant.’ At which point I’m sure there’ll be people saying, ‘This ain’t a horror movie!’ But to me, it is.”

Smith is planning to write the film in the next few months before shooting it later in the year. “We’re going to shoot it somewhere in the middle of the country, in a true red state.” And it’s not the only feature project on the horizon, as Smith told us he’s in the middle of writing a comedy to shoot in the winter. “It takes place in the middle of winter in Minnesota so we have to wait for snow,” he said.

Our full conversation with Smith, including more about “Red State”, is on its way, but for now why not have your say on the forums or visit Smith on the web at silentbobspeaks.com and viewaskew.com.

Many, many thanks to Kevin for being so generous with his time, on Good Friday of all days, and to his wonderful assistant Gail Stanley we are enormously indebted for the late nights she’s pulled putting us in touch across time-zones.”

SModcast 8: The Entirely Too Over-Long Episode – In which our heroes puzzle over the merits of Rich Little and Danny Gans, review a foreign ruler’s take on cinema, go on about Kev’s “Reaper” stint for awhile, discuss working for The Man, assess whether or not they’ve become whores, touch on what it’s like for Mos to be the Green Goblin’s kid’s henchman, talk about editing-for-hire on “Who’s Your Caddy?”, and wrap up about twenty minutes later than they should’ve.

8. SUZANNE in JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK

First seen in the closing credits of Kevin Smith’s Mallrats (with her title tune from Weezer playing over the top), Suzanne makes her first proper movie appearance in Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back. The clueless stoners break into an animal testing facility and end up with a new companion – a friendly female orang-u-tan. Jay isn’t so sure she’s on his side (leading to his Planet Of The Apes-style future vision, in a world where “we will not spank the monkey, the monkey will spank us!”) but comes round when their new orange buddy helps them escape police capture after dressing as his child. Suzanne’s sexuality is also called into question by pie-fucker Jason Biggs, when he queries: “How do you know he doesn’t smoke monkey pole?” What a lovely mental image.

Monkey magic: Flying through a ‘Moonraper’ poster in a top E.T. pastiche.

AN INTERVIEW WITH MARILYN GHIGLIOTTI

BY CHRIS GRAVES

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

After a divorce and just trying to find myself and figuring out my life, I found myself looking for an outlet and found it in acting. I found John Eyd, an acting coach from New York whom decided to bring the proper techniques of acting to New Jersey at the Actors Training Institute, currently located in Eatontown, I started taking acting classes and studied for about a year before I felt comfortable to start auditioning. I started in community theater and made my rounds to several theaters in the Jersey shore area for while. I was in the middle of a play when I heard that First Ave Playhouse, a theater that I had participated in, was holding auditions for a film “some kid” was doing. Not my words, this was how it was put to me when I heard about it. Frankly I didn’t care. It was another avenue to try my acting abilities in and get some audition experience as well. I had done a monologue I found in a book that I felt very connected to. Although, after seeing the audition piece on the (Clerks) 10th anniversary dvd, I honestly don’t know why Kevin hired me for the role. Personally I thought my audition was terrible. I may have gotten the emotion that I wanted out of that and awed Kevin with the fact that I had cried, but it looked like I was acting. An actor never wants to look like they’re acting, it has to be lived. Being in the moment. And for me it’s hard sometimes to know how I’m doing in a part until I see what I just did. Working on student films and indies, you don’t always have the luxury of seeing what you just did because there isn’t a budget to have a monitor on set and view the scene on playback.

2. Any entertaining anecdotes about the filming of Clerks that might not of been shared yet? And what was your reaction to the film’s sudden success? Has the number “37” been a burden or a blessing, when it comes to fan/non fan/casual movie goer interaction?

I don’t think there are any anecdotes that anyone hasn’t heard of. For me it was all a great experience and one that I’ll always cherish. The late nights, drinking Yoohoos, eating the hot bagels from the other store in the tiny strip mall. Wishing I actually got to shoot the fire extinguisher.

I certainly don’t think the number 37 is a burden. It’s just something else that makes it all the more memorable. Although, guys can stop asking to be # 38.

3. Can you tell me about the film “Bad Hair Day”, which you produced and had a role? Also, do you plan on producing more in the future?

“Bad Hair Day” is a film a friend of mine got the idea of after hearing of my many experiences working on weddings while doing hair and makeup and my many years of experience working in a salon. She wrote the script and asked if I wanted to star in it and of course one takes the opportunity of having a starring role especially one that makes fun of my experiences. I also did whatever I could to help out in whatever capacity I could from script input to casting to actually doing the hair and makeup on the short. And Sheila in return thanked me by giving me a producer credit. I actually would like to produce more and learn quite a bit more of the ropes. I also would like to give a try at directing. I actually have helped other friends with some shorts that never quite made it to the end, but that’s when I found out that if I really wanted to I could direct.

4. Was there friction between yourself and Jeff “Randal” Anderson on the set? If so, did everything get smoothed out, after all was said and done?

I’m glad you brought this up because to be honest, I didn’t have a clue about any of this while we were filming. Also, for the life of me, I do not remember the incident. The first I heard of it was when I was blind sided with the question for the (Clerks) 10th anniversary dvd and I really racked my brains trying to remember, but just couldn’t. I thought, maybe I did and just can’t remember, maybe I was kidding and it was taken seriously. I just don’t know, but I have to say that I still felt really bad about the whole thing and actually felt depressed about it. My friend can tell you how miserable I was feeling about the whole situation. I did try to email Jeff about it with the only email I had of his, but never got a response so I don’t know whether he had received it or not. After that I had seen him at the Arc Light for the (10th) anniversary and wanted to talk to him about it, but just too many people around to talk. Didn’t know if I should or whether he would want to and was just really feeling very angst that night. But I also felt that doing it at such occasions wasn’t a good choice either. But I can truly say that if I did do such a thing, I’m truly sorry because I know that I always try to take peoples feelings into consideration. I do remember that Jeff and Lisa felt a bit initmidated by Brian and myself since we had been doing theater. But I really feel that Jeff did an excellent job with the part. Who knows, maybe the way he was feeling made him a better actor. I know when I felt someone didn’t think that I could accomplish something that I would want to prove them wrong all the more. But to Jeff if you’re reading this, I’m so sorry for anything I might have done to offend you in any way.

5. You’ve been in many plays over the years. Any favorite roles/productions?

Definitely have some favorite roles. Hester in the play “Sabona” which an original script based on “Apartheid”, Susy in “Wait Until Dark”, both of these plays done with Brian. Babe in “Crimes of the Heart”. Bobbi Michelle in “Last of the Red Hot Lovers” and Melissa Burns in “A New York Minute”. Doris in “Same Time Next Year”. What I’ve always wanted to do was “A Lion in Winter” and had the opportunity but was already cast in “Same Time Next Year”. It was a really tough decision and really had to way my options, but stuck with “Same Time Next Year”.

6. What was it like to work with fellow View Askew actor Jeremy (Mallrats) London on the film “Get A Job”? Any Kevin Smith anecdotal exchanges?

It actually was great working with Jeremy. But can’t really say that he had a great working experience with Kevin and that’s all I’ll say. But Jeremy, his brother Jason, and their parents are great people.

7. Is it true that you were a classmate of Jon Bon Jovi?

Actually, I was not, although we did go to the same school at the same time, he was a year ahead of me at the time. Never saw him at school that I can remember, but I did have one encounter with him. I hadn’t done “Clerks” yet, but I had started acting I believe and still working at a salon in town(Sayreville) next to the best pizza place at that time. Jon had driven up and was waiting in the car while someone went in to get the pizza and the girls inside were all going wild that Jon Bon Jovi was just outside and one of them wanted his autograph but would not go out. I said he was just like anyone else, but they were just too in awe so I went out and got the autograph for her. Just so I wasn’t standing there I started to ask him about a mutual aquaintance Dave (the Snake) Szabo from the band Skid Row. My ex-husband used to roadie for his band pre-Skid Row. So that’s all the story I got for you.

8. Did you audition for any of Kevin’s other movies?

Actually, we were all asked to audition for “Mallrats”, of course we all didn’t get cast. I’m pretty sure the production company for “Mallrats” let Kevin bring us in out of respect. I remember the Casting Director at that time, out of the corner of my eye, looked at me as if I wasn’t right for the part. I think I let it get to me a little. And Kevin had offered me a part in “Chasing Amy” as the girl that is locking lips with Joey Lauren Adams as the bar girlfriend. I was still so new to acting that I just had a whole comfort thing about kissing another female. And I’ve been told, many years after the fact that once you turn down a role, you’re never offered a role again.

9. What did you think of the “Clerks” cartoon?

I’ve only seen one or two of the cartoons. Can’t really remember to much of it though.

10. What did you think of the other View Askew movies and what is your favorite Kevin flick, “Clerks” excluded?

I’m one of Kevin’s fans. I love the work he does. “Chasing Amy” was my number one fav, but I think I have to go with Clerks 2 now. I also loved Jersey Girl. I wish people would just get over the fact that J-Lo was in it and go with the story and not who played Ben’s wife.

11. Do you have any new projects coming up?

I hope to. I’ve actually been working on a few student and short films. Some really great story lines with them. I’ve had a couple of auditions for some pilots and eventually have to land one. Also auditioned for an indie feature. Waiting to hear on that. But the one most people know about is a horror film I finished last year titled Dead and Gone, www.deadandgonethemovie.com Go to the website and you’ll be able to get more information on it. They’ve also got a myspace page. I’ve not gotten to see anything other than rough scenes of mine, wow, almost gave away some spoilers. I’m looking forward to when we finally have a screening on that. But I’m really feeling like this year I get to work much more than I have in the last 10 years put together. I’ve also just joined a theater group here called “The Vagabond Players” and am so happy to be with what seem to be a great group of people that don’t have any egos and just want to get up on the stage and wants everyone to have an equal chance of that and to put quality shows out.

12. And finally, do you still keep in contact with anyone related to the world of View Askew?

I’ve chatted with Scott Schiaffo. I try to keep in touch with Brian(O’Halloran) and his girlfriend Diane. It’s just a bit hard as they’re still in Jersey that I know of. This business really makes it hard to keep in touch with anyone that you’ve ever worked with. It becomes really hard, because you spend time working so closely with people 12 hours a day minimum for 3 – 4 weeks at a time and then all of a sudden you don’t see them anymore. I’m someone that becomes attached and used to seeing all those people. It’s just really hard to say good bye. Even when I’ve worked behind the camera on a feature film titled “Johnny Tao”, www.johnnytao.com or when a play ends, it was hard to say goodbye to everyone. Although, you’re pretty exhausted by the end of filming and can’t wait to sleep in for once. I just hate endings.

Thank you for your interest in what I had to say and for your questions. I’ve always felt like I wanted to let people know more about my life, but have always felt a little apprehension in this department, but felt like it was a good time to do this. And now that I have people’s attention I want to profusely apologize to those that are still waiting for mail they have sent me for autographs. I’ve been so bad at keeping up with it, it would be so nice if I had someone doing it for me but I’m just rarely home to sit down for hours and get it done, so if you don’t mind not getting the letter I usually write with the autographed photos, I’ll just sign away and finally get them out.

Q: I was thinking the other day of what it might be like if Sue Storm left Reed and started an all woman Fantastic Four and a thought occurred to me. While it’s easy to fill in slots for the super strong power house type or the flame flinging hot head type with female heroes, I couldn’t think of any super science woman geniuses. Out of the vast amount of characters from the Marvel U the only female science wiz I could think of was Rhona Burchill from the Ultimate Universe. Joe, can you think of any female heroes or villains in the 616 universe that would be the intellectual equivalent of Tony Stark or Hank Pym etc.? And why does there seem to be such a wealth of male geniuses and little or no female geniuses?

I wonder about the shape shifters of the Marvel Universe in terms of procreation. Could Mystique turn into a man and impregnate a woman? Could Hulking turn into a woman and get pregnant? Such characters often seem able to copy every other physiological aspect of assuming false identities like finger prints and retinal scans. Do their powers extend to reproductive organs? I know some might dismiss this as a pervy question, but I think in the hands of well fitted writer (say Mike Carey or Brian Bendis) that a really sophisticated story could come out of such a question.

JQ: Does that make sense? Please say it does because I have no idea what I’m talking about. Did Stan Lee ever have to answer questions like this?

NRAMA: Our mutual friend Kevin Smith raised the question about certain areas of the Thing’s anatomy to Stan in Mallrats, so we’d say “yeah”.