Kevin Smith: I’m Crushed to See Miramax Pass

By Kevin Smith

TheWrap asked filmmaker Kevin Smith about the closure on Thursday of Miramax after 31 years. He wrote the following in response:

I was never a brand-name whore in my life, except when it came to indie film. And from the moment I knew I wanted to be in film, there was one label I wanted on my ass: Miramax.

Nothing got between me and my Miramax. They were the gold standard. They were the Edmonton Oilers, circa Gretzky; and for a few seasons, I skated for a dynasty team that raised the Cup multiple times, year after year.

What Harvey and Bob built from scratch resembled an old studio star-factory; but this time, the stars were the filmmakers. It was a gang (of New York), and like any good gang, it was dripping with street cred. Just being a part of that gang sent a message: I run with rebels.

But Miramax wasn’t just a bad-boy clubhouse, it was a 20th century Olympus: throw a can of Diet Coke and you hit a modern-day deity. And for one brief, shining moment, it was an age of magic and wonders.

I’m crushed to see it pass into history, because I owe everything I have to Miramax. Without them, I’d still be a New Jersey convenience store register jockey. In practice, not just in my head.

“The Wrap” also featured a nice retrospective piece on the studio this week. With such an amazing catalog of titles, it’s clear that Miramax has had quite an impact on the type of films we’re enjoying today. In addition to Kevin’s work, could you imagine never having enjoyed the films of the amazing Quentin Tarantino? How ’bout “Swingers”? “Good Will Hunting”?

We’re sad to see you go, Miramax. We’ll leave you with a Harvey Weinstein quote from Carpetbagger’s article on the end of the era:

“I’m feeling very nostalgic right now. I know the movies made on my and my brother Bob’s watch will live on as well as the fantastic films made under the direction of Daniel Battsek. Miramax has some brilliant people working within the organization and I know they will go on to do great things in the industry.”

GREEN HORNET #1 FCBD 2010 EDITION

Creative Team: (W) Kevin Smith (A) Jonathan Lau, Ariel Padilla, Aaron Campbell (C) Alex Ross

Publisher: D.E./DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

Dynamite Entertainment proudly presents the return of the Green Hornet! In 2010, Dynamite will unveil three brand-new Green Hornet series, starting with the worldwide debut of Kevin Smith’s vision for the masked crusader (based on his unproduced screenplay)! Get a first look with this special edition featuring not only Smith’s version, but the award-winning work of creators Matt Wagner and Brett Matthews as well! All in one Free Comic Book Day comic event!

32pgs, FC – FREE!

Are ya a little behind and want to know more about the series and all the excitemement about “Green Hornet”? Bleeding Cool has a detailed article/interview with Kevin on the new book (which takes that Comic Shop Insider piece we mentioned last week and turns it into print for). Here’s some snips:

“…“When you’re writing a comic book script, you don’t have to do that. We never sit there and go, ‘I can’t write this because nobody can draw this.’ The limits of film aren’t here. There’s always somebody out there that can draw what you have in your head; the only frustration at that point, since I can’t draw myself, is trying to translate that image from my head to the page. No matter how good the technology of the motion picture medium gets, it will never match the imagination of a comic book writer and a comic book artist because for them the sky’s the limit. There’s no budgetary constriction—it’s just a dude with a keyboard and a dude with a pencil.”

Is Smith’s Green Hornet a classic tale revisited, or a contemporary reinterpretation? “It has a foot in both pools,”?Smith said. “Our story is set one foot in the Silver Age and one foot in the modern era. The tone is a balance between the two. We don’t go as campy as the Batman TV series but I’d be lying to say it’s not influenced by my being a longtime fan of that show. It’s not as dark as Dark Knight, naturally, but it’s not as goofy and feather-light and homoerotic as Batman and Robin.”

…

While Smith is committed only to the first story arc adapting his script, he’s not ruling out more Green Hornet tales further down the line. “I’d be surprised if, at the end of the run, I’m not going to want to stick with the book,” Smith said. “At the end of my film, script, I just start getting deeper into the Brit Reed/Kato relationship in a way that is the most interesting to me. I can write six issues of those two involved with one another. So I could see myself at the end of the series wanting to stick around; I like the couple and I’d like to see where it eventually goes.”

…

“…While Smith’s story is based on his film script, Barrucci pointed out that this will be the first time that script has been seen. “It’s absolutely amazing that Kevin’s script hasn’t shown up on the internet or for sale anywhere, as most scripts end up getting bootlegged. I mean, think about it. He entrusted us with his baby! This is something that he put his heart and soul in to, and never allowed it to be seen just to be seen. He only allowed it to be put in our comic. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again—I’m honored and blessed. Especially considering the writing is so reverent and it’s compelling. And I think fans will agree.”

Kevin Smith’s ten-part story not only launches the Green Hornet series, it launches an entire Green Hornet franchise, with two other books in the works, with Matt Wagner and Brett Matthews writing the other two books. “The others start before and after Kevin’s book,”?Barrucci said. “In many ways, Kevin’s Green Hornet is the linchpin, if for no other reason than he’s first and he’s Kevin Smith, and his involvement will build awareness for all the other series.”

The Green Hornet #1, a $3.99 comic by Kevin Smith & Jonathan Lau with covers by Alex Ross, John Cassaday, J. Scott Campbell, and Stephen Segovia, is slated for March release. And don’t forget, free copies will be distributed for all on May 10th, too (this will be a different edition than the March release, so you’ll want to grab both).

The PRESALE for this event kicks off on Thursday, via Live Nation. Starting at 10:00 AM, you can nab tickets before anyone else by using the password “SILENTBOB”.

Learn more about this venue (other events, driving directions, parking) by visiting their official site. CultureMob also has a mini-blurb on today’s announcement.

Hey @MitchAlbom! Headed to WB for official HIT SOMEBODY pitch! Roll by the Joe & give it a rub for good luck. Big Thx. The Cup Run begins…

Kevin’s also recently said his goal for this film is to rival the “Chasing Amy” as far as acclaim and tone. We’ve got a fingers crossed for a successful pitch tonight, as we’d love to see Kev get right to work on this one after “Cop Out”.

He’d best do it fast though, as it sounds like idea thieves are lurking — In his latest podcast, ESPN’s Bill Simmons pitches a hockey film to director Jason Reitman that sounds remarkably like “Hit Somebody”. Check in around the 45 minute mark. When Reitman suggests that he’s writing a flim about an NHL referee, Simmons suggests that he should make a film about a goon. Reitman also mentions that Kevin told him he was doing “God’s work” when he mentioned he was serving on an NHL board a few years ago, so maybe he’s already aware of the “Hit Somebody” project.

Come on, WB — Let’s get this one in ink!

The invitational street hockey tournament is open to everyone and anyone who would like to play. If you wanna get some exercise, support a great cause, and see a beautiful part of the world, make some plans to get your butt to Canada in early June. This press conference will delve into full details on the plans for this year, official dates and times, and how YOU can be a part of it.

For further details, check out the official event page at ViewAskew.com — We’ll have continuing coverage as well as full details on how you can be a part of history this year. Stick around.

SMODCAST #103: Amazing Grace

In which a Mother learns the benefits of going green.

Don’t miss it, available immediately now exclusively at www.smodcast.com via downloadable and streaming audio formats.

The hourlong “Blues,” from Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures and Warner Horizon, centers on Dwight Hendricks (Lee), a Memphis police officer who lives with his mother (Celia Weston) and moonlights as a musician.

The pilot, written by Liz Garcia and Joshua Harto and directed by Clark Johnson, co-starred Alfre Woodard, Abraham Benrubi and DJ Qualls. Clooney, Heslov, Garcia and Johnson are executive producers, with Henry Bronchtein and Abby Wolf-Weiss co-executive producing and Harto producing.

Becky Scott

Actress/Film: Rosario Dawson, Clerks II (2006)

Cheating On/With: As manager of a local fast food outlet, she’s relatively footloose; employee Dante Hicks (Brian O’Halloran) on the other hand, with whom she’s apparently been dirtying up the diner tables, really isn’t.

Alright, We Forgive You: Despite being pregnant as a result of their tryst, she tries to let Dante pursue his new life of marital mediocrity in Florida.

And, since every bloke must at some point face the abject humiliation of learning to dance, it might as well happen like [caution: swears] this.

Catch ya next time! Thanks for checking in with News Askew today.

Still, with quite a few months to go, we think details will be fuzzy, but clarify as the event gets closer. With this coming just a couple short weeks after the San Diego Con, we’re thinking a View Askew type con could be a fantastic event for Red Bank. All the ingredients are there: The fans, the shows, the merch — We’re guessing/hoping that’s what might be planned.

Vulgarthon, the past con-like event, always had fans gathering for a day to take in films and Q&As. By adding the world of SModcast to the mix, and a multi-day event, we’re thinking fans will take this one to a whole new level, making it the biggest event in View Askew history.

We will continue to speculate, but will also present the facts and announcements as soon as all can be revealed. Until then, keep the beginning of August clear on your calendars.

Yep, while “Gyre” is gone, Kevin’s writing the new series based on Baphomet, the new character introduced in “Gyre”, titled “Gotham Babylon”. He’s already got the first 3 scripts in the can. Walt Flanagan will be back to draw all the pretty pictures.

A trade paperback collecting all of “Widening Gyre” is planned, hopefully to coincide with the release of the new “Babylon” book.

While these two stories tie together, Kevin and Walt’s first effort, “Batman: Cacophony”, was always meant as a standalone story.

Finally, for those of you wondering about that OTHER non-Batman related effort, namely, the “Green Hornet” series, Kevin has confirmed, via an upcoming interview with Comic Shop News, that all 10 issues of “Green Hornet” are written. We dig this quote a lot, too:

What could have started simply as, ‘here, take the script and let me see it when you’re done’ has become much more than that things would kick in, like ‘I remember in an earlier draft I had a scene involving Brit and his wife, so is there enough space to fit that in?’ Suddenly, you’re bringing something to it that wouldn’t have been there had you made the movie. And it’s not like I cut this out of the script because it was terrible. You cut stuff for time, but in comic book form we’ve got time for character development, and that will enhance any story. I’ve been looking at the breakdowns and going, ‘hey man, this scene could totally fit back in here, so I’m going to reinstate that scene.’

Comic Shop News can be found in most local comic shops, and is a free mini newspaper. Ask for it if you don’t see it.

Yep, with all this big comic news coming across the wire, your head might be spinning a bit, but we’ll keep it clear, and always remind you as the new books arrive. Kevin and Walt are quite the team, and we’re pleased to see that they’re continuing this great partnership into more titles.

But why hear all this in our words, when you can take a look at Kevin’s latest “Cop”-related tweets? Here ya go:

Via @dvdmike “is the cop out score old school?” BHC-steez old skool, son. Synth heaven. So fucking good. I heart Harold.

Via @ramilles “what’s the movie length for cop out? Longer the better” We’re around 1:42 w/o credits right now. Zips by.

Via @Hendrek “Have you actually watched Cop Out all the way through?” You’re kidding, right? “If so, how many times?” By now? 60/65 times.

Via @Stephanie_25 “are there any askewniverse cameo’s in Cop Out?” Jason Lee. Tracy Morgan. Seann William Scott.

Via @careshel “if first 10 mins of COP OUT will sell the movie, why not post online?” The studio has talked about doing just that, sir.

Via @The_MidnightKid “The poster for Cop Out gives me an action-oriented vibe. Fair assumption?” Certainly more than I’ve ever done before.

Via @ctalden “how’d the test screening go last night?” Swell. And the best focus group I’ve ever had for a movie I made. Like a love letter.

So there ya have it. Nothing but love for the film — Those who have seen it, love it. We know you’ll be there, too. Kevin directing Bruce Willis? We were signed up from day one. But there’s so much more going on in this film that a trailer, or a poster, or lobby standee (photo above from a theater lobby) can say. You just gotta go. Catch “Cop Out” at your local multiplex in a month, and cross your fingers for that first 10 minute segment to be delivered.

Via @BrandonConsoli “what kind of feel is hit somebody gonna have?” I’m going for FORREST GUMP of sports films. Big valentine to the Game.

Via @LeakingPan “Just got tickets to a prescreening for tomorrow” Score me up, Homey: I wanna make A BIGGER COP OUT after HIT SOMEBODY.

Via @dibbs34 “LOVED The Smomcast. does she return for next weeks as well?” For two solid hours. One of ‘em completely baked. S’awesome.

Re: Toronto’s Roy Thomson Show, Feb 6th – 23 tix freed up on TicketMaster. 63 full view. 48 partial view. http://tinyurl.com/tdotkev

Via @rosecity1980 “ticketmaster is turning me down, sir. says they got nothing…again” Call Roy Thomson box office. They’ve got some there.

DailyDevils: @NHLDevils want to get to 10k followers, and they’re giving out 100 pairs of tickets to do so! http://bit.ly/7bW2hK #devs10k

A request from Jeff Anderson (and a rare chance to get a signed page from his CLERKS II script): http://tinyurl.com/arequestfromjeffanderson

Via @themuckshow “is it worth the 9+hr drive from Ont 2 NJ just to see a store?” It’s gonna be, the weekend of August 2nd…

Yes, all we can confirm right now is that early August weekend will bring something big to Red Bank. But for now…No further deets. When we know, so will you.