Fed: Kevin Smith content and looking to the future

AAP General News (Australia)
08-25-2006
Fed: Kevin Smith content and looking to the future

By Jonathon Moran and Stephanie Gardiner

SYDNEY, Aug 25 AAP - To most, American director Kevin Smith's life is anything but boring.

He's best mates with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon and is credited with writing, directing
and starring in some major cult Hollywood films.

But on his website, Smith says he leads a "boring-ass life".

Fanatic audiences have closely followed the antics of Smith's characters Jay and Silent
Bob, played by the director himself, for more than a decade.

His cult credits include Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy and Dogma.

Promoting his latest flick, Clerks II, Smith is content, saying he is looking forward
to a new chapter in his life.

"Clerks to Clerks II is a really nice book end," said Smith, 36.

"It feels like I have kind of told one very long story that is interlaced by way of
Jay and Bob or the references to the other flicks ... there is a sense of closure to it.

"It really feels like I have told one complete tale."

Smith is famous for his outrageous sense of humour and has had to defend his comedy
style in past films.

In 1999, Smith faced religious backlash over his film Dogma and was forced to cut scenes
in the 1995 film Mallrats.

Clerks II follows suit, picking up 10 years after the first Clerks, featuring actors
from the original flick Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Jason Mewes.

It also stars Rosario Dawson with cameos from Ben Affleck and Jason Lee.

Fans of Smith's offbeat and sometimes crass sense of humour won't be disappointed.

"I never thought of this stuff as being offensive," says Smith.

"I realise it may not be some people's cup of tea.

"But I always assume that nobody who would be taken aback by that sense of humour would
be there in the first place."

Smith writes comedy for himself, and perhaps strange to some, his sense of humour has
resinated around the world.

"I don't sit there thinking I am going to write something really offensive that alienates
people," he said.

"I just write what I think is funny.

"And I kind of hope after a dozen years at this point that there are other people who
find my sense of humour to be in line with theirs."

Behind the dirty jokes and pop culture references that define his films, lie important
life messages.

Smith grew up in New Jersey and spent much of his young adult life behind a cash register
in a convenience store.

That setting inspired his first feature film, Clerks.

The pressure to make a sequel to a well-established film didn't detract from Smith's vision.

"When we first talked about doing a Clerks sequel, a bunch of people went, `Oh no dude,
don't do it cause that movie rocks and what if you make a sequel that sucks?'.

"But I love the movie."

Smith wouldn't rule out a third Clerks instalment but said it would be unlikely in
the next few years.

"Clerks was a movie about what it felt like to be in my 20s and Clerks II is what it
felt like to be in my 30s," he said.

"So somewhere mid-40s or even mid 50s might be a nice time to check back in after I
have had a bit of living experience.

"Right now I can't imagine living to age 40 so if I make it there, maybe I will have
something to say."

Having enjoyed plenty of successes with comedy, Smith is keen to explore other genres
including horror.

"I feel like now is the right time to do something different, something I haven't done before.

"I have made seven variations on comedy so I want to go do a horror movie.

"That was a genre I grew up watching as well and it would be kind of nice to do it."

Smith hosted a screening of Clerks II this week, staying for more than three hours
afterwards to chat with fans about his choices.

At a similar session in his home town in 2005, he spent more than seven hours with an audience.

He's also regularly online and can't help checking internet message boards and forums
to see what fans have to say about his work.

"It is a very hardcore fanbase," he smiled.

"There are enough of them to support what I do which is great because the onus of having
to go out to the box office and win an audience is lifted off my shoulders because they
will show up.

"Without that audience, I have no juice. So I am incredibly appreciative of them."



** Clerks II opens nationally on August 31.

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KEYWORD: SMITH (AAP FILM FEATURE)(WITH PIX) RPTNG

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