Now, I realize this is old news, but I've only finally gotten around to watching the bonus features on Clerks 2. In it, Kevin Smith talks about his decision to direct the flick and then his sudden change of mind. He got his reality check with Jersey Girl. They commercialized the crap out of it. Took what I could only assume was a great idea (we are talking Smith, here) and turned it into a mediocre-at-best cookie cutter chick flick. His sensibilities towards persevering the authenticity of something near and dear to his heart and his recent foray into the big bad worldness of Hollywood made him decide to go back to his roots and do Clerks 2 (and what a great flick). He also said in one of his "Evening with Kevin Smith" shows that he's lazy. The idea of directing a fight scene, literally days of shooting for two minutes of film, would kill him. He said he'd have GH leave the frame while some pedestrians had the ongoing trilogy debate (Star Wars versus LOTR), we'd hear some fighting noises in the background, and then the GH would return victorious.
This has made me think about what other Super movies would be like if they could be independently produced. Would Mary Jane Parker have looked like an independent sexy siren instead of a greasy whiney flighty girl? Would Fantastic Four have followed one story line instead of twenty? Would Superman Returns have flashed back to the soul (and planet) searching Kal-El experienced instead of less money shots of "skin and bones" Kate B. (don't get me wrong - great actress, gross body)? Perhaps it is for the best - let the mass marketed movies be for the masses, and let us true Super lovers honour our heroes through their intended medium - print.
Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2007