Kevin Smith talks games in Yahoo interview

Jaws · Thu 14/12/2006 14:34:52

Seems like the big guy is into sidescrolling and old school non-first-person games. Cool

"For those who didn't know, Smith is a huge gamer. In fact, he had to tear himself away from his Nintendo DS and the New Super Mario Bros. game to do this phone interview. He already went through the game once as Mario and then returned as Luigi for another go-round. I'm a big fan of scrolling games," said Smith. "I'm not into first-person games. My theory is you're a game fan of the games you came up with and I came up in the scrolling world. So I still love to this day scrolling games. That's why I'm so entranced with that Mario game on Nintendo DS. It's just a total scrolling game with great graphics."

"When it comes to the convergence of Hollywood and games, Smith believes there's a way to bring Jay and Silent Bob to the interactive realm, but he needs some help.

"I'm really not good enough to pull it off," said Smith. "Games is one field that I like to be entertained, rather than try to be entertaining. For years, people have been telling me to do a Jay and Silent Bob game. I'd be all for it, but I'm just not the guy to do it. I'd be happy to write the back story for the game, but when it comes to what are the levels and challenges and bosses and things like that, I'm so not good at coming up with that kind of stuff. It'd be nice if someone came out with a Jay and Silent Bob game. I'd play it in a heartbeat."

Check out the full interview here -> http://videogames.yahoo.com/ongoingfeature?eid=496569&page=0

Anyone ever thought of making a Jay and Bob fan-game?

Nostradamus · Thu 14/12/2006 15:47:46

Ooooh a Jay & Silent Bob game would be interesting but I doubt any animated version of them, even in 3D, would work. They just have this presence. For Instance, the Bill & Ted game.
I hope they at least get the Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith to do the voices or it would just be a failure.

big brother · Thu 14/12/2006 16:36:23

Yea it's good that no one ever tried to make a cartoon version of Jay and Silent Bob or any of the cast from Clerks. Thank God.

Bluntman and Chronic, what?

Pesty · Thu 14/12/2006 16:49:08

Quote from: big brother on Thu 14/12/2006 16:36:23
Yea it's good that no one ever tried to make a cartoon version of Jay and Silent Bob or any of the cast from Clerks. Thank God.

Bluntman and Chronic, what?

Is that sarcasm or do you just not know about this:

http://imdb.com/title/tt0210413/

Jaws · Thu 14/12/2006 17:49:02

I think that was a smorgasbord of sarcasm.

evenwolf · Fri 15/12/2006 08:18:14

Geeze Clerks 2 was so unremarkable. You think 3 years from now anybody will care about Smith's opinions of LOTR or Star Wars? That's all that movie was.

Jaws · Fri 15/12/2006 13:39:54

Ã Â liked Clerks 2. His fans obviously liked it... even a fair few critics have good things to say.

"Smith is finally maturing into the modern voice of a disaffected generation, a label he earned rather haphazardly a decade before. Clerks II takes a stand against the notion that personal happiness is a hindrance to social advancement, as if the two concepts were so mutually exclusive that they could never live happily in the same sentiment. As his own career has proved, one can stay true to his talents and still become bigger than his own individual ideology. Clerks II should be the movie that makes Kevin Smith more than just a known name in certain households. It's a wonderful work of jokey genius."

If all you got from the movie was the star wars vs. lotr gags Smith isn't for you my friend.

MrColossal · Fri 15/12/2006 15:01:35

evenwolf:

pff, I never cared what his opinions on various movies was... Ya'll are just trying to bite my style!

evenwolf · Fri 15/12/2006 17:47:28

"Smith is finally maturing into the modern voice of a disaffected generation, a label he earned rather haphazardly a decade before."

That wordy piece of pie just says "Kevin Smith is maturing as a filmmaker." My point was not that "Kevin Smith's Clerks 2 was forgettable." My point was "the movie Clerks 2 was forgettable." Secondly, have you seen Clerks? How could anybody NOT mature as a filmmaker after that? Its like watching a play thats been recorded.

Don't go and try to dismember my opinion because "you get" Smith. Do you "get" his visual style? Because he doesn't have one. There's nothing to get. Even his cinematographers will admit that. The guy loves his dialogue and sure enough it's funny. But when all you can say about a movie is "the filmmaker's dialogue is improving" well maybe the guy has other things to focus on. Words are forgettable! Time to make it a little more cinematic!

Wes Anderson, now there's a guy who makes memorable films.

Tuomas · Fri 15/12/2006 17:49:26

Am I the only one who thinks Kevin smith could be just a name for any John Doe out there and has not the slightest idea who on earth people are talking about here?

Jaws · Fri 15/12/2006 18:15:29

QuoteSecondly, have you seen Clerks? How could anybody NOT mature as a filmmaker after that? Its like watching a play thats been recorded.

I have seen Clerks .. and sure its rough, but to the people who enjoy it .. we do *because* it's rough, had a small budget, and the entire movie is all about dialogue. Kevin Smith films are all about the dialogue.

QuoteDon't go and try to dismember my opinion because "you get" Smith. Do you "get" his visual style? Because he doesn't have one.

I know he doesn't have a perticurlar visual style .. he (smith) is the first person who'll admit that.

QuoteBut when all you can say about a movie is "the filmmaker's dialogue is improving" well maybe the guy has other things to focus on.

What do you mean his dialogue is improving? As a fan, i can say that his dialogue is as great as ever .. not perticularly better than any of his other film and certainly not worse. I'd say thats the way he ordinary writes ...
But look at the movie. For you that movie must be 10x better visually than Clerks. Obviously the visuals have improved... it doesn't have the visuals of 'Pearl Harbour' but it's not bad?

QuoteWords are forgettable! Time to make it a little more cinematic!

Now thats just lame ... sure you go to the summer blockbusters for the cool visuals, but for a movie that centers around the dialogue and characters .. hello?! It's not an action movie.. it's all about the clerks standing around talking

QuoteWes Anderson, now there's a guy who makes memorable films.

I really don't know the guy so I can't take up that argument ... all I know is I didn't like 'The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou' but it had nothing to do with the visuals. And all I remember from 'The Royal Tenenbaums' is tennis and Ben Stiller cutting his wrist. So I don't know ... anybody else have an oppinion on this?

evenwolf · Fri 15/12/2006 18:42:17

Hmm, I think I just realized where your and my difference of opinions of Clerks 2 stem from.

For me, Smith's rough style has always been unnecessary. I love the dialogue, don't get me wrong but that should never carry the movie completely. Look at Tarantino. His dialogue has always been the most talked about thing. Reservoir Dogs was all dialogue but it carried so well. Pulp Fiction is one of the most qoutable movies ever. But he enjoys the cinematic so much that he creates this entire visual style for his movies. He's got the dialogue AND the style.

Now Kevin Smith on the other hand, broke out with Clerks. Understandably, it looked rough. Its just "set up the camera here because this person is talking. Now move the camera here for the reverse shot. Now here because we see this guy's reaction" real typical stuff. The focus is on the dialogue.

But several movies down the line, he's still doing that. Nothing much cinematic. You know, dolly shots, crane shots, aerial photography? He keeps it so simple all you really see is talking heads. And it wouldn't be a big deal except he hires on an entire department of people to be his "eyes". The cinematographer and the camera department surely have ideas for cinematic shots and angles, but it always comes down to Kevin keeping it simple.

But all the shots look the same and the photography is boring. You said Clerks 2 is 10x better and I wholeheartedly disagree. With his pull and number of resources... all he chooses to do is add color?

Chasing Amy is his best. But his most memorable (because of the visuals!) is Dogma. I even liked Jersey Girl which he calls his biggest sellout movie. Clerks 2 had nothing going on. He made the conscious decision to cut back on cinematics & make it a true sequel to what was essentially a student film.

And that's exactly what it feels like.

voh · Fri 15/12/2006 19:03:27

What, an awesome movie sequel to an awesome movie?

How dare he!

(I immensely enjoyed both Clerks movies and I know I'm not the only one. Opinions differ

)

evenwolf · Fri 15/12/2006 19:23:50

QuoteOpinions differ

Roughly 60% - 40% I'm afraid.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/clerks_2/

Jaws · Fri 15/12/2006 19:57:41

evenwolf:

Clerks 2 had at least two craneshots and a 360' .. thats gotto count for something

Quotebut it always comes down to Kevin keeping it simple

I've allways read that he keeps most of the visuals up to the visual director thingy guy.

But sure on some level I get what you are saying ... but you either love the film or you don't ..
If you love a film or a book or etc. you tend not to critisize it. You just love it

Those who don't like other stuff

To end with a question for everybody.. what is worse - a great looking film with crap story and dialogue or great story and dialoge with less quality visuals?

Helm · Sat 16/12/2006 00:01:47

I think Kevin Smith movies are really bad mostly. I enjoyed Chasing Amy to a degree. The rest - and I've seen sadly, 4 more films of his - were very bad in most respects. I wonder why he has a following.

Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens · Sat 16/12/2006 02:47:27

QuoteI wonder why he has a following.

Because some people like to revel in all things awful!

Rui 'Trovatore' Pires · Sat 16/12/2006 13:06:23

Jay and Silent Bob? Weren't those guys the "prophets" in Dogma?

jetxl · Sat 16/12/2006 13:53:34

Quote from: Helm on Sat 16/12/2006 00:01:47
I wonder why he has a following.

Because he communicates with his audience. He toured through the usa as a guest speaker at universities. He's a fan pleaser.
He isn't a very good director, he can't do much except conversations (and lately even those are bad donkey sex jokes).
Anyway, if you're famous and give normal people attention, they'll become fans, no matter if your latest movies suck.

Jaws · Sat 16/12/2006 23:14:23

Trovatore: Yes they where ... they are featured in allmost every Smith movie from the Askewniverse.

QuoteHe isn't a very good director, he can't do much except conversations (and lately even those are bad donkey sex jokes).
Anyway, if you're famous and give normal people attention, they'll become fans, no matter if your latest movies suck.

Oh come on .. thats a personal oppinion. You can't discredit a director simply because you don't like his films.
I'm not much of a Tarantino fan, the rape in Pulp I thought was too much. But I apprechiate the guy as a good director even though I'm not a fan. I'll give you the donkey thing in Clerks 2 was over the top, but it was hillarious and had another director (say Tarantino) tried the same it would probably be more discusting then it was in Smith's movie.