Customer Reviews

An Evening with Kevin Smith

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2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Kevin Smith is the director behind five of my favorite movies. Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma and Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back were all created as a part of Kevin's "New Jersey Chronicles," in which each of the afformentioned movies had recurring characters from the previous films. Each film is laced with witty dialogue and even some serious messages mixed in.

On this DVD, Kevin talks about anything and everything ranging from the failed documentary with Prince to a soft-core porn involving Jason Mewes, who is known to all as Jay in the "New Jersey" movies. Kevin's most interesting topic was the controversey surrounding "Dogma." Kevin talks about the death threats he recieved, his Catholic up-bringing and about the time he picketted at his own movie. However, nothing is as amusing as the story behind his failed attempt to revive the Superman movie franchise. Kevin talks about his meetings with Warner Bros. executives and the producer at the time who had some unusual requests as to what he wanted included in the script.

All and all, if you are a fan of the Kevin Smith movies, you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of this DVD. If you have not seen any of Kevin's movies, you owe it to yourself to buy every single one of them and then to buy this.

"An Evening with Kevin Smith" reveals just about everything you ever wanted to know about the genius behind the films "Clerks," "Mallrats," "Chasing Amy," "Dogma," and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back." That's right, the really quiet guy actually has a lot to say, and it is all entertaining, insightful, interesting, and funny as hell. Coming from a guy who watches and listens to a lot of stand-up comedy, I was laughing pretty much non-stop.

Smith isn't trying to be funny... it just happens to turn out that way. His subtle and quiet tone makes it all the more entertaining and funny. Through the humor and sarcastic responses, there's nothing but honesty and sincerity about the filmmaking business that he is in.

With two disks, you get over 3 hours of Kevin Smith talking to various universities. As soon as the disks are over, you want to watch them again. I love all of Smith's movies, although I have to admit "Chasing Amy" is probably my least favorite (but I still think it's good), and watching this was not only funny and entertaining, but it was very informative. Smith isn't shy about answering the tough questions. (Some of them, he should be though. You'll know what I mean when you see it.)

He talks about everything. Some of the stuff he covers are what went on behind the shooting of his movies, his relationships with his actors and friends, critics who have bad-mouthed him, a really messed up director who's obsessed with friggen spiders, how he met his wife, his run in with Tim Burton (or not so much of a "run-in," more like a "press-in), Scott Mosier Stories, and much, much more.

The DVD set is really cool. To my surprise, the whole thing is WIDESCREEN. Always a major welcome, no matter what the content is. Since this is only Kevin Smith talking to universities, there's no need for special features galore, however there are some bonus trailers. The DVDs are also digitally mastered in audio and anamorphic video.

If you are a fan of Kevin Smith, then this is a must-have. Go and buy this right now! Trust me, you will not regret it for a second. Hey, I even recommend this for all of Smith's negative critics. Maybe they can take something positive from it all. I was really impressed. You'll laugh and learn at the same time. Now who often does that happen?

This peek into the View Askewniverse and mind of Kevin Smith is one wild ride. If you find Smith's movies funny, you'll find yourself with side pains during this. Sure, there are few bonus features on the 2-disc set, but that's because all the bonus features were already included in the program itself. Whatever happened to the Superman script Kevin was working on? What's up with Magnolia Fan? Does Kevin think he's going to go to Hell for writing Dogma? Is Jason Mewes gay? All these questions and more (much more) are answered in this candid look at Q&A sessions from several different colleges with the master himself. Any Kevin Smith fan will thrill to the hilarious back stories shared about the creation of the five movies that have reshaped modern cinema. Also, be sure to watch the fun Kevin has with people who leave the Main Menu on for a prolonged period of time. It's nearly four hours of the best look into an artist's mind since Stephen King wrote "On Writing." Kevin, if you see this, thanks for the fun and for five of the best movies I've ever seen. Oh, and I need some money....you know what you can get for $5!

I was not a Kevin Smith Devotee, as most of his fans are. I think he's a good director, and he has cranked out some great movies. He does know how to write a good script as well.

So, I was pleasantly surprised when I viewed this to find out really insightful and wise Kevin Smith is. This documentary is a collection of snippets from a variety of college lectures he's done, but it doesn't feel choppy. Smith clearly understands the film business and it's culture better than most people whove been in the industry for decades. He fully admits exploiting it for what it's worth, but also manages to sidestep the pitfalls associated with ascent in Hollywood. It's a truly eye-opening look into the world of modern day filmmaking and celebrity.

I would also like to recommend this based on the fact that Smith is one of the best story tellers our society has. He really has a gift for just starting a story, leaving no stone unturned, and just engaging you into what he's relating. His story about writing the script for Superman will have you in tears. Another good one is his encounter with Prince. Smith has an easy-going, self-depricating style that's combined with a smart guy who LOVES the heck outta movies.

This is definitely a good documentary that non-Kevin Smith fans will enjoy and get something from. If you are a Kevin Smith fan...who are you kidding: You already own this!

Kevin Smith has done it again. He has released another "can't miss" release. In "An Evening with Kevin Smith", Kevin, aka Silent Bob of Jay and Silent Bob fame, delivers a performance of the best moments from five question and answer sessions on a college tour he did. The DVD is cut very cleanly, and at times you can't even tell it is in different venues. During the 3 hour, yes, 3 hour DVD, Kevin addresses subjects such as where the character of Jay came from, how he succeeded when so many people said he would fail, his collaboration with Prince on a never seen documentary, and even on his first sexual experience with his then girlfriend, now wife, Jennifer. This DVD set is definitely worth the purchase to any follower of Kevin Smith, or to anyone who wants to get into the psyche of one of the most original, and often controversial, Writer/Director/Producer of the new millennium. This DVD definitely earned the FIVE STARS I gave it..... somewhere in the initial 10 minutes of viewing and carried it throughout. All I can say is "Thank you Kevin. Thank you for giving us all what others are too coward to approach."

Each disc contains 2 hours (4 hours total) of straight Q&A between the students and Kevin. Kevin "whity satirical dialog" often leads into hilarious stories of his personal and professional experiences. His stories about Prince, Superman reborn, meeting his wife, meeting Jay for the first time, PTA, protesting Dogma, and Jay's porn career are classics. The editing did a good job of cutting out many of the questions that have been answered in Kevin's many interviews. Parts of these stories have been heard before but here they are presented with much more depth and detail.

The lack of dvd extras was a let down. And only 1 Easter egg found so far. Unlike Kevin's movies this disc may not lead repeat viewing for most viewers.

This DVD is a must for Kevin Smith fans.

This is absolutely priceless. Kevin Smith candidly telling some HYSTERICAL stories from his movies, personal life, friends, and family. Considering the company involved, this is gold. The segments with Jason Mewes alone are worth the price. But these are not the high points even! The stories about Prince and Superman had me on the floor.

I don't want to give away any of the jokes or anything. But it is Kevin Smith doing stand up...it is everything you could ask for as a View Askew fan!

The Hometown Boy Who Made Good expands his magical sense of community over two jam packed discs( I'm still finding Easter Eggs). It's cool stuff, Smith shoots from the hip with college kids, bantering back and forth about his work and personal philosophies. If you like any of the Askew movies, this is just another one to see, own, love. In its own loose way it manages to be cinematic, or at least as visually ambitious as Clerks. Kevin moves the show along by bringing out long time co-hort Jason Mewes, and fills the gaps by calling friends and audience members employers.
I've seen reviews that call this self-absorbed, but what were you expecting? The man keeps an open on-line journal. I don't know that in 20 years his daughter will be happy that there's a detailed account of her parents first sexual encounter, but I found the story pretty funny. Like everything else he does, Kevin pulls you in by never playing it too cool, giving everybody a toe hold to find a common ground with him through his work and words. This is just the most personal his media has ever become.
It also lends itself to multiple viewings. I've watched Smith tell the story about trying to write Superman:Reborn a couple of times and I still laugh when he gets to the part about Jon Peters and the giant spider.
Pulling from a series of lectures cut into almost four hours (maybe more, seriously, if you buy it check all over the place for hidden footage) of video, the only criticism I have of this video is the audio in several of the halls was poor, Smith's mic is on the verge of feedback during the cuts from those shows. However, I remind myself the techs were probably kids on work study and that somehow makes the sound quality more legit in the Askiewneverse, where the kid pumping your gas today could be up for a Golden Globe next year. Naga-Nooch.

This 2 disc DVD compiles nearly four hours worth of footage from Kevin Smith's (director of Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, and the upcoming Jersey Girl) Q&A tour in various colleges across America. Smith's stories range from his tales of his first meetings with a teenage Jason Mewes (who, as if most of you don't know, plays Jay in Smith's first five films) to his first meeting with View Askew partner Scott Mosier, and to his painfully funny encounter with a then USA Today interviewer who would eventually become his wife. Smith also tells some tales about his misadventures inside the insanity of Hollywood; including the story behind his ill-fated screenplay for the canned Superman Reborn film and the money grubbing producers behind it. Audience participation during the Q&A is almost as equally hilarious; including one fan who lost his job just to be there and Kevin calling the kid's boss on his cell phone to try to smooth it over. My only gripes about this package are that there are really no extras on the DVD besides some bonus trailers for Columbia films, and some other extras would have been more than welcome. Also, I remember on the Dogma commentary Smith commented on never wanting to work with actress Linda Fiorentino again. I for one would have loved to hear Smith give more insight on why, but oh well. All in all, An Evening With Kevin Smith is a must have for any and all fans of the View Askew-niverse.

"An Evening with Kevin Smith" chronicles the college Q&A tour that the director of five "Jay and Silent Bob" films took in 2001. The DVD consists of 2 discs and contains almost 4 hours of vintage Smith discussing his life, his films and his comic book side career.

I enjoyed several of the stories that Kevin tells. In particular, I found his discussion about his experience in the development of the ill-fated "Superman Reborn" project to be very intersting. He spends almost 30 minutes discussing how he got involved with the project (his theory on why he was asked to work on it involves the dialogue that takes place in "Mallrats" about Superman's "prowess"). He explains his meetings with movie execs, particularly Jon Peters (producer of "Rainman), who he convincing portrays as a total goofball. He also explains how his role in the development of the film fell apart when it was decided that Tim Burton would be the director. Kevin leaves no doubt that there is no love lost between himself and Burton.

I also enjoyed his long (again about 30 minutes) discussion about another ill-fated experience as the director of a documentary about the artist now known as Prince. It's a fascinating discussion of what it is like to work with a man who lives in (as described by one of Prince's assistants), "Prince World". Kevin shows how he went from a giddy fan of Prince who was tickled to be asked to do the project to a non-fan who now could care less about Prince.

I do have some quibbles. Although he told the story with good humor, I really didn't care about the minute details of his first "romantic" experience with is wife Jen. I'd say about 20 minutes are dedicated to this that could have been used to descibe his thoughts on one of his movies. I'm not a prude (I've seen and enjoyed his movies, after all), but some things are better left unsaid (or at least left off the DVD).

Obviously since these college stints were Q&A sessions, he can only answer what was asked by the crowd. However, I would have liked to have heard discussion on what it was like to work with Linda Fiorentino on "Dogma", who he has said was so difficult to work with that he will never do it again. If he could rip Prince and Jon Peters in an entertaining fashion, imagine the hatchet job he could have done on her.

I also didn't understand why it was decided to leave in questions asked by students who were obviously not coherent and just babbled without saying anything pertinent. Again, this time could have been spent showing Kevin answer decent questions. I did get a kick out of Kevin's attempt to try to sweet talk an employer of a student to let him get his job back (the student was fired for going to the Smith show instead of working).

Overall, pretty entertaining and a good addition for the Kevin Smith completest.