Clerks 3

Penn

Kevin Smith has announced that instead of 'Hit Somebody' being his last film (it'll now be a TV mini-series), he's going to try and make Clerks 3 as his last film. There's still a lot of issues over whether or not it'll get made as the Weinsteins still owe them money from Clerks 2, and the Weinsteins also get first and last-matching buying rights for the film (though Smith doesn't want to work with them again so he needs them to pass on it). Then there's also Jeff Anderson (Randal) who doesn't really want to do it, especially due to the money he's owed from the last one.

Smith also said that the film is about life in your 40's, a love of movies, and is very emotional as well as being funny. He said he wants the whole thing to be in black and white (though they'd likely have to shoot in colour and then change it).

It might not happen until 2014 or later due to the rights and money issues (and Hit Somebody likely happening next year too), and the fact Smith will probably smoke too much weed and come up with a different idea instead. But it seems he's been working on it for a few months now anyway.

I think (bar the black and white thing which is just unnecessary) it might be great. I think Scott Mosier will be back producing so hopefully he should be able to keep Smith in check and focused.

krudler

Meh, both Clerks movies are insanely overrated, more circle jerking from Smith and his friends.

Penn

krudler wrote: »

Meh, both Clerks movies are insanely overrated, more circle jerking from Smith and his friends.

I really liked Clerks 2, though I thought the amount of references to Clerks 1 was unnecessary. Clerks 1 was supposed to be about one bad day for two friends. Yet ten years later, they have Dante and Randal still making references to that one day as if it was the most important day of their lives and they remember every bit of it. Just seemed a little forced (The "I assure you we're re-open" sign, Randal saying "Are you even supposed to be here today"). Other than that though, I thought it was pretty great.

So long as he doesn't go too fan-service with the next one, it might be alright.

Oafley Jones

krudler wrote: »

Meh, both Clerks movies are insanely overrated, more circle jerking from Smith and his friends.

I'll still defend Clerks, it was a decent enough debut. I doubt too many people out his fervent fanbase rate it that highly. As for Clerks 3 well It's kind of perfect that Smith is once again scuttling back to the exhausted roach filled well that is his viewaskew universe. I'm struggling to think of an active film maker whom I respect less.

krudler

Penn wrote: »

I really liked Clerks 2, though I thought the amount of references to Clerks 1 was unnecessary. Clerks 1 was supposed to be about one bad day for two friends. Yet ten years later, they have Dante and Randal still making references to that one day as if it was the most important day of their lives and they remember every bit of it. Just seemed a little forced (The "I assure you we're re-open" sign, Randal saying "Are you even supposed to be here today"). Other than that though, I thought it was pretty great.

So long as he doesn't go too fan-service with the next one, it might be alright.

Ha, anyone who works in retail will tell you a day like Clerks is a run of the mill day (maybe not the hockey on the roof and funeral bit) but the stupid customers and strange occurrences, have hundreds of those from my years on the retail front line :pac:

I like Smith he's funny and a better standup/talker than a director, but there's wayyyy too much referencing and backslapping in his movies, ho ho there's Mooby from Dogma aren't we clever, ahhh that guy is wearing a quick stop shirt, REFERENCE! etc etc.

Birneybau

Give it a fcuking rest.

The goodwill earned from his first 3 or so films has run out...

Though, I did enjoy "Red State" slightly.

old hippy

Clerks spoke to me, it really did. I worked 3 years in a newsagent and the kind of character and situations... if only I'd turned it into a movie.

Clerks 2 was rubbish, mind.

jonnyfingers

I enjoyed both Clerks films and would be happy to watch a third one. Will I be disappointed if it doesn't get made? No.

But if it does happen I'll watch it. I quite like the characters and the inane conversations they have. It's 90 minutes of light entertainment and I'm ok with that.

pixelburp

Difficult not to see this as a last, desperate return to the well for a director who pretty much lost much of the good-will and patience his audience might have had for him once.

He strikes me as something of the quentessential student director/writer, who was quickly found out when asked to grow-up and produce something with substance. His early stuff had charm definitely, but were a little overrated, looking back.

To be fair, some of his talks can been entertaining - I always enjoy the one on his involvement with the aborted Superman film from the 90s - but otherwise I think he's a bit of a spent force; with the recent rants & outbursts making him appear a bit of an ass to boot.

Smith is one of those frustrating film makers who once showcased a lot of talent but is not simply rehasing old ideas or going out of his way to try and get some attention. His recent whine fest over critics not liking Red State was embarrassing and really turned me off of him, it seems that at this stage he is replying to every negative comment about him on the internet so I expect to see him race on here to defend himself and call us all names pretty soon. He's like the bigger more talented Terry McMahon.

Clerks 3 is a last desperate attempt by him to reclaim some sense of respectability and pander to his more fevered fan base.

Mickeroo

I think Clerks 2 is brilliant. There, I said it.

Roar

the first half of red state was great, the second half complete sh!t.

I enjoyed Clerks 2, but not so much that I wanted to watch it more than twice. Randal's "terrorists?" line at the start was probably my favourite thing about it, I thought it was absolutely hilarious.

The only film of his I find myself watching semi regularly is Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back - as a cartoon movie, it's perfect!

Met the guy once, after his first show in Vicar Street a few years back and he was incredibly nice and friendly, and seemed to be genuinely interested in talking to me.

as for Clerks 3, I wouldn't be too hopeful, but I'd still go to see it

GAAman

Mickeroo wrote: »

I think Clerks 2 is brilliant. There, I said it I'm having a stroke, please alert medical authorities

No problem Mickeroo I have them on the phone now!

Oafley Jones

Deleted User wrote: »

Smith is one of those frustrating film makers who once showcased a lot of talent but is not simply rehasing old ideas or going out of his way to try and get some attention. His recent whine fest over critics not liking Red State was embarrassing and really turned me off of him, it seems that at this stage he is replying to every negative comment about him on the internet so I expect to see him race on here to defend himself and call us all names pretty soon. He's like the bigger more talented Terry McMahon.

Clerks 3 is a last desperate attempt by him to reclaim some sense of respectability and pander to his more fevered fan base.

Smith's always been like that. He's great if your only exposure is the odd talk he gives but he's absolutely insufferable in larger doses.

super_furry

Mickeroo wrote: »

I think Clerks 2 is brilliant. There, I said it.

It is a brilliant film.

Oafley Jones

Oafley Jones wrote: »

Smith's always been like that. He's great if your only exposure is the odd talk he gives but he's absolutely insufferable in larger doses.

It's gotten ridiculous since Red State came out. He has really gone out of his way to alienate pretty much every reviewer out there. Red State is a deeply flawed film that in the hands of a better film maker could have been something challenging and special but in Smiths it came across as childish and poorly made. Critics were right to savage the film, it was pretty terrible and not all that interesting.

Penn

Mickeroo wrote: »

I think Clerks 2 is brilliant. There, I said it.

It's weird, as much as I like Clerks 2 (and I do), I've probably watched the Making Of documentary (Back to the well) they made for it more. I get more of an urge to watch that than to watch Clerks 2.

Brien

I'm gonna go against about 90% of posters here an say im happy he's returning to a series that often made me chuckle. I like deep thoughtful movies as much as i like movies with a rubber poop monster. For me, smith has done both (chasing Amy for the first example)

As a previous poster has said, lately he has made simple fun movies you can forget afterwards, as I would expect another clerks film to be. I have no problem referencing old films, as its often a reminder of the best jokes (yo, affleck was the bomb in phantoms!!!).

krudler

Chasing Amy is by far his best movie, I like his Evening With.. talks though, the whole Tim Burton Superman debacle is hilarious.

Nervous Wreck

krudler wrote: »

Chasing Amy is by far his best movie, I like his Evening With.. talks though, the whole Tim Burton Superman debacle is hilarious.

I recently rewatched Chasing Amy after not watching it in years. I've always loved that movie. But my god does it suck. Fuck my arse. It actually weirded me out how much I now hate pretty much all his movies. What I once, as a teenager, thought was clever and poignant, now just seems juvenile and retarded. Which actually saddens me a little bit to say... But by far my most hated of his works is Clerks 2. It took the best of Smith's work and molested it. I hope this idea dies on its arse. Though, if it does stop Smith making any more crap films, I'll be happy enough for it to go ahead, I suppose.

Son0vagun

Loved Clerks 2, hated Red State. He should stick to podcasts though. Hollywood Babble-On with Ralph Garman is very funny and has Smith at his best, Talking!

I'd welcome and probably go see Clerks 3. For me Dogma is his best and my favorite Smith movie.

johnny_ultimate

Mickeroo wrote: »

I think Clerks 2 is brilliant. There, I said it.

The biggest problem with Clerks 2 is that while there are some scenes that do recapture that geeky charm of the original, it's also chock full of several of the most unintentionally cringey scenes I've ever sat through in a cinema. Smith over his career, but especially recently (barring Red State, which had issues of its own), has always had this horrific crowd-pleasing, sentimental streak that pulls his films down. Mallrats falls apart in its turgid third act, as does Clerks 2. Zack & Miri is iffy throughout, and Jersey Girl is just all round appalling.

Frankly, at this point I just think Kevin Smith is a bad filmmaker. Yes, I did very much enjoy Clerks and Chasing Amy in my late teens, but I'm actually kind of scared to go back to them now in case they don't hold up (I'm sure they do to some degree at least). Even the beloved Dogma leaves me pretty cold. TBH I don't think an early retirement is all that bad an idea.

Zero-Cool

Absolutely love clerks and clerks 2 was good. 'would you f#ck me? Id f#ck me'

Really looking forward to this, if it does happen anyway.

Smith has a great story about making a documentary for Prince and then Prince just keeping it for himself and not showing anyone.

indough

the funniest thing about clerks 2 was the star wars/lord of the rings joke

Skerries

Porch Monkeys!

Necronomicon

I have a bit of a soft spot towards Smith, though it's more for his speaking content than his films (haven't seen his last few outings). He dedicated an episode of Hollywood Babble-On to the topic of Clerks 3 where he speaks very candidly about the whole thing and the dispute with the Weinsteins. It's a good listen:

http://smodcast.com/episodes/giant-sized-annual-1-clerks-iii-audience-0/

Hank Schrader

Clerks was ok


Clerks 2 was funny as **** (can i see Kelly now)

People are writing him off a lot here imo, expecting something from the man he can't provide, a 10 out of 10 movie in both writing writing and direction. Personally I've avoided Cop Out but a lot of people use it as a stick to beat him with, it was never going to work with the problems with Willis. He has those films, Dogma, Chasing Amy, Clerks 1 and 2 that I really enjoyed and will revisit in the future that will have me rate him highly no matter what he produces from now. It helps I suppose that I listen to the podcasts so I can associate with his grievances with regards critics and other things.

Liam O

Liam O wrote: »

People are writing him off a lot here imo, expecting something from the man he can't provide, a 10 out of 10 movie in both writing writing and direction. Personally I've avoided Cop Out but a lot of people use it as a stick to beat him with, it was never going to work with the problems with Willis. He has those films, Dogma, Chasing Amy, Clerks 1 and 2 that I really enjoyed and will revisit in the future that will have me rate him highly no matter what he produces from now. It helps I suppose that I listen to the podcasts so I can associate with his grievances with regards critics and other things.

A lot of Smith fanatics blame Willis got Cop Out being a terrible film but most of the fault lies with Smith. It really is a truly terrible film with no redeeming qualities. I watched it just before watching Donkey Punch and would sooner show Donkey Punch to an audience than I would Cop Out. Really is just a terrible excuse for a film. Smith has made some fun films, Clerks 1 and 2, Mallrata, Dogma, Chading Amy and Jay and Silent Bob the film but none of them really stands up to repeat viewing and as you grow older you find them enjoying them less and less, something which I call the Ferris Bueller effect

Mickeroo

Darko wrote: »

A lot of Smith fanatics blame Willis got Cop Out being a terrible film but most of the fault lies with Smith. It really is a truly terrible film with no redeeming qualities. I watched it just before watching Donkey Punch and would sooner show Donkey Punch to an audience than I would Cop Out. Really is just a terrible excuse for a film. Smith has made some fun films, Clerks 1 and 2, Mallrata, Dogma, Chading Amy and Jay and Silent Bob the film but none of them really stands up to repeat viewing and as you grow older you find them enjoying them less and less, something which I call the Ferris Bueller effect

I haven't revisited any of the Smith movies I like in quite a while but I can safely say Ferris Beuller still cracks me up as much as it did when I first watched it as a teenager,

Penn

Deleted User wrote: »

A lot of Smith fanatics blame Willis got Cop Out being a terrible film but most of the fault lies with Smith. It really is a truly terrible film with no redeeming qualities. I watched it just before watching Donkey Punch and would sooner show Donkey Punch to an audience than I would Cop Out. Really is just a terrible excuse for a film. Smith has made some fun films, Clerks 1 and 2, Mallrata, Dogma, Chading Amy and Jay and Silent Bob the film but none of them really stands up to repeat viewing and as you grow older you find them enjoying them less and less, something which I call the Ferris Bueller effect

Cop Out was also the only film Smith directed, but didn't write.

And from reading his book and listening to podcasts/Q&As, he did have a lot of trouble with Willis. Now, that's not to say that the same film in the hands of a more competent director would have been as bad, and a better director probably could have kept Willis in check more, but it's unfair to purely blame Smith for the film.

As for his older films, I can still watch Clerks 2, Chasing Amy, Zack & Miri and Dogma multiple times and still greatly enjoy them.