Hey folks, Harry here... Seems that Darren Aronofsky isn't the only fella visiting Universities this time of the year... looks like Kevin Smith dropped in on Bloomsburg University and spilled some beans on VA5... Now, for awhile it looked like Kevin was going to shoot a portion of the film here in Austin, Texas... but now... Now he's decided to just shoot almost the whole thing in Los Angeles... dang it. Oh well, that just means I'll have to assign Mysterio the task of haunting his sets like Michael Myers after a topless chick. Here's Reno...
Hey Harry,
Reno here with a quickie report on Kevin Smith's talk at Bloomsburg U this past Thursday evening.
I have to admire the shear stamina Smith exhibits in his speaking engagements. When I read a quote by him late last week stating that he goes on for about 4 to 5 hours, I figured he was just jerking some poor reporters chain around. But Thursday, as he hit about the 3 1/2 hour mark with no sign of slowing did I begrudgingly conceed that the man is the enigizer bunny of lecturers.
In addition to to telling several funny stories, including his first meeting with Jason Mewes and a forty minute version of the ``Superman Lives'' debacle, he let slip with a few points about his next film, the secretively titled ``View Askew 5'' or as I personally refer to it as ``Smith's Blue Harvest.''
He outright stated that Jason Lee will be playing the dual role of Bankie (Mallrats)and Brodie (Chasing Amy) and Ben Affleck will be also playing to roles- Holden (Chasing Amy) and another ``we're not saying yet.'' Given the choices, i'll let the readers come to their own conclusions. (But than again, in other places Smith has said that Chris Rock could be in the film. Wether this is another bit of Lucasian obstrufaction or not will of course remain to be seen.) He also mention that Jeff Anderson will be back as Randall. (The IMDB also states that Brian O'Halloran will be back as Dante) He did say that Michael Rooker (Mallrats) would not be in the cast.
He stated that they had been doing some casting sessions already, but not everything was locked down yet, so he didn't want to make any announcements. He stated that agents were bringing in their clients, some NAMES, some not, based on the more serious nature of Chasing Amy and Dogma. ``What they don't know is we're making a bullshit picture. This is like Mighty Ducks 4,'' Smith said.
The film will be shot primarily in Los Angeles, which Smith said would double for other parts of the country, hinting that the VA5 was going to be ``a road movie.'' The only other hint that was to be gleaned was a comment about some notes he got back from the studio about a draft of the script in which he was told to ``develop the monkey further.'' At which point, murmurs of ``Suzanne?'' went through the crowd. Smith wouldn't elaborate though. (This is also probably the origin of the name of his new column he's writing over at psycomic.com)
Well that's about all he had to say concerning the upcoming film. Some of htis has been reported elsewhere I believe, but I think this is the most he's spoken about it at one time. In related news he did say that a ``Bluntman and Chronic'' comic miniseries will be coming ouut next spring.
Reno out. (and on my way to find a frame for my now signed Jay and Silent Bob #1 comic)
