The Criterion Closet could appear to be it’s simply one other alternative for celebrities to get a bag stuffed with free goodies, however for a lot of, it’s an area that enables artists to mirror on their influences and pay homage to those that’ve formed them. Kevin Smith, the filmmaker behind “Clerks,” “Chasing Amy,” and “The 4:30 Film” used his time contained in the closet to just do that as he chosen movies starting from Orson Welles’ “Citizen Kane” to Barbara Streisand’s “The Prince of Tides.”
“This film made me construct my boat as a result of I bear in mind, like — Primary, this can be a legit fucking sensible, humorous film, with implausible performing in it and stuff,” stated Smith of the impact Robert Townsend’s 1987 satire “Hollywood Shuffle” had on him. “And he talked about utilizing bank cards to pay for the film, partially the price range. And I bear in mind listening to that interview — and this was lengthy earlier than I ever considered filmmaking — however that info stayed with me as a result of I used to be like, ‘You could possibly try this? That’s fascinating.’ Years later, I’d use that info. So, I’ve by no means met Robert Townsend, however he’s considered one of my absolute heroes.”
One other hero of Smith’s proved to be actor-turned-director Invoice Duke. In discussing Duke’s ’90s neo-noir “Deep Cowl,” Smith, a filmmaker recognized for often stepping in entrance of the digicam, defined why actors have a specific talent for steering.
“Actors make nice administrators, youngsters. You already know why? As a result of they sit behind fucking a zillion administrators over the course of a profession, and so they can slowly combination a method with out ever capturing a body of movie,” Smith stated. “So when it turns into their time to step as much as the plate, oh, they’ll knock it out the park. Invoice Duke did that with ‘Deep Cowl.’”
For his final choice, Smith additionally credited Richard Linklater and his 1990 movie “Slacker” with pushing him in the direction of the assumption that he too might make films. He stated of the movie, “I’ve talked about viewing ‘Slacker’ with a combination of awe and vanity. Awe as a result of I’d by no means seen something prefer it earlier than. And I watched loads of films, youngsters. However vanity as a result of, once I completed watching this, one of many first ideas I had was, ‘If that counts as a film, I feel I might make a film.’ This film modified my life. If I don’t see ‘Slacker,’ I by no means suppose that I might do a factor. You bought to see it earlier than you will be it. So as soon as once more, for those who’re similar to, ‘I fucking hate Kevin Smith. 30 years of horrible films. I can’t imagine Criterion gave him a Chasing Amy,’ blame Richard Linklater.”
Watch Kevin Smith’s full Criterion Closet go to under.