It’s almost 12:30AM on Monday, March 7, and we’ve just returned from the Boston premiere of Red State at the Wilbur Theatre in Boston’s theater district. The screening, part of Kevin Smith’s official ‘tour’ of the film, was electric. From what we could tell, the Wilbur audience absolutely ate up the event, AND the film, which we can wholeheartedly say, was pretty darn fabulous. Smith was a delight (as long as you’re a fan of his rantings and seemingly endless well of stories) and a captivating host. After introducing the film, he encouraged the audience to Tweet up and FB the event, even as they were watching the movie, something Smith said he’d be doing himself from the comfort of the balcony (read Smith’s real-time Tweets from the Wilbur event). Nice touch, Kevin.
If you read our original post below of Red State‘s Sundance premiere, you’ll see us refer to the film as a ‘horror’ film, a moniker Smith himself uses to describe the work, but one you’ll probably wrestle with once you’ve let the movie do its work on your brain. In his VERY entertaining, emotional, and enlightening post-film Q&A, Smith referred to Red State as a “Tarantino film by way of the Cohen Brothers,” and he’s truly not far off the mark. But, a horror film? “The stuff that takes place in the film IS ‘horrible,’” spouted Smith, somewhat defensively. Though horror fans will leave the theater puzzled about the label, they will hopefully be satiated by the film’s gripping theme, top-notch performances (including that of Academy Award winner Melissa Leo), and graphic shoot-em-up-style action scenes. No spoilers here on plot and what we thought was a nicely done ending. Suffice it to say that tonight’s seats may have been pricey, but the evening was priceless.
Should you spot Red State playing at a theater near you, GO OUT AND CATCH IT. And let us know what you think. Or better yet, let Kevin Smith know what you think via Twitter. He may in fact surprise you with a response.
Read below for our original post on Red State, dated January 24, 2011:
This past weekend, the edgy, outspoken, and eternally surprising Kevin Smith premiered his newest film, Red State, to an electrified audience and equally razzed protesters at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. While reviews and criticisms are still coming in (with some already in the thumbs down category – read a review on Hit Fix), it’s safe to say that Smith has once again inserted shock and awe into his work, only this time he’s entered the horror genre and for some, a sacred hallowed ground. Not surprisingly, Smith plans to self-distribute Red State should no other takers emerge. As the official film poster implies, dark biblical forces are at work in the film, which stars John Goodman, Michael Parks, and Melissa Leo. While Smith’s teaser trailer below brutally sells the film, time will tell if fans of Smith’s work AND devoted horror/thriller fans are sold on the concept and hype. Please note that the trailer below contains some graphic scenes, though even more is left to the imagination:
Get the latest buzz on Kevin Smith and his new project via Twitter. For more on Red State, read on:
“Kevin Smith severs relations with Hollywood …” – Entertainment Weekly
“Kevin Smith preaches a new tune … ” – a Sundance review by Cinematical
“Counter protests await Westboro Church at Sundance … ” – ABC, Salt Lake City
