The Films of Kevin Smith

A new generation of independent filmmakers emerged in the 1990s, including such luminaries as Quentin Tarantino, Allison Anders, Robert Rodriguez, Hal Hartley, and Spike Lee. They would become as synonymous with Generation X as MTV, grunge music, and flannel shirts. But one director truly typified their renegade spirit. Born in Red Bank, New Jersey, Kevin Smith became the voice of a generation with his crude comedies, specifically stoners Jay and Silent Bob. In this course, we view selected clips from Kevin’s 30-year filmography, including Clerks (1994), Chasing Amy (1997), and his more idiosyncratic work, Tusk (2014). Not to be overlooked is Smith’s outsized fan base, who relate to the director’s down-to-earth persona and his geeky, sometimes juvenile, often-nostalgic regular-person characters. We check out their fan art, memorabilia, and on-set stills to get a behind-the-scenes look at Kevin’s life and filmmaking journey.