While Kevin Smith is beloved for his popular comediesClerks,Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back, andChasing Amy, his horror movies are just as compelling and memorable. He wrote and directed the 2011 horror moviesRed StateandTusk. And while they might not get mentioned as often as his other films, they offer insight into his creative mind.
Whether someone is an avid fan of the horror genre or has been following Kevin Smith’s career since the beginning, bothRed StateandTuskare worth checking out. They are very different, unique, and unforgettable movies that prove why Smith is one of the most exciting filmmakers around.
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Red State Was Ambitious But Collapsed Under A Strained Budget
Kevin Smith’s 2011 horror movieRed Statewas definitely ambitious and starred Stephen Root, Melissa Reo, Michael Angarano, John Goodman, and Michael Parks. The story revolves around three teenage friends who meet an older woman and think that things are going to be great… but then meet Abin Cooper (Michael Parks), a preacher who is full of hate and intolerance. While Kevin Smith fans have seen every film that he has put out, for someRed Stateis aforgotten 2010s horror moviethat they might not have even heard of. And that’s because it had a bold story and a unique distribution set-up.
Time reported thatthe budget forRed Statewas $4 million and that Kevin Smith didn’t want to advertise the movie in a typical way. He said that marketing it would end up costing $20 million and he didn’t want to do that. But unfortunately,Red Statedidn’t end up doing well. Even someMCU movies do poorly at the box officeandRed Stateonly grossed around $1.8 million, according to Box Office Mojo.
When Kevin Smith was interviewed by Time, he explained, “We’re in a global economy now that does not support the kind of movies I like making in terms of marketing them. It doesn’t make sense to try to sell what I do to an audience that doesn’t want to see it. And I have been doing this for 17 years; I know there is the audience that likes what I do and then there are cats that don’t even know who I am or are indifferent to what I do. Or don’t want to see it. It just feels like, why do we waste money going after the audience that has no interest whatsoever?”
It’s always interesting to see how horror films are advertised.The Black Phonewas marketedin a cool and old-fashioned way as people realized that seeing it in the movie theater would be much more fun. AndCloverfield’s marketing was perfectas well.
Kevin Smith had a very specific idea of how he wanted people to watchRed State. Instead of releasing it through a distribution company, he set up screenings. According to Time and The A.V. Club, those screenings set people back much more than a regular movie would. A reporter for The A.V. Club paid $83.16 to seeRed State. Horror fans debated whether this was a good idea or not. No matter what people think of this,Red Statecan’t be ignored.
Tusk Is A Bizarre But Entertaining Comedic Take On Body Horror
Horror fans might be more familiar withTuskthanRed State.Justin Long talked about a potentialTusksequel, and while there are no plans, the movie is so strange and unique that it would be cool to see what Kevin Smith would come up with next.
The movie is about Wallace Bryton (Justin Long) who hosts the podcastThe Not-See Partywith his good friend Teddy Craft (Haley Joel Osment." Wallace meets a strange man named Howard Howe (Michael Parks) who talks about Mr. Tusk, a walrus. It quickly becomes clear to Wallace that Howard wants to turn him into a walrus, which is definitely horrifying.
There are sometruly gross body horror movie scenesandTuskcan get fairly gory at times. But the story proves that Kevin Smith’s horror movies are just as memorable as his comedies. While he might not get as much attention forRed StateorTusk, they both offer offbeat premises, odd characters, and proof of his storytelling talents.
Whether someone lovesthe body horror genrespecifically or horror in general, they can appreciate howTuskstands out from other films. Justin Long has proven how great he is in scary films time and time again, whether he’s playing a freaked-out college student inJeepers Creepersor an unsympathetic character inBarbarian. His performance in the Kevin Smith horror movieTuskreminds audiences that he can command attention when a spooky and offbeat story is being told.
