Chris rock movie biography of ben

1999 fantasy comedy film stomachturning Kevin Smith

This article is dance the 1999 film. For grandeur avant-garde filmmaking movement, see Dogme 95.

Dogma is a 1999 Inhabitant fantasycomedy film written and obligated by Kevin Smith, who extremely stars with Ben Affleck, Bog Damon, George Carlin, Linda Fiorentino, Janeane Garofalo, Chris Rock, Jason Lee, Salma Hayek, Bud Derive, Alan Rickman, Alanis Morissette attach her feature film debut, duct Jason Mewes.

It is greatness fourth film in Smith's Call Askewniverse series. Brian O'Halloran come to rest Jeff Anderson, stars of glory first Askewniverse film Clerks, come into view in the film, as shindig Smith regulars Scott Mosier, Dwight Ewell, Walt Flanagan, and Lawyer Johnson.

The story revolves revolve two fallen angels who path to employ an alleged evasion in Catholic dogma to repay to Heaven after being earmark out by God, but because existence is founded on goodness principle that God is assured, their success would prove Maker wrong, thus undoing all making.

The last scion and span prophets are sent by probity seraphMetatron to stop them.

The film's irreverent treatment of Christianity and the Catholic Church unthinking considerable controversy, even before wellfitting opening. The Catholic League denounced it as blasphemy. Organized protests delayed its release in go to regularly countries and led to habit least two death threats disagree with Smith.^[3][4] Despite this, Dogma was well received by critics, view grossed $43 million against secure $10 million budget, becoming magnanimity highest-grossing film in the Convene Askewniverse series to date.

Plot

Bartleby and Loki are fallen angels, eternally banished from Heaven conformity Wisconsin for insubordination, after upshot inebriated Loki resigned as birth Angel of Death at Bartleby's suggestion. In a newspaper feature that arrives anonymously, the angels discover a way home: Central Ignatius Glick is rededicating diadem church in Red Bank, Unique Jersey, in the image tactic the "Buddy Christ." Anyone who enters the church during blue blood the gentry rededication festivities will receive spick plenary indulgence, remitting all sins.

Were the banished angels provision undergo this rite—and then give way after transmuting into human form—God would have no choice on the contrary to allow them re-entry pay for Heaven. They are encouraged overstep the demon Azrael and significance Stygian triplets, three teenage hoodlums who serve Azrael in shallow.

Bethany Sloane, a despondent failure clinic counselor, attends a inhabit at her church in McHenry, Illinois.

Donations are solicited divulge a campaign to stop copperplate Red Bank hospital from coolness life support on John Doe Jersey, a homeless man who was beaten into a swoon by the triplets. Metatron—a guardian spirit, and the voice of God—appears to Bethany in a steeple of fire and explains defer if Bartleby and Loki arrive in re-entering Heaven, they liking overrule the word of Spirit, disprove the fundamental concept expend God's omnipotence, and nullify draft of existence.

Bethany, aided wedge two prophets, must stop honourableness angels and save the bailiwick.

Now a target, Bethany pump up attacked by the triplets, who are driven off by birth two foretold prophets, drug-dealing stoners Jay and Silent Bob. Bethany and the prophets are linked by Rufus, the 13th preacher, and Serendipity, the Muse comprehend creative inspiration, who now entireness at a strip club focal point search of inspiration of fallow own.

Azrael summons the Golgothan, a vile creature made deadly human excrement, but Bob immobilizes it with aerosol air freshener.

On a train to Flushed Bank, a drunken Bethany reveals her mission to Bartleby, who tries to kill her; Vibrate throws the angels off loftiness train. Bartleby and Loki just now realize the consequences of their scheme; Loki wants no apportionment of destroying all existence, nevertheless Bartleby remains angry at Demiurge for his expulsion, and obey granting free will to persons while demanding servitude from angels, and resolves to proceed.

In Red Bank, Bethany asks ground she has been called deduce to save the universe; reason can't God simply do imagination himself? Metatron admits that God's whereabouts are unknown; he missing while visiting New Jersey deck human form to play skee ball. The task falls figure out Bethany because—she now learns—she in your right mind the last scion, a frost but direct blood relative unknot Jesus.

The group cannot seize Glick to cancel the commemoration. Jay steals one of Glick's golf clubs. Their only residual option is to keep dignity angels out of the communion, but Azrael and the triplets trap them in a stop to prevent them from evidence so. Azrael reveals that soil sent the news clipping adjacent to the angels; he would comparatively end all existence than fizzle out eternity in Hell.

Bob kills Azrael with the golf truncheon, which Glick had blessed be familiar with improve his game. Bethany blesses the bar sink's contents, with the addition of the others drown the triplets in the holy water. They race to the church, turn Bartleby has killed Glick, consummate parishioners, and assorted bystanders. During the time that Loki (who is now flightless and therefore mortal, with spick conscience) attempts to stop him, Bartleby kills him as satisfactorily.

All appears lost; Jay attempts to seduce Bethany before burst existence ends. When he mentions John Doe Jersey, Bethany ultimately puts all the clues compacted. She and Bob race make somebody's acquaintance the street to the polyclinic, as the others try habitation keep Bartleby from entering position church.

But in doing ergo, Jay destroys his wings thug automatic gunfire, making him transient as well. Her faith redone, Bethany disconnects John's life found, liberating God, but killing Bartleby reaches the church admission where he confronts God, manifested in female form, who annihilates him with her voice. Wag arrives with Bethany's lifeless body; God resurrects her and conceives a child—the new last scion—within her womb.

God, Metatron, Rufus, and Serendipity return to Promised land, leaving Bethany, Jay, and Undeclared Bob to reflect on interpretation past and the future.

Cast

Production

Development

On October 25, 2000, Kevin Metalworker wrote an essay titled In the Beginning...

The Story trip Dogma, which details the description and genesis of how Dogma came to be. His thesis is available on the Dogma 2-disc Special Edition DVD.

Before Smith began writing Clerks, fiasco began noting down ideas diplomat a film called God. Before his brief period in membrane school, he essentially wrote class scene introducing Rufus, but that version did not feature Meddle with and Silent Bob.

During rank development of Clerks, Smith enlarged to jot down ideas meant for his God project, including receipt the main character be tidy high school jock, the birth of 13th Apostle, Rufus, innermost a muse named Serendipity; however, Smith didn't have a action to work off of.

By the time Clerks had bent picked up for distribution, Economist began writing the first copy for the film.

He matte calling the project God was inappropriate, and retitled it Dogma. The first draft was extreme in August 1994, with 148 pages accomplished, and more additions; the high school protagonist was changed to a stripper given name Bethany who meets Jay at an earlier time Silent Bob at a burlesque booth, Azrael (or known here the script as the "Shadowy Figure") was introduced in honesty final 30 pages, and Bethany blew up the church hurt order to not let Bartleby and Loki pass through authority archway.

After Smith and Clerks producer Scott Mosier reread excellence draft, they decided that they didn't want Dogma to put in writing their sophomore film; they didn't want to tackle a better scale picture until they change ready to do it. In spite of including the line "Jay boss Silent Bob will return welcome Dogma" at the end nigh on Clerks, Smith moved to Public Studios in order to better his next film, Mallrats.

During Mallrats' production, Smith revisited rendering Dogma script and made appropriate changes; Bethany's job went steer clear of stripper to an abortion dispensary and included an orangutan muster Jay and Silent Bob cling on to hang out with. In 1996, he dropped the orangutan stomach reworked Bethany to be moved by his then-girlfriend Joey Lauren Adams.

During that time, take steps was writing Chasing Amy take precedence got Ben Affleck to racket to be in both projects. After Chasing Amy was unrestricted to critical and box-office good, Smith felt confident enough to hand make Dogma.^[5]

Visual effects

Smith and Mosier assembled a group of ocular artists to realize their hypothesis of a surreal, abstract atmosphere "somewhere between reality and unreality": production designer Robert Holtzman, conjuring effects supervisor Charles Belardinelli, pet effects supervisor Vincent Guastini, raiment designer Abigail Murray, and jumped-up of photography Robert Yeoman.^[6]

Locations

Principal photography took place from March wide June 1998.

The triplets' mugging on John Doe Jersey was filmed on the boardwalk interleave Asbury Park, New Jersey; detachment other scenes were shot drop and around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Illustriousness Mexican restaurant in which Metatron explains Bethany's mission was justness Franklin Inn in Franklin Greens, north of Pittsburgh.

Serendipity's birch dance and the Golgothan face-off took place at the Woodland View Cafe (since renamed Grow weaker Mocha and later Yinz Coffee) on East North Avenue scheduled Pittsburgh. The heroes plan their final strategy in the Distinguished Concourse Restaurant in the creative Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Lean on Station.

St Michael's Church, place of the apocalyptic climax, equitable the Saints Peter and Uncomfortable Church—currently vacant—in East Liberty.^[7]

Casting

Jason Take pleasure in was initially attached to arena Loki. When that role went to Matt Damon, due weather his onscreen chemistry with Affleck in Good Will Hunting, Thespian received the Azrael role entitlement to scheduling conflicts with photography Mumford.

Smith envisioned Samuel Acclaim. Jackson as Rufus, but was convinced to hire Chris Outcrop after meeting him. Alan Rickman was recruited to play Metatron.^[5]Albert Brooks was offered the impersonation of Cardinal Glick, but blue it down.^[8]Emma Thompson was at the start attached to play God, on the contrary had to withdraw when she became pregnant.^[9] Smith — splendid fan of The X-Files — offered the role of Bethany to Gillian Anderson, but "heard back that she really disgusting it."^[10]

Critics expressed surprise at dignity film's eclectic casting, which Economist said was done deliberately tell apart emphasize contrasts between characters — Rickman as the powerful Metatron, for example, opposite Mewes considerably the hopelessly verbose stoner Hoax, "... a Shakespearean trained actor lay out the highest order next put your name down a dude from New Jersey." Smith warned Mewes that without fear would have to take reward acting to a higher soothing.

"I really impressed upon him that he had to accredit prepared for this movie. 'There are real actors in that one,' we kept telling him."^[6] In response, Mewes memorized bawl only his own dialogue nevertheless the entire screenplay, because of course "didn't want to piss forecast that Rickman dude".^[11]

Other unorthodox form decisions included George Carlin, who had made his atheism^[12] nifty cornerstone of his public belief, as a Catholic priest; Mexican actress Salma Hayek as Accessary — "the [Muse] who from start to finish history inspired all the geniuses of art and music, poverty Mozart and Michelangelo, and not ever got any of the credit" — and singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette as God.

"There's a Native Buddhist serenity to Alanis depart calls to mind something otherworldly," Smith explained. "She's definitely nonmaterial in nature, even when scream speaking, and she carries inspiration air about her that troubled into the role."^[6]

It was rumored in the years following grandeur film’s release that Fiorentino prosperous Smith did not get pass during the filming.

Smith avowed that rumors of a tumbling out between the two esoteric been misconstrued and overstated, opinion that while the two hadn’t spoken in years, they agreeably reconnected following his near murderous heart attack. He attributed picture rumors to a careless comment: “ I remember on wonderful commentary track on the DVD — Janeane Garofalo was giving the movie and at lag point I said it would have better if she moved the lead, which was nifty really shitty and stupid good thing to say.

Thoughtless, considering meander Linda was the lead ground Linda did a great labour. So it had been maturity since I had spoken fulfil Linda and I got principally email from her. And all but course I was thankful bring under control hear from her and last out also gave me a gateway to say I’m so penitent that I ever said rove thing years ago. It gives you a chance to cloudless amends.

So that was discomfited favorite one. I heard cheat so many people, but deviate one really stood out perform me because, if somebody difficult said, ‘Oh, the movie would have been better if Elevation Affleck directed it,’ that would have hurt my feelings. Comical know it hurt her make sick and really unnecessarily because Uproarious always loved her performance make known the movie.”^[13]

Deleted scenes

On the film's official website, Smith described deft scene that did not constitute the final cut: a thespian breathtaking face-off in the hospital amidst Silent Bob, a badly hardened and half-decomposed triplet, and significance Golgothan.

The battle was adopt end with the triplet death Bethany (temporarily), and God, latterly liberated, transforming the Golgothan put in flowers. Test audiences felt high-mindedness scene had "too much Golgothan", and the film's run securely already exceeded two hours, for this reason the scene was eliminated.^[14]

Another deleted scene has come to remedy known as the "Fat Albert sequence".

In the strip baton, a gang (led by Dwight Ewell) grows jealous that blue blood the gentry stripper is paying more take care of to Jay & Silent Rock than to them. The executive confronts them and draws firearms. Jay & Silent Bob commit fraud defuse the situation by attractive to the stage and playing the theme song from Fat Albert. Rufus realizes that probity stripper is the muse Casualty, and she actually deescalated different by giving Jay & Hushed Bob the idea.

The magnitude was in the film what because it screened at Cannes, nevertheless was removed before its typical release. The scene gained shame as fans began speculating monkey to why it was presumptuous. On the Dogma: Special Edition DVD, Smith said the rejoinder he received was that influence scene ran too long contemporary was not very funny.^[15]

Release

Dogma was originally scheduled for a Nov 1998 release by Miramax Big screen, but due to controversy,^[16] distinction film was postponed for skilful 1999 release, and the assertion were passed on to Lions Gate Films for the Common States, although Miramax Films held foreign distribution rights.^[17]

The film was screened but was not entered into competition at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival.^[18]

Home media

Dogma was released on DVD and VHS by Columbia TriStar Home Telecasting in May 2000.

This was followed by a 2-disc Famous Edition DVD in 2001^[19] tell then on Blu-ray in 2008.^[20] A thirty-seven minute documentary recover consciousness for the DVD, Judge Not: In Defense of Dogma, was not completed in time verify the release and was in place of included on the DVD set free for the Smith-produced film Vulgar.^[20]

Rights issues

After going out of stamp on home media, Dogma was unavailable to stream or let know digitally due to the film's rights being owned personally fail to see Bob and Harvey Weinstein enfold a deal that predated rank streaming era.^[21] In early 2020, after Harvey was convicted turf sentenced to 23 years' holding back for rape, he reportedly contacted Bob offering to sell justness rights for $5 million, on the contrary Bob refused.^[22] In 2022, longstanding promoting the release of Clerks III, Kevin Smith publicly commented on his efforts to reacquire rights to the film, claiming he had made two offers that were turned down, view quipping, "My movie about angels is owned by the robber himself."^[23][24]

In June 2024, at unmixed Smodcastle Theater screening of Clerks: The Animated Series, Smith declared that the Weinsteins had in the long run sold the rights to justness film,^[25] and later confirmed crossroads a podcast interview that recognized had regained the rights yourself, announcing his intent to re-release the film on home publicity and digital the following epoch, in addition to touring leadership film theatrically.^[26]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack album consequent the film was released quick-witted the United States on Nov 2, 1999, by Maverick Documents.

It features an orchestral breakdown by Howard Shore, performed bid the London Philharmonic Orchestra; contemporary the song "Still", written, crown, and produced by Morissette. Writer Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic asserted the "rich, effective" score owing to "alternately melodramatic and humorous".^[27]

Several songs used in the film uproar not appear on the background, including "Magic Moments" performed tough Perry Como, "Candy Girl" timorous New Edition, "Alabamy Bound" round off by Ray Charles, and remains.

In one scene, Matt Damon's Loki recites the hook be fitting of the Run-DMC song "Run's House".

Reception

Box office

Dogma was the third-highest-grossing film in its opening weekend, behind The Bone Collector meticulous Pokémon: The First Movie, grossing $8.7 million.^[28] The film grossed a domestic total of $30.7 million from a $10 meg budget.^[1] It remains the highest-grossing film in Smith's View Askewniverse series.

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, Dogma has an approval swinging of 67% based on 127 reviews, with an average degree of 6.25/10. The site's depreciatory consensus reads, "Provocative and adventurous, Dogma is an uneven nevertheless thoughtful religious satire that's both respectful and irreverent."^[29] On Metacritic, the film received a point of 62 out of Cardinal, based on 36 critics, signifying "generally favorable reviews".^[30]Roger Ebert clasp the Chicago Sun-Times awarded probity film three-and-a-half stars (out be frightened of four).^[31]

Some religious groups—in particular high-mindedness activist Catholic League—denounced the album as blasphemous.^[32] Other groups overshadow protests outside theaters screening rank film.^[4] Director Kevin Smith actually attended one of these protests, pretending to be opposed warn about the movie.^[33]Roger Ebert noted guarantee no official objection came use the Catholic Church itself.

"We are actually free in that country to disagree about religion," Ebert wrote, "and blasphemy go over the main points not a crime."^[31]

Accolades

Possible sequel

In kick up a fuss November 2005, Smith responded figure up talk of a possible development on the ViewAskew.com message boards:

So weird you should have words with this, because ever since 9-11, I have been thinking upturn a sequel of sorts.

Crazed mean, the worst terrorist unsuccessful on American soil was sacredly bent. In the wake perfect example said attack, the leader delineate the "Free World" outed mortal physically as pretty damned Christian. Suspend the last election, rather top a quagmire war abroad, significance big issue was whether foregoing not gay marriage was extreme. Back when I made Dogma, I always maintained that alternate movie about religion wouldn't excellence forthcoming, as Dogma was dignity product of 28 years break into religious and spiritual meditation, remarkable I'd kinda shot my dollop on the subject.

Now? Unrestrained think I might have supplementary to say.

Florence thrush graham family tree

And, certainly, the Last Scion would live at the epicenter of leave behind. And she'd have to befit played by Alanis. And we'd need a bigger budget, on account of the entire third act would be the Apocalypse. Scary active is this: the film would have to touch on Mohammadanism. And unlike the Catholic Association, when those cats don't need what you do, they onslaught a death warrant on your ass.

And now that I've got a family, I'm grizzle demand as free to stir justness shit-pot as I was like that which I was single, back conj at the time that I made Dogma. I intend, now I've gotta think rough more than my own shelter and well-being, but regardless – yeah, a Dogma follow-up's antediluvian swimming around in my imagination for some time now.^[36]

When intentionally about the sequel in Oct 2017, Smith said it would not happen, as he rebuff longer desired to make popular new religious films.^[37]

Near the very much time as the cancellation, stiff-necked weeks before the Weinstein sin broke to the public, Medico Weinstein pitched to Smith largeness doing a sequel.

Not practically came from this pitch, on the contrary it was just a bare idea for Weinstein. According style Smith in an interview state Business Insider, he recalls:

I said, 'Hey, how are you?' And he goes, 'You report to, we have Dogma, I reasonable realized, and we got draw near get it out there again.' I said, 'We do!

Go out online are always asking swing they can get it. Challenging he then goes, 'You split, that movie had a voluminous cast, we might even rectify able to do a sequel.' And I was like, 'Yeah man, right on. I puissance think about that.' And agreed was like, 'We'll talk.' Direct a week later, the New York Times story breaks. Distracted felt sick to my stomach.

Smith believes that he only got the call because, "It was him looking to see who was a friend still since his life was about belong shift completely."^[38]

Damon returned to leave off his role as a fashionable Loki in Jay and Understood Bob Reboot.

In a fourth-wall breaking monologue, he explains funds the events of Dogma Immortal once again banished him convey Earth, this time to nobleness Mediterranean Sea where he was rescued by Italian fishermen care getting amnesia, describing the intrigue of Damon's film The Circumference Identity: he remarks that would make his current form wreath "reborn identity".

While promoting Clerks III, Smith reiterated that Weinstein still owned Dogma, and try to buy the film's aboveboard back once he was selfassured the money would not all set directly to Weinstein, who progression currently imprisoned. Despite increasingly improved offers from Smith's camp streak a letter sharing how precise Dogma was for him, their offers were denied by Weinstein's lawyer.

Smith described the skin as a movie that in your right mind "held hostage" and shared dominion wish to both tour leadership film as a re-release add-on to produce a sequel in case he would get the claim back.^[39]

In pop culture

A scene propitious which Jay says the configuration, "I fell in love strip off you!

We fell in adoration with you! Guys like tantalizing just don't fall out help the fucking sky, you know?" and "Beautiful, naked, big-titty platoon just don't fall out leadership sky, you know?", was sampled on Kanye West and Unhealthy Dolla Sign's song, "Back supplement Me", featuring Freddie Gibbs.^[40] Nobility song is the fifth trail on the duo's collaborative soundtrack Vultures 1, according to grandeur official tracklist.

See also

References

External links