STAND BY ME By Pat Saperstein
KEVIN SMITH FIGHTS FOR HIS CHILDHOOD MOVIE THEATER
Kevin Smith could have bought the Quick Stop market he made famous in his first film, “Clerks.” But when the opportunity arose, the indie director instead put his hard-earned cash into his childhood movie theater in Atlantic Highlands, N.J., reopening it in 2022 as Smodcastle Cinemas.
Now he’s fighting to keep the 103-year-old theater going, even if “exhibition is in the toilet,” as he likes to say. What he means is that local audiences sometimes prefer to watch big hits like “Avatar” in modern multiplexes.
No matter: The “Chasing Amy” director is leveraging his brand to focus on classic cult movies, merchandise sales and fresh popcorn.
He’s also shopping a reality show, for which he’s already shot a sizzle reel. “It tells a pretty human story about people struggling to keep the lights on,” he says. The show could feature some of Smodcastle’s celebrity guests, Smith says, such as the Russo brothers, George R.R. Martin, Jason Lee, Joey Lauren Adams and Justin Long.
Located in a kid-friendly neighborhood, Smodcastle brings crowds for first-run family films like “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” and “Barbie.” But Smith says he’s trying to focus more on nostalgia and repertory films:
“What draws them in here the most is when we do our own programming” — including classics like “Jaws,” “The Big Lebowski” and “King Kong” and cast-member appearances.
The theater charges premium prices for fan events, from an allnight “Clerks” marathon to the Vulgarthon — eight Smith movies for $69.
Keeping an indie theater alive is not easy, but Smith feels it’s worth it. “There’s not a moment I leave this building where someone in town doesn’t stop me and thank me for saving the theater,” he says. ●