Kevin Smith His films and fans

Gati, a film editor and short film director, sifts through Kevin Smith interviews, stories, and podcasts to track the envelope-pushing movie director's evolution. The book follows the director from his teenage years in suburban New Jersey and a sojourn at the Vancouver Film School to surprising acclaim for his first feature Clerks. Descriptions of Smith's subsequent films are also included. Gati sets the stage for each film with a short preface and then lets Smith and those around him take over with unflinching honesty as they comment on both the process and the content of the films. A changing cast of supporting characters--ranging from Smith's mother to superstar actors like Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis--populate the narrative as Smith's erstwhile indie credentials are validated by Miramax and other Hollywood power studios. A panoply of candid photos and drawings help bring the various subjects to vibrant life. VERDICT Given the profanity-laced text and graphic sexual descriptions, this is not intended for all readers, but it provides a diverting, insider-y thrill ride for Kevin Smith fans and those interested in the mechanics of the movie business.--Barry Zaslow