In a interview with The Washington Post a few years back concerning the release of “Another Day In Paradise”, James Woods went on record as stating that he considered Clarke’s sexual views towards teenagers as “creepy”.
And the guy does have naked screwing teens in every one of his pictures.
I don’t think he’s actually a working pedophile, but I’d say he does have a unusual preoccupation with the sexuality of teenagers…and, given that he lives in works in the U.S., a place where everyone is interested in everyone else’s business, he shouldn’t be surprised if people make conclusions.
I saw it, and the only reason it depressed me was that I couldn’t get my money back.
But what took the movie from plain old bad to ANNOYINGLY bad was the director’s self-importance. I never saw anything remotely plausible happen in “Kids,” but every scene screams out “LOOK at this! THIS is how the world REALLY is!”
According to his IMDb entry, Justin Pierce killed himself on July 10, 2000.
astorian, you and I clearly had very different adolescences. I’m not saying I lived in the world of Kids, but I had experiences near enough that the film was extremely uncomfortable for me to watch. Unfortunately, the kids who might need a wake-up call are not the ones who’ll be watching this movie.
Bully, though, was just pointless and exploitative. And the slapped-on moralizing at the end was embarrassing and clumsy.
Funny, I just assumed that most of the kids shown in states of undress were just older actor hired to play teens. I couldn’t imagine him getting away with that blond at the end actually being under age, and showing as much as was shown.
FIRST: Brought a girl I had been dating for sometime to this movie. She was a 24 yr old virgin and I, admitedly, was trying to remedy that. Well, KIDS scared the hell out of her. If I ever had a chance before that movie, I sure didn’t after. We dated for about 6 more months and she barely let me lay a finger on her. Thanks, KIDS…
SECOND: Went to NYC for the first time shortly after seeing the movie. Was led around by my good pal and native New Yorker, Arvi We ended up in Washington Square where the big skateboard brutalizing scene occured. “Wow” I said. “This is where that super disturbing scene was shot…” And then, I swear to God, the black kid from the movie,(who killed/ nearly killed the guy with a skateboard) skateboards by.
"Holy shit… " I mumbled.
My friend explained that they used local kids in the movie and those same kids liked to hang around and be recognized.
This movie was horrible. I will never never watch it again!
So many people walked out of the theatre when I went, but I stuck till the end… sometimes I wonder if that was the right decision!
I love it and hate it at the same time. It’s probably one of the few movies that have truly shocked me because all the events portrayed could easily be real life events.
I’ve known teenagers who displayed exactly the same type of attitudes portrayed in Kids. I also once knew someone who died of AIDS. Those two facts combined make it easier for me to personally relate to. That’s why it hits so close to home.
Both Kids and Gummo rank in the Top 10 of alltime Worst Films ever.
To think that money was actually wasted buying film stock for these abortions is appaling. The money would have been better spent if they had made a big pile out of it and then taken a shit on it.
I think “Kids” was more or less absurd hyperbole. The character development was minimal, and the acting seemed base. It wasn’t horrible, but I certainly didn’t care for it. Perhaps it has some spot as being a morbid curio, though.
It should be noted that the actor who played Casper was about 20 when the film was made, therefore negating the notion that he was a teen himself.
S’funny, I prefer Korine and Clark better when they work separately (maybe it has something to do with them despising each other). I thought Gummo was beautiful (although I remember hating it the first time I saw it), and Bully was entertaining but overly graphic (although, if you’re familiar with the events it was based on, Clark actually toned the sex down a lot). Bijou Phillips was reportedly furious when she watched it for the first time, smacking Clark during the lingering shot of the crotch of her short shorts.
Clark definitely uses underage actors in his sex scenes, somehow avoiding jail time. In fact, for anyone who has seen Kids lately- you know the pretty brunette virgin Telly deflowers at the end? Well she is currently Clark’s girlfriend, in his latest film (Ken Park- not outstanding, but a lot better than the tripe that was Kids) and about the same age as his own children.
Note: to shoot underage actors/actresses in nude scenes is not illegal. Their parents or guardians have to be on the set for the shooting, though. Same thing was done in American Beauty.
Cat Fight, I’d agree the Gummo was a terrific film (though not as good as Kids, but Bully I just found predictable and exploitative. And Bijou Phillips was right to smack Clark; that shot in particular was totally gratuitous.
The people who are slamming the film: Are you disgusted by the subject matter? The way it’s handled? Technical aspects of the film? I’d love to discuss it, but “This movie sucks” doesn’t take us much of anywhere. Why does it suck?
You wanna talk messed up see his third film Julien Donkey Boy. Man that is just a screwed up flick… hard as hell to finish watching. Makes Gummo look like American Beauty.