Preserving movies can sometimes be quite challenging, especially when the rights for specific titles are tangled up in intricate networks. Therefore, it’s truly worth rejoicing when films like Kevin Smith’s “Dogma” reappear on a future movie schedule, such as 2025.
However, it’s important to note that Mr. Smith doesn’t deserve all the praise alone. His efforts to reclaim the film from producer Harvey Weinstein were mostly unsuccessful. In fact, even Mr. Smith himself has acknowledged that a determined woman was instrumental in bringing this 26-year-old treasure to light, as without her assistance, it might have remained undiscovered.
How Alessandra Williams Became ‘The Guardian Angel Of Dogma’
The account of how Dogma was reclaimed by the angels begins at approximately the same time as Kevin Smith endeavored to reacquire the film. During our conversation about the ensemble’s Linda Fiorentino-led comeback in cinemas, the mastermind behind Clerks reminisced about five years ago, a period where his offers to buy back the rights were turned down.
It appears that the sexual abuse allegations against Harvey Weinstein were instrumental in regaining ownership of the movie “Dogma.” Furthermore, despite not being as divine a character as Alanis Morissette played in the film, Rosemarie DeWitt took advantage of Harvey Weinstein’s ongoing legal troubles to secure her role:.
In my understanding, it was Alessandra Williams who played a crucial role in saving the movie. You could say she was its protecting spirit, if you like. She contacted me at a moment when I also needed help. It seems that her lawyer reached out to him during a time when he was preparing for another court case and required financial assistance.
This ultimately resulted in the acceptance of the Dogma film, along with a few other disputed titles, being released. In our conversation, Kevin Smith revealed more about the production’s last phase and how it eventually came to be seen:
He got rid of all his personal possessions, among which were a portion of films purchased by the company he manages. To get rid of this, he put it up for sale. I’m not sure what they paid for the entire collection of films, but it seems to have been more than our offer for just one movie. We made certain to thoroughly investigate beforehand, to ensure there were no hidden connections or underhanded dealings. Once we confirmed everything was aboveboard, it was like an incredible realization – she had done it! She saved the film.
The distinctive distribution path of Dogma was similar to that of other films produced by Miramax. Interestingly, Alessandra Williams acquired the rights not only for Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 but also for Larry Clark’s Kids. However, due to their controversial nature, both films were eventually sold to other companies because they were considered too explicit for any company associated with Disney.
In my perspective, having the determination alone wasn’t sufficient in this case, as Harvey Weinstein once more turned down Kevin Smith’s past attempts to secure the release of “Dogma”. This experience underscores a crucial lesson we should all remember from this narrative about navigating the tangled web of film acquisitions – the power of fandom can be a potent force.
To Kevin Smith, Alessandra Williams’ Help Freeing Dogma Hammered Home An Important Message
While recounting the story of how his religious comedy spent time in limbo, Mr. Smith mentioned that he was willing to spend $1 million to buy back the rights to his work. Unfortunately, these offers were rejected by the Weinstein team, leaving the filmmaker from New Jersey with no prospect of hope.
If the story had ended without further developments on that hypothetical Buddy Christ popcorn bucket that Kevin Smith mentioned earlier, we’d be left wondering what the delay is. But, as it often happens with unconventional projects like ‘Dogma’, fate seems to work in mysterious ways. Here’s how things stand now:
I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for Alessandra. And the moral of the story, my friends, is that you never know who might lend a hand when you least expect it. Just eight months ago, I had never met Alessandra and she wasn’t associated with Dogma or any of its participants. Yet, she managed to play a pivotal role in releasing the film. In my experience, she is one of the most resourceful individuals I have ever encountered. If you’re planning on making a movie, consider reaching out to this remarkable woman.
In summary, it’s often the people you don’t know in the industry that can make a difference, like how Alessandra Williams, who mirrors the audience she helped reconnect with the 1999 film “Dogma”, was instrumental in this case.
Similar to attendees at this summer’s screening of Dogma at Cannes, she shares a fondness for Kevin Smith’s behavior and felt it was essential that his high-witted gospel not be overshadowed. With that teaching concluded, we are now free to enjoy the 25th anniversary restoration of Dogma, which is currently playing in theaters.
Looking forward to hopefully crossing paths once more, perhaps when the speculated sequel of “Dogma 2” materializes. In the meantime, let’s keep in mind that even the world of entertainment has its blunders. Thus, we should be grateful for individuals like Ms. Williams who graciously step up to rectify such errors, always with our best interests at heart.
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2025-06-11 05:08