Kevin Smith recalls death threats over 1999 movie ‘Dogma’

Writer-director Kevin Smith has not forgotten the backlash he received for his 1999 film Dogma.

Smith is looking back at his career with Entertainment Weekly, and estimates he received a total of “400,000 pieces of hate mail and three bona fide death threats” for his work on the movie, starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon and featuring a cameo by Alanis Morissette as God.

One of the horrible things he recalls being told: “You Jews better take that money you stole from us and start investing in flak jackets, because we’re coming in there with shotguns.”

“The movie had a rubber poop monster in it,” Smith laughs. “Can you imagine getting that irate over a movie with a rubber poop monster? I hope whoever wrote that, that missive found peace. Sounds like they ran for Congress.”

When the movie was released in November 1999, Smith said much the same about the outcry over the religious-themed comedy. “Comparing me to Hitler is quite a stretch,” Smith quipped then, per an EW report.

Smith had already written and directed Clerks, Mallrats, and Chasing Amy when he took on the story of two fallen angels — played by his regular collaborators Affleck and Damon — attempting to break into heaven. It’s up to an abortion clinic counselor, Bethany, played by Linda Fiorentino to stop them. Chris Rock, Janeane Garofalo, Jason Lee, Salma Hayek Pinault, the late George Carlin, and the late Alan Rickman were all part of the cast. Smith himself pops up as Silent Bob, a frequent character in his movies.

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly‘s free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Watch Smith look back at his full filmography in the video above.