Clerks (Collector's Series)
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Movie Reviews of Clerks (Collector's Series)
Movie Review: Kevin Smith's first and BEST film
Summary: 5 Stars
The film goes back and forth between a "regular" working day, and the personal lives of Randal (Jeff Anderson) and Dante (Brian O'Halloran). Dante works in a convienient store. He is a whiny, goody two shoes, that puts up with all of the customer's crap. The day before, he had to work an open to close shift. The boss called him on his day off, and promised that he would be in at 12:00 noon to take over. He stands Dante up, making him work back to back open-to-close shifts. "But I'm not even supposed to be here today!" Next you have Randal. Randal works next door at the video store. Randal goes out of his way to upset customers and does what he wants, when he wants. Everything from spitting water in their faces, to watching pornography in the store. Randal and Dante make the perfect pair. They are so different, but make you laugh the same. "Clerks" also marks the first time appearance of the two lazy drug dealers named Jay ( Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob ( Kevin Smith). They either stand around outside and sell, or come in and make Dante and Randall miserable. Thrown into the mix are the two most important women in Dante's life. There is his ex girlfriend Katlin (Lisa Spoonhauer)who cheated on Dante nine times, and is getting married. Despite all the bad treatment, Dante still wants her. Then there is his present girlfriend Veronica (Marilyn Ghigliotti). She loves Dante dearly, and is the best choice. But she unfortunately has a long lost of ex boyfriends, that has caused her to have a high number "sexual favors". "I'm number 37?!!" Most of the time, people save the best for last. But in this case, Clerks was Kevin Smith's first and best film. In fact, the film almost did not get made. Smith sold his comic book collection for $27,000 to make it happen. That makes " Clerks" one of the most profitable films ever made. The story is one that anyone can relate to. It is every person's dream to be able to tell the customers what you think of them, and do anything that you want when you are working. This is the reason why the film is so funny. It offers a no holds barred look at perfecting the art of ignoring the rule "the customer is always right". Jeff Anderson summed up the idea behind the film perfectly when he said "This job would be great, if it weren't for the customers". The film is shot brilliantly because it is in black and white to give the appearance of watching through a security camera. The entire cast did an outstanding job in this film, despite the fact that they were all relatively all unknown.
"Clerks" is an unforgettable film. The cast is incredible, and the story couldn't be better. The Collector's Series DVD is amazing. Kevin Smith likes to offer the best possible extras. You get commentary from Kevin Smith as well as the cast, deleted scenes, and a hillarious alternate ending. This DVD is a must own, that you can watch over and over again!
Movie Review: Who Says Working Can't Be Fun???
Summary: 5 Stars
One of the most talked about debuts that is loved by both critics and the public, 'Clerks' is Kevin Smith's masterpiece that was made on such a low budget. The budget might've been low, but the quality turned out to be very high. If you haven't seen this film yet, then you are missing out big time. This is the one that started it all, and gave us the impression of a new and talented filmmaker.Most of the film takes place at a convenient store. Dante isn't supposed to be working, but he is. What was supposed to be his day off turns into a day filled with chaos, disaster, and outrageous conflicts, (and all because he decided to come to work). Randall, who works at the video store, spends most of the time at the convenient store. He's as rude as they come and isn't afraid to get in a customer's face if he feels the need to do so. You add all this up along with the crazy shoppers who do nothing but drive the two nuts and you get a film filled with unpredictable twists and hilarity.
Smith's real talent is in his writing. He is a great director, but he is an even better writer. The dialogue that you hear from the movie is very realistic. The characters aren't talking for the only purpose of moving the movie along. They actually talk like you and me talk. (Well, maybe some of us don't curse as much, but you know what I mean.) And as outrageous or unbelievable the movie becomes, it is all constructed in a manner in which we could actually see this going on in real life. The writing is effective, the acting is top-notch, and the directing is very well-executed.
The DVD has some cool extra features that are bound to make you happy. It's not a 'fully-loaded' special edition, but it's a lot better than most of the DVDs that are out right now. The picture and sound quality is really good, considering how low budget the film was. Being shot in black and white adds a raw and realistic feel to it that wouldn't had been as affective if it were done in color. (Yes, it is black and white. It is black and white because that was how it was shot. I've read a few reviews saying that they're waiting for a colored version to come out. No such thing exists.) The special features are deleted scenes, an alternate ending, audio commentary done by the cast and crew, the theatrical trailer, and a Soul Asylum music video.
'Clerks' is a hilarious film that will surprise you every time. Be warned, there is a lot of offensive and rude language in it, so if you don't like films with a lot of that then you better skip it. This is a film that continues to be a favorite of mine and is one I have yet to become sick of. This is a movie that shows you that while 'serving' you is required in the job, 'liking' you is not. Get in and get out as quickly as possible, or feel the wrath of Dante and Randall. (Especially Randall.)
Movie Review: CLERKS!
Summary: 5 Stars
The highly talked about movie "Clerks" was an independent film that Kevin Smith funded with ten credit cards, by selling his comic book collection, money from an insurance claim, money from his friends, and from paychecks working at Quick Stop. I expected the film to be comedic, mostly because anything with Jay and Silent Bob is hilarious. Clerks started out at the IFFM (Independent Feature Film Market) where it was viewed and liked by Bob Hawk, a member of the Sundance Advisory Committee. It was then shown at Sundance in 1994 where Miramax Films picked it up. From there they did advertising.The movie is a comedy and has a relationship story with the main character caught between two girls. His old high school sweetheart and his current girlfriend. The movie is basically about Dante who is somewhat of a loser by society's standards. He works at a local Quick Stop and comes across several characters including Jay and Silent Bob. The love story is what holds the movie together and gives it some body. Without it the movie would have been a disaster. The movie gives you relaxed vibes and has a chilled out atmosphere about it, which is helped by the great soundtrack.
The main characters are Dante, Randal, Veronica, Caitlin and Silent Bob. Jay (Jason Mewes) dances around like an idiot and sells drugs; Silent Bob (Kevin Smith), of course, just stands there. Dante (Brian O' Halloran) thinks he is really something special and that his job needs him. He thinks he's the only man for the job and things will fall apart without him. Randal (Jeff Anderson) recognizes that anyone can do their job and that they are just two losers working at a video and local liquor store. The acting isn't super but I think its meets the standards for an independent flick.
This of course was Kevin Smith's first movie. He is also known for his other works titled, "Chasing Amy" and "Mallrats". The film does get somewhat slow during some parts, such as the love scenes but I think its somewhat unavoidable when it comes to those things. The film was all black and white with settings in the Video Store, the Quick Stop along with the roof, outside the Quick Stop and at Dante's House. Technical camera angles weren't really in effect due to the fact that it was an Independent film and released back in 1994.
All in all I enjoyed the film. The good points had to be the classic petty arguments and wide range of vocabulary used in Kevin Smith films and Jay's crazy antics. The only bad point for me was the black and white. Some people might like it but I'm a man of the color age. If your into comedy and you enjoy any of the other Kevin Smith films this movie is a must see!
Movie Review: Great Debut From one of today's finest directors
Summary: 5 Stars
I only bought this dvd recently, because i decided now i have a dvd player it was the time to update my much loved kevin smith collection to dvd. So i watched it for the first time in a year or more and remembered why i became an instant fan all those years ago. I was about 16 when i first saw clerks, a recommendation by an older friend, in fact it was just before mallrats made its video debut here.
I was instantly hooked, here was a humour that didnt revolve around jim carrey looking stupid, and it was loud and crude without being dumb in the way a lot of vulgar comedies are (see austin powers).
Shot for peanuts it was nonetheless an excellent showcase for Kevin's unique writing ability, yes his movies are wordy, and so sometimes some scenes are pretentious but this is just an every day guy making every day movies and putting his friends in them (even today) and something about that was real and touching.
The acting by Brian O Halloran and Jeff Anderson in Clerks is excellent considering neither are professional actors, the dialogue and wit just flows and they play off each other with a chemistry many hollywood directors cant even get with $25 million a film actors - its realistic, like two witty friends in a series of endless conversations, quick firing and crude, which if we are realistic, most young people today are, i know i can barely get through a sentence without cursing ;)
it doesnt mean they dont have anything more intelligent to say, as is the excuse in a lot of movies, or for most peoples use of curse words, as Smith's wonderfull dialog shows, its just who they are, and it brings it more down to earth than a lot of these movies or tv shows that strive for realism yet nobody smokes, swears, or does anything really bad.
Anyway, the plot follows the day in the life of two convenience store clerks in a day that ever gets worse - theres the plot right there, thin yes, but also brilliantly simple and achingly funny.
Now, the main purpose of this review is to review the dvd itself, its not as good as the other DVD's by Smith, but it has very good features (including the original (and better) ending) and a directors commentary, that while probably being the worst of all commentaries by Smith Et Al, is still very funny and insightfull - watch out for Jason Mewes passed out for most of the track and just waking up every few minutes to mumble something into the mic.
The transfer is nice, being an "amateur" film the source probably wasnt that great to begin with, same for the sound
but the features make this an excellent buy at excellent value, so its a total bonus to the film itself being fantastic :)
Movie Review: Absolutely hilarious!
Summary: 5 Stars
This was the first Kevin Smith movie I ever saw, and instantly, I was hooked. From beginning to end, this is the funniest movie since Joel Coen's "The Big Lebowski". "Clerks" is a departure from the mainstream Hollywood hoo-ha, not sporting any big-name actors, high production values, and superficial characters. Heck, this movie cost about $27,000 to make and was filmed in the same Quik Stop that Smith was working in at the time, taking advantage of meal breaks and off-hours to film the movie. The film was edited in the nextdoor video store where the character Randal was employed in the movie. So don't expect breathtaking cinematography, flashy special effects, or revolutionary surround-sound technology. The "plot", so to say, is a day in the life of a convenience store clerk, Dante, who has been called in to work on his day off. It portrays how dealing with picky and sometimes downright rude customers can drive even the simplest person to the brink of insanity. If you work as a cashier at a convenience or grocery store, like me, this film lets you know that you're not alone. The antics the customers pull off are hilarious, ranging from the man trying to find the "perfect dozen of eggs" by emptying all the egg cartons, the elderly man who takes an adult magazine into the bathroom, only to die while looking at it, and of course, Jay and Silent Bob, who tape comic book-style voice bubbles containing pleas for homosexual sex favors to the entrance door so that when Randal opens the door, it appears he's actually saying it. Jay (played by Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (played by Kevin Smith himself) have appeared in all of Smith's films, proving to be possibly the funniest on-screen duo ever. While this film is non-stop, rolling on the floor, teary-eyed comedy, it also has a very strong yet often overlooked moral that I got from it: Make the most out of every day, and if your life is in a rut, don't let it stay that way. Now I'm not going to say that was the point Smith was trying to get across, because I have no place to dictate his artistic vision. It's just what I got from the film. The humor in this movie is all pretty much what you would call high school locker room humor, but the way in which it is presented (the black and white film makes it seem much more human), makes it impossible not to laugh. So, all in all, "Clerks" is an extremely funny movie that proves as a nice abandon from the recent string of superficial pre-pubescent bubble-gum flicks and over-the-top "Die Hard" clones. Also see Smith's other gem, "Dogma".