Starring: Jeff Anderson, Lee Bendick, Al Berkowitz, Betsy Broussard, Ken Clark (VII) Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: DVD Format: Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC Label: Miramax Number of Items: 1 Picture Format: Letterbox Region Code: 1 Release Date: June 29, 1999 Running Time: 92 minutes Theatrical Release Date: October 19, 1994
Amazon.com: Before Kevin Smith became a Hollywood darling with Chasing Amy, a film he wrote and directed, he made this $27,000 comedy about real-life experiences working for chump change at a New Jersey convenience store. A rude, foul-mouthed collection of anecdotes about the responsibilities that go with being on the wrong side of the till, the film is also a relationship story that takes some hilarious turns once the lovers start revealing their sexual histories to one another. In the best tradition of first-time, ultra-low budget independent films, Smith uses Clerks as an audition piece, demonstrating that he not only can handle two-character comedy but also has an eye for action--as proven in a smoothly handled rooftop hockey scene. Smith himself appears as a silent figure who hangs out on the fringes of the store's property. --Tom Keogh
Description: If you're in the market for wildly funny entertainment, CLERKS delivers with wholesale hilarity! It's one wacky day in the life of a pair of overworked counter jockeys whose razor-sharp wit and on-the-job antics give a whole new meaning to customer service! Even while bracing a nonstop parade of unpredictable shoppers, the clerks manage to play hockey on the roof, visit a funeral home, and straighten out their offbeat love lives! The boss is nowhere in sight, so you can bet anything can -- and will -- happen when these guys are left to run the store.
Must Have! For anyone that's actually worked retail, this is an excellent choice. In some parts, it's painfully accurate; in others, it's a realization of what many wish they could do and not lose the job at which they work. (At least it was like that for me.) Upon the first viewing, it's obvious that it's low budget; but once you think about it, do you really need a budget to describe a day in the life of your average Clerk? Not really.
All that aside; it's a hilarious, albeit filthy movie. Additionally the special edition is chock full o' extras, including the somewhat more depressing director's cut.
Just because they serve you, doesn't mean they like you !! This is the definitive version of Clerks. if you are anything like me, when you first told other people about Clerks they probably said "Clerks, never heard of it." And when you said that Kevin Smith was the last saving bastion of the crumbling film world, they said "Kevin Who??" Well now that all of those saps have finally caught up to the rest of us who are leading the pack. You can now get this and stay one step ahead again. The theatrical release, The first Clerks cut and a superb doco. All are priceless. Even though there are some young sad Emo's out there saying "Clerks II, there was never a Clerks I"
Like a great man once said "I pity da fool"
10/10 for this 3-Disc, 10th Anniversary set and all of it's glorious extras.
Kevin Smith's breakthrough movie "I'm not even supposed to be here!" Says Dante, who must replace his boss at the convenience store on his day off. Witty dialogue, annoying customers, and perplexing twentysomething existentialism ensues. Kevin Smith's breakthrough award winning movie just goes to show you that with as little as 2000 dollars, you can make a sundance nominated movie.
Vulgar, raw, real, funny but not overly silly...a true cult comedy classic! Kevin Smith's first movie in "The Jersey Trilogy" is arguably still his all-time best! Shot in Black & White on a low budget, it features content over flash. It chronicles a day in the life of Dante Hicks, a convenience store clerk who gets called in to work on his day off. His friend Randall Graves works at the low-rate video store across the way. Randall is a bitter, cynical young guy who doesn't like or respect anyone or anything (except maybe hermaphorditic porn). Through all his trials in this day, Dante keeps whining his tag phrase, "I'm not even supposed to be here today!" This movie was everyone's first introduction to the characters, Jay and Silent Bob. Writer/director Kevin Smith is excellent in the role of Silent Bob. J & SB are great as minor, background silly, obscene characters to lighten the plot (which is brilliant...but even this heavily real comedy benefits from the comic relief). But in other movies where Kevin has tried to feature J & SB as main characters (such as "Mallrats", "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back"), the plots get silly, juvenile and aimed at teenagers. This is a more mature and real comedy aimed at adults. Please, Kevin.......for the sake of the part of your audience that has a brain, keep Jay and Silent Bob as minor side characters in all upcoming flicks. This is a stark, vulgar, real comedy that looks at life from the vantage point of someone who has grown up a little. It's funny, because it's real. Kevin's co-producer Scott Mosier also takes 2 small roles in the film. Mosier plays a stoner who is knicknamed Snowball because of a sex practice he likes. Scott also plays an irate customer who gets mad that Dante closed the store to play hockey on the roof. This irate customer bullies his way into the game. And when Dante gets fined for selling cigarettes to small children (even though he's innocent?) and a college girl accidentally has sex with a dead guy in the bathroom, the authorities are left to wonder, "What kind of a store are you running here, anyway?" There is nothing dirty or nasty that happens on-screen. But due to adult language and frank discussions of adult subjects, this film is not for general audiences. With the possible exception of "Chasing Amy", this is by far Kevin Smith's best film (and that includes all 5 or 6 flicks that comprise "The Jersey Trilogy"), because it is vulgar and raw and very real. Clerks has become one of my all-time favorite comedies! In one word: Brilliant!
Clerks I thought this film was good. A cult film by Kevin Smith, with great characters, especially Randall and Dante, also the hilarious Jay and Silent Bob.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
