'Clerks' is not a movie for everyone. A no-budget comedy, filmed in black and white, about two Gen-X retail clerks who hang out and wax philosophically all day about all sorts of stuff--sex, girls, jobs, hockey, sex, drugs, school, 'Return of the Jedi' and Sex--'Clerks' is vulgar, unrefined and occasionally sophomoric; but it's one of the most feverishly hysterical, dead-on observations of counter-culture youth committed to film (counter as in opposed, and counter as in the place where you pay at the mini-mart--clever, ain't I?).
Kevin Smith's debut feature has more raw energy that most Hollywood efforts, and, truth be told, demonstrates a bold, defiant, I-don't-really-give-a-s**t-if-this-offends-you attitude that is sorely missing these days in big commercial films.
The movie, shot on 16mm, looked very grainy on the big screen, and a flaw in the duplication at the film labs resulted in a noticeable shift in contrast just before and just after every film edit. This defect has been corrected for the tape and disc releases, and the film looks less grainy (obviously, since it's not being blown-up to fit a 40-foot screen). The letterboxing (measuring in at roughly 1.85:1) really isn't necessary; I'd have preferred it if Miramax had not letterboxed this film. Despite Kevin Smith's comments (on the running alternate audio track) that he prefers the cropped theater-screen image ratio, there are times when it's obvious the matting is too tight (try to read the sign Dante posts on the door during their hockey game on the roof: the letterboxing blocks out the top and bottom of the sign, making it harder to comprehend. You can read the whole thing, with considerably greater ease, on the full-screen videocassette).
The audio commentary is a slacker's delight, with writer/director Smith casually talking about everything involved in making this film. He's joined by several members of the 'Clerks' cast and crew and the result sounds like a college beer bash session--one contributor is so drunk he passes out! This audio track was recorded while everyone was taking a day-long break from filming Smith's upcoming second feature 'Mallrats'.
Whether you find the unexpurgated audio comments appalling or appropriate (the Gen-X nature of the commentary track suits the movie perfectly and will appeal to the film's fans), it's a definite plus. Smith discusses everything from how he got a cat to, ahem, "do his business" on camera, to his battles with the MPAA over relentlessly explicit language. He fought the MPAA and, with Miramax' support, got the NC-17 overturned, without one single cut or re-edit. And he's rightfully proud of that fact.
Following the movie is a collection of deleted and extended scenes. The quality of these scenes ranges from good to poor (the contrast levels fluctuate from scene to scene, indicating that these materials were salvaged from bits of film of varying degrees of image quality). Most notoriously, the original, downbeat ending is presented here. You too will probably ask yourself "What the hell was Kevin Smith thinking?!" The theatrical trailer is also included, as is the Soul Asylum music video filmed with cast members from the movie.
Vital statistics: Miramax Home Video. 2 sides, CLV, Widescreen (1.85:1);
Stereo Surround; Chapter stops; $39.95.
S. Damien Segal.
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