Clerks. (1994)

Director:

Kevin Smith

Writer:

Kevin Smith (written by)

Release Date:

19 October 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Just Because They Serve You... Doesn't Mean They Like You.

Plot:

A day in the lives of two convenience clerks named Dante and Randal as they annoy customers, discuss movies, and play hockey on the store roof.

Plot Keywords:

Underage Smoking | Black And White | Ex Girlfriend | Homosocial Friendship | Sex With The Dead

Awards:

4 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Brian O'Halloran	...	Dante Hicks
Jeff Anderson	...	Randal Graves
Marilyn Ghigliotti	...	Veronica Loughran
Lisa Spoonhauer	...	Caitlin Bree
Jason Mewes	...	Jay
Kevin Smith	...	Silent Bob
Scott Mosier	...	Willam Black / Angry Hockey Playing Customer / Angry Mourner
Walter Flanagan	...	Woolen Cap Smoker / Egg Man / Offended Customer / Cat Admiring Bitter Customer (as Walt Flanagan)
Scott Schiaffo	...	Chewlie's Rep
Al Berkowitz	...	Old Man
David Klein	...	Hunting Cap Smoking Boy / Low I.Q. Video Customer / Hubcap Searching Customer / Angry Mourner / Angry Crowd at Door
Ed Hapstak	...	Sanford / Angry Mourner
Pattijean Csik	...	Coroner
Ernest O'Donnell	...	Rick Derris (Trainer)
Kimberly Loughran	...	Heather Jones (Alyssa's sister)
Lee Bendick	...	#812 Wynarski
Ken Clark	...	Administer of Fine / Orderly
Donna Jeanne	...	Indecisive Video Customer
Virginia Smith	...	Caged Animal Masturbator
Betsy Broussard	...	Dental School Video Customer
Gary Stern	...	Tabloid Reading Customer
Joe Bagnole	...	Cat Shit Watching Customer
John Henry Westhead	...	Olaf Oleeson
Chuck Bickel	...	Stuck in Chips Can
Leslie Hope	...	Jay's Lady Friend / Angry Crowd at Door
Connie O'Connor	...	'Happy Scrappy' Mom
Vincent Pereira	...	Hockey Goalie / Engagement Savvy Customer
Ashley Pereira	...	'Happy Scrappy' Kid
Erix Infante	...	Bed Wetting Dad / Cold Coffee Lover
Melissa Crawford	...	Video Confusion / Candy Confusion Customer / Angry Crowd at Door
Thomas Burke	...	Blue Collar Man
Dan Hapstak	...	Door Tugging Customer
Mitch Cohen	...	Leaning Against Wall / Angry Crowd at Door
Matthew Banta	...	Burner Looking for Wood
Rajiv Thapar	...	Cut-Off Customer
Mike Belicose	...	Customer with Diapers
Jane Kuritz	...	Customer with Vaseline and Rubber Gloves
Grace Smith	...	Milk Maid
Frances Cresci	...	Little Smoking Girl
Matt Crawford	...	Angry Crowd at Door
Sarla Thapar	...	Angry Crowd at Door
Brian Drinkwater	...	Hockey Player
Bob Fisler	...	Hockey Player
Derek Jaccodine	...	Hockey Player
Matthew Pereira	...	Angry Smoking Crowd
Frank Pereira	...	Angry Smoking Crowd
Carl Roth	...	Angry Smoking Crowd Member
Paul Finn	...	Angry Smoking Crowd

Directed by
Kevin Smith

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Kevin Smith		written by

Produced by
Scott Mosier	....	producer
Kevin Smith	....	producer

Cinematography by
David Klein

Film Editing by
Scott Mosier
Kevin Smith

Makeup Department
Leslie Hope	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Charlie McClellelan	....	post-production supervisor

Sound Department
Scott Mosier	....	sound editor
Scott Mosier	....	sound mixer
James von Buelow	....	sound editor
James von Buelow	....	sound mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Ed Hapstak	....	gaffer
Ed Hapstak	....	lighting assistant
Ed Hapstak	....	still photographer
David Klein	....	camera operator
Vincent Pereira	....	assistant camera
Vincent Pereira	....	grip
Rajiv Thapar	....	grip

Animation Department
Frank Gabriel	....	animator
Brad Graeber	....	animator
Sammy Harte	....	animator
Bruce Tinnin	....	animator

Editorial Department
Joia Speciale	....	synchronization
Bobbie Thomas	....	dailies colorist

Music Department
Benji Gordon	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Tara Daust	....	continuity
Ed Hapstak	....	trouble shooter
Vincent Pereira	....	cat wrangler
John Pierson	....	czar of representation
John Sloss	....	legal eagle

Thanks
Hal Hartley	....	special thanks
Jim Jarmusch	....	special thanks
Spike Lee	....	special thanks
Richard Linklater	....	special thanks
Jason Mewes	....	special thanks
Harvey Weinstein	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Miramax Films
• View Askew Productions

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
• Cinemussy (Spain)
• Gativideo (1995) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Miramax Films (1994) (USA) (theatrical)
• New Vision Films
• PlayArte Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• RCV Film Distribution (Belgium)
• RCV Film Distribution (Luxembourg)
• RCV Film Distribution (Netherlands)
• UPLINK Company

Other Companies

• Columbia Records  soundtrack

Also Known As:

Clerks (USA) (alternative spelling)
Clerks X: Tenth Anniversary Edition (USA) (DVD title)
cLeRKs (USA) (poster title)

MPAA:

Rated R on appeal for extensive use of extremely explicit sex-related dialogue.

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | Mono (original Sundance cut)

Certification:

Australia:R (original rating) | Singapore:M18 | Argentina:13 | Iceland:L | USA:TV-MA (tv rating) | Australia:MA (2008 re-rating) | Australia:R | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | Finland:K-12 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:III | Israel:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:Btl | UK:18 | USA:NC-17 (original rating) | USA:R (re-rating after appeal) | UK:15 (2005 re-rating) | Canada:14A (Nova Scotia) (video rating) (10th anniversary edition)

Filming Locations:

Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

Dante wears a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey during the hockey game, playing against opponents wearing New Jersey Devils jerseys. Randal wears a USSR (CCCP) jersey during the game, but wears a New Jersey Devils hat.

Goofs:

Continuity: "Pringles" can disappears from counter.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dante Hicks: [phone rings and Dante falles out of a closet] Hello. What? No I don't work today, I'm playing hockey at two.

Movie Connections:

References Guncrazy (1992)

Soundtrack:

Kill The Sex Player

It's all about the dialogue

Kevin Smith has delved into action ("Mallrats"), drama ("Chasing Amy") and philosophy ("Dogma") in his Askewniverse, but Clerks, the first film of the series, is still the best.

Shot on a ridiculously low budget, using mostly friends and relatives as the cast and crew (see the line in the credits where "Boom" is credited as "whoever happened to be holding the pole"), "Clerks" is such a great film just because it doesn't try to be more than it is. You get the sense that this movie is in black and white not to be pretentious, but just because it's a prosaic look at prosaic lives.

Kevin Smith's real gift is writing funny, witty dialogue, and that's what carries this film. From Star Wars debates (did the destruction of the second Death Star in "Jedi" cost innocent contractors their lives?) to perfectly serious debates about sex ("Thirty-seven???"), this is the ultimate movie for anyone who's ever been going nowhere and doing nothing. It's a day in the life of the guy working at the corner store, no more, no less. But it's absolutely brilliant.

People either love or hate Kevin Smith movies. Chances are, if you can appreciate the humour of low-brow jokes about pornography as high art, then you'll enjoy "Clerks". His brand of humour isn't for everyone. This is his first film and it's flawed, to be sure. But in my humble opinion, it's still Smith's best.