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:

Spit In The Face | Period In Title | Long Take | Anti Social | Silent

Awards:

4 wins & 6 nominations

US Showtimes:

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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 the Idiot Manchild / Angry Hockey-Playing Customer / Angry Mourner
Scott Schiaffo	...	Chewlies Rep
Al Berkowitz	...	Old Man
Walter Flanagan	...	Woolen Cap Smoker / Egg Man / Offended Customer / Cat-Admiring Bitter Customer (as Walt Flanagan)
Ed Hapstak	...	Sanford / Angry Mourner
Lee Bendick	...	#812 Wynarski
David Klein	...	Hunting Cap Smoking Boy / Low I.Q. Video Customer / Hubcap Searching Customer / Angry Mourner / Angry Crowd at Door
Pattijean Csik	...	Coroner
Ken Clark	...	Administer of Fine / Orderly
Donna Jeanne	...	Indecisive Video Customer
Virginia Smith	...	Caged Animal Masturbator
Betsy Broussard	...	Dental School Video Customer
Ernest O'Donnell	...	Trainer
Kimberly Loughran	...	Alyssa's Sister Heather
Gary Stern	...	Tabloid Reading Customer
Joe Bagnole	...	Cat-Shit-Watching Customer
John Henry Westhead	...	Olaf the Russian Metalhead
Chuck Bickel	...	Stuck in Chips Can
Leslie Hope	...	Jay's Lady Friend / Angry Crowd at Door
Connie O'Connor	...	'Happy Scrappy' Mom (as Connie O'Conner)
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 Weed
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
Paul Finn	...	Angry Smoking Crowd
Haiku	...	Dog
Lenin's Tomb	...	Cat

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)
• Filmfreak Distributie (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Gativideo (1995) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Miramax Films (1994) (USA) (theatrical)
• New Vision Films
• PlayArte Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• RCV Film Distribution (199?) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (199?) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (1995) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• 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)
Cajeros (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
Balconista, O (Brazil) [pt]
Clerks (Spain) [es]
Clerks - Die Ladenhüter (Germany) [de]
Clerks - commessi (Italy) [it]
Clerks - tiskirotat (Finland) [fi]
Clerks, les employés modèles (France) [fr]
Shop-stop (Hungary) [hu]
Trgovci (Slovenia) [sl]
Ypalliloi (Greece) [el]

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:

USA:TV-MA (tv rating) | Australia:MA (2008 re-rating) | Australia:R (original rating) | Argentina:13 | Iceland:L | Singapore:M18 | 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:

Clerks was filmed using a 16mm Arri SR-2 camera and used Kodak Plus-X film.

Goofs:

Continuity: Veronica says she'll see Dante at closing after dropping off the lasagna. After she says this, Dante makes the call to find out that the boss is in Vermont and he will be stuck there until closing. When Veronica had spoken to him, he was still expecting to leave for his hockey game.

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:

Referenced in Redacted (2007)

Soundtrack:

Violent Mood Swings

"Clerks." - Period.

In 1994, an ambitious filmmaker named Kevin Smith was left nearly dead-broke by his commitment to his low-budget debut feature, "Clerks." Shot in black & white and filmed in and around a New Jersey convenience store, "Clerks." is genius on celluloid despite little change of scenery, wooden acting (none of the actors are professionals), and a shoe-string budget; it's also pretty damn funny. "Just because they serve you, doesn't me they like you" became an immortal tagline for one of the best independent comedies of all time, which also launched the career of its director. There's nothing PC about this debut feature, and the relentlessly explicit sex-related dialogue got the film its original certificate, the dreaded "NC-17" rating, which was later dropped down to an "R" rating on a successful appeal by the filmmakers; the characters harass their customers, leave the store during the day to tend to personal matters, and hang-out with girlfriends - not the stuff of responsible employees - and definitely NOT something you would see in any Hollywood production today. In an era rife with censorship and political-correctness, "Clerks." would undoubtedly receive the scorn and protests of the fundamental religious Right and Left. The film features Dante (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal (Jeff Anderson), two bored New Jersey convenience store employees who are both called in on a Saturday (Dante is especially upset because it's his day off) and the two break every rule in the book as they meander through the day and encounter all sorts of colorful characters. Throughout the day, Dante complains about about his girlfriend Veronica's (Marilyn Ghigliotti) sex life, Randal shirks his convenience store duties by shooting the breeze with Dante, philosophize about their daily predicaments, play hockey on the roof of the store, and observe unruly and bizarre shoppers. There's little plot but it's pure fun all the way to the ending with plenty of laughs too. But if you're the sensitive type, you should stay as far away from "Clerks." as possible, as the dialogue will certainly make you squirm in your seat. "Clerks." also contains many Smith trademarks including "Star Wars" talk, references to Spielberg movies, comic books and hockey, all qualities of which would do Smith good in his so-called "New Jersey Trilogy." P.S.: Watch out for Smith in his iconic role as Silent Bob with sidekick Jay (Jason Mewes) as they loiter outside the store and hassle customers.

10/10