A Deep Dive Into Clerks (1994)'s Special Features

 

If I love anything, then I fucking love DVDs. I love the snick of a case opening, the way they pile up on every available surface, and (of course) the bonus materials that are rarely found online. That said, some DVDs are better than others, like my 2 disc edition of The Social Network (2010) or any of the Jackass movies. How does the 1999 Miramax Collector's Series DVD of Clerks hold up?

 

Note: This is a review of the special features, not the film itself. Clerks is a flawed, yet comfortable look into an everyman's life, and it was a major part of the 90s indie movement. Because of that, it's hard to objectively rate it. Just kidding. / ★★★★

 

 

Theatrical Trailer + Music Video

Yes, it does suffer from the borderline unbearable 90s trailer voice epidemic, but it almost works? The movie feels like such a culmination of the decade that even the cheesy parts fit in. Horrible video quality also helps; of course the trailer is kind of shitty because the movie is kind of shitty, and that's why we love it. Overall, it used good clips and b-roll, giving the audience an accurate feel for what they're going to get without giving up any of the (few) major plot points.

I was surprised by how much of the marketing revolved around the soundtrack. Maybe it's just because it isn't available on streaming, but I thought that Mallrats (1995) was "the music one." I still like the Mallrats soundtrack more, and I think that the snippets of dialogue are higher quality, but they got some great names for Clerks. It meshes well with the film's personality, as demonstrated in "Chewbacca" by Supernova, and the Soul Asylum music video ties it all together, submerging the world of Clerks in the music the studios desperately wants the audience to like. It even gives us Bruins fans a little eye candy. It's not groundbreaking, but it's fun for both fans of the band and the movie. If it wasn't an MTV staple, it should have been.

   

Cast & Crew Commentary

Here comes the real meat-and-potatoes of the DVD. The commentary track features a motley crew of producers, actors, and boom operators (and notably, not Jeff Anderson) speaking with Kevin Smith. Smith mentions early on that they're mid-production on the set of Mallrats, and you can tell. Nobody's happy to be there.

Aside from the lack of enthusiasm, there are a slew of other issues with the track. The only microphone seems to be held by Smith, so it's hard to hear what the others are trying to say when they decide to take pity on the audience and end the awkward silence. It's obvious that no preparation went into gathering anecdotes, or fun insights into the script; the most exciting part is when they point out appearances from Scott Mosier, "the Lon Chaney of the 90s." To top it off, Smith continually refers to moments of dialogue that the audience can't hear. Dear Kevin: please turn up the volume of the movie and save us from listening to a room of guys silently watch a movie. You know they invented audio mixing, right?

There are some good moments. Most of the production anecdotes were referenced in Clerks III (2022) (yes I know it was released twenty years later. I still watched it first), like the fact that they wrote Dante as unable to open the store's shutters so they could film indoor scenes at night (03:25), but that doesn't mean it isn't nice to hear Smith talk about them. It's sweet to hear Smith call Mewes "the little funk meister" and "our little sonic boom with dirt on it" (07:04). I'm a sucker for people actually being friends, sue me. My ears perked up when Smith said the Soul Asylum music video is "the closest thing we'll ever come to a Clerks sequel" (47:11). Oh, how the times (and wallets) have changed. I wonder what changed his mind. Finally, there's one part that almost makes the hour and a half I wasted on this worth it:

Why is Smith so focused on the Faghead agenda. How much must they talk about it for one person to say "Jughead" and Smith immediately know what they mean. Be honest, which one of my Riverdale mutuals is he. Whatever the case may be, I'm content in knowing that Smith was ahead of his time, and Jarchie has always been a thing.

Alternate Ending

Let's get it out of the way now: this ending is a total tonal departure from the rest of the film, and it's probably for the best that they cut it. Okay. Now look me in the eyes and tell me that you wouldn't do the same. This is a movie about the cyclical nature of minimum wage jobs, with Smith's real life experiences blurring with fiction until it's impossible to separate the two. Wouldn't you want a way out? Smith is giving his fictional counterpart the catharsis he can't get for himself, freeing Dante from the life of wake-up-go-to-work-go-home-sleep that lies before him. Some say that it's too dark, but isn't the theatrical ending darker? There's nothing more in the world for Dante than a convenience store he doesn't own and a town he doesn't like.

Deleted Scenes

Most of the deleted scenes actually were in the movie, just cut down to fit the flow of the story. I wish Smith's introductions told us exactly what changed--without the two versions side by side, it feels too similar to warrant watching both. The one exception is the extended version of Jay and Silent Bob giving Dante advice while Jay consoles Veronica.

Mewes' performance is hypnotic, his drunken ramblings landing somewhere between heartfelt and grotesque. It isn't acting, but rather a recreation of countless conversations that happened while Smith was working at Quick Stop. For a moment, their lack of acting experience drops away, and they forget that they're on camera. Mewes means everything he says, even if he doesn't know it. At the same time, the camera lingers on Randall after Veronica leaves the video store, leaving him to justify why he told her that Dante doesn't love her. He seems happy about the break up, but not sure how that can be true if Dante is hurting. Another piece of evidence for the "Randall is gay for Dante" subplot that Smith loves to bring up. Overall, it showcases some great dynamics between characters, but nothing vital to general audiences.

 

 

So, what's the verdict? Should you buy this DVD for the special features? Probably not. While some parts were entertaining, I didn't learn anything new, and I don't see myself going through them again. That being said, I still think you should buy Clerks. Everyone should own the movies they like on DVD--the special features are just a bonus. Maybe go for the 10th anniversary edition, though.

Rating: B-