CLERKS (1994) // Reaction & Commentary // INSPIRING!!

[@tdrewman]

Fun fact. This was the most stolen VHS tape at rental stores back in the day.

[@johnfriday5169]

@@xjamesxreedx I say that all the time, nobody so far has gotten the reference.

[@Realhamdip]

Smells like shoe polish

[@dagan2000]

and then came Boondock Saints to break that record a few years later

[@centuryrox]

Word is it was 37 of them... In a row.

[@mickymoist]

First time I watched it was on a stolen pre-release VHS copy that my friend who managed a Mr. Movies ganked a month before its video release date. Had that annoying waning that ran across the bottom the whole time warning us it was only supposed to be viewed by approved audiences.

[@44excalibur]

This was Generation X cinema at its height in the 1990s. Clerks, along with Heathers, Dazed and Confused, Reality Bites, Pulp Fiction, Fight Club, Swingers, Slacker, and Boyz N The Hood, were what defined Generation X cinema.

[@scottrabie]

Yes, Gen X, growing up on the 80's classics of Back To The Future, Breakfast Club, Goonies, Ghostbusters, Police Academy, Karate Kid; all fantastic movies. But they were never really violent and they were never too dark, and they never had language that was too bad. It's like they were safe. And then in the 90's there was a run of movies that pushed the envelope of what Hollywood put out and we ate it up like it was ambrosia.

[@MikeB12800]

Add Red Dawn, Gremlins, and The Outsiders

[@SherriLyle80s]

Yes!

[@chefskiss6179]

...Before Sunrise...

[@ericyoungstrom5745]

Agreed..... Gen-X'd approved (born in 1973).

[@TheAbstruseOne]

There's a lot of detail that went into this. For one thing, NOBODY thinks that Dante's getting off work at noon except Dante. Even Veronica shows up with a lasagna knowing that he's going to be stuck there all day.

[@ShatteredTrousers]

I mean, the boss knows Dante ain't getting off at noon. If you remember, the boss promised to come in and finish Dante's shift and promptly left the country!

[@billhicks6449]

@@ShatteredTrousers state. Vermont is still the US.

[@ShatteredTrousers]

@@billhicks6449 Ah, right on! All this time I thought the boss had crossed the border into Canada.

[@billhicks6449]

@@ShatteredTrousers it almost would have been better if he had gone to Canada. I can hear Dante now. "He left the f$&@ing country"!?!?!

[@ShatteredTrousers]

@@billhicks6449 I just imagined the most egregious thing my boss could possibly do to screw me over after I've agreed to come in to work for a couple of hours on my day off. And I know how enamored Smith has always been with Canada, reaching all the way back to Brian's Canadian girlfriend in 'The Breakfast Club.'

[@robertsanssouci2093]

“Very surprising reveal. I did not see that coming” ~ Shanelle “Neither did Kaitlin”….. ~ me 🤣🤣🤦🏻‍♂️

[@sarataylor6164]

"Why is this like the anti-Ferris Beuller?" is quality commentary! Great movie pick.

[@radwolf76]

Kevin Smith did a limited run comic book series to explain what happened between Chasing Amy and Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back. The two are trying to get to Shermer, Illinois, because all of the John Hughes films set there.

[@notmee2388]

@@radwolf76 Great book!

[@NuraCalise]

@@radwolf76 the comic was set between Chasing Amy and Dogma, in fact it was titled Chasing Dogma. Parts of the comic were adapted into Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

[@radwolf76]

@@NuraCalise thanks, it's been years since I'd looked at it.

[@ExhaustedElox]

"In a row?" Still the funniest line of screen writing committed to film! 🤣

[@cardiac19]

At least Randel wasn't "36."

[@johncrawford5225]

Not even the funniest line in the film. For me it's Jay with "About the biggest pair you've ever seen, dingleberry!"

[@cardiac19]

@@johncrawford5225 #fact

[@daylin3907]

That's still one of the greatest one liners ever

[@nicks1063]

If you want to talk funniest lines in Clerks "Try not to suck any dick on the way through the parking lot!" takes the cake.

[@Psilocybin77]

Snowball is played by Scott Mosier, Kevin's producing partner. He attended film school with Kevin and the two agreed to work on whose ever film was made first. Kevin dropped out of film school to make Clerks and Scott acted as producer. Scott Mosier is a legend and one of the driest, most well spoken, and FUNNY people I've ever heard. Scott and Kevin were pioneers in podcasting, and did their SMODCAST for a number of years. I highly recommend listening to any of the older episodes of SMODCAST as it is a hilarious insight into the lives of Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier.

[@tempsitch5632]

Scott Mosier is an instant fucking legend. A good man. High end professional. Autodidact genius. Adventurer. Life liver. Smart n funny.

[@RossWrock]

Shanelle, this was a groundbreaking film at the time, because it told a story with no pretense or budgetary concerns. What's even better though, is how each Kevin Smith film in succession (in the View Askewverse) builds to the overall love for these characters/locations/stories. Not all Kevin Smith films are a mandatory watch, but I highly suggest if you want to view the rest of these, the next films to watch (in this order) are Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

[@linoarquiza5433]

Actually, Mallrats happens before Clerks.

[@PomegranateStaindGrn]

@@linoarquiza5433 nope. Details from Clerks (1994) are referenced in Mallrats (1995)…he had financing for Mallrats (they didn’t want Jason Mewes but Kevin Smith fought to keep him in with tons of dailies submissions - they finally capitulated).

[@dosnostalgic]

@@PomegranateStaindGrn Mallrats does *take place* before Clerks. One day to be exact. Julie Dwyer dies the night before the day Mallrats takes place on. In Clerks they go to her funeral.

[@Psilocybin77]

Where does Cop Out fit in?

[@dustyb58]

I assume if she watches Strike Back she won't have that same I've never heard of any of these actors" moment

[@AstroXeno]

This movie really captures the retail experience in a very truthful, if exaggerated manor. My time in Retail Hell coincided with this movie coming out on video, and we had it for rent. Of course, nobody ever actually treated the jerkoff customers the way Randall did, but we were all thinking it...

[@billhicks6449]

I was 16 and working at a convenience store as well, and had worked part time at a mom and pop video store until it had closed. This movie was amazing.

[@dr.burtgummerfan439]

I spent most of the 90s as a convenience store clerk. The movie is dead on.

[@jkhoover]

Just because they serve you, doesn't mean they like you.

[@kevinramsey417]

Exactly. Dante was who we were but Randal was who we wanted to be.

[@goldenageofdinosaurs7192]

@@kevinramsey417 This

[@AtomixIGN]

The original jersey trilogy have clerks mallrats and chasing Amy are great. But Dogma. That's the good stuff

[@toddtangen6750]

I was in college when this was released. My buddy and I saw it at the student center that was able to bring in independent movies for the students to watch. We all loved it.

[@sinizin]

Chasing Amy is in my top 5 all-time movies. You should definitely check it out!

[@Twangsk8r]

Seconded!

[@3DJapan]

But Mallrats first.

[@zeroman614]

The screaming scene kills the mood though.

[@thenationaltimelyactionhou9328]

Yeah, it's great!

[@dustywaynemusic6297]

Never made the Ferris Bueller connection but you're probably right. Kevin Smith is a huge John Hughes fan. Check out Dogma for more on that 😉

[@atti97]

His favorite John Hughes film was She's having a Baby. Very underrated.

[@krdragon6950]

Two best quotes from this movie is “I’m not even supposed to be here today!” and “In a row?”

[@ocularnervosa]

There's a whole series of these films that have overlapping story lines. It's worth watching them. There's an alternate ending where a guy comes in and shoots Dante. The distributor convinced Smith that he had a great comedy and shouldn't end it on such a downer so they cut everything after Randal throws the "Yes we're open" sign at him.

[@ghigliotti]

Thanks for the love! Also, I love watching others' reactions while watching the movie. 😊

[@ShanelleRiccio]

Thanks so much for watching and commenting!! Very cool to hear from you! :)

[@TranzparentMethods]

Kevin Smith is the punk rock John Hughes. Honestly, "Clerks" is the X-Rated "The Breakfast Club". There is REAL SHIT spoken in both of those films.

[@Hopehubris1492]

Groundbreaking to say the least. This was the Nirvana of filmmaking. Meaning they both ushered in a slew of wannabes and genuinely inspired a whole new era, in this case, of independent film.

[@shadypelican]

There's a version out there that adds in an animated scene when they go to the funeral--which if I remember right was from the brief "Clerks" animated series that followed many years after.

[@blackraven85_1]

You can find it on KZbin pretty easy too

[@mcgilj1]

It's not from the animated series.. But they do use the same style of the animated series... It was originally on the 10th anniversary DVD

[@MrDarkwing78]

So glad you're the first reactor to get to Clerks! This movie deserves your style of treatment. Can't wait for Clerks 2 now, though it may be worth doing, as we called it, the ever increasingly inaccurately named Jersey Trilogy, in order.

[@Psilocybin77]

That was a special one. I'm a huge fan of Kevin Smith, and his podcast has kept me company for hundreds if not thousands of hours. I genuinely love Kevin Smith as a person,despite all of the negativity he receives, he remains extremely positive. He always says it is far better to create than to destroy, and he encourages people to pursue the things they love and have passion for. I could go on for hours about information about this movie and what the film has meant to me for a long time. I won't, but I will say that Clerks 2 is far superior lol. I only say that because Clerks 2 became my go to movie when I was feeling sad. The movie is essentially the same idea, but the jokes and production are tighter. Jeff Anderson, as Randall Graves, is a revelation lol. His rant against Lord of the Rings and his plea to Dante at the end of Clerks 2, are some of my favourite pieces of cinema. Anyhow, love him or hate him, Kevin Smith has brought a lot of happiness into my life and the lives of many others, so that's a wonderful thing. Thanks for sharing this reaction Shanelle.

[@deacongowan117]

He’s a coward

[@RoGueNavy]

When this came out, I was working at both a convenience store, and a video store. It SPOKE to me. I recall hearing that this movie's soundtrack rights cost more than the entire rest of the movie.

[@alhollywood6486]

This is the first, and maybe the best, of a trilogy including Mallrats and Chasing Amy.

[@spikejr3113jr]

Clerks 2, dogma, jay and silent bob strike back, and reboot.

[@Trapper50cal]

I like Mallrats more and Chasing Amy less - Dogma rocks. RIP George Carlin

[@GradyBroyles]

Dogma, this, and mallrats are amazing. I remember seeing Chasing Amy in theater (double feat with Romy & Michelle) and being flat-out offended by Chasing Amy. The premise of straight guy wears down lesbian until she turns straight for HIM... it should never have been made.

[@jaybird4038]

The ViewAskewniverse was a thing WAY before the MCU

[@CrowTRobot]

Mallrats lives better in my memory. Dogma holds up well though.

[@hayatotheninja]

Saw it in '95, and I really connected to it because I was in that world. I was a clerk at a mom n pop comic shop, and all day I would have to listen to people's hot takes on various Marvel and DC storylines (including the at the time controversial "Spider-Man clone saga"). Also, being a huge Bad Religion fan, it was cool to hear them in a movie! Glad you enjoyed the flick! (New subscriber BTW!)

[@Zoey-K-1]

All of Kevin Smith’s Askewniverse films are great. And Silent Bob always drops one nugget of wisdom at some point in each film.

[@matthewgrady3423]

Keep going on this. I have a feeling you’ll enjoy “Chasing Amy.” It has a Clerks feel with bigger stars(Ben Affleck, Jason, Lee, Joey Lauren Adams, and a cameo from Matt Damon) and in color. But ESPECIALLY check out “An Evening With Kevin Smith.” Smith did a series of college Q and A’s with this being a video release. There’s a lot of talk about the movies but also stories about a documentary he did for Prince, almost writing “Superman Reborn” before it went to Tim Burton, and meeting his wife.

[@BAYBAY_316]

Love chasing amy. I could relate so much.

[@Madbandit77]

He did write a draft for "Superman Returns". Producer Jon Peters pestered him to put a giant spider in it.

[@tyzerro]

dont forget Mallrats those first three are considered the Redbank Trilogy before the J&SB movies and Clerks sequels

[@jasondolph2785]

Randall is probably the character I am most jealous of in cinema, because he says exactly what he thinks with no fs given.

[@nikigunn]

I saw this in 1995 at my university. They would show one movie a week for several showings. I saw them all for this one since I paid for a semester pass. My sister even drove 45 minutes to see this with me at the first screening that week. We loved it. My brother, sister, and I have seen several of Kevin's roadshow screenings where he does a Q&A after. The best one of these was Red State because it was in Kansas City and two of the Phelps grandkids who had left the Westboro Baptist Church came on stage to talk about how their lives were similar to the church in Red State. My favorite of his films are Clerks, Clerks II, and Red State.

[@NefariousKoel]

I was at that Q&A in KC, with the Westboro cult escapees. Interesting session!

[@paulobrien9572]

Love me some Kevin Smith this movie along with Chasing Amy and Mallrats are great, but being a lapse Catholic Dogma is my favorite

[@tempsitch5632]

Dogma is probably his best writing ever.

[@sappyhead]

Dogma is his best. Awesome movie.

[@deacongowan117]

Dogma sucked

[@NxtLvlProd]

One of my all time favorite comedies...and yes, I was 23 when this movie came out. I know the black and white film was used for budgetary reasons, but I always felt the B&W, the graininess of the picture, and the very steady long scenes made it feel like you were watching footage from a surveillance camera...like the one you'd find in a 1994 convenience store.

[@frankrossi6972]

Indeed, this was really Gen-X's first important post-high-school cinematic statement in the early '90s, after the rather-white-bread John Hughes '80s era. Much more textured and gritty, in aesthetics and characters. As a student of film, you should be big on Smith and Tarantino, whom you've examined earlier. The other Askewniverse films are pretty good, but the more money he got to make films, the less personal and "independent" they felt, which is fine as long as it's entertaining. You also might like his underrated non-Askew film "Jersey Girl," which is more adult and less quirky, but still has his signature dialogue and spirit in many ways. (And J.Lo. dies in the first five minutes, which is a plus).

[@CanadianRetro]

That was one of my favourite movies as a teen in my early 90s and to this day, it is really a great movie.

[@steved1135]

Nice one Shanelle. This movie literally changed my life. So much so that, in 2002, on a whim, I drove from my home in Canada to the Quick Stop itself in Red Bank New Jersey. Amazing.

[@andrewcharles459]

I hope you brought your stick and jersey.

[@image3320]

Thank you my lovely, for taking time to review the most opinion spiking film on my shelf. Sometimes you can't have everything you want... or you can die happy 😊

[@hallrecords5122]

I graduated from high school in Metuchen NJ in 1994 and I saw this movie in the theater at least 10 times. It really spoke to me and most of my friends. We all were excited to see Mallrats when it came out but all my friends hated it because it was in color and "too slick" but I absolutely loved it. I'll always have a soft spot for Clerks but Mallrats is my favorite Kevin Smith movie with Dogma a close second.

[@J.Artan6]

Having grown up maybe 20 miles from where this film takes place, i adore watching people see this film for the first time, these are my people, these are an amalgamation of the personalities I grew up with and until you live in Jersey…you dont know Jersey.

[@ShanelleRiccio]

these people just sound like MY people! haha

[@J.Artan6]

(Swoon)

[@iChristyD]

Kevin Smith is such an amazing dude. I’ve seen everything he’s done over & over. If you ever get a chance to meet him, he’s an absolute dream. Like seriously, every time I’ve met him he remembers who I am and he always makes you feel like you’re one of the most important people in the world to him right then. I was a Clerk like him and also worked at a video store too not to long after this movie came. It was like my life on film so I really connected with Kevin. We View Askew fans are die hard and will follow Kevin anywhere! I can’t tell you how many times me & the Hubby have gone to see Kevin or Jason Mewes live somewhere or when Kevin takes his movies on the road with Q & A’s, but it’s the best experience and just so much fun. I even have Kevin’s autograph tattooed on my arm and several pics of him with my tattoo taken with his phone lol. You’ve got to see all his other movies now, you’ll really appreciate them.

[@WoodysPickle]

I've met him. Cool dude

[@iChristyD]

@@WoodysPickle Extremely cool dude! Have you seen the new documentary yet that Malcom did? The second time I met Kevin wasn’t too long after his heart attack and I have a cardiomyopathy & congestive heart failure (I might of already said that above, but didn’t go back to look) so he was super into asking me questions and wanting to know more about that internal defibrillator I have attached to my heart (ICD) and while he was doing that, I noticed Malcolm laying down on the couch scrolling through something on his phone. I flipped out because duh of course I’d seen Kevin with him and I’d actually seen the documentaries that Malcolm did. So I begged him for a pick too & he couldn’t figure out why I was so excited to see him lol. I’ve been friends with him now on Facebook & he engages a lot. That Clerk. documentary he did of Kevin was so good!!

[@albinorhino6]

Kevin worked in this convenient store, they filmed everything at night when the store was closed. Even the exterior shots, it’s actually at night lit up with some fluorescent lights. That’s also why the shutters on the store are closed. You gotta do the rest of the Kevin Smith movies in this series….Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma…these are the good ones, they’re amazing. Then comes Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and Clerks 2, which are basically just one long dick joke, not that great IMO. But Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma are classics that you must see!

[@greenpeasuit]

I still would recommend Clerks II. A great revisit of the characters even if it is void of any of the deep thought provoking commentary. Still a lot of great comedic lines delivered by an all star cast. "You can't taste racism!"

[@caddyguy5369]

I LMAO at Clerks 2 personally.

[@albinorhino6]

Ya maybe I need to rewatch it. Clerks 2 was definitely better than Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, but mostly because Randal can carry any scene he’s in.

[@jasonknight1085]

Which did you like better? Mallrats or Chasing Amy? Chasing Amy. Blasphemy! Chasing Amy had the better story. Guy likes girl, girl likes girls, girl sleeps with guy, then dumps him to go sleep with more girls. It ends on a down note. That's all life is, a series of down notes. All Mallrats had was a bunch of anal sex jokes.

[@albinorhino6]

Agree Chasing Amy was better than Mallrats. For me it goes Dogma -> Chasing Amy -> Mallrats

[@spacesergeant101]

I gotta recommend El Mariachi for a super low budget independent film.

[@gwaptiva]

Welcome to the club! This movie so spoke to me when I first saw it; even though I'm European, it was really the first movie I saw that reflected my experiences, cultural references for my generation. A true classic, made on 2 maxed out credit cards and all Kevin's pals.

[@centuryrox]

Great indy movie! I'm with you in that I love great dialog over everything else. RIP Lisa Spoonauer (Caitlin).

[@davidkelly620]

Hey there again; Writing to press you to watch Slacker, if you haven't already. Slacker was what I was thinking of when I saw the description for this Clerks review. I see a couple of references to it in the comments, and then you mentioned it in the trivia, and I've gotta say, I'm interested to see what you think of it. There is no real plot to Slacker at all, it's more or less a tour through the Austin, TX of that era. And it's very real. Very real. And it ends with a Louis Armstrong song that was used again in The Impostors (also highly recommended). I was in college at the time, having just seen Slacker, and was actually at UT when Clerks came out. God, I loved that movie. -David Kelly

[@matthewurquhart5495]

I keep thinking about the deleted "final" scene, in which a would be robber shoots and kills Dante and the film just quietly ends on him laying face down in his own blood. I can see why it wasn't kept, but at the same time, it kind of fits the whole "I'm not even supposed to be here" vibe.

[@superhippie2000]

I think they will wind up making that the end of Clerks 3. Will be a giant screw you to dante. Have him like really happy with his life for a change and boom dead.

[@vovindequasahi]

Girl! Your reaction to this movie is AWESOME! You belong with us. You are one of us! You GET IT!

[@JonPaulMaki]

I was aware of the movie's existence at the time of its release, but didn't see it until a few years later. There was a lot written/said about it at the time, and it was typically mentioned in the same breath as movies like Slacker, Reality Bites, and Singles, as they were all some of the first major examples of films by and/or about Generation X. (At least the first ones about us as young adults rather than as teens or kids). I think it's kind of timeless in some respects in terms of relatability, but it was especially relatable to me at the time, as I"m in the same age cohort - just slightly younger - as Smith and the characters in the movie, and share some other commonalities with Smith in terms of nerdy interests. While he got a bit more polished as a filmmaker, I think his later films show him increasingly losing some of what made this such a standout, as he began giving in to the excess of success and the bigger budgets - and bigger names - he had to work with. Still, his films almost always resonate with me to at least some extent.

[@Madbandit77]

But, despite the different projects he's worked on, Kevin hasn't forgotten where he started (He remained friends with his high school chums, who have worked on Clerks). He always had a healthy fear of being a failure and not having a career in film and heading back to the convenience store (it's still there). There are next to no film directors who share his sense of public humility while putting themselves out in the public eye (Smith was the first filmmaker to embrace the Internet).

[@Sneckster]

Just went down a rabbit hole and stumbled on this vid. As an old git, yes I found this video back in the day in a video store in England and had no idea what it was and took it home to find a whole new idea of what a film could be. It still holds a place in my heart and my top films of all time. Never thought of the Ferris angle but you make a great point. Subbed

[@robertmccauley754]

I showed this movie to everyone in high school. We thought it was the realist, most life inspiring movie we’d ever seen. Nothing captured the beauty in the mundane like Clerks.

[@CrocodilePile]

Welcome to the Viewaskewniverse! There is a very special voice at work during these films (Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, etc.) which truly captures the era. If you follow Kevin Smith's films he's going to take you many different places, disappoint you on occasion, and rarely produce a masterpiece. Clerks 3 will be out in 2022 and a doc about his life, Clerk, is touring festivals now. His film RED STATE from 2011 is probably his absolute best work. at 13:31 you nailed the WHOLE movie! PS - the CLOWN in the opening animation has his own movie too, it's called VULGAR. Can't recommend that you watch it unless you fall DEEP down the Kevin Smith rabbit hole.

[@ShatteredTrousers]

You're so right about 'Vulgar!' Used to have a copy of that movie. Gave it away. Sleep better without it in the house. It's not like Bryan "Steve Dave" Johnson made a bad movie, exactly, but it's the most difficult thing I've ever sat through.

[@CrocodilePile]

@@ShatteredTrousers I remember it having perfect movie morality. Disturbing, but perfect for the characters and the rules of cinema justice. And then never watched it again.

[@ShatteredTrousers]

@@CrocodilePile I got a lot more enjoyment from watching 'Tail Lights Fade,' another movie made by one of Kevin Smith's friends that I discovered by going down the View Askew rabbit hole. Malcom Ingram directed this one, about a group of friends who have to drive across Canada in a race against time to destroy evidence that will certainly land Tanya Allen's brother in prison. It's well-worth the watch, if you haven't already seen it.

[@indridcold3762]

Mom and Pop video stores were the best back in the day. Blockbuster was very family oriented and didn't have a lot of the best horror movies and such.

[@DisturbedShifty]

Fun fact. Kevin Smith was a stickler for sticking to the script early on. Ben Affleck used to adlib in his movies and it used to irritate Smith. But as time went on he allowed adlibing and even encourages it now.

[@sean---the-other-one]

You need to watch all of these now. Mall rats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, Clerks II.

[@nrrork]

These two actors appeared as Dante and Randall in a short called The Flying Car. Kevin Smith did some remote segments for The Tonight Show for awhile, so he might've made this, too. It was one the funniest back and forths they've done.

[@serralinda73]

God, I love this movie! And yes, I saw it back in 1994, though not in the theater - I rented it (I was 21 that year). Anyone who's had a job similar to being a store clerk knows - it's incredibly boring and repetitive and menial yet you still feel responsible (like Dante - not Randall, lol), and well...you need the job or you wouldn't be working there to begin with. Putting up with whackjob customers is the worst! I absolutely loved watching them cursing out a customer or just fucking around and then practically destroying the place with their very lame fight. They were totally relatable in many ways - one doing what most of us do and the other saying what we all wish we could say out loud. And being that age, without having a real clue of what to do next, treading water in this sort of job rather than pursuing a "career" - many, many of us know what that's like. It a tough rut to be stuck in but also a comfortable one. So relatable! I never cared at all that this movie was cheaply made or that the acting wasn't great - it was raw, emotional, and authentic which is not something we get a lot of in media. Yes, they may have crammed a year's worth of weird scenarios into one day, but they were such realistic scenarios that I recognized many of them from my own experiences. This movie is a gem.

[@Madbandit77]

Truth. I saw the film at a college screening when I was a freshman, and it scared me out of not staying in dead end jobs while making me laugh out loud.

[@TairnKA]

For several years I went to a Sci-fi, Fantasy convention (Norwescon) and participated (crew member) in a movie making panel (3 times), creating a story, character and going around ton convention site filming, then it was presented to the con members on Saturday night.

[@Mordraith]

you need to find the 10th anniversary edition DVD set and watch the included documentary. It's so good and the story of making clerks is fantastic.

[@markfilla9305]

And there's the added bonus of seeing the scene that was supposed to take place in the funeral home at the wake. Although it was never filmed, they ended up animating it using the people that animated the Jay and Silent Bob cartoon series. They used the dialog that had been written for the film, however. It was hilarious!

[@alltaira5922]

While in the Navy, my ship was home ported 1 mile down the road from this store. Of coarse I drove by the spot just to see it though I didn't want to go inside as I figured I might annoy the workers. There was a large cult following on base because of how close we were to this location.

[@jimmygreer6172]

I think you'd really enjoy other Kevin movies. Mallrats, Dogma, Red State, Clerks 2. Also, a little bit of trivia. Kevin played a pretty big part in getting Good Will Hunting made. While working with Matt Damon & Ben Affleck on Mallrats he had gotten to read the script and got it on the desk of people at Miramax.

[@roguecomics4775]

Glad you enjoyed it. Clerks has long been a favorite of mine since I was a teen.

[@BronsonSlayer]

I would highly recommend watching the entire View Askewniverse collection in order. Kevin Smith is who inspired my love for film. Some of the best movies of all time.

[@Mekias]

I remember being a clerk back in 1995 and this movie was recommended to me by a fellow employee. Rented it at the blockbuster the next day and loved it. Definitely got a cult following. It was much more difficult and took far longer for a movie with no marketing to spread by word of mouth back then. It's not like today when something can explode overnight and be considered "old" two months later.

[@JakeToll37]

I've been waiting for the longest time for someone to react to this wonderful film. I'm glad that ur the first to see this. I strongly recommend that u react to the other movies connected to this. Before the MCU, there was the View Askewniverse. 37?!

[@johnnyspaceman1]

Melverse 4 months ago

[@MathMan271]

When 'Clerks' came out, my friends and I (juniors in highschool) probably watched this movie more than 25 times that year - not an exaggeration.

[@ReallyCoolSite]

Clerks was groundbreaking at the time. It was something you knew about but you didn't go see in the theatre and you eventually saw someone's bootleg copy on VHS. I'm Kevin Smith's age, so roughly the same age of everyone in the movie. A lot of people think that 'Mallrats' is the funnier movie (and was a movie aired on the networks), but it began with Clerks and it's probably Kevin's best work. I do like your comparison to a reverse Ferris, I can see it, never thought of it that way but you do have a good point. it was my generation's 'American Graffiti.' Just a slice of the 1990s. Glad you enjoyed it! New sub!

[@NWAWskeptic]

Has it really been 27 years since this came out?! Damn, time flies! The Clerks Animated Series was great too. Randal was hilarious in that.

[@patrikohman4617]

Ah...Clerks. Mallrats and Chasing Amy next. Until we reach Jay and Silent Bob strikes back. And when it's all over we all say "oooh, what a lovely tea-party".

[@alhollywood6486]

I'm Gen X and love this movie, but I REALLY love that you called it a reverse Ferris. I never thought of it like that, but it's like a realistic post-high school Ferris.

[@gavinsheridan4680]

In a row ??

[@WedgeTheEagle]

Great reaction. I've been a big fan of Clerks since I first saw it in the theater. Having worked in retail and movie theaters for years, I always wished I could pull off what Dante & Randall did. They recently finished filming Clerks III, which should be released next summer. Kevin Smith and the rest of the (surviving) main cast had a Clerks reunion a few weeks ago at RICC. It was great to meet them and hear all about the filming of both Clerks and Clerks III, as well as Kevin's other films.

[@reactionwatcher7652]

So great to see you react to this! Clerks is on my top 5 of all time. I would recommend two other Kevin Smith movies, Dogma and Chasing Amy. Love your work. Please keep it up.

[@cavalryscout9519]

I'd like to say I saw "Clerks" when it came out, but I saw "Chasing Amy" first. It seemed like *EVERYBODY* saw "Chasing Amy", and that's still one of my favorite movies.

[@desertsessions]

I've been waiting for you to watch this! Awesome! Clerks is top 3 all-time for me, this video was a trip home to my youth!

[@SirsMadamsEntertainment]

i see Dante as Cameron and Randal as Ferris... This movie has always been a fav from the day it came out. It brings back a lot of memories of friends who have since passed when we enjoyed indie films together.

[@rofyle]

I love this movie for the fact that Kevin Smith became a darling of all the critics when the movie came out. He was going to be the next big thing. They were all excited about his next project. And then his next movie Mallrats came out. You could almost hear a huge chorus of gasps from the critics, followed by a collective groan. "Oh no. We backed this guy?"

[@Madbandit77]

Mallrats was obviously ahead of the curve because it expanded the slacker/geek culture which is pretty much prevalent nowadays.

[@xbubblehead]

I am surprised but not disappointed that a movie aficionado like yourself hasn't seen so many wonderful and often landmark movies. But I really enjoy watching you see what in my book are classics for the first time.

[@jeffreiland7463]

These kinds of movies always remind me of the hey days of the video stores of the 90s. --- Blockbuster, Hollywood Video and all of the mom and pop videos that sprang up in every neighborhood. ..... I miss going to the video stores.

[@ttrendxyz]

kevin smith, his filmography and his speeches I've watched on youtube have been the greatest inspiration for me as a writer, hands-down. He's real.

[@smittmasterflex]

I'm a huge Kevin Smith fan and you have captured his message. He wants everyone to just go and make a movie, anyone can do it so just do it. If he could do it, anyone could do it. He wants to inspire people to just put themselves out there and create.

[@Eldormain9]

This one got a lot of buzz in my circle of friends growing up. It is one I saw in the theaters and loved it. I couldn't wait to see more Kevin Smith stuff. Intelligent dialogue with toilet humor, love it. This and Luc Besson's Le Femme Nikita (1991) are two movies I am glad to have caught in the theaters. Cheers.

[@vorbis4860]

Saw this on video around 1999. Saw the next 3 films of his as well. This movie was made for you to do a reaction, I really enjoyed this video.

[@skapunker21]

you did the mario them in your intro. cool. i'm commenting as i'm watching. leonardo nj, it's near near red bank. this might be too much for me. i grew up on the jersey shore near LBI. when kevin smith opened his comic book store, "jay and silent bob's secret stash", in red bank, my friends and i went there to see it. we met kevin (who is an awesome dood in person) and i bought a signed copy of the scripts of mallrats and chasing amy. the mother of a friend of mine was a neighbor of kevin's when he was a kid, and she babysat him on and off for a few years. she was so proud to tell me that someone she knew when they were a child ended up making fantastic movies. betty henningson i believe was her name. she was a cool person.

[@josephscally6270]

I promise you that this is an objective assessment. You are very bright and have a wonderful sense of humor. I have no doubt whatsoever that you could write a screenplay and direct the movie.

[@Wix_Mitwirth]

Just found your channel. This was fun. I'm excited to see if (read: when) you cover the rest of the series.

[@JamesDWarner]

Its also filmed at night when the store was closed. The locks being gummed up was used to have a reason to keep the shutters closed and still appear to be day during shoots.

[@paulpeterson4216]

"I love when I know very little." How different this is when said by someone looking to find something out; as opposed to the people who "love when they know very little" and really, really, really want to keep it that way.

[@johncrawford5225]

There are other "react" videos out there by people who truly know VERY LITTLE and then they go out and prove it. Shanelle by comparison really knows her shit, as she's able to discuss cinematography, lighting, camera angles, etc. Even going in totally blind, she's way more intelligent and informed than certain other KZbin movie critics.

[@wheelz8240]

Yay! New shanelle vid! You have no idea how bad i needed this today!

[@sappyhead]

Proud to call these dudes fellow local boys. This was filmed a few towns away from me. I visited this store ( in Leonardo, NJ), n snapped pics like a true fan boy lol.

[@dartxni]

Duuude, do it! I've been thinking for like the past two binged recaps that I think I really wish I could see something you directed because you seem to have some really cool insights into films.

[@scottNNJ]

I loved this movie - I was in college when it came out. One summer day, I made a pilgrimage to the store (about 1/2 hour from my home) in Leonardo, NJ… there were three stores in the strip mall: the Quick-Stop grocery, RST Video, and a tattoo parlor (which didn’t make it in the movie). I went inside the store and bought a disposable camera to take pictures to memorialize my journey, and a Klondike ice cream bar. The camera melted when I left it in the car’s glove compartment. The Klondike was delicious.

[@HonRevPTB]

OH MY GOD IM SO STOKED FOR YOU TO SEE THIS!!!!!!!

[@darrylhinko5568]

GRRR you messed up my plans for the night, i saw this and I just have to watch it now, love your reactions and one of my favorite movies, I grew up about 30 minutes from where this was filmed, love Smith movies

[@evilkittymusic3221]

I saw this in a small theater when it was still NC-17. Loved it then, still holds up.

[@kennethtilton6137]

This movie really struck a chord with me because I've worked at a convenience store(first job, in fact) anc I've worked at several video stores. That part where Dante rolls out of bed felt so real.

[@Sammael6662]

Huge Kevin Smith fan here! Looking forward to this one! Thank you and keep 'em coming!

[@peppyd]

I miss video stores as well. We had a couple of video stores in Toronto called Queen Video which only closed a few years ago. You could find all kinds of films from all over the world. A great selection on Hong Kong films. Sadly, those days are gone

[@BlackavarWD]

I miss browsing the store with friends or a date and talking about what looks good, what we've seen. Even interacting with others in the store. It was friendly.

[@cometogether999]

Shanelle: it makes me think I can write and make a movie. Rob Schneider: You can do it!!!

[@sharkey25uk]

I first saw Clerks back in 1995 at university when it was shown by the Uni's cinema society as a double bill (can't remember what the other film was - possibly Menace II Society). It was memorable for the fact that one of the projectors broke down when the film reached the last reel change, which was when Dante says "Who the F*** is in the Bathroom?". 15-20minutes later once they had swapped the reels out onto the working projector, we found out the answer to that cliff hanger and it got one of the biggest laughs during the whole film thanks to having that extra time to try to figure out the answer.

[@MacGuffinExMachina]

We had a few video stores and all of them had their features. I feel very little nostalgia for Blockbuster but so much for those. I had a feeling you would like this movie. Commenting before finishing and hoping you see the trivia about how this was made.

[@quailman]

Yessssss one of my favorites. This is a great movie to just have on while you're doing stuff.

[@mjhart68]

I'm a Kevin Smith fan, and this is the first of your reaction/reviews that I've seen. Loved it. Subscribed. Going to binge some more.

[@wrpdcnfsn]

I used to work at a convenience store right out of high school into my early 20s. This movie was just super-relatable.