Clerks (1994)

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.

Director:

Kevin Smith

Writer:

Kevin Smith

Stars:

Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Marilyn Ghigliotti

5 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Brian O'Halloran	...	Dante Hicks
Jeff Anderson	...	Randal Graves
Marilyn Ghigliotti	...	Veronica
Lisa Spoonauer	...	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

Storyline

Dante Hicks is not having a good day. He works as a clerk in a small convenience store and is told to come into work on his day off. Dante thinks life is a series of down endings and this day is proving to no different. He reads in the newspaper that his ex-girlfriend Caitlin is getting married. His present girlfriend reveals to have somewhat more experience with sex that he ever imagined. His principal concerns are the hockey game he has that afternoon and the wake for a friend who died. His buddy Randal Graves works as a clerk in the video store next and he hates his job just about as much as Dante hates his.

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Plot Keywords:

friendship | low budget film | friend | convenience store | stupidity | 

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Taglines:

They've worked hard enough. Don't they deserve their own movie?

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

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

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 November 1994 (France)

Also Known As:

cLeRKs

Filming Locations:

USA

Box Office

Budget:

$27,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$31,665, 23 October 1994

Gross USA:

$3,151,130

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,151,130

Company Credits

Production Co:

View Askew Productions, Miramax

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min 87 min (TV) 102 min (extended)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Mono (original Sundance cut)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jason Mewes (Jay) was so camera shy that during the dance scene with him and Kevin Smith (Silent Bob), everyone had to leave and go into the video store, and just left the camera rolling so that Mewes wouldn't be so nervous.

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Goofs

The official who hands Dante the summons claims that the charge can not be contested in a court of law. The Constitution guarantees that any matter involving at least $20 is eligible to be ruled on by a jury of the defendant's peers. Director Kevin Smith briefly acknowledges this in the commentary.

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Quotes

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

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Crazy Credits

Czar of Representation ... John Pierson

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Alternate Versions

In the Clerks X 10th Anniversary DVD, the sound effects in the opening credit sequence are absent in the original first cut version.

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Connections

Referenced in Safe and Sound Video Remix (2013)

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Soundtracks

Clerks
Written by Steve Smyth (as S. Smyth) and S. Angley
Performed by Love Among Freaks

User Reviews

One Day in a Convenience Store

On his day off, the clerk of a convenience store Dante Hicks (Brian O'Halloran) is summoned by his boss to be the substitute for his coworker that is ill. He is worried since he has a hockey game. Along the day, his friend Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson) that works in a video store on the next door stays most of the time with Dante. He is visited by his girlfriend Veronica (Marilyn Ghigliotti) that discloses intimacy to him; he learns that his former girlfriend Caitlin Bree (Lisa Spoonauer); he gives a break and plays the hockey game with Randal; he goes with Randal to a wake. Meanwhile the drug dealers Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith) sells drugs on the sidewalk.

In 1994, the low-budget "Clerks" is a milestone to the career of Kevin Smith. Divided in nineteen chapters in black-and white, using a few locations and with unknown cast, the witty "Clerks" is a very funny comedy even twenty-two years after its release. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Balconista" (The Clerk")