October 19, 1994 (United States)
Clerks is a 1994 American independent black and white buddy comedy film written, directed, and co-produced by Kevin Smith. Starring Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson, it presents a day in the lives of titular store clerks Dante Hicks (O'Halloran) and Randal Graves (Anderson), along with their acquaintances. Clerks is the first of Smith's View Askewniverse films, and introduces several recurring characters, notably Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes and Smith).
Clerks was shot for $27,575 in the convenience and video stores where director Smith worked in real life. Upon its theatrical release, the film received generally positive reviews and grossed over $3 million in theaters, launching Smith's career. The film is considered a landmark in independent filmmaking and, in 2019, was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, who deemed it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Contents
Storyline
Dante (Brian O'Halloran) is called in to cover a shift at his New Jersey convenience store on his day off. His friend Randal (Jeff Anderson) helps him pass the time, neglecting his video-store customers next door to hang out in the Quick Stop. The uneventful day is disrupted by news that one of Dante's ex-girlfriends has died. After attending her memorial service, Dante muses over staying with current girlfriend Veronica (Marilyn Ghigliotti) or reuniting with ex Caitlin (Lisa Spoonhauer).
Also See
- Mallrats (1995)
- Chasing Amy (1997)
- Dogma (1999)
- Clerks: The Animated Series
- Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)
- Clerks: The Lost Scene (2004)
- Clerks II (2006)
- Jay & Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie! (2013)
- Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019)
Movie Trailer
Sound Effects Used
- Sound Ideas, SCREAM - MALE, TERROR, HUMAN, HORROR (Heard once from an off-screen sci-fi film that Randal is watching.)
