by Robert Cramer

Created on: September 23, 2009   Last Updated: September 27, 2009

"Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn for Sega."

That iconic quote is from Brodie in the movie Mallrats. Kevin Smith started his improbable run in the film industry with Clerks which debuted in 1994. He and his partner in Crime, Scott Mosier, set out to make their masterpiece. A little black and white, dialogue heavy and much beloved indie film. This little film, made for just over 27,000 dollars would eventually launch a then 24 year old Kevin Smith into indie stardom.

Clerks. is set in the yet to be named, ViewAskewniverse in New Jersey. This is the first in the chronicling of his New Jersey tales. This film features two main characters in Dante Hicks, Brian O'Halloran and Randall Graves, Jeff Anderson. Dante is a underachieving young man whose current passion is just to play street hockey. He works in the Quickstop Convenience store. The main man in his life is his video store cohort in Randall Graves, who works in the RST Video store. This story takes place in a day in the lives of these two slackers. The whole movie seems mostly real with the exception of a few elements. The smart and intriguing dialogue is what will suck you in. As stated earlier, the movie is set in black and white, due to budgetary constraint, and the whole movie is shot with one camera and no camera movement. The acting is a bit stiff although all the actors and actresses are able to deliver their lines almost flawlessly. The two then unsung heroes were a very young Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith playing Jay and Silent Bob. Two slackers who hang outside the Quick Stop and sell various things, mostly drugs. This movie is definitely a work of a young and inexperienced film maker, but the writing is obviously stunning in the way it draws you in. Clerks is a must watch for anyone who enjoys great dialogue and for any every day man who is blessed to work as a clerk in any store.

Next on the docket is Mallrats.
This is the second movie in the tales of New Jersey but that being said, is actually the first chronologically. This tale is one of two slackers, seeing a pattern here, who after having issues with their current girlfriends, seek refuge in their local mall. Our leading men in this movie are Brodie, Jason Lee, and T.S. Quint played by Jeremy London. This is Smith's first movie with something resembling a budget. This is also Kevin's first movie where he has other people who get a say in his movie. Mallrats was at the time, hyped up to be the next great teen comedy a la Animal House.

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