Clerks (Blu-ray)
9:19 AM November 18, 2009
Disney / Buena Vista / 1994 / 92 mins / Rated R
Blu-ray Release Date: 11-17-09
Reviewed on 11-13-09
Can it be that 15 years have already passed since the debut of Kevin Smith’s cult indie hit Clerks? Or, five years since the dvd release of the 10th Anniversary? The answer to both questions is a resounding, yes… and fortunately, the filmmakers wisely dug up plenty of reasons to revisit this classic, now on Blu-ray. One can only imagine what they have in store for the 25th Anniversary.
Clerks is Kevin Smith’s shoe-string budgeted B&W comedy about one wild day in the life of a pair of overworked convenience store counter jockeys, whose razor sharp wit zingers to customers give a whole new meaning to ‘Have a nice day’.
The comedy was ultimately so successful, it spawned a sequel, a short-lived half-hour comedy series and an animated show based on the same characters. Adding to it’s legacy, Websters added the pup culture term ‘slackers’ to the dictionary. Not bad, for a first time writer-director who has arguably never managed to recapture neither the success or cultural significance since his debut.
At an MSRP of $39.99 (but easily found for under $25), for the hard-core fan, the litany of extras alone may be worth its price... especially for the Gen-X set.
CLERKS releases 11/17/09 on Blu-ray for the first time!
Dante Hicks, a New Jersey convenience store clerk isn’t having a great day. On a Saturday morning, he gets called into work on his day off. When he goes in, the shutters outside won’t open. Next, his ex-girlfriend, who he’s still in love with, is getting married. Meanwhile, his current girlfriend is bugging him about starting college, while yet another ex has died and today is the last day to go to her wake.
Starring Jeff Anderson, Marilyn Ghigliotti, Jason Mewes (from Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back) this iconoclastic comedy is chock full of fresh characters and unique voices. Tapping into the American Zeitgeist of a generation of post-high school flunkies and perpetual junior college wannabes stuck in crappy jobs with no future plan, writer-director Kevin Smith pulls you right in and forces you to empathize with this lovable cast of losers.
VIDEO
Presented at 1080p and Widescreen (1.85.1). Okay, clearly considering this was a low-budget B&W indie, there’s little to hope for visually in regards to the Blu-ray bump from ordinary DVD. However, after viewing them both back-to-back you can’t help but feel like the picture is slightly crisper and clarity uniformly unsurpassed. Unless Smith decides to colorize the 25th anniversary release, this is as good as it’s gonna get.
AUDIO
English 5.1 DTS-HD MA (48Khz/24-bit) I had to play the dvd and Blu-ray back to back to tell the difference, with a notable improvement mainly in the soundtrack. The obvious upgrade in audio comes with the added extras, including commentary tracks.
EXTRAS
Roll up your sleeves on this one. I’d be hard pressed to think of anything left on either the cutting room floor or un-sought-out commentary on this comedy starting with—
• New original introduction to Clerks by writer-director Kevin Smith
• Theatrical version including original classic commentary circ 1995, featuring Kevin Smith, producer Scott Mosier and cast including Brian O’Halloran.
• Enhanced playback track including synchronized trivia and cast and crew quotes for the ultimate Clerk officienados.
• The FIRST CUT version, including audio commentary with Kevin, Brian, Jeff, Mos and Mews, viewable in three separate modes.
• “Clerks: the Lost Scene” – original animated short
• “The Flying Car”
• Original MTV spots with Jay & Silent Bob
• Full theatrical traler
• Soul Asylum’s music video “Can’t Even Tell”
• Clerks Restoration
• Original Clerks Auditions
• “Snowball Effect: The Story of Clerks”
• “Mae Day: The Crumbling of A Documentary”, with introductions by both Smith and Mosier.
• Outtakes from “Snowball Effect”
• 10th Anniversary Q&A
MY SAY
Is there enough in this clever Blu-ray re-package to deserve the price? Definitely, if you don’t already own this classic on DVD. If you do, and you savor the tidbits and goodies and behind-the-scene-stealing trivia files, this Blu-ray’s for you!
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