Classic 90s Movie: “Clerks”

May is Classic 90s Movie month. Today’s guest post comes from Dakota Proctor.

Movie Title: Clerks

Year: 1994

Writer: Kevin Smith

Lead Actors: Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Marilyn Ghigliotti

Director: Kevin Smith

IMDB Plot Summary: A day in the lives of two convenience store clerks named Dante and Randal as they annoy customers, discuss movies, and play hockey on the store roof.

Why I Think This Is A Classic 90s Movies: After a decade of blockbusters and the birth of the “franchise,” the 90s treated us to a new emergence of writer-directors looking to make a name for themselves in a generation that grew up in a deluge of media. The characters are down on themselves, confused about why they possess so much more knowledge than the customers yet are in a lower place in the social ladder. It’s a movie for the generation X, filled with pop culture references, product placement, and overall malaise.

The movie is a reaction to those huge films of the 80s. Although I’m sure the budget had something to do with this being Kevin Smith’s first film, the audio sync and continuity problems feel very at home in the film. It feels small. It creates that trapped feeling that the characters embody. Almost the whole movie is indoors. It seems similar to Beavis and Butthead, cynical people yelling from their couches about all the things wrong with the world without lifting a finger to change anything.

And it seems the movie doesn’t offer any answers. At the end of the film, Dante is talking about how he has to go sort things out with the various women in his life, yet immediately after, makes plans with Randal to hang out the next day. Another day of the same old- same old. The 90s were filmed with movies about showing the world how it actually is, and this is one of the best.

My Favorite Moment In The Movie: The song Olaf sings early on is one of my favorites. It just shows how desperate these characters are to find something real, when Bob tells Olaf that the song is “beautiful.”

My Favorite Dialogue In the Movie: Randal and Dante having an “important” discussion in front of a customer.

Randal Graves: So, your argument is that title dictates behavior?
Dante Hicks: What?
Randal Graves: The reason you won’t let me use your car is because I have a title and a job description, and I’m supposed to follow it, right?
Dante Hicks: Exactly.
Tabloid Reading Customer: I saw one, one time, that said, “The next week, the world is ending.” And in the next week’s paper, they said, “We were miraculously saved at the zero hour by a koala-fish mutant bird.” Crazy shit.
Randal Graves: So, I’m no more responsible for my decisions here than, say, a Death Squad soldier in Bosnia?
Dante Hicks: Oh, now, that’s stretching it. You’re not being asked to slay children or anything.
Randal Graves: Yeah, not yet.

[takes a drink of water]

Tabloid Reading Customer: And I remember this one time-

[Randal spits water at him]

Tabloid Reading Customer: I’m going to break your fucking head! You fucking jerk-off!
Dante Hicks: Sir! Sir, I’m sorry! He meant to hit me.
Tabloid Reading Customer: Yeah, well, he missed!
Dante Hicks: Yeah, I know. Here, let me refund your money, and we’ll call it even, alright?
Tabloid Reading Customer: I’ll never come in here again.
[to Randal]
Tabloid Reading Customer: And if I see you again, I’m gonnna break your fucking head open!

[Randal salutes him as he leaves]

Dante Hicks: What the fuck’d you do that for?
Randal Graves: Two reasons. One, I hate it when people can’t shut up about the stupid tabloid headlines.
Dante Hicks: Oh, Jesus!
Randal Graves: And two, to prove a point. Title does not dictate behavior.
Dante Hicks: What?
Randal Graves: If title dictated my behavior, as a clerk serving the public, I wouldn’t be allowed to spit water at that guy. But I did. So, my point is that people dictate their own behavior. Even though I work in a video store, I choose to go rent movies at Big Choice. Agreed?
Dante Hicks: [gives Randal his car keys] You are a danger to both the dead and the living.
Randal Graves: I like to think I’m a master of my own destiny.
Dante Hicks: Please, get the hell outta here.
Randal Graves: You know I’m your hero.

This dialogue shows the breakdown of classes the movie is so interested in. As “respect” fell more and more out of favor with the youth, people could test boundaries more. Title does not dictate behavior for these characters. They can spit on customers and be okay.

But at the same time it does. They may be very intelligent, but something about Randal and Dante keeps them from advancing in life. The movie asks the question if our title makes us who we are. Is Olaf a metal singer because he says he is one? If Dante and Randal can be more than clerks, do they simply need to believe in themselves?

Key Things You Should Look For When Watching This Movie: What is Kevin James saying about the American youth who work in service. Watch how the different characters handle anger. Watch for how these characters find release and stay sane amidst their seemingly boring lives.

Thanks, Dakota! To show our gratitude for your guest post, here’s a dash of creative juju for you. Whoosh!

We already have a set of 80s Movies. This month we cover 90s movies. So thanks to all of you for your participation in this project, creating a resource for writers, movies they should watch to help learn the craft of screenwriting!

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