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Clerks. - History

Clerks. - History: Encyclopedia II - Clerks. - History

Clerks. was Smith's first film, and introduces several characters, notably Jay and Silent Bob, who reappear in his later films. The film is in black-and-white and roughly edited due to a budget of less than $30,000 (mainly consisting of credit cards, the worth of director Smith's extensive comic book collection and insurance money); it became a surprising success after it was taken by Miramax Films and polishe ...

Clerks.: Encyclopedia II - Clerks. - History

Clerks. - History

Clerks. was Smith's first film, and introduces several characters, notably Jay and Silent Bob, who reappear in his later films. The film is in black-and-white and roughly edited due to a budget of less than $30,000 (mainly consisting of credit cards, the worth of director Smith's extensive comic book collection and insurance money); it became a surprising success after it was taken by Miramax Films and polished with additions to the soundtrack.

The MPAA originally gave Clerks. an NC-17 rating, based purely on the film's explicit dialogue — it contains no real violence, and no clearly depicted nudity. This was a financial death sentence, as very few cinemas in the United States will screen NC-17 movies. Miramax hired civil-liberties lawyer Alan Dershowitz to appeal the decision; the MPAA relented and re-rated the film with the more commercial 'R' rating, without altering any frame or word.

Clerks won the "Award of the Youth" and the "Mercedes-Benz Award" at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival, tied with Fresh for the "Filmmakers Trophy" at the Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for three Independent Spirit Awards (Best First Feature, Best First Screenplay and Jeff Anderson for Best Debut Performance).

In 2000, readers of Total Film magazine voted Clerks. the 16th greatest comedy film of all time.