Kevin Smith was possibly the first American filmmaker to be the product of the films and working methods of the previous few years of American independent cinema.

Inspired by Rodriguez and particularly Linklater’s ability to work with limited budgets, and the copious dialogue of Hartley and especially Tarantino, Clerks is a much more straightforwardly comedic film, and certainly much bawdier, if not downright crude in places. It revolves around shop assistant Dante (Brian O’Halloran) who, over the course of a day, must deal with relationship issues, hindered by caustic, intractable friend Randal (Jeff Anderson) and a procession of idiotic customers.

Notes by Kevin Coyne.

Screening as part of the American Independents season.