Independent 'Clerks' reflects life

Clerks **

The independent movies I love have started taking new steps. A good thing happening in American cinema is anybody who wants to make a movie bad enough, can. Robert Rodriguez did it with his Sundance Film Festival winner El Mariachi. Of course, the lengths Rodriguez went to are less than conventional. He didn't have any money for a movie, so he lent his body to a medical research facility to raise some $8,000 to buy the film on which to shoot. He then borrowed some equipment and shot and entire full length feature with a cast of talented unknowns, with NO SECOND TAKES! The result brought Rodriguez, and independent films worldwide, a new respect.

With Clerks, director Kevin Smith wrote a screenplay and made a feature for less than $30,000. Shot totally on black and white film, which American cinema needs more of, the movie was shopped around and finally got production backing and is now released nationwide. That story, unfortunately, is better than the movie itself. But I think if anybody has any interest in movies - making them, writing them, shooting them or just watching them - then Clerks is a movie you need to watch.

It is only a two-star film, but Clerks, as does El Mariachi, serves as an example to movie lovers worldwide. If you have a good idea for a movie, or even if it's not that good of an idea, go see if you can make it. This practice is growing slowly, but steadily more popular, and I encourage even more. The more people who are out there making movies, on their own, outside of Hollywood, means fewer movies we have to see that are made with conventional Hollywood formulas - things we've seen a thousand times, because it worked before. Independent films have the ability to pioneer a new originality in American film and, while one might not think they are worth it, they certainly deserve our $5.75.

The film itself isn't what I expected. It is a funny movie in places and reminds me some of the jobs I have held in the past. But not all that much. What it really reminds me of is making small plotted videos with my friends, and that seems to be just what Smith has done.

Clerks stars Brian O' Halloran as Dante, a Quick Stop clerk who isn't supposed to be working the day the action takes place but gets called in under mysterious circumstances. The owner promises to arrive at noon. Randal (Jeff Anderson) is the video store clerk whose personality conflicts with Dante's even though they are best friends.

Anderson, who I believe is the true star of the picture, isn't a great actor, but his lines are funny, and he handles them well. Anderson is the instigator of the film's funniest scene, one where he will not give a customer any help in deciding to choose between two videos.

There is a kind of main plot between Dante and his girlfriend, Veronica (Marilyn Ghigliotti), with the threat of Dante's ex-girlfriend returning from school. The ex-girlfriend does return, to a very surprising end result.

Jason Mewes plays a small-time drug dealer whose place of business is on the sidewalk between the two stores. He and partner Silent Bob carry on with all types of stupidness while passing time between customers. Silent Bob, the best actor in the entire film, is well suited to his name. He has one line, but his facial expressions are what movies are for.

Clerks has it's moments, but I wish Smith better luck for his next attempt. And I do hope there will be one.

Clerks is now showing at Terrace Theaters on Mohican Dr. off Kingston Pike.

Video Pick: El Mariachi or Taboo.