Released in 1994, Clerks has since gained cult status among its fans and propelled then unknown director Kevin Smith into the Hollywood limelight. Shot on a shoestring budget and featuring an entire cast of unknown actors, it has inspired countless filmmakers to pursue their cinematic dreams. With razor sharp writing and solid acting, it’s the first in Smith’s "New Jersey Trilogy", later followed by MALLRATS and CHASING AMY.

Dante Hicks (Brian O’Halloran) receives a phone call from his boss one fateful morning and must man his shift at the local Quick Stop convenience store on his day off. Despite his objections, he finds himself spending the entire day jockeying the cash register. He must contend with unruly customers, his distracting buddy Randal (Jeff Anderson) and both his current (Marylin Ghigliotti) and ex-girlfriend (Lisa Spoonauer).

Clerks provided us with the first glimpse into Kevin Smith’s brilliance. In doing so, he proved his point that you don’t need big budgets or famous stars to make a good film, all you need are great ideas. What I absolutely love about this movie is how the characters take the most obscure and irrelevant of things and turn them into dialogue masterpieces. Loaded with interesting characters and even zanier patrons, we catch our first look at Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith) who in their brief appearances, steal the show. Randal as Dante’s sidekick foil amuses with his completely off beat take on life. If you’ve ever worked a day in your life as a cashier or customer service rep, you’ll quickly identify with the characters. Whether they be teenagers or adults, friendly or jerks, Smith completely nails the customers down to a tee. There are plenty of memorable scenes, particularly the Egg Man, "Olaf Berzerker" and the 36 guys discussion which is worth the price of a rental in itself. A laugh out loud funny movie which still ranks as one of my all time favorite comedies.

Video: Grainy, unclear and poorly shot, I loved every minute. The movie does little to maximize the DVD format in term of picture quality because that’s the way it was intended. Forget digital cameras and postproduction touch-ups ‘cause when you’re working with a 27 thousand-dollar budget, you’re going to have to cut some corners. A decent transfer which beats anything you’ll find on VHS videotape. The movie’s presented in a widescreen format (1.85:1) and is enhanced for widescreen TVs.

Audio: Like the picture, the audio really can’t be enhanced by the DVD’s digital capabilities. What you hear is what you get. The early 90’s Seattle grunge rock soundtrack sounds good, as does the dialogue. Miramax decided to include an audio commentary (originally taped for the laser disc release) of the cast and crew members. Smith does a good job of describing how the film came together, his choice for actors, numerous inside jokes and continuity errors. Mewes, on the other hand, is beyond drunk through most of the commentary and during one point, actually passes out on the floor. It’s highly entertaining and a case for life imitating art. A cool bonus which fans will definitely enjoy.

Included on the disc are several deleted scenes which offer extended monologues of certain key sequences. Nothing spectacular. Also offered is an alternate ending to the film which I think, would’ve ruined the entire movie. It’s basically Dante getting blown away by a would be robber at point blank range. Also included is the Soul Asylum video for "Can’t Even Tell" and the original theatrical trailer. The menus are colorful but alas, no animation or sound. This movie was one of the first DVD releases when the medium was first introduced and they tried to squeeze in as much as they could, given what was available at the time.

Clerks is the kind of movie that no matter how many times you watch it, never gets old and the jokes are still funny. To me, those are the tell tale signs of a truly great comedy. The DVD release lacks the excess of special features we’ve come to demand from most new offerings (I know I’m jaded) but is worth buying for fans of the movie. For others, it serves as the perfect introduction to Kevin Smith’s twisted comedic universe.