The groundbreaking filmmaker discusses his favorite moment from his entire filmography.
Nearly three decades after Clerks hit theaters, Kevin Smith remains a beloved and influential figure in the world of film. And his legacy is given proper examination in Clerk, an upcoming documentary about Smith’s unique career.
You can get a taste of the behind-the-scenes look you’ll be getting in Clerk. with an exclusive clip where Smith discusses his “favorite moment I’ve put on film” over his prolific career as a director, actor, and screenwriter. The moment comes in Clerks II when Randall confesses to Dante that his dream is to buy the Quick Stop (which burned down) and reopen it with his best friend.
Smith explains that in “one magic moment” Randall “shows you his fucking heart” and that “changes everything.” He even said that the scene works as a metaphor that “tells the story of my life.”
“That was me going ‘I’m never going to be who other cats would like me to be,'” Smith said. “The only reason you like me in the first place is because I was me, so I’m going to go and be me for the rest of my life now.”
It’s a small, human moment of real vulnerability and camaraderie, which is why it makes complete sense that Smith still feels so drawn to it. Smith was a formative voice in the “slacker” generation of indie filmmakers, who subverted the obsession with spectacle in movies, instead opting to focus on grounded storytelling.
And while Clerks may be remembered for discussions about the ethical implications of working as a contractor on the Death Star or discussions about “snowballing,” the heart of the two movies is really the friendship between Randall and Dante, two guys who use sarcasm and cynicism to mask their fear of failure and disappointment with their places in life.
Clerk. will be available digitally on November 23.
