Blu-ray Review: Kevin Smith 3-Movie Collection
Release Date: November 17th, 2009
Running Time: 309 minutes
The Films
When Clerks first came out it was a revelation in independent cinema; a cult hit that would ultimately become a pop culture phenomenon. I was immediately hooked on Kevin Smith’s style and his subsequence film Mallrats further endeared me to the king of rapid-fire sex and gross-out jokes. I was the perfect age to be a fan of Smith’s, growing up alongside his progression as a filmmaker. I got completely sucked into the View Askew universe. It’s certainly not for everyone, but for whatever reason Smith’s work really connected with me. Since Smith’s films were never known to be technically brilliant they aren’t titles that I would say needed HD upgrades, but here we are nonetheless. As an example of his work The Kevin Smith 3-Movie Collection is a resounding success, but it is merely average in terms of Blu-ray quality.
Clerks
Brian O’Halloran stars as Dante Hicks, a clerk at a New Jersey convenience store called the Quick Stop. He is called into work on his day off and proceeds to deal with a slew of quirky, often annoying customers. His only break to the tedium is chatting with his goofball friend, Randal (Jeff Anderson), who works at the video store next to the Quick Stop. Dante’s girlfriend, Veronica (Marilyn Ghigliotti), furthers Dante’s crappy mood by berating him over his lack of motivation and giving him a revelation of how many oral sex partners she has had. Just when he thinks it can’t get any worse, Dante reads in the newspaper that his ex-girlfriend, Caitlin (Lisa Spoonhauer), is engaged. Meanwhile two local stoners named Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith) hang around the outside of the Quick Stop, selling drugs and listening to music. Throughout the rest of the day from Hell Dante has in-depth Star Wars discussions, gets in trouble for Randal selling cigarettes to a minor, participates in a rooftop hockey game, and has to deal with a perverted old man who dies in the bathroom.
Clerks set up Kevin Smith’s formula of unique characters, witty and perverse dialogue, and non-stop pop culture discussion. To this day it remains one of his strongest films and is engrained in the minds of millions of generation Y slackers.
Chasing Amy
Ben Affleck and Jason Lee star as comic book artists and best friends Holden McNeil and Banky Edwards. Promoting their comic, Bluntman and Chronic, at a convention, Holden takes notice of a beauty named Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams), but his romantic hopes are dashed when he finds out she is a lesbian. However, the two continue to hang out and develop a very serious bond, causing Banky to become very jealous. When Holden finally gives in an admits his love to Alyssa the two have a massive fight before diving into a full-on relationship, widening the rift between Holden and Banky. Banky then uncovers sexual dirt from Alyssa’s past, causing Holden to become wildly insecure. With emotions flaring, the shaky friendships between the trio threaten to explode.
This film is easily Kevin Smith’s most emotional, personal, and heart-felt effort. The acting is far better than anything else he has directed as he draws out real feeling in every scene. Though his trademark humor is preserved, Chasing Amy is a far more adult film with equally as many intense, dramatic moments. Even with all of the gut-wrenching laughs that Smith’s other films have given me over the years, Chasing Amy is the one film that left the strongest impression on me and proved that Smith has far more depth as a filmmaker than many people believe.
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Mewes and Smith once again don their alter egos in a full-blown Jay and Silent Bob adventure. The duo learns from Holden that a movie is in the works based on the comic that has their likenesses. Upon hearing the intense negative reaction on the Internet, the pair set out on a trek to Hollywood to clear their good name and get their money. They soon come across an animal rights group comprised of hot women: Sissy (Eliza Dushku), Justice (Shannon Elizabeth), Missy (Jennifer Schwalbach), and Chrissy (Ali Larter). They claim to be on their way to free some laboratory animals and Jay promptly kicks out the only male member in the group (Seann William Scott). It turns out the women are actually thieves trying to steal a diamond located in a building right next to their lab. Having lost their scapegoat, they decide to pin it all on Jay and Bob.
The girls successfully steal the diamond but set off an alarm. In the chaos Jay and Bob free the lab animals, taking along an Orangutan named Suzanne as a reminder of the girls after believing they died in an explosion. Soon they have Federal Wildlife Marshal Willenholly (Will Ferrell) on their trail. Dodging the law, Jay and Bob continue their quest to Hollywood, but they haven’t seen the last of the beautiful, dangerous thieves.
This film is a pure fan service meant to celebrate the fans’ love and support for these characters. The whole story is goofy and over the top—definitely not meant to be taken seriously. Smith and Mewes are natural in their performances and, along with a cameo-filled cast, generate tons of laughs. The film is littered with View Askew references and characters, making it a non-stop tribute to Smith’s work. When all is said and done there isn’t much more you could want from a Jay and Silent Bob movie.
The Kevin Smith 3-Movie Collection isn’t his complete body of work but is still a solid representation of Smith’s style and skills. He may not be the most technically gifted director in the world, but he is great at what he does. To me what is most impressive about his legacy is the universe he created for his fan base, and how he continued to deliver material aimed at them time and time again, no matter what critics thought. Love him or hate him, Kevin Smith has carved out his own cinematic niche and made a slew of lifelong fans in the process.
The Discs
Clerks
The video is presented in a 1.85:1, 1080p High Definition transfer. Shot on an ultra-indy budget and on 16mm film, it is impossible to get Clerks to look pristine. It is meant to look grimy and rough around the edges. Since it is in black & white colors aren’t an issue. The black levels are consistent and as deep as you would expect with some decent shadow detail. Fine detail is hampered by a heavy layer of grain and a variety of softer shots. Compression artifacts, video noise, and print damage have all been reduced from the DVD but are still glaring issues. Simply put, this is as good as the film will ever look without compromising Smith’s vision, but is a minor upgrade at best.
The audio is offered in an English DTS HD 5.1 master lossless audio track with English/Spanish subtitles. Like the video this will never sound amazing, but some decent atmospheric effects are placed around the soundstage to create the feel of the convenience store. The rear speakers kick in for the soundtrack as well. Dialogue, however, is all over the place in terms of clarity and balance. It’s always understandable, but the mix lacks that level of clarity associated with lossless technology.
Chasing Amy
The video is presented in a 1.85:1, 1080p High Definition transfer. Fine detail is noticeably improved in close ups but background detail is far softer. Changes in lighting also affect the level of detail. Colors are natural but slightly muted. Black levels aren’t great and display some minor shadow crush. Compression artifacts aren’t a serious issue. Though there is a noticeable step up in clarity from the DVD, I still feel like this title could look better.
The audio is offered in an English DTS HD 5.1 master lossless audio track and Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo with English/Spanish subtitles. Like Clerks, this isn’t a film that calls for a very dynamic mix. Dialogue is consistently intelligible and balanced. The majority of the effects are loaded across the front channels so you are never quite immersed in the scene, but some decent ambient effects make an effort from the rears.
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
The video is offered in a 2.35:1, 1080p High Definition transfer. Being the newest of the three films I expected a better transfer, but this is essentially the same disc from three years ago. It is good but not reference quality by any means. Colors pop well and are just a touch stylized. Deep blacks feature average shadow detail. Fine detail is solid in close-up shots and gives the image decent depth, but random wider shots are far less crisp. Compression artifacts, video noise, and print damage are minimal.
The audio is offered in an English PCM uncompressed 5.1 lossless audio track and English/French Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound with English/French subtitles. I was very impressed with the lively nature of the sound design that makes a good effort to take advantage of the Blu-ray capabilities. This is the most action-packed of Smith’s films and makes good use of the surround channels with many effects traveling to the rears. The sound design isn’t very realistic, more comic-booky, but it fits the tone of the film perfectly. Atmosphere and ambience have excellent presence as well while the soundtrack works out the bass. Crisp, balanced dialogue is the icing on the cake. Sure this isn’t a true action film, but the mix was far more engaging than I expected.
The Extras
Clerks contains all of the special features found on the massive 2004 10th Anniversary DVD set, including both the Theatrical Cut and the 104-minute “First Cut.” Director Kevin Smith and Producer Scott Mosier provide a 10-minute intro to the First Cut.
A Commentary track is offered on the Theatrical Cut that was ported from the laserdisc. Participants include Smith, Walt Flanagan, Scott Mosier, Jason Mewes, Vincent Pereira, Brian O’Halloran, and Film Threat’s Malcolm Ingram. This is a more subdued track than I expected but a lot of production information is given. However, since the commentary is 14 years old, I’d recommend watching the vastly superior documentary instead.
The Theatrical Cut also has an “Enhanced Trivia Track” with factoids, View Askew references, fun counters, and more.
A standard definition Picture-in-Picture commentary is offered on the First Cut with O’Halloran, Mosier, Mewes, and Jeff Anderson. This is more a collection of hilarious anecdotes and goofing off than a true behind-the-scenes discussion. Die-hard fans will appreciate the camaraderie and inside jokes, but others should again watch the documentary.
The “Snowball Effect” is an all-encompassing, 90-minute documentary that is a complete examination of Smith as a filmmaker, a total dissection of Clerks, and how View Askew came to be. The candid, thoughtful comments are balanced with countless factoids that fans will eat up. This is the definitive look at Smith’s original masterpiece. If this isn’t enough for you then 40 minutes of “Outtakes” (extended interviews, etc) are offered from the documentary as well.
The “10th Anniversary Q & A” (42 minutes) is a fun retrospective piece with the cast and crew, but Smith has had far more entertaining Q &A sessions over the years.
“Clerks Restoration” is a 13-minute interview with Smith, Mosier, and Cinematographer David Klein detailing the extensive restoration efforts made for the 10th anniversary DVD.
“Clerks Lost Scene” is a 10-minute animated short involving a funeral scene that was never filmed in live action.
“The Flying Car” is an 8-minute short from 2001 that revisits Dante and Randall ruminating on alternate methods of transportation.
“Mae Day: The Crumbling of a Documentary” is a 12-minute short on a film school project Smith and Mosier had that fell apart.
15 minutes of “Original Auditions” are simply awful and highlight how green all of the actors were.
“Oh, What a Lovely Tea Party” is a new, welcome addition to the disc. It is a 90-minute documentary on the making of Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back and an attempt by Smith to give fans some new material, especially considering the near bare-bones nature of the movie’s own Blu-ray. It is a casual, fast-paced behind-the-scenes look at all aspects of the production featuring some classic interviews from the cast and crew.
“MTV Spots with Jay & Silent Bob” (18 minutes) are 8 TV spots with introductions from Smith and Mosier.
Lastly, Soul Asylum’s “Can’t Even Tell” Music Video is offered as well as the Trailer.
Chasing Amy has the newest material of the bunch and is likely the best choice to upgrade if you don’t want to buy the whole collection.
The Commentary from the Criterion release has been axed, but a new one with Smith and Mosier finds their standard balance of humor and technical bravado. However, like Clerks I would just suggest watching the documentary instead.
“Tracing Amy” is an all-new 80-minute documentary. This is the most candid, complete look at the production to date, covering standard filmmaking topics, the challenges of the small budget, and Smith’s personal investment in the story. If you watch one thing on the disc, this is the one to choose.
“Was It Something I Said?” is an 18-minute conversation between Smith and Adams regarding the film and their personal relationship that inspired it. Though the two speak freely, there is obviously still some tension between them.
“10 Years Later Q & A” is a 28-minute session with Smith, Adams, Ben Affleck, Jason Lee, Jason Mewes, Dwight Ewell, and Scott Mosier. This is far more entertaining than the Clerks Q & A as Smith and co. are more comfortable with the session format, playing perfectly to their fans.
10 Deleted Scenes run 25 minutes along with a 5-minute Outtake reel.
The Theatrical Trailer polishes off this disc.
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is missing the wealth of extra content from the 2002 DVD, however the Clerks disc does have a documentary for this film.
Commentary is offered with Smith, Mosier, and Mewes. The track has its moments, but overall I was disappointed with the lack of chemistry between the trio. Maybe it was just an off day, but the track lacks the fun factor of many of their other commentaries.
The only other special feature is “Movie Showcase” that allows instant access to scenes that are supposed to be the best representation of HD video/sound, but this is not a reference quality disc by any means so what is the point?
Final Thoughts
Though none of the films offered in the Kevin Smith 3-Movie Collection are substantially upgraded on Blu-ray, the trio of films still represents a solid spread of Smith’s work. Fans should definitely upgrade, but more casual supporters of Smith’s will find little reason to shell out more cash for the minimal technical improvements.
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