Clerks III Has A Deep Cut Visual Gag Inspired By An Original Clerks Misstep [Exclusive]

Kevin Smith's new film "Clerks III" might be considered a backdoor remake of his 1994 original. When the character of Randal (Jeff Anderson) suffers and barely survives a heart attack at age 50, he is moved to make a feature film of his own, rather than just spend his days chinwagging about them. Given that Randal has limited resources, he elects to make a movie about his own life as it appeared 28 years before, set at the same convenience store where he currently works. As it so happens, Randal makes the first "Clerks." 

"Clerks III," then, allows Smith to re-stage exact scenes from "Clerks," repeating jokes that once seemed edgy, rebellious, and bitter, but now bear a streak of wistful nostalgia instead. Many of the actors from "Clerks" return to reprise their roles, only this time filmed with better equipment; the original "Clerks" was made for a mere $27,575. Smith has been very candid over the years about the low-rent circumstances under which he filmed his 1994 film, often telling stories about how he had to use a hockey stick as a boom, or how watching Richard Linklater's 1990 film "Slacker" inspired him to filmmaking. 

/Film's own Ethan Anderton recently sat down with Anderson and "Clerks" star Brian O'Halloran to talk about their fictional counterparts, and the details of recreating a low-budget film shoot from 28 years ago. In staying true to the 1994 indie spirit, Anderson revealed that one particular scene in "Clerks III" had even recreated a bad makeup job that he wore in the past. 

It's a subtle detail, but one a fan might notice after watching "Clerks" numerous times. Which, of course, many Gen-Xers did. Anderton certainly did, and had the wherewithal to ask Anderson about it. In one "Clerks III" scene recreating a moment from the original "Clerks," Randall appears to be wearing really, really heavy eyeliner. And not a purposeful amount like a Goth kid might. It looks like stage makeup, meant to be seen from a great distance. Anderson clarified that one of the makeup artists on "Clerks" was, like everyone working on the movie, inexperienced. In his words: 

"[T]hat was actually a joke from the original 'Clerks.' When we shot the original 'Clerks,' obviously none of us knew what we were doing. We had a makeup girl that was probably a college student or something. Brian probably knows this better than I. She was probably from the cosmetology school or something."

After O'Halloran confirms that, yes indeed, the unnamed makeup artist was indeed from a local cosmetology school, Anderson continued:

"None of us knew about black and white film. I don't know if it was this girl's idea, but it was this girl who was like, 'Well, you have to put a lot of makeup on because it's black and white.' So that was one of the first scenes that we shot in the movie. So in 'Clerks,' if you go back and look at it, I look like Robert Smith from The Cure, I had so much eyeliner on. So that was definitely an on-purpose thing that we did just to give each other a good laugh when we recreated the scene."

That seems like the kind of detail that Smith included to amuse himself and maybe ... maybe ... one or two super-fans.

Anderson continued briefly, saying that a fan would "have to go back and look at it. It's not as pronounced as it is in 'Clerks III," concluding that the makeup detail "was more done sort of just to give us all a good laugh." 

That, of course, appears to be the entire operational ethos of "Clerks III." Smith himself suffered a near-fatal heart attack in 2018, leading him to reassess his life on film. While Smith has directed 15 feature films in his career, he seemingly never lost the scrappy joy he felt making a low-budget flick with his friends back in the mid-1990s. Smith had a brush with mortality and decided that the best way to celebrate his own life was to recreate some of his happiest memories. 

The final shots of "Clerks III" lend that recreation a large, very personal emotional heft. "Clerks III" may only be funny for Smith, for his friend, and for Smith lifers who have been privy to the filmmaker's in-jokes for decades. But, after all that, it does possess a sweet earnestness that is hard to deny. O'Halloran was particularly sensitive to the personal nature of "Clerks III," and wanted to give it his all. The final scenes — which will remain unspoiled here — demanded a lot. As O'Halloran said in our full interview, "The last things that I say are pretty much the most work I put into any of the scenes."

"Clerks III" is now available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital.