Would CLERKS work if it were colorized and or done in color from the beggining? (1 Viewer)

[todd stone]

Would you WANT to see a colorized version of CLERKS done?


Do you feel the film would have been as succsesful, *yes succesfule *, if it had been done in color from the very beggining?

 

[Robert Anthony]

Clerks would work if it was still frame slideshow--because the whole reason clerks is successful is the dialog. Period. The people delivering it don't deliver it very well, the people behind the camera don't move it very well, the color of the film doesn't really have anything to do with it: It was a radio drama that happened to be filmed.

I own the movie, and I laugh at it constantly--but visually it's nothing at all, and I don't think anything done to it visually would have made it more or less successful.

 

[Edwin-S]

No. The film is dialgue driven, but I think the black and white filming gave it a "grungy, seedy neighborhood" look. Shooting it in color would have ruined that effect.

 

[TheLongshot]

Depends on how you shoot it in color. A grainy filmstock probably would have acheaved a similar effect.

I agree with the previous poster, it doesn't matter what it was filmed in, it is the dialog that drives the film.

Jason

 

[Eric Eash]

i somewhat agree, with everyone. i think that dialogue had the biggest impact, but B&W does give the film that something extra to make it stand out from other films. i think the movie is genius, and shouldn't be changed.

eric

 

[David Rogers]

Smith's strength is dialog, definitely. Clerks wouldn't be hurt or particularly helped by color. Going back and colorizing it would be .... odd ... at least. Perhaps bad. Really depends on how they do it (well or poorly). But it's unnecessary for Clerks; the film stands brilliantly on its own.

Never underestimate the power of a writer with a lot of credit cards!

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

I've got to agree for me Clerks and really the other Kevin Smith movies are all about the dialog of course since I have poor vision, for me all movies are about the dialog, but it is a definite strength in that case.

 

[Topher]

I think if it were colorized people would be more distracted by the poor camera work (NOOTCH!). Coming from a devout Smith fan, I agree with you all that the dialogue is the important factor and it would "work" either way, it just wouldn't have that indy charm anymore. It would look cheaper (thats hard to do!!!)

 

[Jordan_E]

I was a video store clerk for years and this movie rings true on so many levels for me that it could be a silent movie and still work for me! I have video store clerk stories that would make Kevin blush!

 

[Eric Peterson]

Heresy!!

Just for using the word colorized, you should be ejected from this forum!

Personally, I didn't even notice that the film was B&W until years later when I tried to show it to my roomate. He resisted mightily at the beginning, but by the time it was over, "Clerks" was one of his favorite movies and everywhere we went, he told everybody about it.

 

[Bill Williams]

Hell, no. Like putting lipstick on a pig, it would still suck, bottom line.

 

[ThomasC]

You really know how to cut the cheese, Bill.

Anyways, I don't think doing it in color would've changed my opinion of the film. If it was originally filmed in color, changed to B&W, and Smith re-released it in color, I wouldn't see it. It was just fine in B&W, I don't see any reason for it to be in color.

 

[TommyT]

I gotta say you're wrong, man. You're totally right, the film is about character & dialogue but I've always thought that Smith did a great job of using the convenience store in fairly inventive ways:

>The scene where Veronica & Dante hide behind the counter. The shot of the money & the 'honor' syst sign was hilarious.
>The milk maid.
>The guy with the eggs.
>Hockey game on the roof.
>The brawl btwn Dante & Randall at the end.

Don't forget, the flick was made for $27K so options went out the window for 1st-class lighting, cameras, etc. In spite of the budget, Smith is pretty creative.

Now, a rant:

[rant]Colorizing ANY B&W film, no matter how good or bad it is, is a f**kin' crime! You colorize & you've immediately destroyed part of the film's charm.[/rant] Ted Turner tried this years ago & received his fair share of backlash & with good reason too!

 

[Rob Lutter]

Clerks already is in color... in the beginning of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

"... the Star Wars-themed wedding where you two got married!"

 

[nolesrule]

I didn't know that cameras were supposed to move in Kevin Smith films.

In his commentaries, he always makes big jokes about that during the few times there is any camera movement.

 

[Francois Caron]

And flood insurance! Don't forget the flood insurance!

After seeing Chasing Amy a few years back (Criterion Laserdisc), I was asking myself if the movie would have been better if it was presented in black & white. I should watch it that way this weekend and see how it turns out.

 

[James T]

Same with me. Except replace the past tense with present. If I were to write a book, it'll probably as thick as an encyclopedia.

 

[Seth Paxton]

But if we keep the focus on BEING in color, rather than colorization, I think the best point is that the same tone can be achieved with color film using enough grain or digital cameras as with films like Center of the World, etc.

And as was also just pointed out, we already do get some "Clerks" in the glossy color of Jay & Bob Strike Back and I think its safe to say that they are still as funny.

It does seem true that for Smith films its all about the dialog, though he is good with visual gags too. However the visual gags generally don't require a special look like color, B&W, gloss or grain.


No, I don't think it would have been more successful at the box office because at that point Smith was an unknown indy filmmaker which means no recognition from the mainstream period. If anything the critical opinion that the B&W look was meant to represent the look of c-store security cameras helped sell the film as a standout with its own flair.

 

[James T]

This thread got me thinking after I posted my non-contributing thought.

Colour would work because as mentioned above, it's about the dialogue between the characters and not about the style of the film.

A better question would be, would it be better/worse if Kevin Smith met Ben Affleck and Jason Lee before Mallrats and hired Ben as Dante and Jason as Randall? I could see that work and I'll probably enjoy it more as I found the acting of the original cast to be dull.

 

[Robert Anthony]

That would have DEFINITELY made the movie better.