“I love the smell of commerce in the morning!”
Mallrats was released 25 years ago and Arrow Video celebrated the occasion by releasing the definitive version on blu-ray.
Brodie (Jason Lee) loves comics, Sega hockey and begrudgingly his girlfriend Rene (Shannen Doherty). TS (Jeremy London) loves his girlfriend Brandi (Claire Forlani) and plans on proposing to her. Rene dumps Brodie the same morning TS is dumped by Brandi and they head to the mall where we meet Shannon (Ben Affleck) the agro manager of “Fashionable Male”. Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Writer/Director Kevin Smith) who is enlisted by Brodie to trash a dating game set after TS learns that Brandi is appearing on the show at the request of her father due to the previous contestant having died preparing for the show (my friends and I still love the line, “She’s fucking dead!”).
Mallrats is one of my favorite movies. I feel like I’ve grown up with it, quoted it countless times and I enjoy watching it every time. It’s the movie that made me fall in love with Kevin Smith as well. It felt like Smith made movies for my friends and I and no one else. In fact, I saw Mallrats in high school when it was still not that popular. I was at a cast party for a play I was in and my good friend Joe told me I needed to watch Mallrats. I laughed the whole time and I remember explaining to my other friends who Stan Lee is (that seems so unusual now, but you really had to know comics in 1997 to know who Stan Lee was), which I still believe it to be his finest hour in film. I remember leaving that party and going to Suncoast (it was a video cassette store in the Villa Italia Mall in Lakewood, Colorado. Yes I am that old) and purchasing not only Mallrats but Clerks.
Mallrats is silly, funny and also has a dash of heart that make it a winner.
Mallrats arrives for its 25th Anniversary looking near mint. Arrow has freshened up the film with a brand new 4K scan for both the theatrical and director’s cut of the film. It looks incredible and it loses the over done sheen from Universal’s previous release and gives the film a much more natural look.
Snooch to the Nooch! Mallrats sounds incredible with its new DTS-HD Audio 5.1 track. Dialogue is the most important aspect of a Smith film and it comes through crystal clear without any distortion.
Arrow had packed Mallrats with a dirt mall full of bonus material.
Right out of the package there is a booklet with photos and an essay, plus a poster with Jay and Silent Bob’s “Operation Drive-By” and “Operation Dark Knight”. Plus the cover is reversible if you wish to have the original poster or the newly commissioned one, I always keep the slip cover and reverse the cover, best of both worlds!
Disc 1:
Includes an introduction by Kevin Smith before the theatrical cut.
Cast and Crew Commentary
My Mallrat Memories: A new, fun interview with Kevin Smith who is incredibly entertaining to listen to.
My Mallrats: A Tribute to Jim Jacks-Smith waxes poetically about the late producer and how he was the films biggest fan.
Blunt Talk: Jason Mewes sits down for a new interview.
Hollywood of the North: A cartoon version style documentary about the crew members and working in Minnesota.
When We Were Punks: A new interview with DP David Klein.
Deleted Scenes
Outtakes and Behind the Scenes Footage
Cast Interviews from the Original Set
Erection of an Epic: The Making of Mallrat: The original making of the film.
Q&A with Kevin Smith: Smith answers questions at the films 10th Anniversary.
Music Video and Trailer
Disc 2
Extended Cut, it also features an older introduction with Smith and Scott Mosier.
TV Cut: It is really fun to watch how they re-edit the curse words and vulgarity with words and phrases that do not make any sense. It also has a new introduction by Smith as well.
Soundtrack EPK
Dailies-A raw look at the film, this feature is nearly 2 hours!
Still Galleries
Mallrats is finally getting the release it deserves, and for long time fans like me this is a must buy!
Film: A+
Video: A
Audio: A
Extras: A+
Overall: A