The critique of the theatrical version of the film was written by my colleague Ben Belcher.
After 25 years the Kevin Smith cult-classic Mallrats is getting a shiny new Blu-ray release, which gave me an excuse to rewatch it again after quite some time. If you’re not already a fan of Kevin Smith’s so-called “View Askewniverse,” this is a great jumping off point for anyone. The always witty Jason Lee plays a perfect slacker protagonist in this madcap comedy alongside Jeremy London as they try to win the girls of the dreams, played by Shannen Doherty and Claire Forlani, back before they lose them forever on a new dating game show being filmed (wait for it) in their own local mall!
Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith reprise their famous roles as Jay and Silent Bob as they attempt to help their friends sabotage the dating game, and it is absolutely wacky and hilarious from start to finish. And they aren’t alone in aiding T. S. and Brody. No, no. Even the lovable Stan Lee steps in, in what is arguably his best cameo appearance.
There’s a man’s desperate quest to see a sailboat in a magic image (the 90’s were so great), a topless flea market fortune teller, and so much more. There are definitely a few cringey moments, especially involving a certain 15 year old’s book research, but definitely still worth revisiting. Now I’m off to go watch Clerks to keep this train a-goin’!
In addition to the classic theatrical version, this new Blu-Ray from Arrow Video also includes the infamous TV Version of the film, as well as the Extended Cut of the film that was released for the 10th anniversary. That’s right, there are three ways to watch the film! The TV Cut of the film removes the typical things you would expect such as nudity and extreme profanity, but what makes this cut infamous is due to the fact that Jason Mewes did not show up for his dialogue replacement sessions which resulted in a random sound technician dubbing over Mewes’ voice during profane moments (which is pretty much Jay’s thing). Many people’s first exposure to the film was on television, so it is really cool that they now have the option to view the film in that odd way they first experienced it.
The Extended Cut of the film runs just shy of thirty minutes longer than the theatrical version, which makes for a very different viewing experience. Smith himself dubs this “the version that never should have been” during his introduction, but it is a fascinating look at the differences between his script and what we got in theaters. The most notable change is the alternate opening which gives you greater context for the hatred between Michael Rooker’s character and TS. The opening is much more grandiose in scale as they show a situation misinterpreted as an assasination attempt on the governor. We also get some time with TS and Brandi (Claire Forlani) prior to their breakup. Test audiences did not respond well to this lengthy opening since it took over a half hour to get to the mall they were promised in the title. While these scenes are interesting, the movie does maintain a better pace in the theatrical version as it gets to the mall more quickly. There are various other additional moments or alternate takes throughout that will likely be appreciated by Smith enthusiasts, but the theatrical cut is the preferred by Smith and this reviewer.
Video Quality
Mallrats comes to Blu-Ray from Arrow Video with a stellar 1080p transfer sourced from a 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative. Footage that is unique to the Director’s Cut was sourced from a 4K scan of the 35mm interpositive. This presentation is a knockout that preserves the filmic look with proper film grain and texture throughout. The level of clarity and detail on this release is truly something to behold. There are very subtle details in the production design that are visible here for the first time from tiny details in the clothing to the props in the stores at the mall. The black levels are extremely deep and allow for true detail to come through. Skin tones are natural and lend themselves to showcasing an amazing amount of detail. Colors are nice and vibrant as certain moments really pop off the screen.
For the Extended Edition of the film, there are moments when the new footage is a very slight downgrade in quality, but the difference is negligible overall. Smith does mention in the introduction that there are some missing frames in the new footage that results in noticeable jumps at times, so do not go thinking there is something wrong with the disc. If you know it’s intentional, you start to not notice it after a while. Arrow Video has done an excellent job of restoring this, as all print damage has been cleaned up without messing with the natural look of the film. Those who have been waiting for this one to be faithfully restored on Blu-Ray should feel it was worth the wait.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack and a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono mix that sonically represents the film perfectly. The activity focuses heavily on the front channels with a very 90s soundtrack jamming out and filling the room appropriately. Music is used skillfully throughout the presentation, but it never overpowers the dialogue or other important information. The classic dialogue from Kevin Smith comes through clearly and never falls victim to any digital anomalies. Rear speakers get some occasional activity with ambient sounds, but it is not a standout in that regard. The cavernous location of the mall does lend itself to some echoey moments that establish you more firmly in the setting. There is a healthy amount of low-end support when the scene calls for it, as well. Optional English subtitles are included on the disc. This track is a perfect representation of the film on home entertainment.
Special Features
The first-pressing of the Arrow Video Blu-Ray of Mallrats includes a booklet featuring the essay “Mallrats: The Perfect Example of a Sophomore Slump” by critic and film historian Philip Kemp. This essay provides great context for Smith’s career and the legacy of Mallrats along with references to his other works included in the film as well a spotlight on its influence on subsequent artists we know and love. The package also includes fold-out blueprints like the ones in the movie for some of Jay & Silent Bob’s various schemes from throughout the film. The on-disc special features are as follows:
Disc One
- Theatrical Cut Introduction: A newly-filmed nearly 13-minute introduction with director Kevin Smith in which he talks about the legacy of Mallrats and how reactions to it have changed over the years. Smith is very inspirational as he frankly discusses the challenges with the films and how it has come to do so much for his career. This is equal parts funny and moving, and it does a great job of getting you excited to revisit the film.
- Audio Commentary: A fun archival commentary track with Kevin Smith, Jason Lee, Jason Mewes, Ben Affleck, Scott Mosier and Vincent Pereira that is extremely informative and very candid. All of these guys are friends and they have a lot of fun sharing stories from the shoot, talking about the theatrical failure of the film, cracking jokes at one another’s expense and more. In addition to revealing a lot about the film, this also acts as something of a time capsule with references to “new” stuff like Armageddon and There’s Something About Mary. This should be an essential listen for Smith fans.
- My Mallrats Memories: A brand-new 30-minute interview with director Kevin Smith in which he reveals all manner of behind-the-scenes details from the movie including his experiences developing and pitching the film, the experiences with casting the film, his relationship with Stan Lee, his inspiration for the movie and more. This piece ends with Smith expressing heartfelt appreciation for the film that is sincerely really moving.
- Mr. Mallrats – A Tribute to Jim Jacks: A lovely new 13-minute interview with Kevin Smith in which he reflects on his friendship with producer Jim Jacks. Smith explains why fans of the film owe a debt of gratitude to Jacks and shares stories about his career and passion for movies. This is an inspirational look at how one’s passion can lead to great things in life.
- Blunt Talk: A new 10-minute interview with Jason Mewes in which he talks about his experience getting into film thanks to his friendship with Smith and how Mallrats completely changed how he viewed what was possible for him. He also discusses some experiences on set, as well as the infamous TV cut where many of his lines were dubbed over by someone else. Mewes is very thoughtful while giving fans some of the trademark things we have come to love about him over the years.
- Hollywood of the North: A new ten-minute animated documentary with the Minnesota crew who worked on the film in which they discuss their jobs on the film, the mall they used for filming, arguments they had with the mall owners, accidents on set, the burgeoning film scene in Minnesota in the 90s and more. This is a really fun and inventive way to present these participants while providing interesting stories.
- When We Were Punks: A new six-minute audio interview with Director of Photography David Klein in which he discusses his relationship with Smith starting with Clerks to Mallrats and beyond and how it went off track for a bit because of Harvey Weinstein. Klein talks about his inexperience and nervousness going into Mallrats and how he did not pretend to know more than he did with his crew. The audio is played over images from Mallrats and other Smith productions.
- Deleted Scenes: A vintage 1-hour-and-3-minute featurette with Kevin Smith and Vincent Pereira in which they take you through all of the footage that was not used in the theatrical cut of the film. A good portion of this material is present in the Extended Cut on Disc 2, but there is some footage exclusive to this featurette that is worth checking out in rough form.
- Outtakes and Behind the Scenes Footage: An eight-minute collection of takes that did not work for various reasons including many moments of actors breaking into laughter.
- Cast Interviews From The Original Set: A nine-minute archival featurette in which the cast and crew discuss their experiences from the set. This is obviously more structured and less incisive than other supplements, but it is a chance to get thoughts from performers who do not pop up anywhere else.
- Erection Of An Epic – The Making Of Mallrats: A 22-minute archival retrospective which takes a look at the poor reception of the film upon its release and how it has grown in popularity on home video over the years. I really appreciate the honest analysis from the cast, crew and critics about what they feel went wrong upon the original release, as well as the support many still show for the film.
- Q&A with Kevin Smith: A 9-minute Q&A with Smith filmed for the 10th Anniversary that is quite amusing in which he talks about reuniting with the cast for a screening, revisiting the film after 10 years for the DVD release and more.
- Build Me Up Buttercup Music Video: A nearly four-minute music video featuring Jay & Silent Bob engaging in various antics during a punkier rendition of the classic song.
- Trailer: A two-minute trailer that oddly presents the Brodie character as the focus of the film. Not the best representation of the film, but decent enough.
Disc Two
- TV Cut Introduction: A brand-new four-minute introduction from director Kevin Smith in which he breaks down the circumstances behind this version of the film, reveals some funny anecdotes about the release, tells a hilarious story about Jason Mewes missing out on dubbing his lines and more. This is such a fun intro that any Smith fan should definitely take the time to check it out, even if they don’t watch the full TV Cut.
- Extended Cut Introduction: A vintage eleven-minute introduction to the extended cut of the film with Smith and producer Scott Mosier in which they discuss in great detail why they assembled this new cut of the film, why there are certain technical issues with it, the legacy of the film and more. These two are pretty funny together even if I slightly prefer modern day Kevin’s reflections on the film a bit more.
- Soundtrack EPK: A vintage four-minute promo for the soundtrack with Smith and Mosier in which they talk about the concept of Mallrats and the artists that are used in the film while clips from the film play along. This is a fun throwback to when soundtracks were more important.
- Dailies: Two hours of really rough-looking footage from the shoot which allows you to see multiple different takes of scenes along with the behind-the-scenes elements.
- Stills Galleries: A collection of behind-the-scenes moments from the shoot are provided here alongside full images of the comics that are shown during the opening credits. The latter is an especially fun, brief supplement.
Final Thoughts
Mallrats was unjustly maligned when it debuted 25 years ago. In the present, the film is thoroughly beloved by Smith fans as the hilarious character-driven vehicle that it is. Smith is not a writer or director for everyone, but this particular film feels like it has more universal appeal than most of his efforts. This is a film that has long-deserved a full-fledged special edition, which Arrow Video has thankfully chosen to do with this release. Not only do you get three cuts of the film with a glorious A/V presentation, you have special features bursting out of every corner that are just as entertaining as the film itself. If you are a fan of the film or Kevin Smith in general, you owe it to yourself to have this in your collection. Highly Recommended
Mallrats is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Arrow Video has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
