speed of dark

Let me take you back to a simpler time, a happy time, before the nightmare of GWB, when all we had to worry about was the OJ trial taking forever. It was a time when indie.mom was graduating from high school and learning about the wonders of music outside of the Top 40. The year was 1995.

Kevin Smith, auteur du jour, released Mallrats, his second film and follow-up to the brilliant Clerks. That year, we had somehow managed to talk our photography teacher into letting us watch Clerks in class, unedited, and he was in major trouble because someone's parent complained. But I digress. Mallrats was seen as a failure, and Kevin Smith even apologized for making the film (although this apology was made in jest). It definitely did not receive the critical acclaim that was heaped upon Clerks, but has maintained a cult following on video/DVD.

In 1995, most of the actors were relative unknowns - the most famous was Shannen Doherty, of Beverly Hills 90210 fame. Since then, several other actors from the film have risen to stardom, most notably Ben Affleck, who plays a small part as a seriously sadistic men's store manager in Mallrats. Others include Jason Lee and Ethan Suplee (who star in ABC's stellar My Name is Earl), Clare Forlani (whose career seems to have stalled since her role in Meet Joe Black), Jeremy London (who starred in Party of Five and 7th Heaven, both shows I've never watched), and Joey Lauren Adams (who starred in Smith's next movie, Chasing Amy, also great). Who could hate a movie featuring Stan Lee, creator of Marvel Comics? And of course, the runaway stars of the show, Jay and Silent Bob!

This excellent movie also featured some great music. The soundtrack not only includes all of the music from the film, but also several sound clips with some great lines. Kevin Smith is a master of hilarious dialogue and quick one-liners. Enjoy some of the music from the film, a great clip of Shannen Doherty telling off Jason Lee, and go rent/buy the movie tonight!

weezer: susanne
elastica: line up
bush: bubbles
squirtgun: social (song over the opening credits)

shannen doherty: taken with a grain of salt

watch the opening credits (highly recommended)
buy the movie | buy the soundtrack | official site