Back in 1995, Mallrats was absolutely classified as a sophomore slump - and should have been,” admits director Kevin Smith, revisiting his out-of-time second feature on its 25th birthday. “Ironically enough, the movie has aged incredibly well - to the point where nobody remembers its failures but the director himself. He carries it with him like a cross - or herpes.”
Back in the early ’90s, Smith was riding high on a wave of unexpected success following the release of his hit debut feature Clerks - a rough-and-ready convenience-store comedy that helped herald in a whole new era of indie cinema. It was during his whirlwind period that Smith first conceived of the idea for its follow-up, a movie that celebrated all the colourful corners of pop culture that he loved from his youth - from comics to movies and everything in between. On paper, Mallrats looked set to be a guaranteed crowd-pleaser but on release, audiences had different ideas.
This story is from the May 2020 edition of Total Film.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 2020 edition of Total Film.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
PAPER MARIO: THE THOUSAND-YEAR DOOR
Return of the origami king...
TURKISH DELIGHT
CROSSING Levan Akin's 'odd couple' story finds community and empathy in Istanbul...
DAD DANCING
DAUGHTERS A Netflix doc sheds light on a programme that reunites girls of colour with their incarcerated fathers.
THE ITALIAN JOB
MY SPY: THE ETERNAL CITY Dave Bautista and Chloe Coleman take a trip to the Vaticanand get more than they bargained for...
NEW BEGINNINGS COLLEEN HOOVER'S IT ENDS WITH US
Blake Lively stars in the bestseller adaptation.
THE WILD BUNCH
BORDERLANDS Eli Roth turns sci-fi worldbuilder for a gonzo video-game adaptation with the year's most bonkers cast.
FRENCH FANCIES
Our guide to the best of this year's CANNES FILM FESTIVAL....
SNAKES ON A PLANE
COBRA KAI S6 The final season sees the titular dojo jet off to the world championships. Spoilers for S1-5 ahead...
APOCALYPSE VOW
THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY S4 Steve Blackman promises answers as his superheroes return one last time. Spoilers for S1-3 ahoy...
RETURN OF THE RINGS
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER S2 The showrunners talk breaking bad for Season 2...