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Back to the Well: Clerks II documentary awards
Entertainment Merchants Awards 2007
Award for Best DVD Extras - indie
Title - Clerks II
DVD extras by Chop Shop Entertainment
Back to the Well: Clerks II documentary press
Quick Stop Entertainment
In anticipation of the DVD release of Clerks 2, we took some time to go in-depth with Zak Knutson and Joey Figueroa of Chop Shop Entertainment,
the two cats responsible for the online behind-the-scenes featurettes (affectionately known as "Train Wrecks") that documented the making of Clerks 2.
For the DVD release of Clerks 2, however, they've crafted a brand-new, feature-length documentary about the journey from the original
Clerks to Clerks 2 titled Back To The Well. We chat about their work with Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse, the ethos behind the "Train Wrecks"
and Chop Shop Entertainment, and what it was like to document the journey back to the well...
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Film Four
DVD Town
The second disc is chocked-full of goodness. First up is an absolutely brilliant making of
documentary - Back to the Well: Clerks II - a 90-Min. Documentary (with Intro). This
chronicles the entire genesis of the "Clerks" sequel and details the early hesitance by
Kevin Smith, Jeff Anderson and others to return to the material. Anderson had initially only
wanted to read the story out of curiosity and did not want to take part in a second film,
but the quality of the script drew him into the project. I may be biased, but I really do
believe this is one of the better making-of documentaries I've seen.
Hi-Def Digest
The rest of the extras are all on disc two. The whopper is a 90-minute documentary, "Back to
the Well: The Making of 'Clerks II,' which I loved. By far one of the best documentaries
I've seen in years, the story of the making of the movie is as engaging, if not more so,
than the film itself. The production stories are great, from Smith's difficult experience on
his pre-'Clerks II' flop 'Jersey Girl,' to what really happened with the aborted 'Green
Hornet' project, the difficulty in landing a star for the female lead, and Harvey
Weinstein's initial reservations with the script. But Smith also lets the cameras in on his
personal life, which allows for some genuinely touching moments, whether it is Smith taking
the "avowed agnostic" Mosier to church, or Jason Mewes' surprisingly candid recollections of
how his well-publicized heroin addiction influenced the movie. More than the aforementioned
commentaries, "Back to the Well" is the heart of the many supplements on the 'Clerks II' HD
DVD.
Movie Web
This is the mother of all DVD documentaries that will please fans. This 90 minutes documentary with interviews from Smith,
the cast, and crew is a detailed look at the making of the film. At times it is funny. At other times it is heartfelt. Altogether it's a must-see!
DVD Active
This is a great doc. Very entertaining, well shot, well edited, and it covers everything you ever needed to know about the making of the film.
DVD Talk
Disc 2 is devoted entirely to bonus features, the centerpiece of which is Back to the Well: Clerks II. Presented in the same down-to-earth style as
past View Askew documentaries like "Snowball Effect", this feature length piece features plenty of casual interviews with cast and crew, Also included
is footage from the film's Hollywood premiere, an earlier View Askew fan-only screening and a trip to the Cannes Film Festival. At the heart of "Back to the Well",
though, is the candid nature in which the film's beginnings and execution are discussed. Overall, it's probably the best extra on the disc.
News Askew
For us, this is the highlight of the set. Zak Knutson and Joey Figueroa return to make their own sequel to the triumphant Snowball Effect doc
from the Clerks X disc, and yet again prove that if you want a documentary done right for your film, these are the guys to hire.
It's not only filmed well, but it's once again a triumph of editing.
It's tough to imagine any future projects without them on board, and we certainly look forward to what they've got planned for us
next. Make this your first stop when you rip the shrink-wrap off your Clerks II DVD. You're in for another treat.
DVD File
This is a very fine, totally linear, and coherent tale of the film's history, from Smith's bailing on The Green Hornet to the eight-minute
standing ovation for Clerks II at Cannes. We learn how Mewes' addictions motivated Smith to abandon the View Askew Universe and return when
Mewes became clean and sober. Writing, financing, casting, filming . . . it's all here. This is the best documentation of the film on the disc, and
considering the vast quantity of good extras, that's saying a lot.
Aint it Cool News
Disc two features the 90-minute behind-the-scenes documentary "Back To The Well," and it's a solidly-produced piece that completely conveys the
enthusiasm that they all had for the picture. I love how honest Anderson is about all the reasons he didn't want to have anything to do with a
CLERKS sequel, and he basically speaks everything that every fan must have thought at some point when they heard about the idea. There's just as
much history playing out in the subtext of this documentary as there is in the movie itself, and it really captures the emotional rollercoaster that
is the making of any film in a very tangible way.
The Washington Post
The set's centerpiece, a 90-minute "Clerks II" documentary called "Back to the Well." Unlike the fawning making-of mini-docs that studios often slap together
for DVD, this one features revealing interviews, lots of footage from the set and delicious pieces of trivia that hard-core fans will relish.
Clerks II "Train Wreck" Internet Production Diary press
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