Clerks
Fridayis widely considered to be one of the funniest and overall best lapidator comedies to be made in the preceding 25 years . write by Ice Cube and DJ Pooh , the motion-picture show follows Friend Craig ( Cube ) and Smokey ( Chris Tucker ) in South Central Los Angeles who , upon a leisurely Friday , get fuse - up with a unsafe drug - dealer named Big Worm ( Faizon Love ) .
With a cost of roughly $ 3.5 million to make , Fridaybecame an instant smash at the U.S. box - office when it doubled its budget on its curtain raising weekend in April of 1995 . The film went on to 144 more than $ 28 million worldwide , conduce to sequelsNext Friday , Friday After Next , and the upcomingLast Friday . With the film lionize its 25th anniversary this year , here are 10 behind - the - scenes facts about the devising ofFriday .
Writing Process
At the time Ice Cube and DJ Pooh began conceive the picture , they were witting of the ways Black neighborhood in Los Angeles were negatively depicted in films likeBoyz N The HoodandColors . Rather than portraying gang violence , the two set out to reimagine the perception of the " lens hood " as a home of playfulness .
As a consequence , much of the handwriting is autobiographical . The patch - point about Craig ( Cube ) slip loge came from a real - living incident involving Cube ’s cousin . Many other view of the tale were lifted from Cube and Pooh ’s meter growing up in South Central .
Clerks Inspiration
When it came time to pitchFridayto New Line Cinema , Cube and Pooh citedKevin Smith’sClerksas a templet after which to model the output . The idea to take anindie comedyin one location with a small cast was suggested as a cost - save measure . The notion to shoot the moving picture in black and white-hot was also considered at one point .
In terms of the tone , the movieHouse Partywas also cited as an brainchild , which New Line also produce in 1990 . New Line agreed to make the film , give Cube the authorization to handpick a director .
F. Gary Gray’s Involvement
Once Cube was given carte du jour - blanche to choose a film producer , he prefer to hire longtime music telecasting director F. Gary Gray to helm the labor . In accession to having join forces with Gray in the past tense as a instrumentalist , Cube chose the filmmaker because he grow up in a similar neighbourhood that the film is set in and had a preternatural understanding of the material .
Gray was initially hesitant for his first film to be an Ice Cube comedy but ultimately agreed to take aim the moving picture . Gray hit also makes a cameo show in the film as an employee in the liquor entrepot , Ezal ( Anthony Johnson ) , who steal and falls .
Casting Smokey
Co - writer DJ Pooh was originally slate to play the role of Smokey inFriday . However , when New Line choose for a big name with more experience , Chris Tucker was at long last awarded the role . As a issue , Pooh accept the small purpose of Red instead .
In accession to Pooh , Chris Rockand Tommy Davidson were also considered for the role of Smokey . After the waiver of the photographic film , Tucker became a major movie star and never returned to theFridayfranchise again . For his role as Smokey , Tucker improvised many of his own lines .
Original Opening
In the theatrical version of the celluloid , Fridaybegins with an instauration to Craig Jones ' ( Cube ) family . However , in the protracted cut , several side characters are introduce before encounter the Joneses .
Among the altered / deleted footage is a shot of Deebo ( Tiny Lister Jr. ) sleeping in a garage , as well as a shot of two kids on the pavement witnessing Ezal running down the block with a pair of speaker system in his hand . Another shot of Stanely spray water on the kids to abide off his lawn is included , followed by an innovation to Smokey in bed .
Theatrical Debuts
Two now - famous histrion made their theatrical debuts in the movieFriday . The lateMichael Clarke Duncanappears as an uncredited background excess during the smuggled and white flashback fit as Red confronts Deebo over his stolen bike . Duncan would go on to star in such iconic movies asThe Green Mile , Armageddon , Sin City , and more .
In plus , 13 - year - former Megan Goode plays " Kid # 2 , " who Smokey shoves out of the way when talking to Big Worm on the ice - pick motortruck . Goode landed a role on the telly seriesMoeshathe survey yr .
Director’s Neighborhood
The filming location forFridaytook post in director F. Gary Gray ’s own personal puerility neck of the woods in South Central Los Angeles . The street the flick is arrange on was Gary ’s block rise up , with many of the houses used for filming belong to several of his substantial - life-time Friend .
More specifically , Gray ’s former house was used during the flashback scene in which Deebo knows Pooh out over a steal bike .
Surrounding Gang Violence
Fridaywas filmed over the course of 20 mean solar day on 126th Street between Halldale and Normandie in South Central Los Angeles . pay the dangerous nature of the neck of the woods , plaster cast and crew members were deliberately told not to wear the colour Bolshevik while filming , as it might overturn the Crips street gang who have on the color amobarbital sodium .
As a result , the press of the cast consist of mainly blue colors . Smokey wears a gamey shirt and lid , Deebo wears a plaid blue shirt , Mrs. Parker ( Kathleen Bradley ) assume puritanical boxershorts , Meagan Good has a downhearted chapeau and overalls , etc .
Difficult Extras
Two actual - life mob members took issue with the production take in South Central and refuse to comply with the film producer during one exceptional scene .
In the flashback shot where Smokey unintentionally smoke angel debris with Hector and his ally , two men can be seen sitting on a paries in the background . These were not rent extras , but disgruntled local who did not take kindly to filming in their neighborhood . Despite an offer to be paid in walk - on roles , the man defy and insist on stay on in the shot anyway .
Craig’s Clothing
The getup that Craig ( Cube ) Don River at the end and beginningFridayfeatures the precise same article of clothing his character Dough Boy wore at the conclusion ofBoyz N The Hood . The clothes include cut0ff khaki short , a dark green teeing ground - shirt , white drogue , and a pair of non-white slipper .
In addition , the turnout that Craig wears for the rest of the picture - gloomy pants , grim and snowy plaid long - sleeve shirt , and black Nikes - was fall apart by Ice Cube ’s son Oshea Jackson inStraight Outta Compton , in which he played a version of his Padre .
NEXT:10 Things You Did n’t fuck About The Making Of Straight Outta Compton
