| Empire Records | |
|---|---|
 Promotional film poster |
|
| Directed by | Allan Moyle |
| Produced by | Tony Ludwig Arnon Milchan Michael Nathanson Alan Riche |
| Written by | Carol Heikkinen |
| Starring | Anthony LaPaglia Maxwell Caulfield Debi Mazar Johnny Whitworth Liv Tyler Renée Zellweger Rory Cochrane Robin Tunney Ethan Embry |
| Studio | Regency Enterprises New Regency |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
| Release date(s) | September 22, 1995 (limited) |
| Running time | 90 minutes (original) 107 min (2003 edition) |
| Language | English |
| Budget | N/A |
Empire Records is a 1995 comedy film about a group of record store employees. The film was directed by Allan Moyle and stars Anthony LaPaglia, Robin Tunney, Rory Cochrane, Renée Zellweger, Ethan Embry, and Liv Tyler.
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Empire Records is a small record shop managed by Joe (Anthony LaPaglia). His employees are all local teenagers, many of whom are outsiders.
Joe selects Lucas (Rory Cochrane) to close the store. Lucas discovers that Empire Records is on the brink of being converted to a franchise of a chain called Music Town. In an attempt to save the store, Lucas takes the day's cash receipts to Atlantic City, where he loses it all.
The following morning, the young employees arrive for work. A washed-up pop star named Rex Manning (Maxwell Caulfield) is due to arrive to sign autographs, but no one is looking forward to it except Corey (Liv Tyler), a cashier who is obsessed with Rex and plans to lose her virginity to him. When the hyperactive skater punk Mark (Ethan Embry) and the artist AJ (Johnny Whitworth) show up at the store, they discover what Lucas has done, and decide not to tell Joe.
Joe finds the money gone. He had hoped to buy out Empire's owner, Mitchell Beck (Ben Bode), but will instead have to use his own savings to replace the stolen money in order to protect Lucas.
Corey and her friend Gina (Renée Zellweger) arrive at work. AJ decides that today is the day he will confess his love for Corey. Lucas arrives, and Joe forbids him to leave the store (or even the couch) until he is able to repay the $9,000.
Deb (Robin Tunney), another store employee, arrives. She locks herself in the bathroom, where she shaves her head. As she exits the bathroom, AJ sees that her wrists are bandaged and she admits that she attempted suicide.
A young shoplifter named Warren (Brendan Sexton III) is apprehended in the store.
Rex Manning arrives with his assistant Jane (Debi Mazar). Corey attempts to seduce him during his lunch break. After he makes a crude pass at her, however, she flees, crying in embarrassment.
A lovesick AJ attempts to tell the upset Corey how he feels. Corey is overwhelmed and tells him that she only sees him as a friend.
After an argument with Corey, Gina seduces Rex Manning, much to the horror of her friends. When Corey confronts her, calling her a slut, Gina retaliates by revealing Corey's secret amphetamine habit. Corey is hysterical until Deb calms her.
Rex Manning leaves and Corey, after hearing about Deb's suicide attempt, arranges a "funeral" for her where all her friends gather around and say things that they love about her. At the end of the day, the young shoplifter who was caught earlier returns with a gun and fires blanks in the store. He stops after Joe offers him a job.
Mark suggests a benefit party/concert to repay the money Lucas lost. Enough money is made to save the store. Corey tells AJ that she really does love him, and they kiss on the roof. Gina fulfills a dream and gets to sing with a band on the roof of the store. Jane, who has quit her job as Rex Manning's assistant, has become Joe's new girlfriend.
Underneath the closing credits, Mark and another employee, Eddie, discuss music outside the store.
This teen comedy-drama did poorly at the box office and received generally negative reviews. As of December 2009, it has only a 24% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.com.[1] Roger Ebert called the film a "lost cause," but felt some of the actors might have a future in other, better films. However, it is still considered a cult classic by many.[2]
The version of the song "Sugarhigh" that appears in the movie differs significantly from the one included on the soundtrack. The main differences are that the movie version has additional lyrics and chorus vocals provided by Renée Zellweger and it is musically one semitone lower than the CD version. What many people don't realize is that the lead singer in the movie is also the actual artist who released the song. Francis "Coyote Shivers" plays Berko, the eccentric band member who has a thing for Debra. He was also married to the mother of his Empire Records co-star Liv Tyler from 1992 to 1997.
Also notably absent from the soundtrack are the tracks "This Is The Day" by The The, played during the rooftop dancing scene before the closing credits, "Seems" by Queen Sarah Saturday, chosen by Mark after he wins the M&M challenge while preparing to open the store, "Romeo and Juliet" by Dire Straits, "Snakeface" by Throwing Muses, when Cory is getting lunch ready for Rex Manning, "If You Want Blood, (You've Got it)" by AC/DC, "Money" by the Flying Lizards played as a tribute to Lucas, "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles played during the Rex Manning preparation scene, "I Shot the Devil" by Suicidal Tendencies played during Mark and some of the customers start moshing in the shop, and the song "Plowed" by Sponge.
Empire Records is a 1995 comedy about the employees of an independent music store who learn about each other as they try anything to keep the store from being absorbed by a large chain.
Contents |
   | IMDb entry - Empire Records (1995) |
| | Men of the Week in Enterainment - Tobey Maguire - AskMen.com |
| | Rotten Tomatoes page for Empire Records - Empire Records Movie Reviews, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes |
| | Empire Records review - Empire Records :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews |
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