Empire of the Ants (1977)

Director:

Bert I. Gordon

Writers:

H.G. Wells (story)
Jack Turley (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

July 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Horror

Tagline:

For they shall inherit the earth... sooner than you think!

Plot:

Sleazy scam artist Joan Collins tries to sell phony real estate deals down in the Florida everglades...

Plot Keywords:

Florida Everglades | Giant Ant | Florida | Ant | Real Estate Agent

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Joan Collins	...	Marilyn Fryser
Robert Lansing	...	Dan Stokely
John David Carson	...	Joe Morrison
Albert Salmi	...	Sheriff Art Kincade
Jacqueline Scott	...	Margaret Ellis
Pamela Susan Shoop	...	Coreen Bradford (as Pamela Shoop)
Robert Pine	...	Larry Graham
Edward Power	...	Charlie Pearson
Brooke Palance	...	Christine Graham
Tom Fadden	...	Sam Russell
Irene Tedrow	...	Velma Thompson
Harry Holcombe	...	Harry Thompson
Jack Kosslyn	...	Thomas Lawson
Ilse Earl	...	Mary Lawson
Janie Gavin	...	Ginny
Norman Franklin	...	Anson Parker
Florance McGee	...	Phoebe Russell (as Florence McGee)
Jim Wheelus	...	Crewman
Mike Armstrong	...	Jim
Tom Ford	...	Pete
Charles Redd	...	Taxi Driver (as Charles Red)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marvin Miller	...	Voice (uncredited)

Directed by
Bert I. Gordon

Writing credits
H.G. Wells		(story)
Jack Turley		(screenplay)
Bert I. Gordon		(screen story)

Produced by
Samuel Z. Arkoff	....	executive producer
Bert I. Gordon	....	producer

Original Music by
Dana Kaproff

Cinematography by
Reginald H. Morris		(director of photography) (as Reginald Morris)

Film Editing by
Michael Luciano

Casting by
Betty Martin

Production Design by
Charles Rosen

Set Decoration by
Anthony C. Montenaro

Makeup Department
Ellis Burman Jr.	....	special makeup artist (as Ellis Burman)
Guy Del Russo	....	makeup artist
Romaine Greene	....	hairdresser
Dave Ayres	....	creature lab (uncredited)

Production Management
Salvatore Billitteri	....	in charge of post-production
Neil A. Machlis	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Adrienne Bourbeau	....	second assistant director (as Adrienne Borbeau)
Mel Efros	....	assistant director
David McGiffert	....	assistant director
James Quinn	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Dominick Bruno	....	property master
Tommy Magglos	....	assistant props (as Tommy Maglos)
Roger Ragland	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)

Sound Department
William L. Manger	....	dialogue editor (as Bill Manger)
James M. McCann	....	boom operator
Samuel C. Crutcher	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Duncan McEwan	....	sound loader (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Roy L. Downey	....	special effects (as Roy Downey)

Visual Effects by
Bert I. Gordon	....	special visual effects
Burt I. Harris Jr.	....	visual effects assistant
Erik von Buelow	....	miniature designer

Stunts
Billy Hank Hooker	....	stuntman (as Hank Hooker)
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunt coordinator
Hugh Hooker	....	stuntman (as Hugh M. Hooker)

Camera and Electrical Department
William D. Barber	....	second assistant camera (as Bill Barber)
Dick Deats	....	key grip
Lee Heckler	....	lighting
Ken Miller	....	dolly operator (as Kenny Miller)
Lou Noto	....	first assistant camera
Jerome L. Posner	....	best boy (as Jerry Posner)
Vincent Saizis	....	camera operator (as Vince Saizus)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joanne Haas	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Bill Berry	....	negative cutter
Tom Finan	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Bodie Chandler	....	music coordinator
Ving Hershon	....	music editor

Transportation Department
James E. Foote	....	transportation captain (as Jim Foote)

Other crew
Carline Davis-Dyer	....	assistant to director (as Cariline Anne Davis)
Carline Davis-Dyer	....	assistant to producer (as Cariline Anne Davis)
Warren Estes	....	ant coordinator
Charles Hogue	....	technical advisor (as Dr. Charles Hogue)
Julian F. Myers	....	publicist (as Julian F. Meyers)
Leslie Sue Rosen	....	location secretary

Production Companies

• Cinema 77

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1977) (USA) (theatrical)
• GoodTimes Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• HGV Video Productions (video)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Orion Home Video (video)
• Roadshow Home Video

Other Companies

• Angel Editorial  sound effects by
• Carvelli's Italian Deli  caterer
• Echo Film Services  dialogue editing (as Echo Film Service)
• Ryder Sound Services  sound by (as Ryder Sound)
• Universal Title  titles and opticals

Also Known As:

"H.G. Wells' Empire of the Ants" - USA (complete title)

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Ryder Sound Services)

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Norway:15 (video premiere) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG (Certificate #24828) | Iceland:16 | USA:Not Rated (DVD)

Filming Locations:

Belle Glade, Florida, USA

Company:

Cinema 77

Trivia:

Director Bert I. Gordon created some of the special ant-effects by shooting magnified images of the Panamanian bullet ant.

Goofs:

Continuity: Before the Captain jumps in the ocean to try and save the boat, he takes off his shoes. After he burns the boat, he jumps in the water and you can clearly see his shoes.

Quotes:

Dan Stokely:Hey! Don't shoot! We're peaceful! Honest to God, alright?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Blow Out (1981)

Respect the ant, dammit!!

An eminent intro with a neat voice-over makes us aware that ants actually are as sophisticated as humans (if not more sophisticated). This is the perfect introduction to one of the most grotesque creature-features ever unleashed upon horror cinema. Bert Gordon's Empire of the Ants, ladies and gentlemen! In this story, supposedly adapted from an H.G. Well's tale, the ravishing Joan Collins stars as a fancy estate agent who tries to sell island properties to a bunch of phonies pretending they have money. The joy is barbarically interrupted by a colony of humongous ants! The monstrous bugs have mutated into unearthly beings due to toxic waste (figures…). EofA is often categorized as one the worst 70's shlockfests, partly because it's from the hand of Gordon. But try to look at it as pure fun and cult entertainment that doesn't require brain activity. It's a troop of hairy, over-sized and – especially – cheaply created ants eating people one by one. Nothing more, nothing less. Still, the island location is eerie and the sound effects are more or less decent. Joan Collins, one of my personal favorite actresses, is great as the bitchy broad. The rest of the cast are stereotypes, like the loser turned hero, the old wise guy the egocentric coward (who nearly always dies spectacularly) and the cute babe. I hardly consider the overuse of all these clichés to be obstacles since I never expected to see a masterpiece to begin with. The only real crap elements are the weak dialogs and the complete lack of atmosphere and tension. Empire of the Ants does feature a brilliant, typical B-movie twist near the end, though. But that's just my opinion and I'm sure that most people will find it too stupid for words. Nevertheless, Empire of the Ants is a must-see if you're in to "big bug"-movies. This sub-genre of horror is going through a revival these days and it's essential to watch the influential gems that once started it all. Also recommended: "Tarantula", "The Bees", "Frogs", "Phase IV" (more ants), "Kingdom of the Spiders" and "The Deadly Mantis".