Empire Records (1995)

24 hours in the lives of the young employees at Empire Records when they all grow up and become young adults thanks to each other and the manager. They all face the store joining a chain store with strict rules.

Director:

Allan Moyle

Writer:

Carol Heikkinen

Stars:

Anthony LaPaglia, Debi Mazar, Maxwell Caulfield

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anthony LaPaglia	...	Joe Reaves
Maxwell Caulfield	...	Rex Manning
Debi Mazar	...	Jane
Rory Cochrane	...	Lucas
Johnny Whitworth	...	A.J.
Robin Tunney	...	Debra
Renée Zellweger	...	Gina (as Renee Zellweger)
Ethan Embry	...	Mark (as Ethan Randall)
Coyote Shivers	...	Berko
Brendan Sexton III	...	Warren (as Brendan Sexton)
Liv Tyler	...	Corey Mason
James 'Kimo' Wills	...	Eddie
Ben Bode	...	Mitchell Beck
Gary Bolen	...	Croupier
Kimber Sissons	...	Woman at Craps Table (as Kimber Monroe)

Storyline

A day in the life of the employees of Empire Records. Except this is a day where everything comes to a head for a number of them facing personal crises - can they pull through together? And more importantly, can they keep their record store independent and not swallowed up by corporate greed?

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Plot Keywords:

record store | atlantic city new jersey | female sitting on a toilet | promiscuous woman | girl in panties | 

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Taglines:

Open 'til Midnight.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual situations, language and a drug issue

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 October 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Empire

Filming Locations:

Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$303,841

Company Credits

Production Co:

Monarchy Enterprises B.V., New Regency Pictures, Regency Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min 107 min (special extended edition)

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The ballet dancer that Mark tries to kiss during Dire Straits' "Romeo and Juliet" is the step daughter of Maxwell Caulfield (Rex Manning).

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Goofs

When Gina and Corey are talking and Corey takes off her bra it can be seen on the table, then at the end of the table, then gone, and Eddie picks it up off the ground.

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Quotes

Gina: Lucas, what are you doing in here?
Lucas: My life has reached its pinnacle. Joe is letting me close the store tonight.

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Crazy Credits

Mark & Eddie sitting on the curb in front of the store talking about bands.

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Alternate Versions

Special Edition DVD contains 16 minutes of deleted footage edited back into the film.

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Connections

References Beavis and Butt-Head (1993)

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Soundtracks

SugarHigh
Performed by Coyote Shivers
Written by Coyote Shivers
Courtesy of Regency

User Reviews

still fun -- even though im not in junior high anymore

i dunno. theres just something about this movie.

yeh, in actuality, its probably dreck. its probably worthless and people probably wont remember its years and years from now when they start making out the lists of '90s movies that changed the sphere of moviemaking.

so what?

for me, this movie really does capture the feel of the mid-'90s. i was like these people once. i wore an outfit scarily like the one liv tyler sports (although without the hideous unders combo, im sure), i knew people like every one of the 'archetypes' from the movie and i really, really wanted to work in a record store. hasnt everybody? and doesnt everybody want there to be a cool record store like this in their town?

i guess for me it is a nostalgia thing, but i watched it (again) the other night with my boyfriend, and we both still laughed during the funny parts and cuddled during the sweet parts and, well, danced during the dance parts.

its just fun to look back on such a 'time-period' movie like that ... the clothes, the attitudes, the music even ... how good is it to hear the gin blossoms again, eh?

im sure many would disagree, but for someone who was right there when it was all happening, so to say, its a gentle reminder of the days before mtv committed suicide, before liv tyler started making 'real' movies, and when phrases like 'whats with Today, today?' could travel through a junior high faster than mono.