Empire Records (1995)

Twenty-four 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 | promiscuous woman | atlantic city new jersey | female sitting on a toilet | 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

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie was severely edited in post-production, removing three significant characters and up to forty minutes of footage. The story was also condensed from occurring over two days to a single day.

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Goofs

When Warren is being escorted out of the back room by the police, the back of the t.v. monitors showing Rex Manning's video are clearly seen not connected to anything.

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Quotes

A.J.: You know that feeling when you get out of a warm bath... well... you make me feel like a bath?

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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

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Movies That Revolve Around Shops (2014)

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Soundtracks

Plowed
Performed by Sponge
Written by Mike Cross, Tim Cross, Joe Mazzola, Jim Paluzzi & Vinnie Dombroski (as Vinnie)
Courtesy of The Work Group
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

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.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 October 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Empire

Filming Locations:

Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$150,800, 24 September 1995

Gross USA:

$273,188

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$273,188

Company Credits

Production Co:

Monarchy Enterprises B.V., New Regency Productions, 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