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Empire Records
Warner Bros. // PG-13 // April 3, 2001
List Price: $19.98 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
"Empire Records" is the sort of movie that didn't bring in an audience theatrically but manages to successfully build a following on cable. HBO was my first exposure to "Empire Records", at least, and although the film didn't make much of an impression on me at the time, the incessant praise heaped upon it by some friends inspired a second look.
I guess I should provide a plot summary. Thinking that the independent record store where he works is about to be turned into a trendy music chain, Lucas takes nine grand from the titular store, goes to Atlantic City, and loses everything. He returns only to learn that he cost Empire any chance it had of remaining indepedent. Wackiness ensues as the other employees deal with a has-been pop star whose ego is only surpassed by his libido, a vengeful shoplifter, and the immenint loss of everything they hold dear as Empire makes the transition to just another Musictown franchise.
You've seen "Empire Records" before. Sure, maybe with a different cast in a different location, but this is a pretty by-the-book film about "a group of kids on the verge of adulthood who, in the course of a single eventful day, learn about life, love, and the importance of friendship". You can use that plot to describe any number of movies -- "The Breakfast Club" and "Can't Hardly Wait" (which coincidentally also features Ethan Embry and the voice of Liv Tyler) are two that instantly spring to mind. The cast of stereotypes -- the young lady who has ambition and a 'good girl' label slapped upon her (Liv Tyler), the stoner (Ethan Embry), the romantic who's ready to let his pent-up feelings known to the woman he loves (Johnny Whitworth), the tramp (Renée Zellweger), the dark loner (Robin Tunney, and oh, what a difference a nice hairstyle makes), the wisdom dispenser (Rory Cochrane), the punk kid who causes nothing but trouble yet perpetually remains in everyone's good graces (Brendan Sexton), the stern but lovable grown-up who guides our cast of lovable misfits (Anthony LaPaglia), and the greedy businessman representing the eeeevil establishment (Ben Bode). Add in 'the jock' and 'the nerd' and you have every teen movie made between 1983 and 1989. Oh, but the unoriginality train doesn't stop there. Add in a small, locally adored business that a large corporate entity has its sight on crushing. Pulling out all the clichés, there's even a party thrown by the plucky employees to raise enough money to save the store.
Championship Records was an essential part of "High Fidelity", and music was integral to the plot. The record store setting in "Empire Records", which you would think would be more significant considering that it provided the film's title, is almost entirely interchangable with any other sort of independent business. It wouldn't require much rewriting at all to turn "Empire Records" into a film about a small bookstore on the verge of being taken over by a ravenous national corporation, complete with a book signing gone awry and a brief speech about books being the glue that binds the world together. The only moments of "Empire Records" where there's much discussion about music at all comes during the credits, featuring the bizarre sort of conversation that can jump from the Misfits to Primus with no transition whatsoever.
Aside from its grossly underused setting, "Empire Records" doesn't have the benefit of a strong script or decent acting. I've successfully managed to avoid any other movie in which Liv Tyler plays a significant role, and after managing to sit through her emoting in "Empire Records", I've decided to strike "Inventing The Abbotts" from my 'to buy' list. I can't bear the thought of more Liv. I'm not sure why "Empire Records" has such a devoted following. Liv Tyler, Renée Zellweger, and, to a lesser extent, Ethan Embry have gone onto fame and fortune, and maybe that's a large part of the appeal. I don't want to make it sound like "Empire Records" is some horrid, unbearable experience; it's an okay movie. I've seen this same premise done numerous times before and done much better, and aside from some early star performances, there's little to distinguish "Empire Records" from a hundred other movies.
Video: "Empire Records" is presented at 2.35:1 and is enhanced for widescreen televisions. The film looks beautiful, sporting a crisp, detailed image. Colors are vibrant but never have an artificial appearance, and fleshtones are warm and accurate. The only blatant flaw that jumped out at me was the occassional stream of large white specks.
Audio: The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio comes off sounding more like the stereo suround track mentioned in early DVD listings of "Empire Records". Surrounds are limited to music as well as ambience in a handful of scenes, notably the casino scene early on and the 'save our store!' fundraiser that closes the film. As "Empire Records" is driven by music and dialogue, it's not entirely surprising that directional effects and split surrounds are nowhere to be found. The surrounds also seemed lower in volume than usual. "Empire Records" sounds fairly lackluster, coming off more as plain ol' stereo than a rich, enveloping 6-channel experience. Unremarkable but perfectly listenable.
Supplements: Just a trailer and cast/crew bios. This is a bit of a disappointment since the Warner's Laserdisc also has the videos for the Gin Blossoms' "Til I Hear It From You" and Edwyn Collins' "A Girl Like You". I'm not particularly attached to either song, but John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants fame directed "A Girl Like You", and I'm a TMBG completist. Laugh if you'd like.
Conclusion: Though I don't quite understand the rabid fandom surrounding "Empire Records", the disc, part of Warner's budget line, is likely worth a purchase for anyone with the slightest interest. Tepidly recommended.
I guess I should provide a plot summary. Thinking that the independent record store where he works is about to be turned into a trendy music chain, Lucas takes nine grand from the titular store, goes to Atlantic City, and loses everything. He returns only to learn that he cost Empire any chance it had of remaining indepedent. Wackiness ensues as the other employees deal with a has-been pop star whose ego is only surpassed by his libido, a vengeful shoplifter, and the immenint loss of everything they hold dear as Empire makes the transition to just another Musictown franchise.
You've seen "Empire Records" before. Sure, maybe with a different cast in a different location, but this is a pretty by-the-book film about "a group of kids on the verge of adulthood who, in the course of a single eventful day, learn about life, love, and the importance of friendship". You can use that plot to describe any number of movies -- "The Breakfast Club" and "Can't Hardly Wait" (which coincidentally also features Ethan Embry and the voice of Liv Tyler) are two that instantly spring to mind. The cast of stereotypes -- the young lady who has ambition and a 'good girl' label slapped upon her (Liv Tyler), the stoner (Ethan Embry), the romantic who's ready to let his pent-up feelings known to the woman he loves (Johnny Whitworth), the tramp (Renée Zellweger), the dark loner (Robin Tunney, and oh, what a difference a nice hairstyle makes), the wisdom dispenser (Rory Cochrane), the punk kid who causes nothing but trouble yet perpetually remains in everyone's good graces (Brendan Sexton), the stern but lovable grown-up who guides our cast of lovable misfits (Anthony LaPaglia), and the greedy businessman representing the eeeevil establishment (Ben Bode). Add in 'the jock' and 'the nerd' and you have every teen movie made between 1983 and 1989. Oh, but the unoriginality train doesn't stop there. Add in a small, locally adored business that a large corporate entity has its sight on crushing. Pulling out all the clichés, there's even a party thrown by the plucky employees to raise enough money to save the store.
Championship Records was an essential part of "High Fidelity", and music was integral to the plot. The record store setting in "Empire Records", which you would think would be more significant considering that it provided the film's title, is almost entirely interchangable with any other sort of independent business. It wouldn't require much rewriting at all to turn "Empire Records" into a film about a small bookstore on the verge of being taken over by a ravenous national corporation, complete with a book signing gone awry and a brief speech about books being the glue that binds the world together. The only moments of "Empire Records" where there's much discussion about music at all comes during the credits, featuring the bizarre sort of conversation that can jump from the Misfits to Primus with no transition whatsoever.
Aside from its grossly underused setting, "Empire Records" doesn't have the benefit of a strong script or decent acting. I've successfully managed to avoid any other movie in which Liv Tyler plays a significant role, and after managing to sit through her emoting in "Empire Records", I've decided to strike "Inventing The Abbotts" from my 'to buy' list. I can't bear the thought of more Liv. I'm not sure why "Empire Records" has such a devoted following. Liv Tyler, Renée Zellweger, and, to a lesser extent, Ethan Embry have gone onto fame and fortune, and maybe that's a large part of the appeal. I don't want to make it sound like "Empire Records" is some horrid, unbearable experience; it's an okay movie. I've seen this same premise done numerous times before and done much better, and aside from some early star performances, there's little to distinguish "Empire Records" from a hundred other movies.
Video: "Empire Records" is presented at 2.35:1 and is enhanced for widescreen televisions. The film looks beautiful, sporting a crisp, detailed image. Colors are vibrant but never have an artificial appearance, and fleshtones are warm and accurate. The only blatant flaw that jumped out at me was the occassional stream of large white specks.
Audio: The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio comes off sounding more like the stereo suround track mentioned in early DVD listings of "Empire Records". Surrounds are limited to music as well as ambience in a handful of scenes, notably the casino scene early on and the 'save our store!' fundraiser that closes the film. As "Empire Records" is driven by music and dialogue, it's not entirely surprising that directional effects and split surrounds are nowhere to be found. The surrounds also seemed lower in volume than usual. "Empire Records" sounds fairly lackluster, coming off more as plain ol' stereo than a rich, enveloping 6-channel experience. Unremarkable but perfectly listenable.
Supplements: Just a trailer and cast/crew bios. This is a bit of a disappointment since the Warner's Laserdisc also has the videos for the Gin Blossoms' "Til I Hear It From You" and Edwyn Collins' "A Girl Like You". I'm not particularly attached to either song, but John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants fame directed "A Girl Like You", and I'm a TMBG completist. Laugh if you'd like.
Conclusion: Though I don't quite understand the rabid fandom surrounding "Empire Records", the disc, part of Warner's budget line, is likely worth a purchase for anyone with the slightest interest. Tepidly recommended.
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