Empire State (1987 film)

Last updated

Empire State
Empire State (1987 film) poster.png
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRon Peck
Screenplay byMark Ayres, Ron Peck
Produced by
  • Mark Ayres
  • Norma Heyman
  • Glen Murphy
Starring
Cinematography Tony Imi
Edited byChris Kelly

Empire State is a 1987 British film about gang warfare over American investment in the East End of London, directed by Ron Peck.

Contents

Synopsis

In the late eighties, investment and redevelopment of the East End of London is well underway. Empire State, a sumptuous nightclub, attracts crowds. However, under the control of gangland boss Frank Wright (Ray McAnally) it is also a cover for gangland violence and drug dealing. As new investment capital flows into the city, a gangland turf war is underway, with the area's older generation of gangsters, led by Frank, being challenged by ambitious upstarts like Paul (Ian Sears). When an American called Chuck (Martin Landau) arrives in the city intending to invest a substantial amount of capital in the Docklands redevelopment, everyone becomes interested. Caught in the midst of this turmoil are receptionists Marion and Tricia, out for a night on the town; call girl Susan and her increasingly insane lover Danny, drifter Pete, rent boy Johnny, and boxers intent on proving themselves in illegal bare-fist combat at the club. Journalist Richard delves into the internal workings of the club, trying to find out details about Empire State and the criminal activity that occurs there. After the climactic bare-knuckle boxing competition, Danny finds Marion at the night club with her night's companion, and opens fire on the club's entrance. [1]

Cast

Response

The film was criticised at the time for its uneven pacing, rudimentary characterisation and acting skills of many of its cast. [5] However, after the redevelopment of the Docklands area in the late eighties and early nineties, which had only begun when Empire State was filmed, architectural students have noted the contrast between the transitional status of derelict buildings and the imminent arrival of capital in the area to construct new apartments and corporate premises. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Docklands</span> Area by the Thames in London, England

London Docklands is the riverfront and former docks in London. It is located in inner east and southeast London, in the boroughs of Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Lewisham, Newham and Greenwich. The docks were formerly part of the Port of London, at one time the world's largest port. After the docks closed, the area had become derelict and poverty-ridden by the 1980s. The Docklands' regeneration began later that decade; it has been redeveloped principally for commercial and residential use. The name "London Docklands" was used for the first time in a government report on redevelopment plans in 1971 and has since been almost universally adopted. The redevelopment created wealth, but also led to some conflict between the new and old communities in the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardiff Bay</span> Area and lake in Cardiff, Wales

Cardiff Bay is an area and freshwater lake in Cardiff, Wales. The site of a former tidal bay and estuary, it is the river mouth of the River Taff and Ely. The body of water was converted into a 500-acre (2.0 km2) lake as part of a pre-devolution UK Government regeneration project, involving the damming of the rivers by the Cardiff Bay Barrage in 1999. The barrage impounds the rivers from the Severn Estuary, providing flood defence and the creation of a permanent non-tidal high water lake with limited access to the sea, serving as a core feature of the redevelopment of the area in the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beckton</span> Area in East London, England

Beckton is a suburb in east London, England, located 8 miles (12.9 km) east of Charing Cross and part of the London Borough of Newham. Adjacent to the River Thames, the area consisted of unpopulated marshland known as the East Ham Levels in the parishes of Barking, East Ham, West Ham and Woolwich. The development of major industrial infrastructure in the 19th century to support the growing metropolis of London caused an increase in population with housing built in the area for workers of the Beckton Gas Works and Beckton Sewage Treatment Works. The area has a convoluted local government history and has formed part of Greater London since 1965. Between 1981 and 1995 it was within the London Docklands Development Corporation area, which caused the population to increase as new homes were built and the Docklands Light Railway was constructed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kardinia Park (stadium)</span> Sporting venue in Victoria, Australia

Kardinia Park is a sporting and entertainment venue located within Kardinia Park, South Geelong, in the Australian state of Victoria. The stadium, which is owned and operated by the Kardinia Park Stadium Trust, is the home ground of the Geelong Football Club, an Australian rules football club who compete in the Australian Football League (AFL). Kardinia Park can accommodate 40,000 spectators, making it the largest-capacity Australian stadium in a regional city, and the third largest-capacity stadium in Victoria behind the Melbourne Cricket Ground (100,024) and Docklands Stadium (56,347).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Butcher</span> UK soap opera character, created 1986

Pat Evans is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She was played by Pam St Clement from 12 June 1986, just over a year after the show first aired, until her departure on 1 January 2012. Pat was also portrayed by Emma Cooke in a soap 'bubble', Pat and Mo: Ashes to Ashes, delving into her past with sister-in-law Mo Harris, which aired in 2004. The character was killed-off on 1 January 2012, shortly after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Her funeral was on 13 January 2012. Pat was one of the longest serving characters on the show, appearing for 25 years and six months. She returned, along with other women from Ian Beale's past, in a concussion-related dream sequence for a Children in Need special on 14 November 2014. She also made a return as a hallucination for Peggy Mitchell's death on 17 May 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Arena</span> Former indoor arena in London, England

The London Arena was an indoor arena and exhibition centre in Millwall, close to the Cubitt Town area of Poplar, on the Isle of Dogs, in east London, England which was inaugurated in 1989 and demolished for housing in 2006.

<i>Human Traffic</i> 1999 British-Irish comedy film by Justin Kerrigan

Human Traffic is a 1999 British-Irish independent coming of age comedy drama film written and directed by Justin Kerrigan. It is a cult film of the Cool Cymru era of arts in Wales.

Johnny Allen (<i>EastEnders</i>) Fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders

Johnny Allen is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Billy Murray. He first appeared on 4 January 2005 and became the show's primary antagonist until the character was killed off on 20 October 2006.

The following is a list of players, both past and current, who appeared at least in one game for the Minnesota Twins American League franchise (1961–present), also known previously as the Washington Senators (1901–1960).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Canal Dock</span> Docklands area east of Dublin city centre, Ireland

Grand Canal Dock is a Southside area near the city centre of Dublin, Ireland. It is located on the border of eastern Dublin 2 and the westernmost part of Ringsend in Dublin 4, surrounding the Grand Canal Docks, an enclosed harbour where the Grand Canal comes to the River Liffey. The area has undergone significant redevelopment since 2000, as part of the Dublin Docklands area redevelopment project.

<i>Clubbed</i> 2008 British film

Clubbed is a 2008 British drama film about a 1980s factory worker who takes up a job as a club doorman, written by Geoff Thompson and directed by Neil Thompson.

<i>The Big Man</i> 1990 film by David Leland

The Big Man is a 1990 British sports drama film directed by David Leland. It stars Liam Neeson, Joanne Whalley and Billy Connolly. The film's score was composed by Ennio Morricone. It is based on the 1986 novel of the same name by William McIlvanney.

"Floyd" is the sixteenth episode of the fourth season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 74th overall episode of the series. It was written by series producer Paula Pell, and directed by Millicent Shelton. The episode originally aired on NBC in the United States on March 25, 2010. Cheyenne Jackson, Kristin McGee, and Jason Sudeikis guest star in this episode, and there are cameo appearances by Kathie Lee Gifford, Lester Holt, Hoda Kotb, and Meredith Vieira.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lakeside Stadium</span> Australian sports arena

Lakeside Stadium is an Australian sports arena in the South Melbourne suburb of Albert Park. Comprising an athletics track and soccer stadium, it currently serves as the home ground and administrative base for association football club South Melbourne FC, Athletics Victoria, Athletics Australia, Victorian Institute of Sport and Australian Little Athletics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millennium Mills</span> Derelict former mill in London

The Millennium Mills is a derelict turn of the 20th century flour mill in West Silvertown on the south side of the Royal Victoria Dock, between the Thames Barrier and the ExCeL London exhibition centre alongside the newly built Britannia village, in Newham, London, England. The Mills are currently undergoing a major renovation as part of a £3.5billion redevelopment of Silvertown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Jason</span> American musician, producer and composer

Neil Jason, is an American musician, songwriter, producer and composer. In a career spanning more than 40 years, he has worked with some of the biggest recording artists, including John Lennon, Billy Joel, Roxy Music, Mick Jagger, Pete Townshend, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Kiss, Gene Simmons, Michael Jackson, Brecker Brothers, Hall & Oates, Cyndi Lauper, Harry Chapin, Joe Jackson, Charlie Watts, Dire Straits, Bryan Ferry, Diana Ross, Grace Slick, John McLaughlin, Gladys Knight, Debbie Harry, Michael Franks, Bob James, David Sanborn, Brigitte Zarie, Carly Simon, Janis Ian, Nils Lofgren, Eddie Van Halen and tenor Luciano Pavarotti. He also writes for TV and film.

Greenland Holdings Corp., Ltd. known as Greenland Group is a Chinese real estate developer. It was founded as a state-owned enterprise. As of 31 December 2016, the top 10 shareholders of the listed company owned a combined 88% shares, with some state-owned enterprises having invested in Greenland via private equity funds.

<i>Greatest Hits Volume III</i> (Billy Joel album) 1997 greatest hits album by Billy Joel

Greatest Hits Volume III is the second greatest hits album from American singer songwriter Billy Joel. The volume follows Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II (1985) and includes hits from 1983 to 1993. Two previously unreleased studio tracks are included, Bob Dylan's "To Make You Feel My Love" and Goffin/King's "Hey Girl", while the third new track, "Light as the Breeze", was originally recorded for a Leonard Cohen tribute album known as Tower of Song in 1995. Cover songs are a rare occurrence in Joel's catalogue.

References

  1. "BFI Screenonline: Empire State (1987)".
  2. "Former film star jailed after being caught carrying two knives in the street". 24 June 2020.
  3. "Heavily tattooed man missed last bus home so decided to burgle a house instead". 27 June 2022.
  4. "Actor found after 'evading arrest'". BBC News. 6 November 2024. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  5. "Empire State".
  6. Paul Newland: "Docklands: The Clearing of the Misery?" in P. Newland: The Cultural Construction of London's East End: Leiden: Brill: 2008