Empire of the Ants (film)

Last updated
Empire of the Ants
Empire of the ants film poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster by Drew Struzan
Directed by Bert I. Gordon
Written by
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Reginald H. Morris
Edited by Michael Luciano
Music byDana Kaproff
Production
company
Cinema 77
Distributed by American International Pictures
Release date
  • July 29, 1977 (1977-07-29)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$2.5 million [1] [2]

Empire of the Ants is a 1977 science fiction horror film co-written and directed by Bert I. Gordon. [3] Based very loosely on the 1905 short story "Empire of the Ants" by H. G. Wells, the film involves a group of prospective land buyers led by a land developer, pitted against large mutated ants.

Contents

It is the third and last film released in A.I.P.'s H.G. Wells film cycle, which include The Food of the Gods (1976) and The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977).

Plot

Joan Collins in the movie. Joan Collins Empire of the Ants.JPG
Joan Collins in the movie.

The opening narration briefly introduces the viewer to the ant and its behavior. It takes note how ants use pheromones to communicate, and how they cause an obligatory response that must be obeyed. "But we (humans) don't have to worry about it..." As the opening credits roll, barrels of radioactive waste are being dumped off a boat into the ocean. Eventually, one of the barrels washes up on the shore and begins to leak a silvery goo attractive to the local ants, which are seen feeding on it.

Meanwhile, shady land developer Marilyn Fryser (Joan Collins) takes a bunch of new clients to view some 'beachfront property' on a nearby island. In reality, the land is worthless, but the trip is cut short by the group stumbling upon the lair of large ants. The ants destroy their boat and chase the group through the woods. Fleeing for their lives through the wilderness and losing many of their party along the way, the remaining survivors eventually discover the local island town. But their safety is short-lived when they realize that not only are the large ants feeding on the sugar at the local sugar factory, but that they are doing so at the invitation of the humans. The queen ant, using pheromones, has the entire town completely under her control. However, the survivors manage to escape and burn the sugar factory, killing the large ants, and leave the island by a speedboat.

Cast

Production

Special effects

Advertisement from 1977 Aptos Twin Cinema Ad - 15 June 1977, Aptos, CA.jpg
Advertisement from 1977

As with most Bert I. Gordon films, the director himself oversaw most of the special effects. To create the effect of large ants, the director often used the technique of process shots, where close-up images of live ants were combined with images of the actors on set, reacting to the menacing insects. Another more crude effect used by Gordon was one he borrowed from his previous film Beginning of the End , where he would place live insects in a miniature set lined with still photographs of the location and let them crawl around. The shortcomings of this technique were highlighted in a scene where the ants are climbing the outside of a sugar refinery, and some of them appear to suddenly crawl off the building and walk vertically into the sky. [4] When the film called for actors to be attacked by the ants, large rubber mock-ups were used, which were animated by crew members who wiggled the gigantic props in front of the camera. [5] Joan Collins later said she did not like working with the ant props, as they bumped and scratched the actors, including herself.

Filming

Principal photography took place on location in the Florida Everglades and St. Lucie and Martin Counties in Florida during the fall of 1976. Filming in a remote swampland sometimes proved to be problematic, and was particularly taxing for the women because their restrooms were approximately a half-hour away by speedboat. Actress Pamela Susan Shoop recalls that "because it was a half-hour each way, when we went to the bathroom, they had to wait an hour. It was a mess, but the shoot was fun". Another problem with the location was dealing with the unpredictable wildlife. According to actor Robert Pine, there was one scene where the actors had to fall out of a rowboat and into the river, where there were apparently live alligators. The director had previously promised that a cage would be installed to protect the actors, but for some unknown reason the cage never arrived. Also, even though they were filming in Florida, the autumn weather ended up sending temperatures to freezing levels. At one point, the cold weather was so bad that it caused Shoop's jaw to dislocate during one of her screaming scenes and she had to be sent to the hospital to be treated. [5] [6]

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 5% based on 19 reviews, with a weighted average rating of 2.72/10. [7]

Joan Collins received a nomination for Best Actress for her lead role in this film at the 5th annual Saturn Awards.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joan Collins</span> English actress and writer (born 1933)

Dame Joan Henrietta Collins is an English actress, author and columnist. With a career spanning nearly 8 decades, Collins is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a People's Choice Award, two Soap Opera Digest Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. She is one of the last surviving actresses from the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema. In 1983, Collins was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She has been recognised for her philanthropy, particularly her advocacy towards causes relating to children, which has earned her many honours. In 2015, she was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II for her charitable services, presented to her by the then Prince of Wales, Charles III.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alice Krige</span> South African actress and producer

Alice Maud Krige is a South African actress and producer. Her big break came in 1981, when she starred as the Gilbert and Sullivan singer Sybil Gordon in the British historical film Chariots of Fire, and as Eva Galli / Alma Mobley in the American supernatural horror film Ghost Story. She received a Laurence Olivier Award for her performance in the West End theatre production of Arms and the Man (1981) and later joined the Royal Shakespeare Company.

<i>The Gate</i> (1987 film) 1987 Canadian film by Tibor Takács

The Gate is a 1987 supernatural horror film directed by Tibor Takács and starring Stephen Dorff in his film debut. The film follows two young boys who accidentally release a horde of demons from their backyard through a large hole in the ground.

<i>The Swarm</i> (1978 film) 1978 US natural horror film by Irwin Allen

The Swarm is a 1978 American natural horror film directed and produced by Irwin Allen and based on Arthur Herzog's 1974 novel. It stars an ensemble cast, including Michael Caine, Katharine Ross, Richard Widmark, Richard Chamberlain, Olivia de Havilland, Ben Johnson, Lee Grant, José Ferrer, Patty Duke, Slim Pickens, Bradford Dillman, Henry Fonda and Fred MacMurray in his final film role. It follows a scientist and a military task force who try to prevent a large swarm of killer bees from invading Texas. The film received overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics and was a box-office bomb, although praise was given to the costume design. It has been considered to be one of the worst films ever made.

<i>Attack of the Crab Monsters</i> 1957 film by Roger Corman

Attack of the Crab Monsters is a 1957 independently made American black-and-white science fiction-horror film, produced and directed by Roger Corman, that stars Richard Garland, Pamela Duncan, and Russell Johnson. The film was distributed by Allied Artists as a double feature showing with Corman's Not of This Earth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pamela Duncan (actress)</span> American actress

Pamela Duncan was an American B-movie actress who noteabley starred in two 1957 cult films for Roger Corman: Attack of the Crab Monsters and The Undead. She later appeared in the 2000 Academy Award-nominated documentary, Curtain Call, that focused on the lives and careers of the residents of the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, New Jersey.

<i>The Hellstrom Chronicle</i> 1971 film by Walon Green

The Hellstrom Chronicle is an American film released in 1971 which combines elements of documentary, horror and apocalyptic prophecy to present a gripping satirical depiction of the struggle for survival between humans and insects. It won both the 1972 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and BAFTA Award for Best Documentary. It was conceived and produced by David L. Wolper, directed by Walon Green and written by David Seltzer, who earned a Writers Guild of America Award nomination for his screenplay.

<i>The Island of Dr. Moreau</i> (1977 film) 1977 American film directed by Don Taylor

The Island of Dr. Moreau is a 1977 American science fiction horror film directed by Don Taylor, the second English-language adaptation of H. G. Wells' 1896 novel of the same name, following Island of Lost Souls (1932).

<i>It Happened at Lakewood Manor</i> 1977 television film

It Happened at Lakewood Manor is a 1977 American made-for-television horror film starring Lynda Day George, Suzanne Somers, Myrna Loy, Brian Dennehy and Bernie Casey. It was directed by Robert Scheerer and premiered December 2, 1977, on ABC.

<i>Frogs</i> (film) 1972 film by George McCowan

Frogs is a 1972 American horror film directed by George McCowan. The film falls into the "eco-horror" category, telling the story of a wildlife photographer who meets an upper-class U.S. Southern family who are victimized by several different animal species, including snakes, birds, lizards, and butterflies. The movie suggests nature may be justified in exacting revenge on this family because of its patriarch's abuse of the local ecology. The film was theatrically released on March 23, 1972.

<i>The Food of the Gods</i> (film) 1976 science fiction thriller American film by Bert I. Gordon

H.G. Wells' The Food of the Gods, also billed as just The Food of the Gods, is a 1976 science fiction thriller film released by American International Pictures and was written, produced and directed by Bert I. Gordon.

<i>Tentacles</i> (film) 1977 film by Ovidio G. Assonitis

Tentacles is a 1977 horror-thriller film directed by Ovidio G. Assonitis and starring John Huston, Shelley Winters, Bo Hopkins, Cesare Danova, Delia Boccardo and Henry Fonda.

<i>Mosquito</i> (film) 1995 American film

Mosquito is a 1995 American science-fiction horror film directed by Gary Jones. The film features actor Gunnar Hansen, who portrayed the character Leatherface in the 1974 horror film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, along with Ron Asheton, lead guitarist for the band the Stooges. The film has earned a cult following since its release.

<i>The Bone Snatcher</i> 2003 British film

The Bone Snatcher is a British-Canadian horror film directed by Jason Wolfsohn and starring Scott Bairstow, Rachel Shelley, and Adrienne Pearce. The film is based on a screenplay from Malcolm Kohll and Gordon Render.

<i>Swarmed</i> 2005 Canadian film

Swarmed is a 2005 Canadian film directed by Paul Ziller and starring Michael Shanks as a scientist trying to save a town from yellow jacket wasps. The film was made for television by Sci Fi Pictures. It first aired on April 6, 2005.

<i>The Twilight People</i> 1972 Filipino-American horror film

The Twilight People is a 1972 Filipino-American horror film directed by Eddie Romero. It was produced by Romero and John Ashley, and written by Romero and Jerome Small. It stars Ashley and features, in an early film appearance, Pam Grier in a supporting role.

<i>The Hills Have Eyes</i> American horror franchise

The Hills Have Eyes is an American horror franchise that consists of four horror films, as well as a graphic novel and merchandise. The first film was released in 1977, The Hills Have Eyes; the series was rebooted in a 2006 remake. The films focus on a group of people stranded in a desert who become hunted by a clan of deformed cannibals in the surrounding hills. The films collectively grossed over $132 million at the box-office worldwide. The series was created by Wes Craven who is known for the Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream films. The series has featured actors and actresses including Dee Wallace, Aaron Stanford, Michael Berryman and Emilie de Ravin.

<i>Crawl</i> (2019 film) American film by Alexandre Aja

Crawl is a 2019 American natural horror film directed by Alexandre Aja, written by brothers Michael and Shawn Rasmussen, and produced by Sam Raimi. It stars Kaya Scodelario and Barry Pepper as a daughter and father who, along with their dog, find themselves trapped in the crawl space of their home and preyed upon by alligators during a Category 5 hurricane in Florida.

"Rest in Peace" is the twenty-fourth and final episode of the eleventh season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead. The series finale and 177th episode overall, it aired on AMC on November 20, 2022, and was simultaneously released on the network's streaming platform AMC+. The episode's teleplay was written by Corey Reed and Jim Barnes, from a story by Angela Kang, and directed by Greg Nicotero.

References

  1. ↑ Nowell, Richard (2011). Blood money: a history of the first teen slasher film cycle. New York: Continuum. p. 257. ISBN   978-1441124968 . Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  2. ↑ Donahue, Suzanne Mary (1987). American film distribution : the changing marketplace. UMI Research Press. p. 300. ISBN   9780835717762. Please note figures are for rentals in US and Canada
  3. ↑ Weiler, A. H. (June 30, 1977). "Movie Review: 'Empire of the Ants' A Snail's-Pace Film". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
  4. ↑ Schoell, William (2014). Creature Features: Nature Turned Nasty in the Movies. Jefferson: Mcfarland. p. 75. ISBN   978-0786495627.
  5. 1 2 Weaver, Tom (2010). A sci-fi swarm and horror horde: interviews with 62 filmmakers. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co. pp. 382–385. ISBN   978-0786446582.
  6. ↑ Jankiewicz, Pat (April 2001). "Damsel in Distress". Starlog (285): 32–33. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  7. ↑ "Empire of the Ants (1977) - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes.com. Flixer. Archived from the original on 19 November 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2018.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.