Empire Records
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Empire Records is a 1995 dramedy about a group of record store employees. The film is directed by Allan Moyle and stars Anthony LaPaglia, Maxwell Caulfield and Debi Mazar.
Tagline: Open til Midnight.
Contents |
Plot summary
Empire Records, an independently owned store, is about to be sold to a corporation to become another Music Town. Lucas attempts to save the store by taking a gamble with the store's sales proceeds, but ends making thing worse when he loses it all. As the store seems to be spiraling downward, all the characters seem to be changing as well. Corey and A.J. make a realization about each other, Gina finally vocalizes her dreams, where previously she had been to scared to even state them, Debra finds that people do care, and Warren attempts to rob the store. It is up to the employees to stage a wild party to raise enough money to help their boss Joe Reaves keep the store from changing hands. They also deal with problems amongst themselves, love, and Rex Manning, a spoiled has-been rock star. Follow the entertainment of the mad confusion as young adults try to figure out life. This is a comedy as they pass time in a record store, as well as a tale of romance and not selling out.
Main cast
- Anthony LaPaglia .... Joe Reaves
- Maxwell Caulfield .... Rex Manning
- Debi Mazar .... Jane
- Rory Cochrane .... Lucas
- Johnny Whitworth .... A.J.
- Robin Tunney .... Debra
- Renée Zellweger .... Gina
- 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).
- Tobey Maguire .... Andre (scenes deleted)
Trivia
Image:Empire Records Remix.jpg
- A sign by the register that says "Have a nice daze" shows the logo for Dazed and Confused (1993). Rory Cochrane, who plays Lucas, played Slater in Dazed and Confused.
- Robin Tunney's character has a horizontal suicide-attempt scar on her wrist. In The Craft, her character has a vertical suicide-attempt scar.
- This film was originally shot as two days but was cut and fit to one.
- A DVD version released in 2003 entitled "Empire Records (Remix! Special Fan Edition)" featured a new edit of the film with scenes never seen before, along with new deleted scenes, special features, and more.
- At the time this film was made, Coyote Shivers was married to Bebe Buell, which made him the step-father of co-star Liv Tyler.
- Warren, played by Brendan Sexton III, was supposed to have a sister, but like Tobey Maguire, her scenes and ultimately her character was deleted from the final cut of the film.
- The film was written by a former employee of Tower Records store #166 (ChrisTown Mall) in Phoenix, Arizona. When the film was released and for a long time afterward, a number of her former coworkers still working cited anecdotes and other elements of the film that related to the store. This store closed in early 2005, ten years after the film's release.
- Jesse Valenzuela, Robin Wilson and Marshall Crenshaw won the ASCAP award for this film's theme song "Til I Hear It From You" performed by the Gin Blossoms.
- This film was shot on location in Atlantic City, New Jersey and Wilmington, North Carolina.
Quotes
- Eddie: This music is the glue of the world, Mark. It's what holds it all together. Without this, life would be meaningless.
- Mark: Hey, did you hear about Lucas?
- Eddie: Hey Lucas man, I hear you went to Vegas and you married a mobster's wife and now you've got a hit on you and stuff. Is that true?
- Lucas: Not entirely true.
- Eddie: Well outlaw man, we salute you.
- Lucas: Thank you, Eddie.
- Eddie: No problem.
- AJ: What's with you today?
- Lucas: What's with today today?
- AJ: Mark, listening to this crap is guaranteed to make you sterile.
- Mark: Maybe I wanna be sterile.
- Mark: Oh, Lucas, I've decided to start a band.
- Lucas: Well, the first thing you need is a name. That way you know what kind of band you've got.
- Mark: I was thinking Marc.
- Lucas: Is that with a "c" or with a "k"?
- Mark: Well, my name is with a [looks down at namebadge] "k". So my band could be with a "c". That way it's that whole, you know, psychedelic trip thing.
- Lucas: Always play with their minds.