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Bud Brewster Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)

Joined: 14 Dec 2013 Posts: 17637 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2015 5:17 pm Post subject: Empire of the Ants (1977) |
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Don't be fooled by that terrific poster.
Producer-director Bert I. Gordon borrowed the title from an H. G. Wells story, but he didn't borrow the plot. His version of the story centers on a group of real estate investors trapped on an island with a horde of giant ants which were spawned by (you guessed it) radiation leaking containers of radioactive waste, rather than a bomb.
This is basically a good 1950s concept given a bad 1970s treatment; instead of likable characters who cooperate with each other to battle the ants, we get a selfish group of argumentative types, interested only in looking out for number one.
Bert I. Gordon's special effects are substandard. The cast includes Robert Lansing ("4 D Man") and Joan Collins. _________________ ____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
Last edited by Bud Brewster on Fri Sep 09, 2022 11:34 am; edited 3 times in total |
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alltare Quantum Engineer

Joined: 17 Jul 2015 Posts: 349
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Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 9:09 pm Post subject: |
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Ant movies, in decreasing quality:
THEM!
PHASE IV
THE NAKED JUNGLE (Leiningen Versus the Ants)
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EMPIRE OF THE ANTS. |
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Bud Brewster Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)

Joined: 14 Dec 2013 Posts: 17637 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 12:05 am Post subject: |
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________________________________
I've never seen this one, so I guess I'd better download it and suffer through it.
It's a thankless job, but somebody's gotta do it.
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__Empire of the Ants Official Trailer #1 (1977) HD
__________________ _________________ ____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
Last edited by Bud Brewster on Thu Aug 08, 2019 10:21 am; edited 2 times in total |
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alltare Quantum Engineer

Joined: 17 Jul 2015 Posts: 349
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2016 11:08 pm Post subject: |
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alltare wrote: | Ant movies, in decreasing quality:
THEM!
PHASE IV
THE NAKED JUNGLE (Leiningen Versus the Ants)
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EMPIRE OF THE ANTS. |
After commenting on this movie (above), I figured I should watch it again, just to be sure that my original opinion wasn't too harsh. It wasn't.
I downloaded it from Youtube, and it's a very good wide screen HD rip. Although the picture quality is good, the movie itself is pretty cheesy. It was kind of fun, though, to see how Bert I. Gordon got mileage from such cheap special effects. I didn't notice any major goofs, like his grasshoppers walking into space in BEGINNING OF THE END. Even so, it wasn't as entertaining a movie as BEGINNING OF THE END. |
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WadeVC Astral Engineer

Joined: 06 Aug 2024 Posts: 255 Location: Pioneer, CA
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Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2024 9:09 am Post subject: Re: Empire of the Ants (1977) |
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Bud Brewster wrote: | This is basically a good 1950s concept given a bad 1970s treatment;
Bert I. Gordon's special effects are substandard. |
The above quotes are not an understatement. The FX in this are just terrible beyond words.
Being a fan of bad Sci-Fi & horror movies, even I found this one to be painful to watch. _________________ "You look like a pooped out pinwheel."
-Robot Monster |
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Pow Galactic Ambassador

Joined: 27 Sep 2014 Posts: 3739 Location: New York
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Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2024 11:52 am Post subject: |
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Edith Keeler meets Gary Seven. |
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scotpens Space Sector Commander

Joined: 19 Sep 2014 Posts: 919 Location: The Left Coast
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Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2024 2:21 pm Post subject: |
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alltare wrote: | Ant movies, in decreasing quality:
THEM!
PHASE IV
THE NAKED JUNGLE (Leiningen Versus the Ants)
...
...
...
...
...
...
EMPIRE OF THE ANTS. |
What about the 2017 horror-comedy DEAD ANT? From the trailer, I'd say it looks like absolute crap.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiEhWDt_bWU
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Bud Brewster Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)

Joined: 14 Dec 2013 Posts: 17637 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2024 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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Well . . . ummm . . . the story seems nonexistent. The actors are have two things in common with the alleged rock music; they're both obnoxious and loud.
But the FX are good!
So, dump the story, the actors, and the rock music — but keep the ants!  _________________ ____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958) |
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WadeVC Astral Engineer

Joined: 06 Aug 2024 Posts: 255 Location: Pioneer, CA
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Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2024 3:05 am Post subject: |
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scotpens wrote: | What about the 2017 horror-comedy DEAD ANT? From the trailer, I'd say it looks like absolute crap |
Lordy that looks bad...I'm gonna have to watch it! _________________ "You look like a pooped out pinwheel."
-Robot Monster |
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WadeVC Astral Engineer

Joined: 06 Aug 2024 Posts: 255 Location: Pioneer, CA
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Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2024 8:53 am Post subject: |
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Another fine film-grab from this horrible movie
 _________________ "You look like a pooped out pinwheel."
-Robot Monster |
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