Empire of the Ants

Rating:
Summary: Not your typical scary horror film.
Review: Review by the students enrolled in ENT 201, Insects on Film, Clemson University, Spring 2005.

Empire of the Ants, is not your typical, scary horror film. I understand that this film was made in 1977, but even Godzilla was scarier than this movie. This movie is a balance between sci-fi and comedy. It stars Joan Collins as a self-centered real estate agent in the process of selling swampland, in the form of a soon-to-be resort, to potential buyers. Only towards the end of the movie does the director throw in a little suspicion to try and keep the viewers interested. On the other hand, I did find a little humor in the film and if compared to movies similar to, Beginning of the End, it was not that bad.

The movie begins with Marilyn, the owner of Dreamland Shores, taking a boat load of potential buyers to see her "overpriced swampland". On the island she tries to wheel and deal her customers into buying land by giving them free liquor and food. Little do these people know, Dreamland Shores is infested with gigantic, people eating ants that have been eating toxic waste that washed ashore. One by one the ants pick off some of the buyers leaving only six of them to escape the ants and reach safety in a near by town. Once they arrive in the town they begin to notice little things that seem very strange. Only about one-third of the group makes it to the town, where none of the locals seem concerned about the ants. As they try to escape they are captured again and this time they are taken to the sugar refinery only to find out that the inhabitants of the town are being hypnotized by the queen ant. Now, their only chance at surviving is by crossing a river and going to a local town. The fear that they might become slaves to a queen ant provokes Don, the boat captain, to shoot a flare at the queen allowing him and the rest of his crew to escape, except for Marilyn who was hypnotized before she could escape. Upon escaping, John, who is only along for the free food and drinks, drives a gas truck around the sugar refinery and sets fire to it which kills the ants.

The downsides to this film were that some of the scenes were used over and over again, and there was a good bit of foreshadowing in the film. Although the scenery was cheesy, the entomology facts were correct in some parts of the movie. The queen ant in the movie uses pheromones to gain power over the town's people, which is similar to how queen ants in real life gain power over other ants; I guess that the same scenes were used over and over in order to save money or to save time. This might help out while shooting the film but in the end it makes for a poorly produced movie. The foreshadowing in the film makes it hard to get interested at first. Once the six characters make it safely to the town, the foreshadowing stops and a bit of suspicion are thrown in and this is where the film gets a little interesting.

Looking at the scientific side of the film also helps to redeem this film's rating. The ants in the movie portrayed correctly. There are around 20,000 species of ants; 570 species exist just in the U.S. In each species, there are three types of ants: the queen, the sterile females, and the males. Ants have inhabited Planet Earth for 100 million years. They were shown as being everywhere, in every direction that you turn, and when shown up close you could tell that they have hair. In the movie, the queen ant controls the town and all the people in the town. On the scientific side of ants there are three types of ants: the queen, males, and workers. Of these three types of ants the queen controls the males and the workers.

Aside from labeling this film a horror and by not overlooking the downsides makes it easier to say that this movie is not a great film. . The actors/actresses did a good job of playing the roles of the scared visitors and the ant controlled town's people. The music selection was great for portraying the mood, feelings, and emotions throughout the movie. By looking at the end of the movie and the scientific side of the film you can see that there was not much time or energy put into making this movie. This movie was all together informative and somewhat entertaining for a 1977 flick!


Rating:
Summary: "Oh my God! They're herding us like cattle!"
Review: Run for the hills (or the Raid)! Bert I. Gordon, aka Mr. Big (due to his penchant for making films involving giant creatures, and also, it's his initials), brings on some serious cinematic pain with his rendition of author H.G. Wells story Empire of the Ants (1977). Other cinematic examples of Gordon's super-sizing include Beginning of the End (1957), The Amazing Colossal Man (1957), Earth vs the Spider (1958), Attack of the Puppet People (1958), and The Food of the Gods (1976). Gordon, certainly a man of many hats, not only wrote (adapted from an H.G. Wells story), directed and produced the film, but he also was in charge of the special effects. The film stars Joan Collins of TV's Dynasty, Robert Lansing, whose television credits are too numerous to mention but is most familiar to me from the 1959 film 4D Man, perennial 70's television stars John David Carlson and Jacqueline Scott.

In the beginning we get some painfully obvious foreshadowing involving stock footage, along with voice over, showing ants busy at work. We then cut to workers in HAZMAT suits on a boat, dumping clearly marked barrels of radioactive waste in the water. We see one of the barrels wash up on shore, as the ominous music plays on...Cut to preparations being made for an excursion by yacht to view swampy properties for sale, sponsored by some realty company called Dreamland Properties, or some such thing. It's here we meet Marilyn Fryer (Collins), the woman in charge. How do we know this? Because she's being a real pain in the rear, basically telling everyone she's the boss, especially Dan Stokely (Lansing), the captain of the boat, who, by the way, wears a lovely earring (yargh, I'm a pirate!) throughout the film (man, the 70's were weird). Soon the prospective suckers...er, I mean buyers show up, and what a charming lot they seem to be...adulterers, freeloaders, and just general sleezy characters all around, and they're off, leisure suits and all.

They arrive at a pier, disembark from the yacht, and proceed to a tent to get liquored up (ply the rubes with free booze, and the property sells itself, I guess). Everyone then gets on a two-car tram, and tool around, while Marilyn, sitting in the front of the tram, all of about 3 or 4 feet from the clients, starts yelling into a megaphone in case anyone is hard of hearing (if they weren't, they are now). Early we saw the drum of radioactive waste wash up on the beach, and we also saw it beginning to leak silver paint, er...I mean radioactive waste, and we also saw ants wallowing around in the oozing material. That can't be good...I mean, if the 50's (and Bert I. Gordon) taught us anything, it's that radioactive materials generally have the effect of `embiggening' things. Well, sure enough, the ants exposed to the stuff become humongoid, and start picking off hapless members of this little outing. All I could think was this wasn't going to be good for the realty business, what with the radioactive waste and giants ants. Well, the remaining members of the party discover, to their horror, what ate up their former companions, and rush back to the yacht, only to find it overrun with giant ants. After awhile, they decide to make their way to a nearby river, and we lose a few more members. I have to say, there was something completely satisfying about seeing Joan Collins wallow around in swampy river water. Anyway, they finally make it back to civilization of sorts, try to relate their harrowing tale of escape, but find the town to be oddly apathetic to the news that giant ants are headed their way. Why? Well, this is where picking up on the foreshadowing at the beginning of the film pays off...

In terms of the special effects, the whole rear-projection enlargement technique was fairly well dated by the late 70's, but still managed to work fairly well here at some points, but the noticeable difference in that technique and the use of prop ants certainly delineated the differences in the sizes of the ants. One method use would make them appear as big as a bus, while another would make them seem a large as a man. The actors all seem pretty bored and given they spent a fair amount of time futzing around in a swamp, I am sure they probably figured at some point they weren't getting paid nearly enough. The script, well, is pretty hideous. Inane remarks, pointless declarations, and lame characterizations only serve to make so very obvious who was going to be ant fodder. And not a likeable character in the bunch ensured the audience rooted for the ants, as this particular society really didn't seem worth saving. I did enjoy the sort of twist element near the end, even though it was telegraphed so obviously at the beginning of the film, giving this schlockery a bit of originality and a nice little spin within the genre. I have to say, I did get annoyed early on with some of the sound effects. The ants had two basic effects working, one being a persistent chirping which would indicate their presence nearby, and a screaming sound when they were attacking or being attacked. This second one was definitely the more annoying of the two, as it was akin to having a woman scream in your ear every ten seconds. A nice throwback to the 50's, but if you're into giant ants, go watch Them! (1954).

MGM provides a nice look wide screen anamorphic print here, and special features include an original theatrical trailer for the film. I guess if I learned anything from Empire of the Ants, it's that if you are ever running through the swamp with Joan Collins, fleeing giant ants, and she gets her sweater caught, don't stop to help her, as she won't return the favor.

Cookieman108

Rating:
Summary: "Oh my God! They're herding us like cattle!"
Review: Run for the hills (or the Raid)! Bert I. Gordon, aka Mr. Big (due to his penchant for making films involving giant creatures, and also, it's his initials), brings on some serious cinematic pain with his rendition of author H.G. Wells story Empire of the Ants (1977). Other cinematic examples of Gordon's super-sizing include Beginning of the End (1957), The Amazing Colossal Man (1957), Earth vs the Spider (1958), Attack of the Puppet People (1958), and The Food of the Gods (1976). Gordon, certainly a man of many hats, not only wrote (adapted from an H.G. Wells story), directed and produced the film, but he also was in charge of the special effects. The film stars Joan Collins of TV's Dynasty, Robert Lansing, whose television credits are too numerous to mention but is most familiar to me from the 1959 film 4D Man, perennial 70's television stars John David Carlson and Jacqueline Scott.

In the beginning we get some painfully obvious foreshadowing involving stock footage, along with voice over, showing ants busy at work. We then cut to workers in HAZMAT suits on a boat, dumping clearly marked barrels of radioactive waste in the water. We see one of the barrels wash up on shore, as the ominous music plays on...Cut to preparations being made for an excursion by yacht to view swampy properties for sale, sponsored by some realty company called Dreamland Properties, or some such thing. It's here we meet Marilyn Fryer (Collins), the woman in charge. How do we know this? Because she's being a real pain in the rear, basically telling everyone she's the boss, especially Dan Stokely (Lansing), the captain of the boat, who, by the way, wears a lovely earring (yargh, I'm a pirate!) throughout the film (man, the 70's were weird). Soon the prospective suckers...er, I mean buyers show up, and what a charming lot they seem to be...adulterers, freeloaders, and just general sleezy characters all around, and they're off, leisure suits and all.

They arrive at a pier, disembark from the yacht, and proceed to a tent to get liquored up (ply the rubes with free booze, and the property sells itself, I guess). Everyone then gets on a two-car tram, and tool around, while Marilyn, sitting in the front of the tram, all of about 3 or 4 feet from the clients, starts yelling into a megaphone in case anyone is hard of hearing (if they weren't, they are now). Early we saw the drum of radioactive waste wash up on the beach, and we also saw it beginning to leak silver paint, er...I mean radioactive waste, and we also saw ants wallowing around in the oozing material. That can't be good...I mean, if the 50's (and Bert I. Gordon) taught us anything, it's that radioactive materials generally have the effect of 'embiggening' things. Well, sure enough, the ants exposed to the stuff become humongoid, and start picking off hapless members of this little outing. All I could think was this wasn't going to be good for the realty business, what with the radioactive waste and giants ants. Well, the remaining members of the party discover, to their horror, what ate up their former companions, and rush back to the yacht, only to find it overrun with giant ants. After awhile, they decide to make their way to a nearby river, and we lose a few more members. I have to say, there was something completely satisfying about seeing Joan Collins wallow around in swampy river water. Anyway, they finally make it back to civilization of sorts, try to relate their harrowing tale of escape, but find the town to be oddly apathetic to the news that giant ants are headed their way. Why? Well, this is where picking up on the foreshadowing at the beginning of the film pays off...

In terms of the special effects, the whole rear-projection enlargement technique was fairly well dated by the late 70's, but still managed to work fairly well here at some points, but the noticeable difference in that technique and the use of prop ants certainly delineated the differences in the sizes of the ants. One method use would make them appear as big as a bus, while another would make them seem a large as a man. The actors all seem pretty bored and given they spent a fair amount of time futzing around in a swamp, I am sure they probably figured at some point they weren't getting paid nearly enough. The script, well, is pretty hideous. Inane remarks, pointless declarations, and lame characterizations only serve to make so very obvious who was going to be ant fodder. And not a likeable character in the bunch ensured the audience rooted for the ants, as this particular society really didn't seem worth saving. I did enjoy the sort of twist element near the end, even though it was telegraphed so obviously at the beginning of the film, giving this schlockery a bit of originality and a nice little spin within the genre. I have to say, I did get annoyed early on with some of the sound effects. The ants had two basic effects working, one being a persistent chirping which would indicate their presence nearby, and a screaming sound when they were attacking or being attacked. This second one was definitely the more annoying of the two, as it was akin to having a woman scream in your ear every ten seconds. A nice throwback to the 50's, but if you're into giant ants, go watch Them! (1954).

MGM provides a nice look wide screen anamorphic print here, and special features include an original theatrical trailer for the film. I guess if I learned anything from Empire of the Ants, it's that if you are ever running through the swamp with Joan Collins, fleeing giant ants, and she gets her sweater caught, don't stop to help her, as she won't return the favor.

Cookieman108

Rating:
Summary: "A slice of Orange Peel..."
Review: This film is based on a true happening. Believe it or not. A fabulous Joan Collins epic. She is glamourous and fabulous as usual as is most of the other cast, Pamela Susan Shoop(Halloween 2), Jacqueline Scott(a Twilight Zone episode, etc.). I personally love the characters in this B-film and how they introduce them to the audience. I happen to also enjoy some of the dialogue. Although this film depicts a group of people traveling to an island to view some 'shoddy' land for sale, the real occurrence was actually a bit different. How do I know this information? None of your business. Many decades ago a certain entrepreneur was looking for an island to build a grand resort. This certain someone came upon this land which happened to be owned and operated by a government organization(not U.S.). From the information I was privy to, the story goes like this: The person and their associates came upon the land unannounced, the owners were none too pleased. As this certain organization was conducting genetic experimentation on certain organisms. Apparently, they had mutated a strain of Carpenter Ants, and grown about the size of a Volkswagen Bug (no pun!). They were having to restrain the ants just at the time the unwelcomed visitors arrived. The ants were attached to ropes, like cattle. Just as it always happens in 'the movies', the experiment was a huge disaster. According to my source, the group of ants attacked and killed several of the scientists, the remaining scientists,authorities and land surveyors escaped unharmed in their helicopter and boats. No one ever returned to this island and of course, no one ever informed or spoke about it publicly. I have pressed my source for the whereabouts of this island but up until the time of their death, they would would never disclose the exact location. Although I have my suspicions, due to some other personal information I have about this individual.
So, as you can tell, the movie version is quite different and never makes any mention of it being based on a true account.
The only reason it was made into a movie is because one of the land surveyors took up screenwriting after it happened.

Rating:
Summary: "A slice of Orange Peel..."
Review: This film is based on a true happening. Believe it or not. A fabulous Joan Collins epic. She is glamourous and fabulous as usual as is most of the other cast, Pamela Susan Shoop(Halloween 2), Jacqueline Scott(a Twilight Zone episode, etc.). I personally love the characters in this B-film and how they introduce them to the audience. I happen to also enjoy some of the dialogue. Although this film depicts a group of people traveling to an island to view some 'shoddy' land for sale, the real occurrence was actually a bit different. How do I know this information? None of your business. Many decades ago a certain entrepreneur was looking for an island to build a grand resort. This certain someone came upon this land which happened to be owned and operated by a government organization(not U.S.). From the information I was privy to, the story goes like this: The person and their associates came upon the land unannounced, the owners were none too pleased. As this certain organization was conducting genetic experimentation on certain organisms. Apparently, they had mutated a strain of Carpenter Ants, and grown about the size of a Volkswagen Bug (no pun!). They were having to restrain the ants just at the time the unwelcomed visitors arrived. The ants were attached to ropes, like cattle. Just as it always happens in 'the movies', the experiment was a huge disaster. According to my source, the group of ants attacked and killed several of the scientists, the remaining scientists,authorities and land surveyors escaped unharmed in their helicopter and boats. No one ever returned to this island and of course, no one ever informed or spoke about it publicly. I have pressed my source for the whereabouts of this island but up until the time of their death, they would would never disclose the exact location. Although I have my suspicions, due to some other personal information I have about this individual.
So, as you can tell, the movie version is quite different and never makes any mention of it being based on a true account.
The only reason it was made into a movie is because one of the land surveyors took up screenwriting after it happened.

Rating:
Summary: THIS FILM WILL MAKE THE VIEWER ANTSY...
Review: This is a moderately entertaining, low budget film starring a young and lovely Joan Collins. She plays the part of a real estate agent who inveigles people to visit an island by offering them a free cruise. Once there, she tries to get them to buy property on the island, which is to be developed into a luxurious habitat for the well heeled.

Unfortunately for her, it turnes out that the island is populated by giant, carnivorous ants, who display an uncanny intelligence and seem to thwart their human interlopers. Before one knows it, people start disappearing, and those left find themselves on the run. While the special effects are typical of a B movie, the film is better than one would think and deserving of a look, if one is fond of this genre.

Rating:
Summary: a must see movie
Review: this movie that i bought on dvd is pretty good, the special effects i think were great, i like the way they made the ants look big, at least in this one they showed you the whole ant, in the movie THEM they didn't.

Rating:
Summary: DUMB-DUMB-DUMB-DUM-DEE-DOO-WAH!!
Review: Typical Bert I. Gordon nonsense!! Joan Collins is a sleazy Real Estate developer taking a bunch of prospective suckers on a field trip when they are monstered by huge ants, who have grown to gigantic proportions after eating from a leaking can of radio active waste. It gets even sillier as the ants "herd" the humans up river to join other townfolk to become their slaves. Joan admitted this was a low point in her career...she wasn't kidding! Worth seeing once for a couple of yucks. The widescreen print is pretty good and the DVD cover art is great. The only extra you get is a trailer. My overall opinion of this flick: Dumb and boring!! Approach with caution.

Rating:
Summary: A must for your Joan Collins collection
Review: Yes, this movie is a "B" or less. The problem comes in taste or preference. I would have given this movie a "five star" rating; however no one would ever take my reviews serious again...
The Photography is poor. This is a candidate for MST3000. I can not quite say that it is Joan Collins "Biography - Joan Collins" ASIN: B000006QJR at her best. And you know how some movies are so bad that it is good? Well this is not one of those movies.
On the other hand there is a lot of stay in the car scenes and action in running away from ants. You can guess who the bad Guy(s) are. But then you have to figure out why and what their angle is. It leaves you with the feeling that all ants eat sugar and slow people. But only the queen ant eats beans and doesn't use gas-x.
Watch at your own risk.