Empire Pictures

DerekP11

Anyone here have any knowledge or interest in this Charles Band run outfit, that turned out some good stuff in the 80s, before sinking. It made careers for Stuart Gordon and Jeffrey Coombs. Apart from the fantasy output, there were some good and not so good horror material.

My faves;

Re-Animator.
From Beyond.
Cellar Dwellar. (oh you have to like it)
Dolls.
Prison. (actually seen this movie in the Ambassador Cinema in Dublin. One of the only Empire releases to reach the big screen in Europe)
Ghoulies.

In all fairness, Empire, were one of the few companies to continuously fill our video libraries in the 80s, while the major studios were still trying to decide if they'd grace us with product.

I'll leave Full Moon for another thread.;)

mike65

Ghoulies? Oh well thats what happens when you try for a PG rated hit!

Charles Band charge sheet in full

I taped Re-animator off Film Four must get round to watching it again.

Mike.

DerekP11

Oh Ive seen the charge sheet and it doesn't feature half the crap he's reduced to now. "Blood Dolls" anyone?

Brian Yuzna was the real force behind getting Re-Animator done. Empire just distributed, but its still listed as being in their stable as Gordon was tied in with them. Watched it on Film 4 at the weekend, the uncut version, but it only featured about 4 or 5 extra shots. Make sure to watch it Mike.;)

niallon

Yep, Blood Dolls, real classy outfit! :biggrin: Just kidding. I wish I could be more familiar with Band but my age and his films lack of availability makes this very hard indeed. Prison sounds like one scary mo-fo. Anybody even party responsible for the success of Stuart Gordon, director of one of the last centuries greatest sci-fi flicks, Space Truckers, get's my vote though!!

spooky donkey

yeah they are all classics. Though Prison is the one film on that list I dont know, perhaps I have seen it im not sure, the 80s was a long time ago ya know.

DerekP11

Prison got a cinema release in Ireland, then shot to video very quickly. If you grew up in the 80s and lived in Dublin, then it was hard to miss the big banner over the ambassador cinema in '88.

Renny Harlin directed before he moved onto the Nightmare on Elm Street series.

Hard to get, just like a lot of Empire releases.

"Derek nods at Niallon, thinking of 20 quid." (injoke)

niallon

You're never getting that 20!