This week’s Soundtrack Sunday: Empire Records, Damn The Man!
Empire Records is a 1995 American coming-of-age film that follows a group of record store employees over the course of one exceptional day. The employees try to stop the store from being sold to a large chain, and learn about each other along the way. The film was directed by Allan Moyle and stars Anthony LaPaglia, Robin Tunney, Rory Cochrane, Renée Zellweger, Ethan Embry, Johnny Whitworth and Liv Tyler.
Empire records embodied the time challenging authority, not wanting to give in to “the man”.
Joe (Anthony LaPaglia) runs Empire Records, an independent Delaware store that employs a tight-knit group of music-savvy youths. Hearing that the shop may be sold to a big chain, slacker employee Lucas (Rory Cochrane) bets a chunk of the store’s money, hoping to get a big return. When this plan fails, Empire Records falls into serious trouble, and the various other clerks, including lovely Corey (Liv Tyler) and gloomy Deb (Robin Tunney), must deal with the problem, among many other issues.
This movie had it all. Launched a few careers, and more importantly is still being talked about 21 years later! It may not be Rex Manning (Maxwell Caulfield) Day, (which is on April 8th if we are keeping track) but that doesn’t mean we can’t pretend!
“Liv Tyler was at the center of it all,” Caulfield remembers. “Everybody was gravitating to this young, emerging swan.”
In 1993, Steven Tyler’s daughter starred in two of her father’s band’s videos — Aerosmith’s “Cryin'” and “Crazy” — and, thanks to the ’90s MTV culture, was in high demand.
Empire Records store opening scene. Song – Seems by Queen Sarah Saturday.
Happy Rex Manning Day!
Rex Manning DAY!
DAMN THE MAN SAVE THE EMPIRE!!
Sugar High from Empire Records – Corey Shivers, Featuring Renée Zellweger
The lovesick teens, the anarchy, it’s a modern day coming of age film. Teens really learning about themselves, and each other. It may not have banked in the movie theaters, it was opened limited 27 theaters, but it has taken on a cult status, not unlike one of it’s predecessors Dazed and Confused. Dazed also starred Rory Cochran with a brief appearance by Renée Zellweger. Renée and Rory were dating at the time of filming. If you look closely at the cash register, you can even see a small Dazed and Confused sticker on it.
Some little known facts about our Soundtrack Sunday: Empire Records pick!
- Coyote Shivers (Berko) was Liv Tyler’s step-dad. During filming, Coyote Shivers was married to Liv Tyler’s mom, Bebe Buell.
- A little fun fact about everyone’s favorite Sinead O’Rebellion… Robin Tunney actually shaved her head for this role. Filming wrapped a month before she started filming The Craft. Because of this, she wore a wig for her role as Sarah Bailey in The Craft.
- The “Say No More, Mon Amour” video was filmed in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina and was only intended to be a 17 second clip for the Empire staff to make fun of. Instead, they filmed the entire day and finished with a full length music video for your viewing pleasure (above).
- This is Rex Manning’s daughter. Maxwell Caulfield’s daughter, Melissa, makes a cameo as the lucky ballet dancer that gets creeped on by Mark. Don’t pretend like you’re not jealous. Mark is everything.
- There was a ton of material left on the cutting room floor. Okay…in their defense, Rex Manning Weekend doesn’t sound nearly as good as Rex Manning Day. Not only were entire characters cut out, but editors cut 40 minutes of film and condensed the story from two days into one. In the newest DVD release, Empire Records Remix: Special Fan Edition, there are 16 previously cut minutes edited back into the film.
What do you think #FANdemaniacs? Are you a fan of Empire Records? What do you think about our selection for this Sunday’s Soundtrack? Let us know in the comments below.
