From producer Samuel Z Arkoff and director Bert I. Gordon, who brought you the cult classic The Food of the Gods (1976), comes Empire of the Ants (1977). First they became gigantic atomic monsters in Them! (1954.) Now their tiny island-dwelling insect cousins have been exposed to toxic waste that has mutated their unique skills so they can now manipulate humans. Will these man-made monsters conquer the world or will the Queen Ant meet her match in Queen Bitch Joan Collins? Come along if you dare, as I venture into the Empire of the Ants.
Buy Empire of the Ants Blu-rayAfter a short opening narrative on the distinct attributes of ants such as herding aphids, cultivating fungus crops, and giving off pheromones that cause an “obligatory” response, we’re shown a crew of hazmat-suited men dumping barrels of radioactive waste into the ocean. One of these waste barrels washes ashore on an island and spills its silvery ooze, attracting the curious little creature and causing them to mutate rapidly. Meanwhile not too far off on the mainland, a shady land developer named Marilyn Fryser (Collins) has lured a group of prospective buyers with free food and drink to tour some swamp land she’s pitching as a future paradise. Little do they know this three-hour tour will turn deadly and they will come face to face with giant ants who want to control their minds and become their insect overlords.
The car-sized ants have already taken over the nearby small town, demanding the people do their bidding and run their sugar mill around the clock so they can consume that sweet grain that will provide their marching power. It’s up to boat captain Dan (Robert Lansing) and a young man named Joe (John David Carson) to help lead what’s left of the group (that include Collins, Jacquelin Scott, and Pamela Susan Shoop) off the island. They must figure a way to escape the pincers of this exoskeleton-ed army and alert the world to beware of “them” manipulative, killer ants.
Empire of the Ants is classic drive-in movie fare that has a made-for-TV feel throughout, probably due to its cast which include Joan Collins (Dynasty) and Robert Pine (CHiPs). That said, Empire of the Ants remains fun and watchable despite its many plot holes and continuity errors with the ant puppets and live-action shots added in post production. The “ant eye,” a point-of-view prism-lens gimmick, is creative and always warns of impending doom. The plot taken from an H. G. Wells’ short story also has an element of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness as the characters head down a river of doom away from the killer ants and deeper into madness. It’s an interesting mix of classic sci-fi/adventure authors that helps keep the movie intriguing.
Collins keeps her head held high in another queen-bitch role but does not come across as some diva afraid of the dirty work involved. Robert Lansing as Dan the stoic boat captain provides a solid hero alongside the young John David Carson. Jaqulin Scott and Pamela Susan Shoop turn in solid efforts in their supporting roles as do the other cast members. The cast clearly gives their all and aren’t above suffering for their craft as one can clearly see filming was not a walk in the park. The Florida shooting locations are swampy and it’s easy to imagine the creeping, crawling, flying bugs, large and small, swarming all around, leaving their little marks upon Joan’s lovely limbs. There are some good shots of Joan’s leg and she’s soaking wet, as are the others, for a decent part of the picture.
Film historian David Del Valle and filmmaker/historian Michael Varrati’s audio commentary is the highlight of this Special Edition Blu-ray from Kino Lorber under the Kino Kult banner. Del Valle always has great anecdotes both personal and second hand. His wit and movie insight work well alongside Varrati’s own movie knowledge. Both are “monster kids” with great appreciation for drive-in fun, old Hollywood, and Joan Collins. There’s always loads of fun facts like that chittering sound made by the ants comes directly from the ’50s sci-fi classic THEM! They playfully point out the movie’s many plot holes like how in 24 hours the town is completely taken over and organized by the ants and how quickly they’ve got the mayor ordering more sugar when they have their own very large sugar mill?
The second audio commentary with director Bert I. Gordon and Kevin Sean Michaels is rather flat throughout though it does have some interesting bits on how the ants were filmed behind a glass somewhere in a hotel room in Panama, which explains why they appear to be climbing on nothing in most of their scenes. Gordon also mentions that he invented the prism lens that was used during the ants POV shots. Hearing Gordon reminisce about directing Orson Wells in The Food of the Gods provides an interesting look at what it was like working with Wells as an actor.
Empire of the Ants is cheesy drive-in fare that’s fun throughout its entire 89-minute run time. The picture is as clear as possible though some scenes remain grainy and that’s fine as it helps maintain that ’70s schlock charm. Is it the best eco-horror movie ever made or Collins’ finest hour? No, but Dame Joan is still to this day very much loved by horror fans for her involvement with this “little” Creature Feature.
