EMPIRE
OF THE ANTS (1977)/TENTACLES (1977)Directors: Bert I. Gordon, Oliver Hellman
MGM
EMPIRE
OF THE ANTS (1977)/TENTACLES (1977)MGM's
Midnite Movies series continues its recent trend of re-packaging a previously
released DVD titles (in this cast, EMPIRE OF THE ANTS) with either other previously
released titles, or new-to-DVD titles (in this case TENTACLES). I really wished
that EMPIRE had been re-issued with the similar FOOD OF THE GODS, but instead
we get a tale of a giant octopus from the same year--a very stupid movie somewhat
redeemed by an awesome new transfer.
During the 1950s, producer/director Bert I. Gordon made his mark (and the appropriate title "Mr. BIG") with giant monster epics like THE CYCLOPS, THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN, EARTH VS THE SPIDER and WAR OF THE COLOSSAL BEAST, most of which were produced for AIP. After a decade-long hiatus from colossal critters, Bert was back with FOOD OF THE GODS, a screen version of the H.G. Wells novel made again made for AIP. Learning that you can't keep a good man down, an immediate follow-up surfaced the next year using another Wells story for inspiration--EMPIRE OF THE ANTS.
After
an obligatory documentary-like introduction on the subject of ants, we learn that
canisters (with typical warning signs all over them) of radioactive waste have
been dumped in the ocean by some morons in bright orange jumpsuits. One of the
canisters washes ashore and leaks silvery ooze all over. The little buggers have
a picnic feeding on the stuff, and if Mr. BIG is to live up to his reputation,
you know that something bad is going to happen. In
the meantime, a pre-"Dynasty" Joan Collins plays a bitchy (what else?)
realtor who guides a group of potential investors on a tour of a property development
in the Florida Keys. Most of guests are misfit types--an alcoholic, a career woman
who got fired, a womanizing gigolo and his tolerating wife, an elderly couple
along for the free food and drink, etc. We are acquainted with these characters
in what appears to be a twisted episode of "Love Boat" or "Fantasy
Island," but trouble starts a brewing as one of Joan's employees is found
mutilated.
Our group is soon faced with ants--mutated ants of tremendous size. They struggle to get away from them by running through the swamps, at which point it's decided to eliminate some of the disposable cast members, including the cowardly womanizer (played sleazily by Robert Pine, the captain on "CHiPs") who watches his wife get eaten alive, and the old couple who foolishly stray from the rest of the pack. After re-grouping, they escape in a boat, led by a hairy Robert Lansing as the reluctant hired hand who quickly becomes the film's hero. After fighting off biggy ants left and right, our friends make their way to a nearby township and report what they encountered to the redneck sheriff (Albert Salmi). Detecting that the sheriff is not going to do anything, they make a botched escape (an abrupt car chase), but are apprehended and escorted to a sugar refinery. It is there that they learn that the bugs have control of the peoples' minds after individually being sprayed with pheromones by the queen ant in an isolation booth. Joan gets shoved into the booth and has an orgasmic experience. The others flee thanks to Lansing's quick thinking.
The
most notorious thing about EMPIRE OF THE ANTS is its special effects, which aren't
as special as they are embarrassing. Remember the grasshoppers in BEGINNING OF
THE END that climb off the building and walk straight on to thin air? Well this
is worse than that, only keep in mind, a full 20 years later. Real ants are superimposed
with the actors, and for close-ups, large rubbery models are used--both painfully
unconvincing. Even though Joan deemed this as her worst acting experience, this
a bad movie that should suffice for B fans on an ultra-camp level.
MGM's
transfer of EMPIRE OF THE ANTS is another stunner, never looking better. The film
is letterboxed in its original 1:85.1 aspect ratio with anamorphic enhancement.
The source print is in perfect condition, and colors are superb. The mono sound
is also very impressive (especially noisy rattling sounds of the ants). Also included
is the original AIP theatrical trailer, additional French and Spanish audio tracks,
as well as optional French or Spanish subtitles.
On the flip side of the disc is TENTACLES, an Italian production released in the U.S. (where most of it was filmed) by AIP. One of the worst JAWS rip-offs to surface in the 1970s, the story concerns the residents at a beach community in California and the sudden, mysterious deaths that occur there. First, an infant in a stroller is seized from the top of a cliff and into the sea, and then a sailor is found as a horribly mutilated corpse. The sheriff (Claude Akins) is at first bewildered, but it's soon believed that a giant octopus is responsible. In the meantime, over-aged reporter Ned Turner (top-billed John Huston) is trying to track down a story and get to the bottom of things at the same time. His sister(!) Tillie (Shelley Winters) makes the mistake of letting her boy and his best friend enter a sailboat contest where, naturally, the title creature has a field day. Heroic marine biologist Will Gleason (Bo Hopkins) is brought in to investigate and takes things personally when his beautiful wife (Delia Boggardo) and her equally stunning sister (Sherry Buchanan, who later suffer an even grislier fate in ZOMBIE HOLOCAUST) are victims of the eight-legged giant menace. Good old Will devises a far-fetched scheme (which involves his ability to communicate with two intelligent killer whales) to triumph over the terrorizing sea creature!
TENTACLES
is a very dumb movie with a tired plot that goes nowhere. Most of the monster
attacks lack any suspense, with an obviously small octopus smothering toy boats
that look like they were left over from a Tidy Bowl commercial. Lots of prominent
Hollywood names were thrown in for marquee value, and the scenes with Shelley
Winters (whose plump appearance is repeatedly poked fun of) are just silly fluff,
and try to imagine Huston (almost old enough to be her father) as her "little
brother!" Cesare Danova (whose distinct voice has been dubbed over by an
American-sounding actor) and Henry Fonda (who literally looks like he phoned in
his performance from his backyard) are the corrupt businessman behind "Trojan
Construction" who may be responsible for the underwater terror. Director
Ovidio G. Assonitis (here using his Americanized "Oliver Hellman" pseudonym)
is a still-active schlock movie director/producer best know for 1975's BEYOND
THE DOOR, and he was executive producer on a fish that smelt even worse than TENTACLES:
PIRANHA II: THE SPAWNING.
Say what you will about the film, but MGM's DVD presentation of TENTACLES is marvelous, giving us one of the best-looking Midnite Movies transfers to date. Letterboxed at its original 2.35:1 Technovision aspect ratio and anamorphically enhanced, the vibrant colors are fully saturated and look stunning and crisp. Contrast is excellent with great picture detail. The film's sound is delivered in a dynamic Dolby Stereo Surround track, and there is an additional Spanish language track as well. MGM's transfer is actually the longer Italian version, running a good 12 minutes more (mostly talk) than the one released in U.S. theaters and previously on pan and scan VHS. Optional English, French and Spanish subtitles are also featured, as is the original theatrical trailer.
NOTE: MGM's August 24 Midnite Movies are in-store exclusives to Best Buy, but they can also be found online at CD Universe, as well as Canadian retailer DVD Soon. (George R. Reis)