Nicknamed Mr B.I.G. by Famous Monsters of Filmland founder Forrest J. Ackerman, the writer, director and producer Bert I. Gordon built his reputation on films featuring giant monsters, from King Dinosaur to The Food of the Gods via The Amazing Colossal Man and Earth vs the Spider. In 1977, he made his final giant monster movie: Empire of the Ants, inspired by H. G. Wells’ short story of the same name.
Following the illegal dumping of radioactive waste in the ocean, a barrel of toxic sludge washes up on a beach not too far from land being sold by unscrupulous developer Marilyn Fryser (Joan Collins), who brings a number of prospective buyers to view the beachfront location. All seems to be going well until Marilyn, and her clients find themselves under attack by giant irradiated ants, mutated by the chemicals introduced to their habitat and determined to destroy the human race.
Owing as much to the classic creature feature Them! as it does to H. G. Wells, Empire of the Ants is an ecological fable for the increasingly climate-conscious 1970s, presented in a monster movie package that could only have been the work of the inimitable Bert I. Gordon. Eureka Classics is thrilled to present this cult classic for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Limited edition O-card slipcase featuring original poster artwork [2000 copies]
Limited edition booklet featuring new writing on Empire of the Ants and ecological horror by genre film expert Liam Hathaway [2000 copies]
1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray
Original English mono audio
Optional English subtitles (SDH)
New introduction to Empire of the Ants by Chris Cooke, filmmaker and co-director of Mayhem Film Festival
The B.I.G. Picture – interview with film historian Kim Newman focused on the life and career of cult filmmaker Bert I. Gordon
Audio commentary by writer, director and producer Bert I. Gordon
Audio commentary by film historian David Del Valle with film historian and filmmaker Michael Varrati
Radio spot
Original theatrical trailer