Rent Empire State (1987)
2.7 of 5 from 52 ratings
1h 39min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
The Empire State nightclub in London's newly developed Docklands is a place where disparate lives intersect. Illusory, dangerous and glamorous, it is both the playground of the rich, and an escape from the poverty and squalor of the toughest reaches of the city. It is also the arena for a fierce struggle between the hard men who for decades ran the East End, and the new breed of racketeers. They're prepared to do anything to get control, and the fight for power will end with one of the most brutal orgies of violence the East End has ever seen. Against the backdrop of gathering menace, Chuck, an American with $3 billion to spend, toys with potential investments, while a young man, Pete, comes to London to find his friend, who has disappeared in the entrails of the Empire State... - Actors:
- Cathryn Harrison, Jason Hoganson, Glen Murphy, Jamie Foreman, Emily Bolton, Ian Sears, Martin Landau, Lorcan Cranitch, Ray McAnally, Lee Drysdale, Jenny Bolt, Jimmy Flint, John Levitt, Ian McCurrach, Elizabeth Hickling
- Directors:
- Ron Peck
- Producers:
- Norma Heyman
- Writers:
- Mark Ayres, Ron Peck
- Studio:
- Network UK
- Genres:
- Thrillers
- Collections:
- A World of Difference: A History of Gay Cinema, Drama Films & TV
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 04/06/2010
- Run Time:
- 99 minutes
- Languages:
- English Dolby Digital 2.0
- Subtitles:
- None
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.78:1 / 16:9
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- (0) All
- Bonus:
- Commentary by Ron Peck and Mark Ayres
- Trailer
- HD Image Galleries: Main Gallery, Costume Research (Polaroids), Design Artwork
More like Empire State
Reviews (1) of Empire State
A Mess of a Muddled British Film about Gay Gangsters in London's Docklands - Empire State review by PV
I so wanted to like this. Written/directed by the late Ron Peck (1948-2022) this is a gangland thriller focused on the 1980s redevelopment of London's Docklands. But I was prepared to give this a try, especially as Ron Peck was a pioneer of independent British gay cinema since the 1970s. His NIGHTNAWKS (1978) my well look dated and even amateur now, even a tad boring, BUT it was a first - I watched it on Channel 4 in the mid-late 80s. A film that matters despite its many flaws.
This, however, is all a bit of a mess - surprising when the screenwriter is by now more experienced in film-making. A confusing plot, perhaps too many characters, which makes one wonder by the final climactic scene just what that is all about and even who that man is. The whole thing needs streamlining into a 3 act structure, with plot points, and focus.
The classic British film about that is the sublime THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY (1979) which made a star of Bob Hoskins (and also features future James Bond Pierce Brosnan as a gay Irishman in his first big screen role) with is 5 stars any day of the week. That has a fantastic synth score. This EMPIRE STATE has a soundtrack of Bronski Beat and others.
So a curiosity piece really. is it a good film? No. Is it worth a watch for those interested in British independent/gay cinema of 1970s/80s? Yes.
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