Empire State

Richard is a journalist for Metropolis Magazine and attends the opening of the Empire State nightclub redevelopment . Whilst there he meets a teenager from Newcastle who is searching for a friend who worked at the club and who has disappeared in mysterious circumstances . Richard becomes more intrigued as the clientèle at the club may have shady secrets

EMPIRE STATE is a very obscure British thriller . It was shown once on channel four a year after its release . It's one of these productions that Channel four churned out on an almost weekly basis that received a very limited release and the fact that a grand total of two people have commentated on the film on this page speaks volumes as to its obscurity . It's not very difficult to understand why it's obscure

This is a gangster thriller made in Britain and before Guy Ritchie came along very few British gangster films did well unless Michael Caine or Bob Hoskins were cast . This contrasts with American gangster films that followed a formula were a fatherless immigrant takes on the American dream that eventually becomes a a self destructive American nightmare . In other words capitalism has its uses whilst violent exploitation has none . In some ways EMPIRE STATE mirrors this in that the novue riche yuppies rather than violent working class hardmen are the new gangsters . Thatercherism has given a new respectability to crime but this rather underdeveloped

In fact the problem with the film is that the multiple character driven story lines are very much underdeveloped in that characters suddenly disappear and it's noticeable they were only included to set up a plot turn , a plot turn that often frustratingly go nowhere . There's also a strong homosexual subtext to the film which isn't surprising since the director is Ron Peck .Is there anything more clichéd than a gay British gangster ? There's also the terminal fault of a 1980s channel four production and that is that has a very TV type of look despite some graphic violence and bad language . It's a film that never appears truly cinematic

That said if you're able to remember club culture from the 1980s then it's certainly a semi pleasant nostalgia trip. It's very dated of course but for those of us who remember jackets with padded shoulders , big hair, a very expensive drink costing £1.40 and bars surrounded by cigarette smoke then it's a film that brings back guilty memories . There's also a case of spot the TV face before they became well known. But at the end of the day EMPIRE STATE will always be a forgotten gangster thriller from Britain

I saw this dvd in the British Film Institute shop in London and had the idea I had liked it years ago. So I bought it and my god it is awful. If there is a plot I don't see it. There are no good performances. I must have enjoyed the titillation of the women's outfits and the nudity when I saw it 30 years ago. The sets are amazing but there is no shape or plot.

Empire state... is a nightclub in the rough and tumble east end of london. When blondie pete shows up, no-one seems to know his friend mick who works there, but there are many other things going on to keep him occupied. Martin landau, ten years after space 1999, is chuck, an investor in a nearby development project. There's a gay undercurrent to the film as well. Lots of loose threads swirling around. There's a reporter nosing around, and apparently there were several drug related deaths at the club. It seems they were using the club after hours as a fighting venue, with gambling. SO many subplots. It just gets silly. And violent, kind of a parody of studio 54. And the violence that was happening in london at the time. Cathryn harrison is marion, and gets top billing, apparently for being the grand-daughter of rex harrison. Directed by ron peck. Probably best known for nighthawks. Harrison died young at 59.

Empire State is an amazing film,as the trailer saya it's a 'night on the edge'...it certainly is.The film is set in London's Docklands and is one of the best 1980's club movies around.It's a real shame the film didn't get a big release...We follow the lives of very different characters arond one night at the 'Empire State' club.Don't be put off by the fact that the film has a (sort of)gay theme,there's nothing too kinky.I think that it is best watched in summer,because the settings are just right,the stylish direction is great and the songs are perfect.Watch this movie and see what you've missed in the way of a great crime/drama/thriller film...

Try finding this movie its certainly not easy... This was apparently a 1980s Channel 4 production, it certainly has some of its hallmarks. It is most definitely a London 1980s time capsule of a film. Its hyper-stylised which would probably have given this quite a strong impact when it first came out. While its billed as a gangster movie, it has very little to do with actual gangsters until the final act.

The actual story is split between a number of groups of individuals with a nightclub called the Empire State at the centre of the narrative. A problem with the narrative however is that some of the characters simply seem to exit the movie halfway into the story. The most famous face in the movie could have easily been removed from the story, which would have been welcome as this clocks in at one and three quarter hours. In terms of the main actors, you probably haven't seen any of them before or after this, although a few better known faces do appear in bit parts, recognisable from Eastenders. There is also a nightclub scene and I swear I saw the lead singer from Depeche Mode on the dancefloor.

Its actually difficult to describe the story as there are too many characters in the fray and many of their stories simply do not resolve. The final act however is about a young upstart yuppie trying to challenge his old boss, with an underground MMA style fight which still seems over the top in brutality and gore to this day. That is basically what Channel 4 thought was "edgy" at the time. That and lots of gay content as well as heavily featuring of rent boys, which will no doubt put off a lot of the typical London Gangster Geezer genre fan. I don't think there was any heterosexual sex in the entire movie, I lost count of the gay scenes however and its was in the main pointless. Although one look at the directors other projects may explain why. The screeching Communards style soundtrack isn't exactly easy on the ear either, although I suppose in some circles that was music trendy at the time.

I can certainly see why this sunk without a trace, although it has had a recent digital re-release. You cant really market a London Gangster movie which has the under current of not so much gay sex, but the implication being that gangsters are all either rent boys or use their services, to fans of this genre.

Its best viewed as a snapshot of the 80s London clubbing scene, where dress codes meant suits and shoes, designer drugs like ecstasy had just arrive, acid house was round the corner and yuppies make a financial killing. Hard to recommend other than as a curiosity as its certainly not a decent or satisfying watch.