S29 · E50

Empire of the Ants (1977)

Tonight on METV- Joan Collins has some real estate she wants to sell you-until it’s discovered that it is already in the possession of some oversized pests who have plans for movin’ on up to take over new territory and claim it as the “Empire of the Ants”! This 1977 film is yet another produced and directed by Bert I. Gordon- whose initials- “B-I-G” – are an immediate tip-off to the size of the six-legged menaces in this film. Based very loosely on an H.G. Wells story, we begin with a brief lecture about ants (pay attention- some facts in this tutorial will be important later)- then, we shift to a tableau of illegal activity- with barrels of radioactive waste being dumped into the ocean. One barrel washes up on a beach, and some of its oozing contents become a feast for …you guessed it- ants!