7 Things We Just Learned About 'Empire Records'

Quick: Close your eyes and picture the coolest group of people imaginable. If an image of ‘90s-era record-store employees popped into your head, then you’ve probably seen Empire Records one or two dozen times. The teen comedy, about a group of youthful workers trying to save their record store from a corporate takeover, bombed on its release in 1995. Nonetheless, the movie – which counted Liv Tyler, Renee Zellweger, and Ethan Embry among its stars – developed a loyal following on home video, and produced a classic soundtrack. Over at Buzzfeed, Anne Helen Peterson has written up a history of the Empire Records, exploring the making of the film, why it flopped, and how it became a cult classic. Here are 7 fascinating pieces of trivia revealed in the article.

Robin Tunney as Deb

Angelina Jolie was rejected for the role of death-obsessed teen Deb. The producers originally had Jolie in mind for the role of Deb, who attempts to commit suicide with a safety razor. According to producer Alan Riche, Jolie came in like “a force of nature,” with an “insane powerful energy” that didn’t jibe with any of the film’s female characters. The role of Deb went to the more subdued actress Robin Tunney, depriving a generation of seeing Jolie with a shaved head.

Empire Records could have been Billie Joe Armstrong’s feature-film debut. The Green Day singer was pegged for the role of Deb’s boyfriend Berko, but was replaced by Coyote Shivers, due to his conflicting tour schedule. So, yes, in another universe, your perfect ‘90s alterna-couple might have been Angelina Jolie and Billie Joe Armstrong.

The studio built an actual record-store building, at great expense, as the film’s set. Constructed in a Wilmington, North Carolina warehouse, the two-story set had twenty-foot ceilings, scaffolding on the roof, and a giant mural of Gloria Estefan, all created for the production. Even crazier: the exteriors visible through the windows were also built inside the warehouse, sidewalks, streets and all.

The cast had as many zany antics offscreen as they did onscreen. According to the article, the actors consumed mushrooms and smoked marijuana together; Brandon Sexton (who played Warren) crashed a golf cart into Anthony LaPaglia’s brand-new SUV; and Kimo Willis (who played Eddie) was arrested for shooting off a cap gun while joking around with Ethan Embry (who played Mark).

A.J.’s solo rooftop scene, in which he practices telling Corey (Liv Tyler) how he feels about her, was improvised. “You’re like vanilla ice cream, French vanilla ice cream” was one of the analogies that actor Johnny Whitworth invented on the spot. Liv Tyler also improvised her reaction to Corey’s big news in the film’s climatic love scene.

The biggest moments of music geekery were excised from the final film. Director Allan Moyle’s original cut had a lot more record-store shop talk, including, in Peterson’s words, “a five-minute discussion of The Shaggs” and “an extensive, razor-sharp breakdown of the various Clapton recordings.”

Empire Records was “dumped” by Regency and Warner Bros. because of one bad test-screening. The studios panicked and pulled back the film’s wide release. It showed on only 87 screens and in just four malls. Not until the VHS release, did the movie acquire the devoted following it has today.