Empire Records (1995) - Quotes

Questioning the Significance of Today

Taglines: What's with today, today?

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

The Unifying Power of Music

Taglines: This music is the glue of the world. It holds it all together.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Defiance and Preservation in Empire Records

Taglines: Damn the Man! Save the Empire!

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Selling Music Without Compromise

Taglines: They're selling music but not selling out.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Open Until Midnight

Taglines: Open til Midnight.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

A Moment of Heartfelt Confession and Regret

A.J.: [on the roof] Hi, what're you doing up here?

Corey: You listen to me! You're so special and you're so talented and you have everything it takes! You have MORE than everything it takes and you're REALLY stupid because you don't know that. And I know you don't love me anymore, and I know that I blew it but at least I know that, and if you don't go to art school and if you don't understand how special you are then you know nothing!

A.J.: Corey, I...

Corey: And I did love you, and I still... only I didn't realise that it really was love because it was more than love and it wasn't just some stupid feeling in my stomach like everything else and I'll never love anybody as much as you and I hate you! I hate you!

A.J.: [pause] Corey, I quit. I quit! I'm going to art school, in Boston. So I can be near you.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

A Choice Between Jail and Hell

Jane: What are you doing later?

Joe: I don't know. I'm either going to jail or hell. I can't decide.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Welcome to Music Town's Reality Check

Lucas: Mitchell's the man, Joe.

Joe: And the man calls all the shots.

Lucas: Damn the man.

Joe: Let me explain it to you. Mitchell's the man. I'm the idiot. You're the screw-up. And we're all losers. Welcome to Music Town.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Artistic Expression and Misunderstanding

Warren: Who glued these quarters down?

A.J.: I did.

Warren: What the hell for, man?

A.J.: I don't feel that I need to explain my art to you, Warren.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

A Humorous Take on Personal Appearance

Debra: [Reading the new Musictown rules] No visible tattoos.

Gina: No revealing clothing.

Debra: We're both screwed. At least you're used to it.

Gina: Oh now, Debra, don't be bitter, certainly with your ever growing collection of flesh mutilating silver appendages and your brand new Neo-Nazi boot camp makeover, the boys will come a-runnin'.

Debra: [both start tearing lists of rules] Let's not fight, let's just rip

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Age and Attitude in Conflict

Joe: [to Warren] How old are you?

Warren: Old enough to kick your butt through your skull and splatter your brains on the wall.

Joe: [to the cops on the phone] Yeah, he's a juvenile.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Balancing Musical Tastes and Personal Choices

Lucas: [going through the CD's that Warren stole from the store; [Whitney Houston] Warren, look what you took. Rap... metal... rap... metal... And ].

Warren: It's for my girlfriend, okay?

Lucas: Suuure it is. You know, someone like you needs to diminish their criminal impulses, not magnify them. Maybe some jazz or some classical.

Warren: Maybe you bite me.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Witty Banter Between Friends

Gina: [about Debra having shaved her head] Well, Sinead O'Rebellion. Shock me, shock me, shock me with that deviant behavior!

Debra: God, that is so clever. You know, I swear you get smarter the shorter your skirt gets.

Gina: And you get smarter the shorter your hair gets, so it's probably good you went with that. It's a wonderful look for you darling.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Exploring the Nature of Love and Timing

A.J.: Lucas, do you think it's possible for a person to be in love with someone else and not even know it?

Lucas: In this life there are nothing but possibilities.

A.J.: Well, that's good, because I have to tell Corey I love her by 1:37.

Lucas: That's an excellent time.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

Love Advice from a Troubled Mentor

A.J.: Joe, I need to ask your advice. Now I know you know a lot about love and women and all that sort of thing...

Joe: Oh, yeah, my wife left me for another woman and my girlfriend forced me to leave at gunpoint. Does this qualify me?

A.J.: Oh yeah, definitely.

Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.

A Shift in Normalcy and Behavior

A.J: What's with you? Yesterday you were normal and today you're like the Chinese guy from Karate Kid. What's with you today?

Lucas: What's with today, today?

Missing Money and Its Destination

Joe: Where's the money, Lucas?

Lucas: Joe, the money is gone.

Joe: I know it's GONE, where's it gone to?

Lucas: Atlantic City.

Joe: Atlantic City. ...Is it coming back from Atlantic City?

Lucas: I... I don't think so.

Joe: What's it doing in Atlantic City?

Lucas: Recirculating.

Joe: Recirculating?

Lucas: Yeah.

Joe: Lucas, listen to me. I told Mitchell Beck that you forgot to deposit the money. I told Mitchell that the money was still here.

Lucas: Joe, that's not true. It's in Atlantic City... I swear!

Joe: Shut up, sit down, and don't you move.

Lucas: [sitting down] It could be in other cities by now...

Joe: Oh, shut up! Under no circumstances do I want you to leave that couch... unless it's to get me $9000, and then you bring it here to me, okay?

Lucas: Okay. You know, I think things are gonna be all right now, Joe.

Joe: Oh? And what makes you think that?

Lucas: Who knows where thoughts come from? They just appear.

Rebellion Against Authority and Preservation

Mark: [into television camera] Damn the man. Save the Empire.

Late Night at Empire Records

Mark: [answers phone; pause] Empire Records, we're open til midnight. Midnight.

Focus on the present, not the past.

Mark: We mustn't dwell... no, not today. We CAN'T. Not on Rex Manning day!

Gina's Humorous Announcement at Empire Records

Gina: [on the loudspeaker; chuckles] Attention Rex Manning fans, to your left you will notice a shoplifter being chased by night manager, Lucas. This young man will be caught, deep fried in a vat of hot oil and served to our first hundred customers. Just another tasty treat from the gang at Empire Records.