Nostalgia the driver as Empire launches “Classics”
Bauer Media’s Empire magazine is drawing on the power of nostalgia as it plans to publish the first in a series of special magazines called ‘Empire Classics’.
 |
Each special magazine – an extension to the successful monthly movie magazine – will aim to be “a definitive guide to iconic cinema”. The first is earmarked for publication today (Thursday, 24 August) priced at £6.99 and available at major retailers as well as online at greatmagazines.co.uk.
Commenting on the launch of the first classic edition devoted to ‘The Greatest Action Movies Ever’, London film critic Pierre de Villiers says, “Empire has always been extremely good at taking film buffs down a cinematic memory lane, whether it’s through ‘Greatest Ever’ movie polls, or regular sections like ‘Classic Scene’ and ‘Story of the Shot’.
“With the Classics series they are further tapping into the nostalgia that make those parts of the magazine so popular. It gives geeks like myself two things we love: a list we can debate and an authoritative, well written look back at the movies we grew up with.”
He says considering that news about the film world is moving faster than ever thanks to the power of social media and video blogs, it’s satisfying to take a breather and pour over beautiful movie stills that have been bound together in a collector’s item. “It’s something, we can put on our shelf next to the Star Wars figurines and boxsets”.
His comments are echoed by Patrick Horton, managing director of Sport & Entertainment at Bauer Media UK who says “nostalgia can be a powerful purchase driver for magazines, especially in an age of increasing transience; as important is the desire for great long-form storytelling that places moments of cultural significance in context.
“Our Empire Classics series was an opportunity for us to resurface some of the standout moments in the magazine’s history and create a definitive guide to movies and moviemakers. The magazine format is the perfect vehicle for wrapping all this together in a collectible package and allowing the space for great images and writing to breathe.”
Empire says its Classics series will offer film fans a specially curated celebration of the greatest iconic films and filmmakers. The first Classics edition, focusing on 54 of the greatest action movies that defined the genre, was compiled by Empire experts who “deliberated, digested and finally divided the films into seven chapters entitled: Comic Heroes, Adrenalin Rush, Tales of Adventure, At War, Making History, Spy Games and Wild West”.
Empire editor-in-chief, Terri White says her team is really proud of the first 130-page special issue. “Inside, readers will find stories on the 54 finest movies known to man or womankind. Not just the finest action movies, the finest movies. They’re the films that make us laugh, cry and wince. Every single one of them containing expertly crafted action sequences, be they fistfights, car chases or a man shooting a giant fish in the face. There’s truly something for everyone.”
Bauer Media is a member of FIPP.
More like this
Bauer Media’s Empire magazine publishes moving image cover
Bauer Media Group partners with Sprylab to support its digital publishing business
Bauer Media’s Empire magazine produces limited edition virtual reality issue
Bauer Media launches Planet Rock magazine
Empire Magazine prints five iconic collector’s covers to mark 100 greatest films poll
Bauer Media appoints Nicky Holt as group commercial director at Bauer Specialist
