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I try to remember a movie I saw long time ago on TV. It must be at the beginning of the 90s, possibly the end of the 80s. The movie might be older though. It was something about a scientist researching and experimenting with ants. I think the ants got intelligent, but I'm not sure about this. If I recall it right, in the end the ants took over the world, or only the lab. Sorry, thats all a little bit cloudy. My memory is not the best about this, that's why I need your help to get the name of the movie.

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are you certain they were ants? and could it have been a two part episode of a show? (Sand Kings - Outer Limits is a thought) – Seanland Dec 3 '11 at 22:24
Amazingly sounds like "City" / Cliford Simak (as comment, since this is a book) – Itay Moav Dec 10 '11 at 0:00
@Seanland That episode is one of my favorites! I was just going to ask about it after being reminded by this question. +15 to you, sir. – DustinDavis Mar 27 at 16:39

5 Answers

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There are a number of science fiction movies involving ants, and based on your memory, it might be a challenge to determine if it was truly a made-for-tv-movie...or just a very old movie that happened to be broadcast one night on the tube. Nevertheless, the closest matches to your description are:

  1. Phase IV (1974)

  2. It Happened at Lakewood Manor / Panic at Lakewood Manor / Ants (1977) - This one was specifically made for TV.

  3. Them! (1955) - You'd know if it was this--it was black and white.

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Thanks. I believe it is Phase IV, the name rings a bell. Now I have a name and can try to rewatch it. 'Them!' doesn't match. I don't remember colors, but the description talks about giant ants, and I remember normal sized but organized ants. Lakewood Manor don't seem to match either. The description seems to point in direction of a creature-horror-movie, and my memory says SF. – Mnementh Dec 3 '11 at 22:57
It must be Phase IV. In Fallout 3, there is a scientist character called Lesko (named after Lesko in Phase IV), who was also experimenting with ants, and ants took over the whole town. – bazmegakapa Dec 4 '11 at 9:46
My first thought was Phase IV. Them! doesn't have a lab as such, and it's a lot older than Phase IV too. Classic, though, both of them (though "Them!" is better-known I think). @baz wow, I didn't know that about Fallout 3. I got to play it now. – Jürgen A. Erhard Dec 8 '11 at 0:32
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You may already have your answer, but your description reminded me of the scene in The Simpsons episode Deep Space Homer when Homer accidentally smashes the ant farm on board the rocket and causes panic back on Earth.

So I checked The Simpsons Archive, which notes two films in its references section: Empire of the Ants and Hellstrom Chronicles. Perhaps one of those is the film you're trying to remember.

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I think it is definitely worth it for the OP to review these, esp. Hellstrom Chronicles. – Shawn Holmes Dec 8 '11 at 23:41
Empire of Ants is clearly not the movie I look for, as it involves big creatures. Hellstrom Chronicles... seems not to be the one I search, but it seems to be a cleverly constructed movie. So I will look for it anyway. Thanks. :-) – Mnementh Dec 9 '11 at 12:34
up vote 1 down vote

Another title which might match what you are looking for is The Hive (2008). In this movie, intelligent ants take over an island and kill its inhabitants. An extermination squad is called in, only to discover that the ants are controlled by an extraterrestrial intelligence.

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Far too new to be the one I'm looking for. – Mnementh Dec 9 '11 at 12:35
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An 'ant'-themed movie from the 90's I remember when "killer-ant invasion" was in the news is Legion of Fire: Killer Ants! (1998). They aren't overly intelligent, but the characters are constantly surprised by their "tenacity", "determination", and "cleverness" (wax on the anthropomorphism).

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http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0667945/
The scientist and family man Dr. Simon Kress has been researching the development of a species using eggs found in a sample of Martian soil. When one bug escapes from the laboratory breaking the security of the facility, the project is shut-down by the government due to its hazard and Dr. Simon is fired. Dr. Simon expected to win the Nobel Prize and steals 275 g of the sample ground, bringing it to the barn of his property and developing new species. He hides the truth from his wife Cathy and shares the secret with his smart son Josh. Along the days, Simon realizes how intelligent the creatures are and feels like a god since they seem to worship him. However, when Simon is bitten by one subject, his irresponsible behavior changes to insanity, jeopardizing his family, his friend and mankind.

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