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S3.E6: Killbots & Indie Horror with Travis Ayers | Chopping Mall
23 Plays1 month ago
Killer Robots, Exploding Heads & Indie Horror with Producer Travis Ayers! | Chopping Mall
Lock the doors and get ready for mayhem! In this episode, we’re diving into the 1986 cult classic Chopping Mall—and we’re not doing it alone! We’re joined by indie horror producer Travis Ayers (Cyst, Hawk & Rev: Vampire Slayers) to talk all things low-budget horror, practical effects, and the wild world of independent filmmaking.
Travis shares behind-the-scenes stories from his time producing films, the challenges and rewards of indie horror, and, of course, we break down Chopping Mall in all its head-exploding glory. 🤖💥
Don’t forget to leave a review and let us know what you think! Your support helps us keep bringing you killer episodes. 🔪🍿
#ChoppingMall #HorrorPodcast #IndieHorror #TravisAyers #CultClassic #TheAverageReviews
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Transcript
Introduction to 'Chopping Mall'
00:00:31
Speaker
This is Tim. This is Jonathan. Welcome back to The Average, where we don't just watch movies, we pick them apart. Not literally, unless we're talking about today's movie where people get blasted, zapped, and straight up exploded.
00:00:44
Speaker
Well, at least their heads. That's right. We're headed back to the 80s for a film that asks, what if shopping malls had murder bots? And what if those murder bots were somehow both terrifying and kind of adorable?
00:00:57
Speaker
It's Chopping Mall, the 1986 cult classic that proves security upgrades can sometimes be too effective.
Meet Travis Ayers: Horror Film Enthusiast
00:01:06
Speaker
And joining us to break it all down is Travis Ayers, producer of SIST, Miracle Valley, Infrared, Forbidden Sky, and The Christmas Tapes.
00:01:14
Speaker
Travis, thank you so much for joining us. Yes, thank you guys for having me. Thank you for that fantastic introduction. And yeah, so my name's Travis Ayers, as you guys said, um and I'm I'm the one that, before I get into my own introduction, I'm the one that brought this movie to these guys because am obsessed with this movie. I think Chopping Mall, um there are a lot of redeeming qualities about it. There are some non-so redeeming qualities about it, but that's what makes it so wonderful.
00:01:45
Speaker
um So I'm excited to talk about it, and I thank you guys again for... being able to chat about it. It's going to be exciting. So many i I grew up in Ohio. um Not a lot of outlets for, for film and media there. So I moved to Pennsylvania where I went to George Romero's school of filmmaking, which is also attached to tom Savini's school of special effects and makeup. So that all I mean, constantly surrounded by horror.
00:02:15
Speaker
ah You know, I can't even think of like a day that I didn't see, you know, fake blood on the floor. Like it was everywhere, no matter what was going on. So it was a lot of fun. um I think one of the coolest things was it wasn't, you know, one of those film schools where like you're constantly in a classroom looking at books, watching slides, watching you know, classics constantly.
Influences and Filmmaking Journey
00:02:39
Speaker
um You're actually like setting things up, you're shooting, on sets, you're working eight hour days, like just cool stuff. um And like one thing that like popped into mind recently that I kind of wanted to mention too real quick is ah my wife and I were watching Joe Bob Briggs, which I got to show some love there.
00:03:01
Speaker
The guy got me into... Loving movies again. I always struggle with watching movies sometimes. And I i watch movies because he entertains he makes it more entertaining with with the the facts in between.
00:03:13
Speaker
But we were watching the recent one with opera, Dario Argento's opera. And there was an actress in it, Coralina Cataldi. And i was like, holy shit. Like I did a movie with her in film school. It was a short film.
00:03:28
Speaker
And it just like kind of having those like memories. It's just like, i don't know, ah very like humble that like even little things like that. Like I was, totally. 21, 22, and I'm working with this amazing Italian actress who was in all these really cool Italian horror films. So, you know, yeah, I got a lot of fun experience early on. um I also learned a lot. I think the this is where a lot of my appreciation, I think, comes from for things like Chopping Mall.
00:04:00
Speaker
Yeah. I feel like a lot of the individuals that were around me as far as teachers and and instruct instructors go, were they were all with the independent, low-budget film mentality. So my main instructor, was the producer on Surf Nazis Must Die. ah My sound teacher did the score for Miami Connection.
00:04:24
Speaker
So like we're, you know, and we're obviously like George Romero, Tom Savini, you know, those guys too. So like everything with those as well, but I feel like, you know, we're still being taught about, you know, the multimillion dollar movies, but we're also learning how to like,
00:04:44
Speaker
cut corners and and save money here and save money there. And i was always, you know, that was ah to this day is still stuck with me. Like we're getting ready to jump into another production pretty soon. And I'm to this day still using those little things.
00:04:59
Speaker
Um, So, you know, yeah, I had needless to say, I had a really good time
Teaching Filmmaking During COVID
00:05:03
Speaker
at film school. um It was a lot of fun. And from there, I worked at a small art house theater in Pittsburgh where I made a lot of fun connections, ah worked with George Hardy from Troll 2, the dad from Troll 2.
00:05:17
Speaker
That was my first big connection. um he actually is the one that put me in touch with the group that I work with today, a director named Tyler Russell, who directed SIS. um And then shortly after I met George Hardy, who else would I have to meet?
00:05:33
Speaker
Greg Cicero from The Room, the other bad movie. So started booking shows for him around the the country at different theaters. So started working with that. And then we built a relationship together And then, you know, now it's me and him with, we have our own little company with Sestero Pictures. We're going to be doing a movie called Forbidden Sky this summer.
00:05:54
Speaker
um So it's... Did you do promo? Did you share something from that today? ah So today is actually alien abduction day, which yeah again, every day is something nowadays. Like it's, it's wild to me how like you can literally look something up and it's like, Oh, today's like coffee table day. I mean, it's like, it's, it's so wild. Just, just like, ah you know, it's, I remember being a teen and just like, to me, like boxing day was like,
00:06:22
Speaker
Who thought of it? Like, what why is Boxing Day a thing? But yeah, today is actually Alien Abduction Day. so um Nice. Yeah, I woke up to that, and i'm like um I was like, Greg knows this, but I don't. So that's that's fascinating, and also really cool that Greg knows this, and I don't.
00:06:39
Speaker
um So yeah, Forbidden Sky. But it's just like, don't know, it's really cool how life works. And again, more like just, how the hell did I get this... You know, I don't want to say I don't deserve it, but it's also just like, you I go from working at a movie theater, doing a lot of fun things and fun screenings to linking up with Jordan Hardy, the dad from Troll 2, but then also linking up with, you know, Greg Sestero from The Room.
00:07:08
Speaker
And literally one year from the date is when i went and saw the disaster artists in theaters. So like, it's just wild how things come full circle.
00:07:18
Speaker
um And that's kind of like what led led me to every movie that you just listed off um are are through those two individuals. So it started with George Hardy, then led to Greg, Tyler Russell.
00:07:33
Speaker
um And then last but not least, and then we can start talking about Chopping Mall. Yeah. i'm i'm I'm a talker. I'm sorry, guys. i know that's all i do I do overshare and I do overtalk. I do want to talk about these kill bots.
00:07:49
Speaker
I'm fascinated. You all got passion for what you got going on. and that's okay worthre to know that I appreciate you saying that because I do. I love what I do. Lastly, you mentioned infrared and the Christmas tape. so During COVID, I I get an email out of the blue.
00:08:07
Speaker
And ah so i I represent two people um as like a talent and and talent agent, talent manager. um George Harvey, who owns them, and CM Talkington, who is the director of a movie called Love in a 45, which is something i want to bring up later in the cast. So that's kind of a little...
00:08:27
Speaker
Pavlov's gun. Is that the... I think that's the term. I hope I didn't mess that up. Is it cat? pe Pavlov's dog? Gun? Dog? I know there's Pavlov's dog. don't know about a gun. I'm trying to think of a gun one. There's one in film. Is that like Old Yeller involved in that? I don't know.
00:08:44
Speaker
i'm like I feel like a terrible film student now because there's one that's a Chekhov's gun. something something There's like a thing and in film where they say like if you show a gun early on in the movie, it has to be used later in the film.
00:08:59
Speaker
like That's a whole game. like And it has some name. so that thing you know i'm a horrible film student right now anyways it's check off check off's gun yeah thank you oh bless you yes so that kind of comes into play with what we're going to talk about later that involves chopping ball but anyways yeah so i represent george hardy cm talkington who's the director of love and a 45 um But during COVID, I got an email from a gentleman named Rob Living, who is an instructor at a film school in Sacramento called Futures Explored, which is for adults with varying disabilities. So whether it's intellectual, um you know, Down syndrome, a lot of it primarily primarily is ah students with autism um and all all age ranges. So as young as 18, all the way up into 18,
00:09:57
Speaker
you know, early fifties. And because they were on, ah due to COVID, they were all doing online courses. So, uh, he had reached out and said, Hey, like, would you and George want to do a Q and a and talk about your experiences on cyst?
00:10:11
Speaker
Um, we just showed the students and they all loved it. So, um, It would be a lot of fun. So yeah, we did did a Q&A. It was a blast. like It was probably the most fun I've ever had, ah just doing a Q&A with people. Because like everyone was so passionate about it.
00:10:27
Speaker
And they had like realistic like questions that were like stuff I never even thought about. um So it made me even think about things I like did on the film. I'm like, huh, I should have done that.
00:10:39
Speaker
um So, you know, yeah, that was how that connection was built. And then like a month later, I reached back out to Rob and I was like, hey, I really, really enjoyed that. um I have never taught before, but I would love to teach.
00:10:56
Speaker
um Do you think there would ever be an opening for me to teach? And He's like, yeah, like we we definitely need someone to teach. So um I started teaching producing and marketing classes, and then that led to special effects and makeup.
00:11:11
Speaker
I taught a found footage class. I taught a horror class. um And I still work with them
Producing Found Footage Films
00:11:17
Speaker
to this day. I do adjunct teaching. yeah. Sometimes I teach twice a week. Sometimes I teach full weeks.
00:11:24
Speaker
um But yeah, so, and they're Rob and Randy both work with futures explored. So that's kind of how that connection goes there too. So sorry guys, there's a lot of Tarantino connection, like let's connect the dots here, but everyone I work with, we're all tied in together.
00:11:41
Speaker
um and I just want to say, i work with some great people. They're all really, really good people. So I found myself a good group, but yeah, Yeah. So that's, that kind of puts the bow on everything is, is the futures explore to tie All right, cool. That, that is awesome. I can tell you it's awesome.
00:11:58
Speaker
So before, before we go too far, I'm, I'm curious, what does your involvement, so you've talked about your teaching and your connections. What is your involvement? If you're attached as producer to a film, what does your involvement with that film look like?
00:12:16
Speaker
So this is an ongoing ah joke with me and my wife. um She's like, what exactly does a producer do? I'm like, I honestly don't know. I wish I could tell you. Yeah. um And we were just watching. We were literally watching or listening to something. And that was like the person's answer. And it was like, what does a producer do?
00:12:37
Speaker
And they're like, I don't know. and Every once. Yeah. Answer phone calls, send emails. ah No, honestly, so i think... the best way of putting it, cause I'm literally doing it as we, so as we speak. um So right now, ah Tyler Russell, the director of cyst, we are working on a found footage project um that takes place in Texas. It kind of revolves around a first wedding dress.
00:13:08
Speaker
um And essentially what we're doing is so we've, I guess like there's a lot more to it as far as like the pre-production part goes, but I'll kind of like fast forward a bit.
00:13:21
Speaker
So, because that's kind of where we're, where we are now, as far as like the production goes, we've gotten our budget. So obviously there's a lot of stuff that would come before, you know, getting your budget. And that sometimes is the hardest part is like selling your script, you know, getting someone to invest in your, your idea.
00:13:40
Speaker
That's honestly can be the hardest part. Uh, So yeah, there is there are a lot of stuff that come before that, but we've gotten that secured. So like, that's, you know, that's all in the past.
00:13:52
Speaker
um But right now is basically just going over the script, you know, having a rough script, um figuring out who's going to play who.
00:14:03
Speaker
ah We look over like, okay, this is what, you know, right now we're looking over, where we can cut corners. Um, because it's a found footage movie, you don't necessarily need everything you might need on say a film like this.
00:14:22
Speaker
Um, Because you kind of want to, it's going to be like very close quarters. Like, yeah, you do need a DP, but at the same time, that DP is going to be your lead actor.
00:14:33
Speaker
So, you know, there are certain roles that like will have to double up. So, and that also cuts position. So that is in a way from like a producer standpoint, good because you're saving a lot of money on the budget. So like when that happens, you know, like let's say,
00:14:54
Speaker
okay, we don't really need wardrobe person because everyone's going to be wearing what they would normally wear. Or this was something I brought up on a phone call yesterday was like, well, a lot of it takes place in the building itself.
00:15:12
Speaker
We don't really need hair and makeup to an extent because you know, if you're going to investigate a haunted place, like you're not, you know, logistically, you're not going to get all dolled up to go, you know, into this dark abandoned old church to find this dress. Like you're you're just not going to do that. And found footage fans, they take their stuff very, very seriously and they'll point it out and they'll like find it. So like,
00:15:42
Speaker
It's, you know, it will happen. So that was one thing that we did yesterday was basically just look at different roles that can be cut.
00:15:55
Speaker
And that was one of them. It's like, well, we don't need someone to do hair and makeup because there's not going to be a need for it on this particular film. So a lot of it is just doing stuff like that.
00:16:08
Speaker
Um, once all of that's done, like next week, I'm probably going to start talking to the location. So making sure that's all locked down. um We will set up an LLC so we have the bank account ready so everyone can get paid.
00:16:25
Speaker
um making sure we have making sure yeah Making sure we have insurance because the location itself is not the most safest location. And we do want to play it safe. um We made the joke.
00:16:39
Speaker
Well, i made I made the joke because I'm just like, let's save as much money as possible. And he's like, well, he's like, get the LLC. And he's like, you got to get the insurance. I'm like, you don't need insurance on this thing.
00:16:52
Speaker
And he's like, who are you? I'm I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. I was like, we're getting insurance on this one because that would be absurd. um But yeah, no, it's it's literally just a lot of it's just managing the money and figuring out like, okay, here's how we can save money, but making sure the money that you're saving is going to a department that's going to benefit the movie. So like, for example, like let's say,
00:17:24
Speaker
you're moving, you're taking away a department, put that money towards, you know, the sound designer, because especially for like a horror film, you know, one of the most important things is going to be the sound design.
00:17:37
Speaker
So like the sound design should be, you know, they should be getting what they de deserve or say like, and this is something that I always tell my students that's really important. And it's just because I'm like, I have like a marketing background like,
00:17:51
Speaker
You want to have a decent amount of money saved nowadays for a marketing budget. And that you know includes a poster, entry fees for film festivals, social media marketing. and So putting money into like ads and stuff.
00:18:06
Speaker
And like a lot of people don't even think about that, and at least on the on the independent level. I don't think a lot of people think about that. Like the major players, they they have plans years out. I mean, they're they're already thinking about that. But a lot of the independent filmmakers, like they don't think about that until their movie's already out. They've already paid their distributor and they're like, well, I don't have any money left to do any marketing. So that's really kind of like what a producer does prior um along with a ton of different, like I said, a lot of different phone calls, a lot of emails.
00:18:44
Speaker
All right, we sidetracked you there, but I loved hearing what you had to say. I was super fascinated. You're by far the only professional we've had on the show so far. so We've had Furlan, but she's an author.
00:18:57
Speaker
she's an author she's ah She's a horror author. so you're You're the first one connected to the film industry. That is super exciting, though. Oh, no, I appreciate that. And yeah, no, it's I mean, like said, it's it's a lot of fun. um And really, like the off the set stuff isn't, you know, I might say it out loud and, you know, you might hear it and be like, oh, it doesn't sound like much fun. But really some of the at home stuff is actually a lot of, a lot of fun.
00:19:27
Speaker
um And then, yeah, when you're on set, I mean, as far as like, there's different, obviously there's different types of producers, but um you know, you got UPMs associates. I feel like my role is typically, you know, with the director um I'm always with the crew and the talent, just making sure they're always happy. um Just very like personable. So I think that's always been my approach. Yeah.
00:19:51
Speaker
as a producer, um, you put out a lot of fires, hopefully not literally, but figuratively. Um, cause that's one thing too, you'll see is just like make, it's really just like making sure everyone's happy.
00:20:04
Speaker
Um, cause it's, it's, you know, it's, like high school sometimes, you know, it's, if, if one person gets unhappy, that can, that can spread really quickly. And, you know, on a film set, everyone gets worn out pretty quickly. So like one bad thing can lead to a bunch.
00:20:22
Speaker
um And, and yeah, like that's, that's kind of what you do. And then, Also, you just make sure that everything runs smoothly. Obviously, you work with the assistant director and just make sure that like you know no one's going over time. you know There's not more shots than need be. If you're working with like union members, you're not going over their time constraints because then you get fined. and like It's just really just like keeping an eye on everything um and making sure everyone's happy, um making sure you don't go over budget, which can happen very quickly too.
00:20:56
Speaker
um Yeah, it's I mean, it is its it's it is a lot of fun. um I think, too, the most rewarding part is obviously when the movie movie comes out um and you actually you're like, oh, OK, this is this is why I did this, because you finish filming and you're just like, oh, God, why did I do this? But then you watch it and you're like, OK, that's why I did it. It was worth it.
Exploring 'Chopping Mall' Themes and Humor
00:21:20
Speaker
I think that all sounds awesome. Yeah, it's it's a blast.
00:21:27
Speaker
Okay, then. Well, then, back to it, I guess. um So, as we were saying, we're going to be talking about killer robots, 80s cheese, and the art of making a damn good B-movie. Yeah, so let's... What's bringing this all together?
00:21:43
Speaker
already said it. Chopping them all. we're We're here to talk about Chopping Mall. I first noticed it. Travis was sharing about his love on social media, and I hopped in there, and I was like, man, this is one of my favorite 80s.
00:22:00
Speaker
It's not really a slasher, pseudo slasher, whatever you want to call it it it. borrows a lot of elements, but it's one of my favorites. I love this film. Okay, right on. Yeah.
00:22:14
Speaker
Yeah, it's fantastic. I mean, i and I think this is the general consensus of this film is everyone hates that the poster is so, you know, misleading.
00:22:25
Speaker
And i don't know about you guys, but I feel like yeah ah part of That's a marketing technique. and mean I've watched so many movies where I'm like, that person is on the cover, but it's not actually in the movie. I know the the sleep and the Sleepaway Camp 2 and 3, the woman that's on the cover of those movies, she's not in them.
00:22:47
Speaker
Again, it's it's there they might be that might be a lame reference, but like still... I don't think that's really the problem with this movie. um i I love the poster. It's one of the best movie posters of all time.
00:23:01
Speaker
Yes. um But yeah, no, I love Chopping Mall and i think we're we're going to dive pretty deep into it. But one of the biggest reasons...
00:23:12
Speaker
that I love it and it's something that I put in my review is from like a producing standpoint they took everything they had with I think it was like an $800,000 budget which really yeah isn't a lot because it all goes so fast especially with like them with the mall rental special effects paying people stuff like that um they took with what they took, what they had and they made use of what they had. I mean, they filmed nights at a mall and they made it look incredibly cool.
00:23:48
Speaker
Um, they got a really good cast, most of which ended up doing more stuff, um, that ended up being pretty notable, but it just, i don't know. To me, when you make a movie, you want to make it something that you can always go back to and rewatch and enjoy, whether it's by yourself or with a group of friends, because, you know, there's a lot of movies that I love that I might've watched, whether it's in film school or you know, I regard as like one of the best movies of all time, but a lot of those movies
00:24:23
Speaker
I can't go rewatch and enjoy. Like I can say ah chopping mall. Like, yeah yeah, I think that's how people should, I'm not going to put, cause I'm not this master filmmaker, but i I have always kind of had that motto where like,
00:24:39
Speaker
You should make a movie not to be this masterpiece, but you should make something that's like, you know, 10 years from now, like someone can like find and and watch it and then rewatch it.
00:24:52
Speaker
yeah it's It's all about rewatchability, whether it's good or bad. um So that's that's my love for for Chopping Mall. Yeah. Well, you're saying with the title though, you know, you hear chopping them on, you think it's like a slasher flick, but you know, is it like accident like wielding maniac in a food court, but no, it's just like a full blown techno horror with killer security robots on the loose. And it's like, the yeah.
00:25:16
Speaker
So released in 1986, this little Jim was directed by Jim Wynorski and produced by Julie Corman. Yes. From that Corman family.
00:25:27
Speaker
It stars Kelly Maroney, Tony O'Dell, Russell Todd, and Barbara Crampton. Basically, if you were making a low-budget horror movie in the 80s and didn't cast Barbara Crampton, did you actually make a horror movie in the 80s?
00:25:45
Speaker
Absolutely not. So the setup, shopping mall installs a state-of-the-art security system, three high-tech robots programmed to keep criminals at bay. But because this is an 80s horror film, a lightning storm fries our circuits, turning them from mall cops into full-on murder machines.
00:26:01
Speaker
And naturally, there just happens to be a group of teenagers partying in a furniture store after hours. Because why wouldn't you? Drinking, hooking up, and living your best Reagan-era lives until the Killbots show up and start reducing the guest list.
00:26:17
Speaker
And speaking of the 80s, this movie leans hard into the era's obsession with malls, consumerism, and technology. Some folks even compare it to Dawn of the Dead, only instead of zombies mindlessly consuming, you've got robots enforcing capitalist discipline in the bloodiest way possible.
00:26:31
Speaker
That's right. Film scholars have dug deep into this one, calling it a satirical take on Reagan-era excess. But let's be real. The reason Chopping Wall endures is because it is fun.
00:26:43
Speaker
It's got cheesy one-liners, insane laser kills, exploding heads, and an unrelenting pace.
00:26:53
Speaker
Yep. And of course, it's got the iconic line, have a nice day. All right, so let's get into this, talking about the story, plot, breakdown, what we think of that. Travis, as our guest, do you want to lead the way or do you want to sandwich between us? Where where do you want fall in this?
00:27:15
Speaker
i i want video and then i' I'll sandwich. i guys I don't mind being the sandwich. All right. I just want to say first, I was watching this last night and I was like thinking like stupid goofy thoughts.
00:27:29
Speaker
And when Travis, when you said that you grew up in Ohio, I was like, Oh no Cause I've watched this. i was like, oh yeah, this seems like some, some shit that would go down at a mall in Ohio. You know, like, Oh yeah. Yeah.
00:27:42
Speaker
the mean hoberg but if it would If it were to happen, which will probably be a part of my like discussion at some point, maybe, ah it probably would be in in that state.
00:27:55
Speaker
So you're not far off. Oh, man. That just totally tripped me up when you said you're from Ohio. was like, oh, my God. i thinking i night Oh, geez, man. Awesome. but really But we start with the story and the plot, you know, it's like we already said, you know, you got a bunch of like young adults, you know, probably like 18, 19, 20 or something like that.
00:28:15
Speaker
And they're partying after hours in a mall in one girl's daddy's furniture store. Everyone there seems to work at some shop in the mall. Security system comes online and they've got this whole Johnny five kind of thing, but with no comedy, really as not so much as that, you know, just their theirre basic lines and then just murder, murder, murder, murder murder which is still cool.
00:28:38
Speaker
But the way the characters go about trying to like defend themselves and defeat these robots and some of like the other weird little bits to it, it was fun. I thought it was cool. um There are certain certain parts of it. i was just like, Oh, that's so cheesy, but like, Oh yeah.
00:28:53
Speaker
Ohio. Okay. But I don't know as far as like, think super unique. I mean, I don't remember hearing any kind of like, hearing much about any kind of movies from that time that took place with like kind of a mall security kind of situation. So I thought thought that was pretty rad. It was it interesting.
00:29:11
Speaker
And it was nice to see a bunch of like idiotic young people to get, you know, just totally packed slash zapped and blasted. So it was good for me. Yeah. All right.
00:29:23
Speaker
Yeah, so the plot, I mean, Jonathan, you explained it the best, I feel like. ah you I mean, there's really no other description for the plot. um I think that, you know, and it kind of goes back to everyone's kind of complaint about this movie not actually being what they thought it would be. You know, everyone assumed it.
00:29:45
Speaker
it would be a slasher film, not a film about robots. um And I think like there, so there's a movie called the initiation. And then there's another one called hide and go shriek, which both of those, you know, take place in a mall and they're, they're serial killers.
00:30:03
Speaker
um I don't think either one of those work, you know, there, I like the initiation, but it's, And I might be reading too much into them, but then I'm also like, you know, it's for, you know, a serial killer to sneak into the mall and, you know, chop off all these kids one by one.
00:30:24
Speaker
yeah Obviously Jason Voorhees doesn't make a whole lot of sense either, but to me, it's like, it makes more sense to have these security robots that, you know, patrolling this empty mall than to have someone, you know, stay overnight and kill these teenagers. So again, you know, we, we do have these mall slashers that are fine,
00:30:51
Speaker
but I still think that like chopping mall is a little different than those. Um, but yeah, so we've got this, know, group of teens staying over at the mall, hanging out.
00:31:02
Speaker
Um, I think every stereotypical character from every eighties movie there, they're all there. Um, And I think really there's not a whole lot of dynamic about a lot of the characters. um Kelly Maroney is awesome. Night of the Comet. I love her in that.
00:31:21
Speaker
um And yeah, Barbara Crampton, you you mentioned her. yeah I don't think, yeah, you can't really cast her and, and you can't make it an 80s horror movie without having her in it. um But really it's, you know, I think the, the cast is,
00:31:39
Speaker
is overshadowed by the kill bots themselves as weird as that kind of sounds but like you know um they just look great i think yeah people will probably like watch it and be like those look so cheesy but it's like well okay like this is an 800 000 movie And I don't know, to me, like those look pretty cool for what the, for what the budget was.
00:32:06
Speaker
um I would say there, you know, again, i think the kill bots really are like the lead of this thing. So, you know, what all comes boiling down to the overall plot of the story. Yeah. It's incredibly goofy, but at the same time,
00:32:24
Speaker
I think it's a little more realistic than slasher in the mall, just because, especially like present day, you know, malls obviously are kind of like on their way out. Some of them in bigger cities, like I know bigger cities, they're, they're definitely, um they're still there and still really popular, but there's, so this is kind of like,
00:32:50
Speaker
This is where I dive a little too deep into Chopping Mall. um So I do apologize in advance. But there's a lot of malls where there's like there's crime, especially nowadays. then you there You always see like videos of like you know theft and fights. And I'm just like thinking, i'm like how you know when will it come to when they... you know Obviously, they do have cops and and guards at malls now, but... like when are we going to start seeing robots at, at malls? Like, and I say that sarcastically, but you know, um, they got the, the Tesla robots and like, they, they have all these, you know, things that are already made that, you know, even when I live in Pittsburgh, like I, you know, hearing stuff they were making at like the robotics center,
00:33:36
Speaker
I mean, the stuff's created, so I'm just still thinking, like, is Chopping Mall that far-fetched? I mean, as goofy as that sounds. like nice Not at all. Irving Mall sounds like something that Irving Mall would have eventually.
00:33:49
Speaker
I watched this movie. I've been there. This time watching this movie, I was like, that robot AI is pretty advanced. Like, that's that robot AI is there. And I'm like, how far are we from that? So I had the same question. You bring it up. But I had the same question.
00:34:06
Speaker
Question watching this movie. Not the first time I watched it, but this time I was like, yeah, it resonated a little bit. very It resonates a little too close. but you know Again, so goofy to say out loud, but then you say it and you just like think about all the videos and stories you've read and you're just like, I mean, and also too, and this is the last thing I'll kind of like say about it, is like you know they would prefer to have like an AI robot, whatever you want to call it, in that situation versus a real person. um Because one, you're saving a life.
00:34:47
Speaker
But two, like if you have like a robot in that situation, I just think like logistically, whoever's running that operation, whether it be a mall, Like I could see them easily saying like, okay, we're going to put this as our front runner. You know, we want to be, we want to be the mall that has this technology protecting our mall. I just, I
Marketing and Cultural Impact of 'Chopping Mall'
00:35:09
Speaker
don't know. I just feel like that's the thing. And then I think it's going to be such a huge trend on Twitter that people are just going to be sharing clips from shopping malls.
00:35:19
Speaker
And it's going to be one of the best days ever. Like, cause it's just going to chopping Jim Wynorski's bank account is just going to, hopefully he's still alive to see it. Cause he's made a lot of movies, some bad, some okay.
00:35:33
Speaker
um But I hope he's alive to see it. Cause yeah, his, his bank account will just skyrocket. So the, I love the opening scene of this, that,
00:35:46
Speaker
you don't realize at first is like an advertisement for what these robots can do. And that's, that is definitely the future that I'm picturing while you talk about that. That's going to be what's on Twitter is these robots stopping that armed robbery.
00:36:00
Speaker
i love that this was actually originally titled kill bots, but, was the original title of the film, but it didn't do great at the box office under Kill Bots.
00:36:12
Speaker
And that's when, like you said, it was a marketing decision. We're going to go Chopping Mall because Chopping Mall is catchy. Slush them prices. Chopping Mall is awesome.
00:36:26
Speaker
i That name is so good. The movie takes place... at the Sherman Oaks Galleria, the real mall, Featured in Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Terminator 2, Judgment Day, and Commando.
00:36:42
Speaker
So some of similar places there. But the story unfolds in a single night. ah It's really not a complex story at all. Like we've said, bunch of kids staying after in dad's furniture store after a lockdown.
00:36:56
Speaker
The plan is to get out before the big steel doors close, but that goes wrong. And they're stuck with some killer robots overnight. It's a ton of fun. it It didn't change the world.
00:37:09
Speaker
It won't change the world. It changed my world though. This was a blast. So it's, I can't, got to give it. So this is where we come in on the scores.
00:37:23
Speaker
I give it three. The story is good. It's unique. I can't think of another film quite like this with, robots coming in to supposed to be our protectors tearing down kids in the mall.
00:37:38
Speaker
um You mentioned the mall movies. I always think of Phantom of the Mall, Eric's Revenge, and how that's... This is always better to me. This is the superior mall horror film for me. This is my go-to.
00:37:54
Speaker
It hits that 80s mall vibes and obsession that I want. I love the opening sequence of just people in the food court and skating through and going up the, I love it. It's great film, but yeah.
00:38:08
Speaker
So story and plot, I give it a three out of five. It's good. can't really go tell you it's, it's great. There are parts of this movie are great. and I'm not sure about the story, but yeah, I'm a three.
00:38:21
Speaker
Okay. All right. That's fine. I agree with you on that. I'm sitting at a three as well. um It wasn't like anything that really blew my mind as far as a story goes, but it's still something that was enjoyable and entertaining.
00:38:33
Speaker
So three school.
00:38:36
Speaker
So I don't remember exactly what I put on the scorecard, but yeah I'm going to say it's a four only because I just think that it is so original.
00:38:51
Speaker
And like, I feel like I just hear so many ideas on a regular basis. And I like have seen so many different movies And this one is just so out there that it works.
00:39:06
Speaker
Like, i don't know. It's... I just think it's so obscure that it works. And I think that's why I love the story so much. It's like, and no other universe would this idea work, but it works here.
00:39:19
Speaker
And if you really look at Wynorski's, like his, his resume, um, and not a lot of ones that work, but this one does work.
00:39:30
Speaker
And, um, I just think, yeah, like a very, very original story. I know he did take some inspiration for some other movies from the 50s and 60s, but, you know, I just think it's one of those movies that...
00:39:46
Speaker
it will continue to have fandom because of its strange strangeness. Like it is so strange. And I think that is because of the story.
00:39:59
Speaker
Like, yeah, the kill bots, you know, again, they're, they're the characters, they're the shining stars, but I think the plot kind of will keep it around. It's like a roach. um The plot will always,
00:40:11
Speaker
make this movie live because they'll be like someone will be talking to be like you know what's the movie about those killer robots in the mall and it'll be chopping mall so that that is absolutely fair cool uh the characters then Characters, but man, they were goofy. They were fun, but they seemed very typical for the time, you know, between having like your kind of shy, nerdy guy type, your guy who's kind of like the chill middleman of the guys. And then you've got your, your more alpha male kind of character there with, ah with Mike played by John Turleski.
00:40:48
Speaker
um The ladies were fun, you know, and they still had like, they're kind of opposites to those guys as well ah with the lady characters. Yeah. You a few bit characters on the side, you know, some people who were somewhat familiar at the start when like they were doing the explanation of the robots and asking questions to the people who were presenting the whole thing for the mall security.
00:41:09
Speaker
But as far as like growth and like arc, there's not really much to speak of in that regard. Well, you know, cause almost everybody dies except for like two ah of the people.
00:41:20
Speaker
And it's great that they survived. They came out on top. Um, what was it? Uh, Kelly Maroney playing Allison. she was She was like the hardcore lady. She was like the tough one out of like everybody, man.
00:41:35
Speaker
and but What's that line? My dad's a Marine? Was that? Well, she don't go to lines. She's like, daddy was a Marine. Yeah, daddy was a Marine. Doing all this stuff and shooting, popping, like – she She was pretty awesome. I liked her character a lot and how she was like not your typical panic stricken, you know, female in a movie.
00:41:54
Speaker
She was more calm collected and was like ready to take on some challenges and she was ready to survive. She's pretty badass. Yeah, she she is. like she She was like one of my favorite characters because of how hardcore she was versus everybody else.
00:42:07
Speaker
The guys were cool. They were trying to be macho and like, you know, save the lady, save the ladies. But ultimately, that kind of bit them in the ass. But oh whatever's whatever. That's just the story for you as far as the movie goes. But I liked them.
00:42:19
Speaker
I thought they were cool characters. Yeah. they were They were each had their own weird little idiosyncrasies because you got like random hookup couples and you got the couple was like married.
00:42:30
Speaker
They were married, right? I think. Yeah, that that one's weird. Yeah. yeah That was kind of an offhand one. But ah the relationships and how they all interacted, I thought they were cool and I had a good time with that.
00:42:41
Speaker
you know Would have liked to have seen a little more from a couple of characters, but otherwise, not bad.
00:42:49
Speaker
All right, so i am looking at my notes because I only have like very limited stuff on the characters. because this movie is not in this movie This movie, there's no characters. I mean, yeah it's it's lacking in characters.
00:43:06
Speaker
um
00:43:10
Speaker
Susie Slater... Delivers the line of the movie. um I did have that in the my notes here. And I think this is the most important part. She says, i'm just not used to being chased around mob by killer robots.
00:43:25
Speaker
That was so weird. i was like, why? And she delivers it so sarcastically. um but it doesn't, it's not supposed to come across that way. It's her delivery is so it's, it's very interesting. It's very dry and you can't really like, like if I was to say it, it would be, I don't know. It's a very dry sarcasm.
00:43:48
Speaker
So that's how I took it. And I found it hilarious. Yeah. but her delivery is so just, i don't know. It's interesting is the best way I can describe it. So I was going to wait until script to bring this up, but I do what you're talking about it now. So I want to ask, it seems to me upon further rewatches that this movie is intentionally funny.
00:44:09
Speaker
Oh yeah. I don't think moments like that are accidental on repeated watches. i'm like, this movie is, a horror comedy.
00:44:23
Speaker
And I, it's not, it's not, uh, why can't I think it's a scary movie? It's not that kind of horror comedy, but there are so many hilarious lines in this movie that I was like, this can't be on accident.
00:44:38
Speaker
Can't be on accident. Well, Barbara Crampton, like up in the air duct, freaking out, man. I just kind of like chuckled to myself a little bit like that. She's just freaking out. And I'm like, so calm down. to it It's just an air fan. Like, what are you doing? Yeah.
00:44:50
Speaker
it I definitely agree with you, to him because I think that, yeah, there are a lot of comedy moments. And, like, if you ever listen or, like, watch interview with Wynorski, he definitely has that, like...
00:45:07
Speaker
goofy kind of creepy kind of different type of sense of humor that he has like and also like roger corman type of humor so like there is that sense of humor in there so i definitely agree with you on that something really didn't think about until you brought it up um especially with that line because like yeah there's that and then you know thank you have a nice day um but it's just like going back to the characters. There's just nothing really I can write home on.
00:45:39
Speaker
Um, I think the only other note that I had was that I, and I, it's just someone I had to bring up, but Dick Miller, um, I just love anytime Dick Miller gets a cameo in a movie.
00:45:50
Speaker
Um, i love one of my favorite movies is the burbs. So like, anytime I see Dick Miller, just like kind of like warms my heart. Cause he's just like ah you know, familiar face type thing. Yep. um But yeah, it's just not a movie known for its characters. And like, you're really not, you're not watching the movie for, you know, you don't want to know where their characters lead. You don't really care what they're going to do after this movie is done.
00:46:18
Speaker
So you don't want a sequel with Ferdy and Linda. Yeah. I, yeah thirty i I agree. i the You said it best earlier that the main characters here are those robots. The kill bots are the main thing. The rest of them are your typical, and I hate saying it, but they're your typical slasher tropes. You know they you have the good girl in Maroni's character. She's the final girl. She's the squeaky clean one through the But yeah.
00:46:51
Speaker
ah but yeah
00:46:54
Speaker
two pretty well-known scream Queens with Barbara and Kelly with Maroney and night of the common, as you said, Crampton had it been in reanimator the year before this, uh, Paul Bartell and Mary Warren off at the beginning reprise their roles as Paul and Mary bland from eating Raul in 1982. So there's a little bit of a cameo there, but you mentioned Dick Miller, uh, just ah great,
00:47:23
Speaker
little cameo, but there's not, there's not a character arc. There's not really like anybody to latch onto other than, you know, you kind of like the main two, you kind of like them and you want to see them make it through. But also I'm kind of here for the kill bots because they're pretty awesome.
00:47:45
Speaker
So this is one that, you know, this is an interesting movie because I feel like As much as I love this movie, I got to be honest with you and say, I'm just going to give character. It's a three. It's good.
00:47:57
Speaker
None of it is so bad that I cringe and can't watch and like, oh, I hate that character. No, they're good. They all serve their purpose.
00:48:08
Speaker
I'm engrossed in the movie. I'm having a good time, but there's not like, you know what? Susie Lynn's arc in chopping mall is really one you need to see. Like that's not the conversation that's being had about this movie.
00:48:22
Speaker
So yeah, I'm a three. I give it, i give it a good on the characters. I agree with you on that. I'm i'm sitting at a three as well. Um, Susie, man, like her, her need to want to go after and help her dude. And then like, end up getting just roasted. It's like, it's like, that's awesome. But yeah.
00:48:41
Speaker
Sitting threes. Yeah, and I got to agree with you guys too. us It's just like three. you know There's no one hateable. um And they're just all kind of they're all kind of there. And I think that's that a good thing.
00:48:57
Speaker
I take it back. The the cook, the guy with the cigarette in his mouth, he's preparing food. yeah I think I kind of dislike that guy. Yeah, he is he is kind of unlikable. That is true. I like i like the guy sitting there feeding his face. He says, this whale beaches here every day.
00:49:15
Speaker
ah that Those are the moments i'm like, this is comedy. This has got to be comedy. um Can I go first for music and sound design? i want to talk about this. Please.
00:49:26
Speaker
Okay. um I had to put this one here. My squeaky chair. Because this is what the soundtrack reminds me of. Depeche Mode.
00:49:39
Speaker
So that... um Interesting. That Killbot theme, especially, much of the music in this, I don't want to say much, about 50% of the music in this movie is adequate, so does its job.
00:49:57
Speaker
But the Killbot theme, the main theme for this film is that and industrial style techno that's coming in at the end.
00:50:08
Speaker
it made me think of old Depeche mode stuff. And I'm like, yes, I love this. I love this sound because it is different than a lot of the other ah slasher movies that were coming out about this time. A lot of them kind of like that, uh, just ambient synth sound that we see in other movies or that kind of string. I, I Friday the 13th,
00:50:37
Speaker
theme is a ripoff of psychos theme and I will die on that hill. Um, but it's a string, it's a string arrangement. And then that string arrangement through the eighties kind of turned into a synth version of that same thing because since we're cheap, but this one is pretty unique in a plethora of soundtracks like this.
00:51:00
Speaker
uh, Watching this movie this time, I actually looked for it on vinyl, which Waxworks released it on vinyl because I was like, this is good.
00:51:11
Speaker
I like this soundtrack a lot. It's Electronic School composed by Chuck Serino. who worked on a lot of, ah he worked on a lot of his movies. ah I'm like, we're Norski's movies.
00:51:29
Speaker
I think he worked with a lot of Corman films as well. So he's pretty well known in the low budget horror sci-fi area. Some people say it's reminiscent of Carpenter's work.
00:51:41
Speaker
i get that. But to me, it definitely reminded me more of Depeche Mode, especially if you get some of the Depeche Mode like B-sides without vocals. i My wife, I was listening to it in the car and she was like, what is this Halloween music? And I was like, it's Depeche Mode.
00:51:58
Speaker
But like, that's what I hear on this movie. I love it. I also love the robot sound effects were created using various movie clips, including the war of the worlds from 1953.
00:52:13
Speaker
ah Jim Wynorski himself did the voice of the robots. Um, I, the sound and the music and sound design on this film is one of this films that I think this film has multiple high points.
00:52:27
Speaker
Music and sound design is one of them for me. I truly love the sound of this film. I put this film on in the background today while I was cleaning, just cause I wanted to listen to it.
00:52:38
Speaker
I like to listen to this movie. So that's what I have to say about, about that one.
00:52:45
Speaker
ah Yeah, I mean, I couldn't agree with you more. The soundtrack is phenomenal. um I definitely agree with you on the the Depeche Mode reference. Very similar there.
00:52:56
Speaker
I think the keyword, though, you said is unique um because there's... some I don't even think I can compare a movie that has something that's even remotely similar to this.
00:53:07
Speaker
um And in a way, I think, ah again, it's like another thing that makes Chopping Mall good, in my opinion, is that it makes it so different that like, yeah, you're still watching a horror movie, but...
00:53:21
Speaker
doesn't necessarily have the like, all right, well, we're going to play scary. Like we're going to make this, we're going to play scary music to remind you that you're watching a scary movie. um Like, I don't think that's necessary in this movie. So yeah, soundtrack's great.
00:53:36
Speaker
um The robot sounds are fantastic. I think my favorite thing is just the robots like moving around on the ground, um sound design-wise. Just that like the sound of like a little tank or like a little vacuum. clay I don't know what it is, but I think that sound is so just accurate.
00:53:58
Speaker
um I just, I don't know. and I typically watch like most of my, like when I watch a movie, I watch it with headphones and was picking up on every little thing. And I'm like, I just love the like small hum that when they're going over like the carpet or just like the linoleum, like just the sound the robot was actually making when it was moving. yeah.
00:54:24
Speaker
I thought was great. So yeah, overall, I mean, if, if anything that, you know, if someone's going to like nitpick this movie, I feel like this is one of the hardest parts for them to nitpick.
00:54:36
Speaker
Cause it's, I mean, it's not flawless, but it's, it's really tough to tear apart. but and z brought Sorry, Jonathan. You brought that up. Like,
00:54:49
Speaker
The sound design for the robots just moving is so good that I never questioned the sounds would be added later in post. Like I'm watching it thinking like, yeah, that's the sound of robot makes when it moves. I wasn't even thinking about that element of it, which means they did an excellent job.
00:55:11
Speaker
So, For me, like the music didn't really register for me. And that's kind of a good thing because that means it blended well. but it didn't really stand out in a way that made me think of it in the terms that you guys did as far as like the Depeche Mode reference. For me, it was just there, just ah as an accent.
00:55:29
Speaker
You watch it again and you'll get it. I'm going to have to. now i just say Now I have to go back and be like, I'm going to have to listen for those tones and be like, oh yeah. yeah But for me, it it was definitely the sound design overall for anything for me in this category.
00:55:43
Speaker
because all the explosions, the lasers, all the small things that you catch, it's like, oh man, that's really awesome. Like even when they're in the technician office and the guy is sitting there with his back to the robots and you hear the power up, the power down, you know, and the little things, the little, the little sliding open hatch for the darts that shoot out and all that stuff, you know, just as there's a lot of these little small things that just make sense and it fits so well that I think they did a great job with how they planned out that the sound design,
00:56:11
Speaker
The breaking of the glass and everything with Robert, the the robots are going through it when the lasers are cutting through the sheet metal for the doors to the storefronts, you know, all these little things, man, they just it all went together really well.
00:56:24
Speaker
So that's all I can really say about it. But aside from that, score wise, I went with the four because primarily of the sound design on this one. you know I think I'm changing mine after we talked about it.
00:56:39
Speaker
i was i was a four. I think I'm going to say it's a five. do you bro the The music might not be the Jaws theme, but talking about the sound design of the robots and all the other effects in this film, absolutely.
00:56:54
Speaker
ah i I love that element of this film specifically. I'm impressed with it every time I watch it.
00:57:05
Speaker
I got to give it a four. I'm close to giving it a five, but yeah, I'm, I'm, I'm sticking with a four. Cause like, I feel like I got to reserve, got to reserve my fives for like a solid five, but no four. Cause like, it's, it's really, it's hard to compete with. And even like with what Jonathan does, like, it's just little noises that they do. And I even forgot about when, yeah, he's in the control room and the little hatch opens up and it's,
00:57:32
Speaker
you know It's very reminiscent of those you know old school sci-fi movies from the 50s and 60s. It's just cool little callback. Heck yeah. Well, then I guess to from there, we just jump into editing and special effects.
00:57:47
Speaker
um For this one, i like the way it was edited. I think it it set the tone pretty well, especially in the chase throughout the mall, the robots coming after the humans um and the way the back and forth they had with those scenes the way they played together.
00:58:02
Speaker
um Special effects, though. it's It's the mid 80s. So, I mean, you can't really compare it to the effects we have today, but they're still kind of cool for the time. um Like when Dick Miller gets electrocuted after the robot robot knocks over the the bucket of whatever mess that was spilled on the floor, you know, seeing him get electrocuted in like the colors and the weird little effects, you know, all that. That water looked like melted milkshake. He needs to dump that out and start cleaning again.
00:58:33
Speaker
It was pretty gnarly. It was gross on that. But there was a lot of good special effects throughout this film. There really were. as Like Susie Slater's head... when she gets zapped with the laser from the robot and it just explodes, I was like, dude, that is so red. it's weird though, because every time someone gets shot with a laser, it's like, Ooh, okay. ah ah Limp around. But when you get shot in the head though, it's big explosion. Like a little crazy over the top, but whatever it's fun factor. So why not? Right.
00:59:05
Speaker
But Even looked like the explosions, the fires, going back to Barbara Crampton when she gets taken out by the robot because she's got her little can of like whatever petroleum, gasoline, whatever stuff.
00:59:17
Speaker
And she ends up getting lit on fire by it, you know, and watching her flail and burn. And just I thought that was really good on the effects on that. um Aside from that, though, there's there's lots of other random little things, but those were like some of the biggest ones for me that I thought were cool.
00:59:34
Speaker
Yeah. Burn suits, burn suits, burn suits. I love me a good burn suit. And boy, this movie has one of the best. um Yeah, so Barbara Crampton's character ah when, gosh, gets caught on fire when that gasoline tank hits her.
00:59:51
Speaker
And it's, it's so wild. Cause you go back and you watch it. And Talon mentioned this to Tim, but I, I watched the Joe Bob version was one of the most recent versions of chopping mall that I watched. And even he's like, he's on fire or the stunt, you the stunt performer is on fire for so long.
01:00:14
Speaker
yeah And you don't really like, think about it and you know like jonathan i watched it last night too so it was fresh in my mind and i'm like watching it without the joe bob version and i'm just like wow this stunt performer is on fire for a absurd amount of time and i guess too an interesting thing that i learned was They actually cut it down because apparently it was longer, but they were in they were in risk of getting an NC-17 rating um if they would have carried the burn suit longer.
01:00:52
Speaker
So, I mean, again, like that scene was seems wild. Um, and yeah, have the head explosion, I love a good head explosion. that was maybe one of the best ones. Um, I think of that one in the deadly friend one.
01:01:08
Speaker
Um, and, and yeah, like, I mean, everything else was, is fairly, fairly simple. Um, you know, the electrocution stuff, yeah, kind of fun, but still really silly.
01:01:20
Speaker
and then the lasers, uh, yeah. I love them. know, um and here's kind of like, and this is something I was thinking about earlier. Like, I think, and I hate to say like the, if I produce this, but I just feel like one thing that maybe could have helped this movie is if they did maybe like a couple of lasers and like maybe the one laser was the head explosion and then two other lasers, like,
01:01:52
Speaker
Because I feel like, yeah, they did too much with the lasers, and it doesn't look good to begin with. So, and and you mentioned it too, Jonathan, and it's like, even when they would hit people, it would like just graze them, but yeah, it hits her in the head, and her head just hops open. So, like logistically, yeah...
01:02:14
Speaker
So I think, you know, and those effects definitely costed some some good change back in the day. So I'm just like, okay, well, you know, limit the amount of times these lasers are being shown.
01:02:27
Speaker
um So that, again, that's where my brain's thinking, because that to me was like the weakest part of the special effects were those lasers. Yeah. So yeah, effects-wise, i really like the effects besides the lasers.
01:02:42
Speaker
And then editing, ah oh my gosh, I actually really like the editing. um ah The runtime is like... ah spoke to me. yes um Yeah, no, I love short run times.
01:02:59
Speaker
I'm a dad and i get, I go to bed at nine sometimes. And when I can get a short run time on a movie, boy, I love it. So, you know, yeah, that one hour and 17 minute run time whatever it is, is is fantastic. So,
01:03:14
Speaker
you know Being able to edit all of that together and into one little thing is is a lot of fun. And then um one last thing that I'll note on the editing, and it's one thing that I just i was talking to a photographer friend of mine.
01:03:29
Speaker
So we both love when the opening titles don't appear until like 20 minutes into the movie. um We're both like really...
01:03:39
Speaker
it was just like an, a random conversation we just started having like just out of the blue or like, you know, in this movie, how like the title credits don't show up until like 25 minutes into the movie. I'm like, I love what movies do that.
01:03:55
Speaker
So the title credits in this movie are another instance that I love where a very like, kind of like, insane, like pretty sick line is said by an actor.
01:04:10
Speaker
And then it just cuts to the titles. This is a great example. Cause they're like, what's the worst that could happen? Stopping mall. And it's just, i don't know. It's, it's It's so 80s. It's so cheesy.
01:04:25
Speaker
But like just the delivery like gets you excited. It's like, all right, I'm about to watch it that's probably the most ridiculous over-the-top movie ever, but it's going to be a lot of fun.
01:04:37
Speaker
But yeah, it's just like, what's the worst that could happen? And then... I don't know. So I just love that. That editing technique was, was really good. Again, it's very simple. It was just, you know, how they timed it, but they, they put that together very well. So editing is, I think, yeah, the editing was done very well.
01:04:57
Speaker
So I'm, I'm with you on that. I, I'm going so far, I'm leaning into the comedy aspect of this. Like that is comedic timing in the editing.
01:05:08
Speaker
That is what's the worst that can happen? Boom. This. And it's, I often go back to UHF with weird owl to talk about editing and comedic timing because that movie is so good at that.
01:05:23
Speaker
And that what you mentioned makes me think of that. And that's one of my other, like in the list of reasons why I say this movie was meant to be funny. That's another, that's another one of them.
01:05:35
Speaker
Like, there we go. But yeah, I love the effects. I don't really have much more to add on top of what you guys said. The lasers, I love the lasers for a little bit of cheese factor.
01:05:47
Speaker
ah but She said in that Joe Bob episode that the lasers were expensive. Oh, I believe it. Yeah, a lot of the budget went to those lasers, and i'm like, man, what could you have done if you had not done the lasers, done something a little different with it?
01:06:03
Speaker
But also with the special effects, those robots are awesome. They are so cool. And it is it is cool in the nostalgic way. like We have seen, we mentioned the Tesla tesla like human-looking robot. We've seen that.
01:06:20
Speaker
We've seen the Will Smith iRobot movies. like We've seen other robots since then. But those have that nostalgia factor of like, yeah, I'm I kind of could see why somebody in 1985 was like, this is what's going to be patrolling the mall.
01:06:35
Speaker
Like I get it. And the fact that they made it using RC car parts, random toy hand things, It's cool. It is an awesome little robot. I like, as we're talking about it, I want like a scaled one to sit on my shelf back here because it's a cool little piece of eighties movie nostalgia. I love it.
01:06:59
Speaker
ah Yeah. Other than that, you I'm glad you mentioned the editing, Travis. um This movie is short. It's, and apparently it was 25 minutes longer than,
01:07:13
Speaker
And that got trimmed because i don't know what could have been in those 25 minutes ah unless they're like, I can't imagine another character that got cut. So I can't imagine what else was in it, but apparently it was too dark and they cut it, trimmed it.
01:07:31
Speaker
And honestly, I think the pace is fantastic. i was going to say, yeah, I'm okay with the cut we got. yo This is not one where I kind of want a director's cut just to watch it one time, see what's going on, see what I missed.
01:07:43
Speaker
But this cut is like a TV movie. It flies by. it is fantastic the way it the way it is. There's no scene that I'm like, well, this is a waste of time.
01:07:57
Speaker
It moves at a brisk pace. We kind of have three main, I don't want to call them battles, but it's it's kind of the three main battles that separate the story. And we just keep moving from one to the next. And I don't have a problem with it.
01:08:12
Speaker
So I am actually, I'm at a four on the editing and special effects for this film.
01:08:20
Speaker
I am sitting at the same. i'm I'm hitting four on this one for sure. it was a little excessive with a lot of the laser shots. So if it wasn't for that, maybe I would take it up little higher, but yeah, good.
01:08:31
Speaker
Four. Yeah. Four for me as well. All right. The script is next. Boy, howdy, the script. Man, like we were saying earlier, so many one-liners and like little jab moments of just goofy stuff.
01:08:48
Speaker
Man, like that fat guy who was in like the restaurant where they were talking about there, where the whale. The guy's like right before they cut that scene onto the next part to move the story. Waitress, more butter. hol you know It's like, dude, get a grip. You got like all this crap you. You want more butter? Chill out, man.
01:09:03
Speaker
Yeah, he does. And then Greg, he's earlier in their store. They're like, oh, fuck. It's Fuchsia Friday. like Where's the Fuchsia? The Fuchsia. It's like the hell with the Fuchsia, man. like Get real. That line is so good.
01:09:15
Speaker
Fuck the Fuchsia. It's Friday. Fuck Fuchsia. I love alliteration. It's so good. It's like, nobody gives a shit about this, dude. Like, whatever, man. We're going to go party with some ladies and get drunk and maybe knock some boots. Like, who cares about fuchsia, man? Like, whatever, dude. You know, just like a lot of weird little lines like that and goofy stuff.
01:09:35
Speaker
Like with Greg and Susie, he's like, you see he's all like you smell like pepperoni. Well, if that's how you feel. It's like, wait a minute. What? I like pepperoni. I'm like, yeah, all right. Get that, bro.
01:09:47
Speaker
Smells like some meat you like. You want to get on like with that lady? Okay, bro. Go for it, man. But like I said, there's so much goofiness in the lines and there's a lot to spread around.
01:09:58
Speaker
um I thought it was cool, man. I enjoyed it. There's just so much goof in here. Yeah. ah The script. Yeah.
01:10:11
Speaker
You know, i it's another like I respect type ordeal where it's like, you know, they were proposed to, I think, don't know if Roger Corman came to him or if it was his wife. One of them came to him and was like,
01:10:27
Speaker
we'll give you a movie deal. If you come up with an idea and Em and the writer got together some restaurant or diner or whatever. And in 24 hours came up with a movie idea and it was shopping mall, which, you know, again, I'm sure, you know, a much better idea probably could have came about, but we, I'm, I don't think I'm, I'm not too sad because we wouldn't have got shopping mall.
01:10:52
Speaker
So, you know, as far as the script goes, I've never wrote in a script. So it's like, I hate to be so judgmental, but like the script is you know, it's very cookie cutter. It's, um, very basic. It's, you know, the lines are what they are.
01:11:10
Speaker
um, I don't know. I just don't think it's really the main focal point. So I i guess I like really, you know, it's it's one of the things as a part of this whole review that I really wasn't like focusing on per se, just because I'm kind of just like, well, it's...
01:11:30
Speaker
kind of really not, not the, the main thing that really holds this movie together, even though obviously there wouldn't be a movie without it.
01:11:40
Speaker
um But yeah, the script, it does stay in one place for the most part. um It does go off a few times, but I think for the most part, it kind of stays on track But yeah, it's it's a good script.
01:11:58
Speaker
I'll just kind of end on that. It's a good script. but You can be a judgmental if you want. That's why we're here. Yeah, no, it's it's a good script. I've read worse. So this is where I always try to separate the story from I give the story the structure and how original it is. The script is just the lines that are said, the lines that are said.
01:12:21
Speaker
And this movie, this is where i'm I'm going back to, this was intentionally funny. It was meant to be funny. And I gotta to believe that when you get these lines that, I mean, you mentioned a bunch of them,
01:12:41
Speaker
uh jonathan you mentioned a bunch of them the pepperoni the waitress more butter the fuchsia uh one of the ones that i die at every time i see it is when the guys arm themselves and say let's send this uh let's send these fuckers a rambo gram and and I think it's so funny. I don't know how you write this and don't ah don't mean for it to be funny. you know I just think... I also have a very weird sense of humor. I've said it on many other episodes that I don't find comedy movies funny, but I find this movie hilarious.
01:13:21
Speaker
ah What was the other one that... I thought it was just hilarious that we disagreed on pretty bad. i don't, I don't remember. it's it's fine. Um, but like I laughed harder at this than i did at blues brothers, which is our previous one. And that, that was a comedy, but like, this is this kind of stupid situational comedy that it gets me.
01:13:46
Speaker
It gets me. I really like the script on this and the, I love the robot lines of just about every time they kill somebody. Thank you. Have a nice day and roll away.
01:14:00
Speaker
it's It's just a punchline to every kill. It's so good. So I'm actually for this. i criticized the story for not being super original. I give it a three.
01:14:13
Speaker
I'm actually going to give the script on this one a four because i i think it's hilarious. And that is that is my personal. That is definitely is personal. I think this movie is very funny.
01:14:27
Speaker
I love how funny this movie is. um Like the fact that, ah like, for example, Greg and Rick are, have just escaped robots. They're sitting there like catching their breath, planning their next step.
01:14:40
Speaker
And then Greg goes, Hey, how much do I owe you for the beer? Like that is your thought right now that that is where you are going. And I, I think that is comedic timing. I think that is so funny to be worried about that in that moment.
01:14:57
Speaker
that it is one of the things that I love about this film is I've seen plenty of slashers on Tubi where I'm like, oh that was bad.
01:15:11
Speaker
I'm watching this. Like, i I don't think this is bad. I think this was intentional. I think it's for fun. I think that is part of what makes this movie stand up for,
01:15:23
Speaker
40 years later is that it's script is well, it's well done. It's comedically timed. So I'm, I'm a four on it. I actually think the script on this movie is great.
01:15:38
Speaker
ah That's all right to have that opinion. Me, I'm, I'm going to go down the lower with the three. I almost went lower, but I was like, no no, it, it, it, it did we it did good job. I still, it just still had the good delivery.
01:15:49
Speaker
It was fun. Three's cool. You know, Yeah, I'm going give it a three as well. um I will jump back, though, real quick, because I do agree with the comedy.
01:16:01
Speaker
um Some of the best comedy is the anytime the characters talk to the robots, like talk directly to the robots, ah that's like...
01:16:13
Speaker
I don't know. To me, that's like when animals talk in movies is really like, again, it's, it's kind of like what Tim said. It's like, it's a weird, you know weird humor. And that's something that makes me laugh is like when animals talk in movies. So like in this movie, the thing that makes me laugh a lot is when they talk to the kill bots. um And cause the kill bots aren't going to respond, you know, the, and if they do, it's not going to be like intelligent response.
01:16:42
Speaker
So, but otherwise script, you know, yeah, it's, it's a three, but I do agree with you, Tim though. I do i do think that it was definitely wrote with the intent of humor.
01:16:56
Speaker
You know, there's definitely an intent to make people laugh with it. Yeah. All right. So onto the acting, this is, this is a pretty thin one for me. ah boy yeah Yeah, you can't expect too much when it comes to acting in this film.
01:17:12
Speaker
It's like one of those like cheesy mid-80s date night horror film kind of things, you know, just to go goof off with, you know. You know can't really expect too much. There's good people in it that have good work.
01:17:26
Speaker
um But overall, it's just oh my god it's just so goofy, man, with some of the stuff. these These characters, they're cool, they're fun, yeah and you know, and you don't really get too attached to them.
01:17:38
Speaker
But I mean, it was, it was decent delivery, but I don't know. I just really can't say much more about the acting than that. It it was okay. You know, it, it served its purpose for the most part. um Other than that though, i mean, Kelly Maroney was more like the highlight when it came to acting out of anybody. I think um the others were cool.
01:17:59
Speaker
She kind of went from reserved goody two shoes, nerd girl to badass pretty quickly. Yeah. Like she's a flip-flash switch. Like with this with acting, you know, like when you got Dick Miller, he's always been good at like some of those smaller parts and he always plays them well. um character People like actors like ah Paul Bartell and Mary Warnov, i I've seen them pair it up in so many things.
01:18:23
Speaker
And even though they're not main characters, they they still have, like they still serve a good point, you know, as far as like, you know with the character expression. others likest A lot of these other people, I didn't really know who they were until now, with the exception also of Garrett Graham, the technician, ah the second technician guy. um You never really see what happens to the first technician guy.
01:18:45
Speaker
You just know the bot comes up on him, and then he disappears, and no one's like, oh, where'd that guy go? When he shows up, I'm oh, where's the dude? Delivery was fine. um The second one with his nudie mags in the security room? Yeah.
01:19:02
Speaker
It was nice with the ladies seeing some body. I thought that was cool. They always had a good time. You could tell they were having fun bouncing around on the couch and the bed in there and they're doing whatever. But mostly it was like just that that scene again in the air vent and how crazy...
01:19:18
Speaker
Barbara Crampton was being while Kelly Maroney is just like, dude, it's going to be okay. to chill You know, kind of situation. And the other ladies were just kind of there, you know, just kind of side notes. Didn't really give much as far as dialogue with anything else, but the the acting was okay. And it's nothing really special to me.
01:19:37
Speaker
Yeah. Acting was again. Yeah, it was fine. Um, I think the like side care, like the, the one-offs, the cameos almost where those are the actors that like, yeah, if they were like in the lead roles, like the Dick Smiths and the Bartels, like if they were given a bigger role, then yeah, that's who we'd be talking about. And, you know, our cast discussion would probably be a lot different than what it is now.
01:20:05
Speaker
Um, But yeah, otherwise it was fine. And I also too think that like, you know, it was definitely directal ah direct, a direct her decision to you know, I think Maroney, they knew Maroney was going to shine. And that's, you know, why like her character actually had arc. Yeah.
01:20:25
Speaker
So they're like, okay, like but we're going to cast Moroni in this role because this character actually does show an arc, does show like you know that she's a badass, essentially.
01:20:37
Speaker
And i think that's why like when you watch the movie, you're like, don't really... care much for anyone else besides her. um i think that's like very relevant. And then also too, when you watch the Joe Bob version, she's like, oh yeah, he kind of had a crush on me. And like I told him I didn't like him. and like So I feel like the director, Wynarski, was like, oh, if I like make her look like $100 million dollars or whatever, ah maybe she'll go on a date with me.
01:21:06
Speaker
I mean, who knows? But still, I think, yeah, and in the cast department, you know, nothing, nothing too crazy. Yeah. I don't have anything really to add. You, you guys said it. Um, there's, they delivered the lines. Well, that's it.
01:21:26
Speaker
There's no really standout performance. That's amazing. So, uh, I mean, I've definitely absolutely seen worse. I didn't think any of it was bad.
01:21:38
Speaker
ah Travis earlier mentioned the delivery of that. Like, I'm just not used to hiding from, I'm just not used to being chased around a mall in the middle of night by killer robots and how kind of flat that delivery is.
01:21:51
Speaker
But like i'm I can't count that against her because I definitely think, like we've said, i think that's leaning towards that dry sarcasm and she's doing that on purpose. And that movie this movie has a couple moments of that kind of like dry sense of humor in the deliveries.
01:22:08
Speaker
And I think that was totally a choice from the director and like, hey, let's do that. but This is how I want it delivered. like Get that humor in there. So I'm a three.
Direction and Filming Techniques
01:22:20
Speaker
The performances were good.
01:22:24
Speaker
that's all i got on that one the performances were good three as well yep three as well on my end all right woo trifecta so nearing we got the last three categories direction well two real categories and then one final category so the direction for the film jim winorski
01:22:49
Speaker
uh yeah a As Tim knows, I'm never good at expressing myself in direction. I'd never know how to speak succinctly in this. So, um, ah
01:23:01
Speaker
I don't know. This is like the worst part. This is the worst category for me. It always is. um guess I liked the direction. Yeah, you go ahead. You can just take it over. really have much to say on the direction. You guys have fun with it.
01:23:13
Speaker
Okay. ah hi i appreciate I like the direction on this movie. I don't think there's anything truly remarkable about the direction. ah I do like a lot of...
01:23:28
Speaker
smart choices that were made and they filmed in a real life mall. They couldn't destroy real mall property. So if you're watching and you're watching with that in mind, you'll notice that like any scene where something is destroyed, the camera cuts in a little closer.
01:23:46
Speaker
you know, we don't see wide expansive hallways. We see what's probably a replica set or just a little piece, a door that's rebuilt for them to destroy. And the tricks used there super smart on the direction.
01:24:01
Speaker
I love that. There's no really, i like to, I come at the direction category as if I'm thinking, you know, in terms of Hitchcock where he really staged his scenes and use the camera or even, uh,
01:24:15
Speaker
like can I think ah Dario Argento really composed the way the film was shot. This movie doesn't have that composed
01:24:28
Speaker
idea for each image but it's really it's well done you know we've talked it's an hour and 17 minutes and to pull that off and to be cohesive and to be engaging that takes talent that takes skill he does a great job pulling all of these elements together taking a movie about killer robots in a mall overnight and making it wildly entertaining and some of the most fun I have watching these older movies.
01:24:58
Speaker
That is to the credit of the director. So I give that. um I am a big fan of the way this movie opens.
01:25:09
Speaker
It's a bit, I don't want to say it's a slow burn, but it almost starts like ah comedy, like a teen comedy more than anything else.
01:25:21
Speaker
Because we get we get that opening montage, that fake out that I actually like. We get that presentation of the robots. But then we get into just this mall drama. Two waitresses working, you know, their clients.
01:25:34
Speaker
We get a montage of mall life in the 80s. And none of it feels out of place for me. It sets the scene. It builds the story more. It makes me enjoy it more. So I give the direction...
01:25:50
Speaker
I have a hard time saying it's great. I think it's a little better than good because I think, yeah, I'll let someone else go. up So Travis, you you can, you can chime in.
01:26:03
Speaker
Yeah, no, the directing's good. Um, and I think he did a good job with the open. Like he, you know, I think, it would have been a lot different if the entire movie was in the desolate mall. Like if everything took place at night, like after the mall was closed, but the fact that they did get all those scenes of, you know, the skateboarder, the skateboarding kid, like riding around the mall, um, the stuff on the escalators, just like showing that it is like a heavily active mall during it's like working hours.
01:26:39
Speaker
Um, but, it's It's small, but like I think that like adds value to that set piece because it's like, oh, like this is like this is like a hip happening in place. like it you know It makes sense that like these robots are here whatever.
01:26:56
Speaker
um And then you know i think too, yeah, there's a lot of like directing choices that... I like just from like an independent standpoint, um just because he does do a lot of smart choices. Like you said, a lot of cutaways, the cutaways are so smart. Like, yeah, you're not going to blow up an actual mall.
01:27:16
Speaker
um So I think, you know, little things like that are smart. um And then in terms of like directing the actors, I don't know.
01:27:27
Speaker
i mean, I think that's maybe where some points would be taken away because I don't think that there was much of that going on. And I don't mean that in like a bad way, but like, I just don't think that was happening.
01:27:40
Speaker
Like, I just think that the actors were reading the lines from the script and he was saying action and maybe doing a couple of takes and then saying cut and then going on to the next scene.
01:27:52
Speaker
And the reason I think that is they wanted to get the movie done and made and sold, but also too, they were under some time constraints because they had to be up and out and cleaned up before the mall opened.
01:28:07
Speaker
So like, you know, I don't think there was a lot of direction in terms of like directing the cast. So that's, that's kind of my feedback on the directing of it.
01:28:20
Speaker
Right. Okay.
01:28:22
Speaker
So you're good, Jonathan. yeah i Yeah. You guys covered it. So he spoke about it better than I could. but So the last thing I have to say, he included a lot of nods to other horror and sci-fi films.
01:28:39
Speaker
There are posters. We have that scene at attack of the crab monsters. We have posters of the forbidden world in the background. And a lot of those are Corman references. Yeah. which actually, according to Joe Bob, ah Corman was not a fan of, but yeah Corman didn't like nods to his own work in his movies, which I guess that makes sense.
01:29:02
Speaker
But i there's that one scene where they're hiding, crouched down against a wall, and there's movie posters on the wall, and those movie posters are Corman films. And that that stood out to me. I was like, this Jim Wynorski was definitely a fan of Corman. He definitely studied Corman, and I appreciate that.
01:29:19
Speaker
But yeah, i'm I'm a three on that direction. Same.
01:29:25
Speaker
Uh, yeah, I'm like, i don't know. I'm torn between two and three. um I don't know. I had in my notes and you brought up. So now this, now this is why I got to like bump it up to a three because you mentioned it. Cause I'm like, Oh shoot. He did put this in the movie.
01:29:41
Speaker
Um, so yeah, I would say it too, but because you mentioned the posters, I got to bump it back up to a three because in my notes, I wrote down the fact that there's a Saturday, of the 14th poster and that there's a screwballs poster in the movie. Um, so the fact, you know, the fact that he included those in, in a movie, um, I watched Groo Dolls for the first time about three months ago.
01:30:06
Speaker
What are your thoughts? I, that movie was wild and I had a great time watching that movie. That was one of those that I had no idea what I was getting into and I was purely entertained.
01:30:19
Speaker
and have you seen porkies before oh love porkies long time he's a porky's too um go oh my gosh yeah you should watch you should re-watch porkies and and yeah like jonathan said you should watch porkies too as well the next porkies too the next day yeah so now my to be feed is filled with those like 70s 80s sex comedies now sex comedies some of them are so good like Yeah. seat Ski school, hot dog movie. ah saw hot dog, the movie. that Summer resort. Dude, there's so many good ones. And when you find a good one, they're good. Like, so yeah. They're are very similar
01:30:58
Speaker
Yep. All right. So the, we gave our scores cultural impact. So, yeah, I don't think, I don't feel like there's really much cultural impact with this.
01:31:11
Speaker
I mean, we did see kind of a rise in more robot movie action, like robot themed stuff. I mean, there's there's all kinds of stuff even before this movie came out that was robot themed, but the quality of it came up a little bit as we get more into the 80s, like with films like Short Circuit, Short Circuit 2, you know, where you had like a more interactive robot with comedy and some other stuff going on.
01:31:38
Speaker
I just just don't feel like this film... I know it's so it's considered a cult classic, but I had never heard of this movie until it was on our list. I had no clue about it. um So it was cool and all, but I just don't feel like there's much significance in it.
01:31:53
Speaker
to but That's just me, though. don't
01:31:58
Speaker
Hmm. Cultural impact. So I think the impact that it had... um I mean, i think as filmmakers, it's just had an impact on just, like, how to make low-budget movie in a mall.
01:32:17
Speaker
Like, I mean, not just a mall, but, like, using, you know, like... again, like the fact that he was able to film this entire movie over during nights in a mall, like a very popular, like, you know, like you said earlier, like commando shot here and grand commander shot during like working hours. But, you know, uh, it's, it's still wild that like, ah a shindy movie filmed in the same exact mall as that film um is, is quite the feat in itself. So, you know, not necessarily a cultural impact, but a big kind of like, okay, like if this guy did it, we can do it. You know, there's a way around things. You just got to figure out like, okay, I maybe can't film my movie during the day at this mall, but maybe I can work with them like after hours or maybe,
01:33:11
Speaker
I can film in one of the stores or maybe like, I just think that is there. um But I think really the biggest cultural impact, and I don't know if it's from this movie, so this could be wishful thinking, which it probably is, um is I think that this movie, and especially now because it's like regained popularity with like the re-releases and stuff is,
01:33:37
Speaker
the use of its marketing, foolery, I guess if you want to call it that way is like you spend, and I don't, I mean, i wish I knew the exact number on what they spent on the marketing, like the, the poster design and everything, but,
01:33:56
Speaker
that is what sold this movie. Like, I feel like the more, the, the majority people I know that have seen this movie don't like it.
01:34:07
Speaker
Like they, they can't stand it. They say it sucks, but they said what pulled him was the poster. And i I mean, I totally agree. Like when I first saw it, the thing that pulled me in was the poster.
01:34:21
Speaker
So I think, you know, and that's what sold it to video stores. Like, that's why video stores probably bought this movie back in the day was because of that poster. um So I think...
01:34:33
Speaker
you know And this works even in today's day and age. like Filmmakers and distributors see like little gimmicks like that, and they're like, oh, well that worked for this filmmaker. like Let's try this and see if it works with our movie.
01:34:46
Speaker
So I do think there might be something that could be cultural impact-ish from Chopping Mall that you know maybe a distributor... Because Corman is...
01:34:58
Speaker
corman is a god when it comes to independent filmmaking i mean the guy is you know rest in peace the guy is unmatched when it comes to stuff like uh you any of corman books like oh my gosh if you want to be a filmmaker read his books he's genius legend yeah legendary but i think that you know so many people took from corman and obviously you know Wynorski did too, but I think people were definitely paying attention to like the success of Chopping Mall, and they're seeing, like well, people are mad because the poster has nothing to do with the movie, but yet it's making so much money.
01:35:42
Speaker
like I just think that like distributors knowing distributors... They definitely were taking that. Okay, maybe our movie's not the greatest, but let's make sure we make a really cool poster. And if you look at horror movies, and you've brought up Tubi, if you're on Tubi, there are some garbage films on Tubi. But do they have some cool posters. And you can $500 to have someone make you cool poster. that's the thing. To me, it's like...
01:36:14
Speaker
and that's the thing like to me it's like I can literally watch a movie and be like, and I try to be transparent and because i um my movies aren't the greatest, but like, I'll be like, Hey, your movie sucks and you, you're not happy with it. Like give it a really cool poster, get really cool marketing ideas for it and like present it like that. So I do think that could be a cultural impact this movie has,
01:36:42
Speaker
Otherwise, I'm going to start digging too deep and i I'll stop. I'll start speaking incoherently because like that's that's as far as I can go, unfortunately, guys.
Cultural Impact of Malls and Film's Nostalgia
01:36:52
Speaker
But I think that's the only cultural impact that I can justify.
01:36:57
Speaker
so i I am with you. ah The cultural impact for me mostly comes from the poster. the
01:37:08
Speaker
It's so good. It's so good. I love the poster. That's all I got to say. And most of the time, if I bring this movie up, it is people who are frustrated that the poster doesn't match the movie.
01:37:22
Speaker
And unlike them, i happen to love the film behind the poster as much as I love the poster. Even if out there I'm going, so what would a shopping mall movie actually look like?
01:37:38
Speaker
So, and you mentioned some others that kind of have that similar idea, but this is one that outside of the horror world, outside of the indie movie world,
01:37:51
Speaker
not many people know of. I first heard of this watching the, uh, in search of darkness documentaries and they brought up the poster, you know, the poster doesn't match the movie. That's how they introduced it. So I kind of knew that getting into it, but I do think that documentary and recent, uh,
01:38:14
Speaker
I don't know the blu-ray release from Vestron video. I picked up a copy on, over Christmas time. Cause I love this film. Uh, I think it's bringing back that kind of cult status years later, people are discovering this movie and it's such a wonderful little bit of nostalgia from the mall.
01:38:35
Speaker
ah brain farting on that word, the mall life of the 80s, just the obsession everybody had with malls at that time from the mall culture. That's the word. Mall culture of the 80s to, i you know, it is kind of like taking those campers from Friday the 13th, but it's not a summer camp. It's a shopping mall and we put them there and watch...
01:39:02
Speaker
And there's something about that glossy sheen of the shopping mall that I love. I'm there for it. I want to watch this. I like one of my other weird feeds on Instagram is abandoned malls because there's part of me that just like my heart breaks seeing it.
01:39:21
Speaker
there's There's a word. For, I don't remember it. um Every time there's a place that's highly populated and then you see it empty. Oh yeah. It's a fear.
01:39:32
Speaker
Yeah. I, I, I have that. It used to happen every summer at summer camp. My dad ran a summer camp and on the last day, everybody would start to leave and we would always be the last ones to leave the camp.
01:39:44
Speaker
Yeah. And there's that day was always so hard. And so there's something about abandoned malls that it's that same idea of like in the eighties, they were thriving and now we see them and it's just empty.
01:39:57
Speaker
When you say that, to it's like, ah Back in the northwest birds of Chicago, where we were at, um saint down in St. Charles, ah the seat the Charlestown Mall, they tore that down last year. It is gone and done.
01:40:11
Speaker
And that place was huge. It was a huge mall. But you go there because the movie theater was still operating. And you would walk through and all the other storefronts, empty, nothing. Nobody except the movie theater.
01:40:23
Speaker
And then rees most recently, the Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee. Illinois, and they are tearing all that down. i i think they're going to leave the movie theater, but the rest of that, that's a issue that's a pretty big mall too.
01:40:35
Speaker
And they're tearing it all down. That's starting to happen a lot of places with these abandoned malls. And it's like places that used to be huge cultural meeting centers for people are now gone by the wayside and are being torn down.
01:40:47
Speaker
Luckily, Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, Illinois, is still thriving in a busy hub. yeah and All the rest the places you get further out into the, uh, of the burbs from the city of Chicago, it's all faltering and falling apart, man. It's because it's sad.
01:41:00
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. We, so where we live in Indiana, the town closest to us has the second biggest mall in Indiana and it's almost empty every time we go.
01:41:12
Speaker
Like it's, it's crazy, but yeah. So because of those things that snapshot into the eighties mall culture, ah And it's resurgence. I got to give it a three on culture impact. It's, it's not huge. I don't see enough.
01:41:30
Speaker
I honestly, I don't see enough people talking about this movie. I think more people need to see this movie. And I think they need to know what they're getting into because this movie is a ton of fun, but yeah, three for me on culture impact.
01:41:42
Speaker
I was sitting at a two. Yeah. I'm going say a three. All right. So then we close us out with our how entertained were
Final Thoughts and Ratings
01:41:58
Speaker
we? So this is the normal um what other people review movies as. ah How entertained were you?
01:42:07
Speaker
Zero to ten. For me, man, I was entertained a fair bit. I enjoyed the cheese of it all. It was, it was, it was pretty cool. I always enjoy good cheesy movie with goofy bullshit going on.
01:42:20
Speaker
And of course love seeing some, some nice female bodies. Well, you know, that always makes me happy. But other than that, as far as the culmination of everything, how it's put together and the way they presented it was still great.
01:42:32
Speaker
um For me, I put it at a seven. Okay.
01:42:38
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, I'm at, I'm at like a pretty like solid level. Oh gosh, I'm a solid nine. i mean, i yeah I think I say a nine because i showed it to my wife and it was like, sometimes it's like with with slashers and stuff like that, it can be a crapshoot because she loves, she likes horror movies, but Chopping Mall, it's an obscure one. It's a deep cut.
01:43:01
Speaker
And you never know when you're going to show anyone Chopping Mall that like what kind of reaction they're going to give you. um And she had a blast. And it's like, when you watch it with someone that also is loving it,
01:43:12
Speaker
it just makes it so much more fun. And yeah, it's in with that runtime. Yeah, it's, it's a nine. All right. So this is where I might surprise you. um Travis, I always say 10 is i would turn around and watch it immediately. That's the difference between a nine and a 10 for me.
01:43:33
Speaker
ah Nine is absolutely love it, but don't want to watch it right now. I will put this movie on again as soon as I finish it because I, It has a world I want to live in as well as just purely entertaining to watch. So I mentioned, I i think it's funny.
01:43:50
Speaker
I think some of it, it's honestly rewatching it. It's not as gory as I thought it was the first time I watched it. It's very tame actually, but The comedy gets me every time. I think it's funnier on repeated watches.
01:44:06
Speaker
I love the soundtrack. I'll just sit there and immerse myself in the soundtrack. And it's got enough of like this. The characters aren't super memorable, but it's kind of enough of that character drama between the different relationships and the work environments and whatever.
01:44:26
Speaker
I'm there for it. So, and I think the first half of the movie is different enough from the last half that if I started again, I don't feel like I'm just... immersed in the same thing the whole time.
01:44:38
Speaker
So I, I'm actually a 10 on my entertainment. Like this movie entertains the crap out of me. I will watch this anytime somebody mentions it.
01:44:49
Speaker
That's why when you shared it on social media, I was like, oh there we go. We got talk about this movie. I got to watch it again. Cause I love this film. I truly do. So I'm a 10 on that.
01:45:01
Speaker
which means we are at our final where we do what our name suggests and we average the scores of our total viewing experience to get what it might represent for our crowd, what it might represent for a social gathering.
01:45:22
Speaker
So in my total is a 38, which would be rounded to four stars out of five, but 38. Mine is 32. Okay.
01:45:33
Speaker
And then Travis, did you see yours there? Yes. Mine is 37. So 32, you said, Jonathan? Yes, sir. All right. 32.
01:45:45
Speaker
And that would get us at, that is wrong. Damn math. ah Numbers. So the average was 82. That's not right. 32, 38 and 37. Yeah. ah thirty two thirty eight and thirty seven
01:45:59
Speaker
Average is 36. six So three and a half stars is where that would sit as our average, which is the idea of the average is that it is your guide to social gatherings. So three and a half stars, if you're having a group over,
01:46:16
Speaker
Three and a half stars tells you you know it might not be a home run, but most people are probably going to be entertained by this film. i think that's That's a fair assessment. yeah I think a social gathering actually might improve the watching of this film.
01:46:31
Speaker
I think some of the comedy might hit a little better. I think it'd i think it'd be fun. i kind of want to test it out on a social gathering. i just don't know people, so that's not going to happen. But, yep, that's where we are at on this one.
01:46:46
Speaker
ah Let me see here.
01:46:50
Speaker
Travis, you have any other final thoughts about this film, about yourself? Anything you would like to share before we close out? I mean, i just love this movie. I mean, again, it's just like...
01:47:03
Speaker
obviously just from like a fan standpoint, it's just like such a fun movie to watch. Um, I also think too, um, and it's like, think what's really fun about stuff like this is you always get recommended and this is more so for like individuals, like when I talk to my students and, you know sometimes I'll throw out movie recommendations for, for them to watch, um, to like learn about, you know, Hey, this is a good movie if you want to make a movie like this or, um,
01:47:32
Speaker
And, you know, again, this might sound silly, but like shopping mall is kind of one that I would recommend just because like you take a certain amount of a budget, less than a million dollars and look how it was spread out.
01:47:46
Speaker
um And I said, there's still a lot of ways that it could have been spread out even further and it could have been even better probably. So I do think that, yeah, Chopping Mall is is a great representation.
01:47:59
Speaker
ah Such a fun word, a fun sentence to say out loud. Something I never thought I would say, but it's a fun representation of just, you know, a good movie.
01:48:10
Speaker
And like I said earlier, like to me, a good movie is something that you can rewatch. um And Chopping Mall is definitely something you can rewatch. So yeah, I'm i'm glad that I was able to come on and and talk about Chopping Mall.
01:48:24
Speaker
um I love eighty s horror movies. I mean, I did a podcast probably a year or so ago where I talked like two and a half hours on the 1987 movie Slaughterhouse.
01:48:36
Speaker
Like, I just... Oh, yeah. I love i love horror movies. You know, it's it's fun to make movies and to work on movies, but deep down, it's like I would rather... If I could do a podcast or just talk, you know, if I could be like the the Joe Rogan of of horror podcasts and just make...
01:48:54
Speaker
millions of dollars talking about horror movies every day. Like, oh my gosh, that would be like the dream. Cause that's where that's the root of everything. It's like, I love movies above all, like yeah know making, making movies, producing movies, marketing movies, all fun.
01:49:10
Speaker
Absolutely love it. But it's all about talking about movies and watching movies. So yeah. um And then I guess last but not least promotion wise, yeah,
01:49:21
Speaker
Yeah, I have a couple movies coming out. Going to be working on one soon. Found footage movie. um And then Forbidden Sky, which is a UFO alien movie. um Kind of similar to, if anyone listening or any of you guys familiar with Art Bell.
01:49:37
Speaker
um Kind of similar to that style. Radio show host gets a... All from another world. um We've got Daniel Platzman from Imagine Dragons is going to do the score for the movie. He's actually already like sent stuff for the movie and the movie's not even and pre-production yet.
01:49:57
Speaker
so That is awesome. that's like Yeah, and it's the sound. As far as like pre-production goes, we've made... made prosthetics and props, but like, yeah, he's like actually sent us like score tests and we're just like, this is fucking mind blowing that this is, art you're already, you're already doing this and it already sounds amazing.
01:50:18
Speaker
Um, so yeah, he's, he's doing that. Uh, but yeah, we're working with a lot of just like the, the, usual suspects, people that we already you know no and love. So yeah, Forbidden Sky is going be a lot of fun.
Travis Ayers’ Projects and Film Recommendations
01:50:31
Speaker
And then besides that, yeah, I want to put over my school, Futures Explored.
01:50:35
Speaker
They're a film school in Sacramento for adults with varying disabilities. So definitely support them. They've got a lot of cool short films online. And I did a a feature length found footage movie with them called the Grove and it's on Tubi. And if you watch it on Tubi, um, all of the proceeds from those views go right back into the school. So awesome that that's my last little, uh, that's little part of my pitch, but yeah, no, regardless, thank you guys for letting me come on and talk about chopping mall. Never, never thought this day would come. A boy's, A boy's dreams do come true. You you you always, yeah, you made a boy's dream come true.
01:51:18
Speaker
Absolutely. We had a great time having you. You're welcome to join and talk about any other movie you think of. Oh my gosh, guys. Real quick. I can't believe Tim. We didn't say this. Tim, I want you to be the one that announced this.
01:51:31
Speaker
Tell Jonathan what today officially is. Oh yeah. How did we forget that we are recording this on what anniversary is it? 40? So how i'm going be 37 next week. So yeah, thirty eight I was born in 88.
01:51:51
Speaker
Okay. So yeah, 38th, I think. So it's the 38th anniversary of the movie's release. Oh, really? came out on 20th, 1987.
01:52:05
Speaker
That's awesome. Yeah. So the timing is perfect. I love that. Thank you for bringing that to our attention. Where can people find you? Where can they find your movies? What's what's the best place for people to go find more?
01:52:23
Speaker
ah You can find me. i primarily use Instagram. I'm on Facebook and and other stuff, but primarily Instagram, Travis underscore Ayers, A-Y-E-R-S.
01:52:33
Speaker
um You can download all my movies on LimeWire or Kazaa or Napster. Yeah. I'm just kidding. You probably can, to be honest with you. <unk>m pretty sure I'm pretty sure you can find cysts on all those.
01:52:47
Speaker
No, um my movie, most of them are on Amazon Prime, Tubi. ah Some of them, like Infrared and Christmas Tapes, they're on Tubi, but they also are through our distributor on their YouTube channels, so you can watch them there. Yeah.
01:53:04
Speaker
Some of them are on DVDs and Blu-rays. ah We do have with um Tales from the Crypt Rentals and Retro VHS.
01:53:15
Speaker
We have Sist and Christmas Tapes are both on VHS. So there are limited releases of those movies still available, I believe, on VHS.
01:53:27
Speaker
And I don't know if I can make any promises, but and i don't know if anyone would even want this. Um... But it was a cool promotional thing we did. ah With one of the cyst VHSs, you could actually get a combo where you would get cyst big box VHS, and alongside of it, you would get a hot sauce bottle of cyst pus.
01:53:53
Speaker
That was actual oh hot sauce. Oh, yeah. I don't know if those are still available cause they were like limited. They only sold a certain amount, but yeah, at the time when it first came out, you could get the, the big box version with a hot sauce.
01:54:09
Speaker
Um, that is just, yeah, ask everything, everything is out there. And then, um, like I said, the school futures explored.org and yeah, that's, that's really it Um, yeah,
01:54:25
Speaker
and I always like to recommend a movie, but like I'm, I'm literally drawing a blank on stuff. I watched the last movie I watched with the video dead and I'm not going recommend that. Cause you, you recommend chopping mall to anybody. I recommended chopping mall. Chopping mall was a good enough recommendation. So yeah.
01:54:41
Speaker
Thanks again, guys. Yeah. Thank you so much. And that is chopping mall, a perfect mix of eighties, excess killer robots and a shopping mall death trap that only the Reagan era could deliver.
01:54:54
Speaker
It may not have set the box office on fire back in 86, but it found its true audience on VHS late night cable and horror nerds like us who can't resist a good dose of campy over the top fun.
01:55:07
Speaker
Absolutely. With its blend of slasher tropes, sci-fi, horror, and that unmistakable B-movie charm, Shopping Mall has cemented itself as a cult classic. It's the kind of film that reminds us why we love horror, not just for the scares, but for the creativity, the absurdity, and let's be honest, the spectacularly cheesy one-liners.
01:55:25
Speaker
If you haven't seen it yet, grab some popcorn, turn down the lights, and prepare for a night of laser-blasting robots and shopping mall carnage. It's streaming on Tubi. It's on Peacock.
01:55:36
Speaker
There's a Blu-ray version of it on Amazon for less than $30, and it's worth every penny. And if you have seen it, well, I think it's time for a rewatch.
01:55:47
Speaker
Thanks for hanging out with us on the average reviews podcast. Make sure to follow rate and let us know what you think about chopping mom. You can find us on Instagram, YouTube, and where we're getting podcasts. And remember, this is the average where the real review happens with your friends.
01:56:03
Speaker
See you next time.
01:56:47
Speaker
Bye.