| | | | Chopping Mall
(1986) |
ometime in the near future the Park Plaza mall gets three security "Protector" robots which are to be used to guard the mall at night after closing hours.
The robots are controlled by a supercomputer that is operated by a pair of technicians. The robots anti-theif arsenal includes TASER style knock-out darts and lazer cannons. They are also programed to ask anyone they meet to see their I.D.s to distinguish late-night employees from intruders. To further make the mall secure, solid steel doors controlled by the computer shut automatically near midnight. The company spokesman assures an audience, "Nothing can go wrong."
So... Naturally, something does.
Six young mall employees and two of their friends have planned an after-hours party in the furniture store just before the steel doors close. What none of them could have predicted is that on this exact night there is a lightning storm outside and a bolt of lightning strikes the electrical generator on the roof, which fries the circuts of the computer. As a result, the malfunctioning machine turns the three robots under it's control into murderous killing machines...
In essence, Short Circuit's Johnny Five turned homicidal!
After killing off the two technicians and a janitor (Dick Miller), the protector robots inevitably target the eight young people. Worse for them, soon the steel doors close, locking them inside. Now the hapless young folk must either find some way to destroy the seemingly indestructible robots, or find and destroy the supercomputer, if they are to survive the night...
I consider this to be one of the great, under-appreciated hidden gems from the deacade that deserved much better recognitian than it got. It's got sweet action scenes and great kills, some nice "RoboCop" style dark humor (just before or right after killing a victim, the robots say, "Thank you. Have a nice day!")
Most of all, though, I really love Kelli Maroney, both her preformance and the character she plays. The heroine, Allison Parks, is strong, smart and courageous, and keeps her head when things go bad.
The film's final climactic facedown is forever burned in my memory. If you love 80's films and you love action/horror/sci-fi, check this one out.
 Don't forget that Chopping Mall is now available to order on DVD using our special 80s Retro Assistant...
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One of the great underrated films of our time. It has all the ingredients of 80s pop culture greatness: An 80s teen-movie world where adults are ineffectual and it's left to a bunch of resilient teens to clean up their mess; Where the promiscuous or drug takers die grisly deaths whereas the innocent survive...
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The janitor that actor Dick Miller plays is named Walter Paisley. Veteran 80s hero Dick Miller has played different characters with this name in four other films; "Twilight Zone: The Movie" (1983), "The Howling" (1981)", "Hollywood Boulevard" (1976) and "A Bucket of Blood" (1959). 
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A movie poster of another Jim Wynorski film, "The Lost Empire" (1985), is seen in the background of many shots in the restaurant.
Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov reprise their characters Mr. and Mrs. Bland from "Eating Roul" for a brief cameo appearence at the beginning. They talk about using the robots to get rid of people they don't like at the restaurant. Those who've seen "Eating Roul" will remember their goal in that film was to get enough money to buy a country home so they could start a restaurant business.
The horror movie that Allison and Ferdy are watching in the furniture store is "Attack of the Crab Monsters" (1957), another Roger Corman movie.
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Find much more great trivia in the filmmaker's commentary on the Chopping Mall DVD.
Rediscover your favorites! If you like
Chopping Mall or 80's Horror classics, then be sure to
check out this list: ..... Lost Boys ..... Near Dark ..... Fright Night ..... Hellraiser ..... Shining ..... Poltergeist ..... Scanners ..... American Werewolf In London ..... Night of the Creeps ..... Nightmare on Elm Street ..... Paperhouse ..... One Dark Night ..... Re-Animator ..... Prom Night ..... Mausoleum ..... Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama .....[More]
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The film's original title was "Killbots" (and the prop makers still refer to the robots that way). This would have made a much better name for the movie, since there's no actual chopping in it.
Director Jim Wynorski provided the voices of the three Protector robots.
Kelli Maroney did most of her own stunts.
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|  |  |  | | Chopping Mall
Locations |
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The Beverly Center was originally going to be used and is still seen as the mall's exterior.
The mall's interior was, of course, the late, great Sherman Oaks Galleria (The same mall as was used in T2, "Commando" and "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" ...now sadly demolished.
Can you help? Do you know any of the Los Angeles, S. California (or any other) filming locations used for Chopping Mall? [Please send them in]
|  | | | | ![[NOT Widescreen]](4_3.gif) | ![[STEREO or SURROUND]](dd2.gif) | Trailer, Commentary, Featurette |
| Our
Comments: Some surprisingly sweet extras |
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The very effective score music was done by Chuck Cirino. Amazingly, this was only his second movie, but it fits the film perfectly. As well as composing, Chuck is now gaining a reputation as a great cinematographer -of all things!
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Soundtrack Available:
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| | "Where shopping can cost you an arm and a leg"
| |  | | The Killbots await their deadly purpose |
 | | Kelli Maroney and Tony O'Dell star |
 | | TOAST! |
 | | Fighting back... |
Year:
| 1986 | Studio:
| Trinity Pictures | Director:
| Jim Wynorski | Starring:
| Kelli Maroney,
Tony O'Dell, Russell Todd, Karrie Emerson, Nick Segal,
Barbra Crampton, Suzee Slater, John Terlesky | | - | - | Genre:
| Horror | | | | + | Great action scenes, cool, formidable villains (the robots), nice humor, strong, likeable heroine, awsome finale. | - | The title is really misleading, there isn't a single moment of chopping in the whole film. The front cover gives the impression the film is way more gruesome than it really is. |
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