Phantom of the Mall: Eric's Revenge (1989)

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The first few minutes of Phantom of the Mall: Eric's Revenge - after the first killing, that is - threw me for a loop.  I swore I was looking at an outtake from Chopping Mall, as this movie was filmed in the same place and also opens with a press conference.  Director Richard Friedman uses the same angles, same location and even the same chairs.  I was surprised that Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov didn't pop up.  

Despite the fact that malls were all the rage in the 1980s, as were slasher films, it is surprising the two don't cross over as much.  In fact, this is the only one I can say that fits that location into the genre, as Chopping Mall was about killer robots rather than a take on Phantom of the Opera.  Also, while not traditionally a good movie, Chopping Mall is still a bit of dark humored fun.  I think Phantom of the Mall attempts that as well but falls far short. 

Melody (Kari Whitman) has just got a job at the new mall in town, which is bittersweet.  The mall stands where her boyfriend Eric's (Derek Rydall) house used to be.  He was killed in a fire started by Christopher Volker (Gregory Scott Cummins), the henchman of slimy businessman Harv Posner (Jonathan Goldsmith), the owner of the mall.  Posner is friends with Mayor Karen Wilton (Morgan Fairchild) and the development is his key to a political career.

Only problem is Eric survived within the ducts and service tunnels of the mall.  He is watching over Melody, protecting her and her friends from those who would harm them.  He also has a habit of killing anyone who gets in his way, and reporter Peter Baldwin (Rob Estes) is doing just that, especially when Melody and Peter start to develop feelings for each other.  

Phantom of the Mall has a few creative kills, some decent stunt work toward the end, decent makeup on Rydall and Pauly Shore in a supporting role where he doesn't act like Pauly Shore.  What it doesn't have is great acting, great directing or anything that makes it stand out.  Slashers were on their way out at the time this did nothing to stop that slide, barely even having a cult following.  

The problem is that it is too rote of a horror film that even the Phantom of the Opera references don't save it.  I was surprised Morgan Fairchild was in it as much as she is, since I expected her to maybe have two minutes' screentime, but she may as well have showed up for a cameo for as much effort as she puts in.  The team of writers for some reason also decided to not really do anything to make Eric a sympathetic character, nor did they have the courage to really go the camp route of Phantom of the Paradise.

What is left is pretty dull.  Too many of the kills are terribly lit, which was either to hide low-budget makeup effects or just because no one new how to light them.  Everything about the story is predictable, the music is consistently bad because the only good band they could afford was the Vandals and the sex scene, part of a dream sequence, is clumsily pasted together with a body double for Whitman, who obviously balked at doing nudity.  It's another one of those that if it had been a little bit better it might earn a cult reputation and, if it was a little worse, would be fun to laugh at.  Too bad there is no fun to be had with this movie. 

Phantom of the Mall: Eric's Revenge (1989)
Time: 91 minutes
Starring: Kari Whitman, Derek Rydall, Rob Estes, Kimber Sissons, Pauly Shore, Jonathan Goldsmith, Gregory Scott Cummins
Director: Richard Friedman

 

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