Main Cast: Kelli Maroney, Tony O'Dell, Russell Todd, Karrie Emerson, Barbara Crampton
Release Year: 1986
Country: US
Run Time: 77 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
This high-tech spin on the slasher genre pits a group of sex-obsessed teens spending the night in a shopping mall against the mall's marauding robotic security guards -- whose programming turns homicidal after a bolt of lightning scrambles their control circuits. Director Jim Wynorski cut his exploitation teeth working for Roger Corman's legendary "B"-movie factory New World Pictures in the '70s and '80s, and this film's comic early scenes contain homages to that outfit's heyday -- with humorous cameos from Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov (reprising their characters Paul and Mary Bland from Bartel's Eating Raoul) and the ubiquitous Dick Miller. The majority of the film, however, is essentially a teens-in-jeopardy story, with the lethal bots unleashing their amped-up arsenal and bringing the victims to nasty ends amid buckets of gore -- such as the unforgettable moment when one woman's head is targeted by one of the droids and blown up like an overripe melon. (The shot is repeated during the end credits.) ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
Nick Segal - Greg Williams; John Terlesky - Mike Brennan; Suzee Slater - Leslee Todd; Dick Miller - Walter Paisley; Angela Aames - Miss Vanders; Paul Coufos - Dr. Simon; Gerritt Graham - Technician Nessler; Lenny Juliano - Burglar; Ace Mask - Janitor; Toni Naples - Bathing Beauty; Mel Welles - Cook; Ernst R. von Theumer - Cook; Arthur Roberts - Mr. Todd; Morgan Douglas - Technician Marty; Maurie Gallagher - Girl in Restaurant; Will Gill, Jr. - Janitor; Robert Greenberg - Big Eater; Larence Guy - Dr. Carrington
Credit
Carol Clements - Art Director, Jim Wynorski - Director, Leslie Rosenthal - Editor, Chuck Cirino - Composer (Music Score), Blake Shepard - Makeup, Tom Richmond - Cinematographer, Julie Corman - Producer, Corey Kaplan - Set Designer, Roger George - Special Effects, Anthony Showe - Special Effects, Paul Shaver - Stunts, Steven Long Mitchell - Screenwriter, Jim Wynorski - Screenwriter
When first released, the film did poorly. After some time, it was re-released as Chopping Mall, and the re-release performed better in the box office. The film features killer security robots overtaking a shopping mall and murdering teenage employees, hence the title.
There are at least two different versions of the film. The TV cut has some extra footage added, including a small homage to Attack of the Crab Monsters. This is one of those rare occurrences where the TV edit has more than a few seconds of footage not shown in the theatrical version. This footage comprises extended scenes of Ferdy and Allison watching TV, some aerial footage, and an extension of a later scene of Ferdy and Allison together. This version is not available to buy from any official source.
Park Plaza Mall has just installed a state-of-the-art security system, which includes three high-tech security robots.
Four young couples decide to have the wildest all-night party of their lives. They all stay after hours at the mall, drinking, partying, and fornicating. It just so happens though that this is the night the security system malfunctions, due to several lightning strikes to the security computer. The robots turn into killbots, rampaging through the mall and killing its employees. By way of comic relief, the robots are heard to say "Have a nice day" after each killing.
