Starring - Rob Estes (The Twilight Zone, Uninvited), Kimber Sissons (The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, Martial Law II: Undercover), and Pauly Shore (Encino Man, Bio-Dome)
Release Date - 1989
Genre - Horror/Romance
Tagline - "There was a nightmare at the mall. Eric the phantom struck."
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
What could be more 80s than turning a classic tale about love lost, revenge, and mystery into a slasher set inside of a mall? By the late 80s the slasher was dying. Franchises has killed the sub-genre that came into it's own in the declining years of the 70s and peaked in the early 80s. However, as the 80s were coming to a close the sub-genre was getting over looked for other horror flicks. That's is one of the many reasons that Phantom of the Mall: Eric's Revenge is such an oddity. You have a late 80s slasher, with a wild cast, and a story that doesn't belong there yet it somehow comes together to create a campy gem that doesn't deserve to be as enjoyable as it is. When I heard that Arrow Video was releasing this one on blu I had to see it. I reached out to MVD and they were kind enough to send over a copy for me to check out. Like always, I want to thank them for allowing Horror Society and myself the opportunity to review it.
The film follows a wealthy real estate developer who bought up property to turn into a shopping mall. One house refused to sell and sometime later it mysteriously burns down killing the owner named Eric. His girlfriend tries to go on with her life and eventually finds work at the new mall built on the ground where he died on. Life has moved on but a journalist covering the opening of the mall also covered the fire that killed Eric. He recognizes Eric's girlfriend and a relationship sparks between them with the pair trying to uncover the truth behind the fire and it's connection to the new mall. The closer the two come to uncovering the truth they discover that something sinister is happening behind closed doors at the mall when employees turn up dead. Is the mall haunted or is Eric still alive and seeking revenge?
Phantom of the Mall is extremely fucking odd but it perfectly sums up the last year of the 80s. I remember hearing about this film when I was younger when my friend ordered a bunch of older issues of Fangoria. In one of these issues was an article about the film. I was really curious about it but I never had the chance to see it. I'm glad I finally got to see it and it was with an Arrow Video release. It is campy, weird at times, but very enjoyable. The acting in this one is decent but the casting is very uneven. Before I get too far into it I want to mention that the small role from Ken Foree is a huge disappointment. I would have loved him in a much bigger role than what he was. He was underutilized and that was a huge disappointment. Now, as for the cast. I liked Pauly Shore, Rob Estes, Kimber Sissons, and the gorgeous Kari Whitman. They deliver solid performances that worked for the film but none were what I would consider memorable. Aside from them, I was not satisfied. They were very underwhelming and just hogged the screen. The story for this one is something else. Imagine the classic tale the Phantom of the Opera set for a more modern audience with the opera being replaced with a shopping mall and instead of a tale of mystery and romance we get a slasher. It very much is a typical slasher story. We follow someone that was wronged who returns later for revenge. Now, toss in a little disfigurement, some light romance, and a body count and you have a film that combines the two visions into a campy late 80s slasher that may not be for everyone. Honestly, I liked it but I can't deny that it is corny and extremely goofy at times but that is how I love my 80s films. Finally, the film has some fun deaths. The death scenes have some decent effects that work for the scene but they are nothing spectacular or stands out for the viewer. Also, the make-up effects for Eric had me laughing. I can't believe the production team saw the final product and decided to continue with it. I love cheesy horror but Eric's face looks like a cheap mask that was used as production was rushed to be completed. Overall, Phantom of the Mall: Eric's Revenge is going to be a polarizing slasher for genre fans. Those that enjoy the goofier side of cinema will enjoy it but if you want a more serious slasher then you will be very disappointed. If this does sound like something you are interested in I would highly recommend the Arrow Video blu. It's worth every cent!
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