Phantom Of The Mall: Eric's Revenge

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

Runtime: 91 minutes

Directed by: Richard Friedman

Starring: Kari Whitman, Derek Rydall, Rob Estes, Jonathan Goldsmith, PAULY SHORE

From: Fries Entertainment

This movie gives me plenty to discuss; it’s not just that “Phantom of the Mall: Eric’s Revenge” is a title that is funny as hell. The movie I’ve known of for years so why not check out a film that’s Phantom of the Opera set in a mall? I swear, that’s the actual plot of the movie. Via Shudder I saw what was presumably the theatrical version-I say that as there are FOUR different versions of this out there.

A teen boy-the titular Eric-apparently dies in a suspicious house fire and a year later a mall is built on that same land. Eric wanders around in the backstage areas of said mall and yes, he wears the expected mask. The cast does have some familiar names: Rob Estes of Melrose Place fame, Ken Foree in an unfortunately small role as a security guard (thankfully not as the guard who spied on women in dressing rooms!), Jonathan Goldsmith-best known as the guy who played The Most Interesting Man in the World in Does Equis commercials for years-Morgan Fairchild as the mayor of the city, and PAULY SHORE in an early role as BUZZ, a duderino who works at a yogurt stand and is a wacky person who loves Muzak, but is subdued compared to his outrageous 90’s film characters in Son in Law or Encino Man.

It is easy to nitpick the movie; there are better Phantom of the Opera adaptations, that is for damn sure. Yet this has its goofy charms and there is in fact enough gore and nudity for those that enjoy such behavior in 80’s horror. There’s at least a likable lead girl in Melody-yeah, I saw what they did there. Plus, there is a scene completely out of nowhere which shows that the music played in the mall has subliminal messages-and nothing else is done with that plot thread! Why the hell not include that, I suppose… for people around my age we should enjoy seeing what The Gap looked like at the time, along with places I remember from my youth such as Sam Goody’s, B. Dalton and KayBee Toys, and a random arcade—what memories those are.

Despite its flaws I was still entertained by this schlock which has some creative kills, a few dirtbag characters, random martial arts, and. As for the music, there’s a Stan Bush song which dates this even more than all the hair and fashion, but arguably the most dated element came in the end credits song about the Phantom of the Mall. Yes, this has a title song-from a rock group called The Vandals-and it references Jason Voorhees, although by description rather by name. It also refers to Jason as a term that is clearly politically incorrect now so I won’t repeat what it is. I’m sure it comes as quite the shock to those that see the movie for the first time on Shudder and stick around for the credits… and unlike me hasn’t heard the song before watching Phantom.