Phantom of the Mall: Eric’s Revenge (1989)
Directed by: Richard Friedman
Premise: Inspired by The Phantom of the Opera. The grand opening of a new shopping center is disrupted by murders.
What Works: Part of the appeal of the original Phantom of the Opera story was the implication of a mystery underneath the Palais Garnier which represented culture and class. There is something apropos about setting a 1980s reinterpretation of The Phantom of the Opera in a shopping mall. Throughout the 80s and 90s the mall was the center of suburban life and youth culture. This was reflected in the mall-set movies of the time including Dawn of the Dead, Mallrats, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Phantom of the Mall is part of that lot of films and much like the original Dawn of the Dead it takes a critical look at the implications of the shopping center. It isn’t as smart as George Romero’s film but the plot of Phantom of the Mall does have implications about the way these consumer palaces took over neighborhoods. The film was partly shot at the Sherman Oaks Galleria and the Promenade Mall in Los Angeles and this low budget picture gets significant production value from these locations.
What Doesn’t: What’s weirdly lost in Phantom of the Mall is the Phantom himself. He’s absent for long stretches of the story. The mall owners and management are the real villains. The film is split between the Phantom seeking revenge on the real estate developers and the character’s quest to get back to Melody (Kari Whitman), the woman he loves. There’s no coherent endgame. Nothing the Phantom does clears a path toward revenge or getting back with his girlfriend. There is no emotional appeal to this version. The Phantom is more a controlling and abusive boyfriend than a tragic monster. A lot of story details don’t make sense. People disappear or get murdered at this mall but no one seems to notice. Melody gets assaulted by an anonymous mugger in the parking lot and it’s never remarked upon again. The performances in Phantom of the Mall vary but most are mediocre to terrible. It’s not shot particularly well. A lot of the movie appears flat and lacks style which does match the shopping mall aesthetic but misses the dramatic elements usually associated with Phantom of the Opera adaptations. The movie suffers from some awkward tonal transitions, alternating goofy moments with gore and violence.
Disc extras: The Arrow Blu-Ray release includes commentary tracks, a documentary, interviews, alternate and deleted scenes, trailers, an image gallery, and the script.
Bottom Line: The Phantom of the Mall is a weird curio from the 1980s. As a contemporary adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera, it fumbles an interesting idea. It’s more a film to be laughed at than engaged with but viewers who enjoy campy and kitschy 80s movies may want to seek it out.
Episode: #1069 (October 19, 2025)