Episode 167 - Chopping Mall: LIVE!

[SweatyPremise 28]

 

Does it pass the Bechdel test, though? I agree that Alison is pretty badass, but when do any two women have a conversation that doesn't eventually lead back to a guy? In the pizzeria, they're complaining about the nasty customer ("MORE BUTTER!!"). In the locker room, Suze convinces Alison to come to the "party" by promising her that Ferdy has a good personality. And in the heating duct, although the heat is the main complaint at first, Suze ultimately decides to turn back because she thinks the guys might be in trouble. I don't remember another scene featuring just two women. Does it count that Alison and Linda later make a plan to take down the central computer, even if the other three guys are there, too?

 

This comment brought to you by: Creeps -- we can't be stopped.

They discuss their survival and situation in the air ducts. It's Aliens level Bechdel test passing. But that's actually Allison's example in her updated version of her test.

 

NO ONE HAS NOTICED THIS BUT IT'S THE MOST HIGH BROW THING IN THIS FILM:

 

The sporting good's store where they get the guns? It's called Peckinpah's. I have to assume after Sam Peckinpah, a la The Wild Bunch. Makes sense because it becomes a Western like High Noon after that point. Shame on everyone for not noticing that.

[grudlian. 4725]

They discuss their survival and situation in the air ducts. It's Aliens level Bechdel test passing. But that's actually Allison's example in her updated version of her test.

 

NO ONE HAS NOTICED THIS BUT IT'S THE MOST HIGH BROW THING IN THIS FILM:

 

The sporting good's store where they get the guns? It's called Peckinpah's. I have to assume after Sam Peckinpah, a la The Wild Bunch. Makes sense because it becomes a Western like High Noon after that point. Shame on everyone for not noticing that.

I listened to the commentary for this. In between being misogynist creeps, they confirmed this.

[helpcomputer 10]

I worked for Roger Corman about 10 years ago. Chopping Mall was a favorite among the younger staff. Some behind the scenes notes:

 

The film was shot at the Sherman Oaks Galleria. Its owner at the time was, among other things, a creepy horn dog who would rent it out cheap to anyone shooting a film if it meant he could hang out on set and hit on Hollywood actresses/models. The mall has since been extensively remodeled (it's now open air) and is completely unrecognizable.

 

Jim Wynorski is a fucking creep. He's shot tons of soft and I think hard core porn under various pseudonyms. Never met the guy personally but he was shooting something for Roger while I worked there. The movie he was shooting included a sex scene but the male lead (a martial artist turned actor) had qualms about showing his butt on camera. So I was dispatched to the hooker clothes store in Hollywood to purchase a flesh colored thong for him. The thong was clearly visible in the frame and when one of the PA's pointed that out he said "If they're looking at his ass they're a bunch of fags!" I heard from more than one person who worked on set with him that they felt like they needed a shower afterwards.

 

If you happen to live in the UK and saw it on TV some time in the late 2000's, I helped make that sale!

 

The nickname that we had for Julie Corman while I was there was "Swamp Hag."

[Cam Bert 8145]

Here's a question, why are there even two technicians for the robots? Unless there is a massive time jump after the opening credits, that is the first night the robots are being used. The robots are only being run at nighttime too, so during the day the robots are shut down and locked away in the control room. Why is there a technician there during the day? He literally has nothing to do because the robots aren't running. It's not a security center for the whole mall, it's just for the robots. No wonder he's doing crosswords and looking and centerfolds, he's stuck in a tiny room with nothing to do all day. Then the second guy shows up to relieve the first. He's not even come in to set the robots loose in the mall or anything, he's come to just sit and wait too. Why not employ one technician that works from the time the mall closes to when it's open? You're just encouraging their lazy behavior.

[Delwyn 13]

I signed up to the Earwolf forum specifically to let you know what a massive effing creep Jim Wynorski is to work with and how disappointed I am in your show for even in engaging in this movie and Paul and Jason's delight over the gratuitous nudity. Jim is an appalling, exploitative person who sprung nudity on our set - the actress was implied to be his girlfriend - with no notice on the call sheet. Wardrobe was not informed because she didn't need any at all. The movie was in no way scripted to have porn or sex or nudity. I was brought into the production by a show runner I trusted and he was really ashamed and apologetic once he realized how things were for our actresses and crew.

 

I love your podcast so much and never miss an episode, but couldn't finish this one and honestly my opinion of Paul and Jason has diminished a bit over this. You usually feature trivia and research and alternate scenes/endings. How did the foulness of this guy get past you? It's easy to find plenty of information on how awful he is to the female gender on both the cast and the crew.

 

Like I said, June and Paul and Jason and all your wonderful guests have delighted me for so long. I was surprised by how actively angry your dismissal of such a gross person's behaviour made me. I hope I don't ever feel compelled to sign into these forums for anything other than praise and respect again.

[FisterRoboto 7499]

When the first audience member at a live show starts with "Here's this shared universe theory that I have...", I know it's going to be a "meh" Q&A. Maybe they should be like, "We're going to have a live Q&A, but we're cutting this shit off when the first person comes in with a lazy shared universe Q (or talks about the first time they jerked off)."

[FisterRoboto 7499]

I signed up to the Earwolf forum specifically to let you know what a massive effing creep Jim Wynorski is to work with and how disappointed I am in your show for even in engaging in this movie and Paul and Jason's delight over the gratuitous nudity. Jim is an appalling, exploitative person who sprung nudity on our set - the actress was implied to be his girlfriend - with no notice on the call sheet. Wardrobe was not informed because she didn't need any at all. The movie was in no way scripted to have porn or sex or nudity. I was brought into the production by a show runner I trusted and he was really ashamed and apologetic once he realized how things were for our actresses and crew.

 

I love your podcast so much and never miss an episode, but couldn't finish this one and honestly my opinion of Paul and Jason has diminished a bit over this. You usually feature trivia and research and alternate scenes/endings. How did the foulness of this guy get past you? It's easy to find plenty of information on how awful he is to the female gender on both the cast and the crew.

 

Like I said, June and Paul and Jason and all your wonderful guests have delighted me for so long. I was surprised by how actively angry your dismissal of such a gross person's behaviour made me. I hope I don't ever feel compelled to sign into these forums for anything other than praise and respect again.

So, you listened to the first five minutes where Jason did his normal persona thing and talked about the nudity in the movie, then turned it off and came here to complain? Because they definitely address the director's creepiness.

[joel_rosenbaum 1269]

 

 

I hope Art Spiegelman is the special guest for the Garbage Pail Kids movie.

[firsttimecallerlongtimelistenr 3590]

this made me happy

 

 

but this made me sad

 

 

I've watched him be a terrible parent every christmas since i was 11 .. RIP John Heard

[FisterRoboto 7499]

this made me happy

 

I think that might be actual post-Largo footage. The end of this ep got....awkward

[firsttimecallerlongtimelistenr 3590]

I think that might be actual post-Largo footage. The end of this ep got....awkward

it really did. i loved it. but i'm guessing june will be skipping the 10 O'Clock show next week

[Royboy 430]

I signed up to the Earwolf forum specifically to let you know what a massive effing creep Jim Wynorski is to work with and how disappointed I am in your show for even in engaging in this movie and Paul and Jason's delight over the gratuitous nudity. Jim is an appalling, exploitative person who sprung nudity on our set - the actress was implied to be his girlfriend - with no notice on the call sheet. Wardrobe was not informed because she didn't need any at all. The movie was in no way scripted to have porn or sex or nudity. I was brought into the production by a show runner I trusted and he was really ashamed and apologetic once he realized how things were for our actresses and crew.

 

I love your podcast so much and never miss an episode, but couldn't finish this one and honestly my opinion of Paul and Jason has diminished a bit over this. You usually feature trivia and research and alternate scenes/endings. How did the foulness of this guy get past you? It's easy to find plenty of information on how awful he is to the female gender on both the cast and the crew.

 

Like I said, June and Paul and Jason and all your wonderful guests have delighted me for so long. I was surprised by how actively angry your dismissal of such a gross person's behaviour made me. I hope I don't ever feel compelled to sign into these forums for anything other than praise and respect again.

 

So you didn't hear June's comments on the disgustingness of the commentary? Because she covered it pretty well.

[grudlian. 4725]

So, you listened to the first five minutes where Jason did his normal persona thing and talked about the nudity in the movie, then turned it off and came here to complain? Because they definitely address the director's creepiness.

Also, pretty sure Paul doesn't do, or does very little of, the research himself since he names Nate and Avril. He picks the movies and, like most of us, knows very little about the director beforehand unless it's an easily recognizable name which is argue Jim Wynorski isn't.

 

And after the research was done, they made a point to include and address it in the show. It's brought up a bit lightheartedly but I don't go to comedy shows for a serious discussion. I like that they didn't ignore it which they easily could have.

 

I definitely understand the hatred of the director and wanting to avoid his work. I can understand being uncomfortable with any movie that has gratuitous nudity with everything we know about Hollywood lying to and using women. June succinctly and perfectly advises women in the industry.

 

Couple this with their history of pointing out creepy directors like Renny Harlin with The Covenant, I'll give then a pass for not going into this knowing about Jim Wynorski's scumbag life.

[firsttimecallerlongtimelistenr 3590]

I signed up to the Earwolf forum specifically to let you know what a massive effing creep Jim Wynorski is to work with and how disappointed I am in your show for even in engaging in this movie and Paul and Jason's delight over the gratuitous nudity. Jim is an appalling, exploitative person who sprung nudity on our set - the actress was implied to be his girlfriend - with no notice on the call sheet. Wardrobe was not informed because she didn't need any at all. The movie was in no way scripted to have porn or sex or nudity. I was brought into the production by a show runner I trusted and he was really ashamed and apologetic once he realized how things were for our actresses and crew.

 

I love your podcast so much and never miss an episode, but couldn't finish this one and honestly my opinion of Paul and Jason has diminished a bit over this. You usually feature trivia and research and alternate scenes/endings. How did the foulness of this guy get past you? It's easy to find plenty of information on how awful he is to the female gender on both the cast and the crew.

 

Like I said, June and Paul and Jason and all your wonderful guests have delighted me for so long. I was surprised by how actively angry your dismissal of such a gross person's behaviour made me. I hope I don't ever feel compelled to sign into these forums for anything other than praise and respect again.

 

thank you for joining and further highlighting what a prick this guy is. paul and jason are big and ugly enough to address your concerns themselves but, as it was stated before, paul did play a section of the directors commentary to highlight exactly what a creep he is.

 

i was actually taken a back by it but was very impressed by june's passion and comments after. i think if they had heard the commentary prior to the show and had heard what you've detailed about his behavior on your movie set it would have been a different show. or maybe it wouldn't have been a show at all.

 

but again, thank you for your comment. let's hope the behavior that this director seemed to think was acceptable (and got away with) are a thing of the past but if it's not then it should be called out at every opportunity. even in a forum for a podcast about crappy movies.

[demagog_dog 50]

[shoptalkerman 106]

Haven't read every post, but were the hard cuts to the clips from the film, particularly in the first half of the episode, VERY jarring for anyone else?

[IMAHUGEHDTGMFAN 1837]

I want to watch that Family Feud ep. so bad!!!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UlCjplNuPc

[FisterRoboto 7499]

Haven't read every post, but were the hard cuts to the clips from the film, particularly in the first half of the episode, VERY jarring for anyone else?

 

Yeah, there was one in particular that had an alarm.sound that startled the shit out of me. Usually, Paul transitions into those, so I'm guessing the transitions got cut out? It was a bit odd.

[godawful 0]

When I heard *that* line of dialog, I could not resist the urge to sample it and write some 80s inflected synth pop:

 

https://soundcloud.c...1/chopping-mall

[BubbleTeaButt 30]

In the opening diner scene where the cigarette smoking chef wipes his utensils on his chest there's dialogue between Suzie and Alison with some unusual idioms. Perhaps I am hearing them wrong and if so I would love to know what you think Suzie is saying:

 

"What Mojave brain ordered that?" That guy over there. "Oh god, I should have known. That orca beach is here every night always trying to grab some skin"

 

Mojave brain, Orca beach??

 

And with the chef that gross right out in the open how is that place filled with customers???

[Tymo55 4]

So I want to talk a little about the Bland couple who appeared at the beginning of this movie. I started doing some digging and ended up watching Eating Raoul immediately after finishing Chopping Mall.

 

The first thing I completely wasn't expecting is that Eating Raoul is actually IN the CRITERION COLLECTION! I was not expecting to see that watching a film with characters from Chopping Mall in it.

 

The 2nd thing I think needs mentioning is that if you watch Eating Raoul before you watch Chopping Mall it actually answers a question that was brought up during the episode. Why is it that this mall feels the need to use these robots to defend the mall? Well, assuming it takes place in the same Los Angeles depicted in Eating Raoul it makes sense...

 

The movie defines Hollywood as "a place where "instant gratification is endlessly pursued" and a "center for casual violence" It poses that "Prolonged exposure to just such a psychopathic environment will eventually warp even the most normal and decent among us." So it makes sense that a mall in the same neighborhood that The Blands live in would probably have a need for these kill bots.

 

and lastly, I think it's important to note that the movie these characters come from was later adapted into a broadway musical, that starred Adrian Zmed as Raoul, who of course played Johnny Nogerelli in Grease 2.

[IMAHUGEHDTGMFAN 1837]

Another omission...

 

The little kid in the elevator with the chocolate ice cream cone and a bunch of adults get in a out making him spill the ice cream in his white shirt :'(

[DrGonzo 29]

How about a shout-out to the movie's real unsung hero -- the surprising versatility of screwdrivers.

 

 

Let's not forget "cleavage explosives" (for lack of a better term), which were kept there for 25 minutes (in movie-time), before being used to save the day!

[GloriaDrewArt 22]

I signed up to the Earwolf forum specifically to let you know what a massive effing creep Jim Wynorski is to work with and how disappointed I am in your show for even in engaging in this movie and Paul and Jason's delight over the gratuitous nudity. Jim is an appalling, exploitative person who sprung nudity on our set - the actress was implied to be his girlfriend - with no notice on the call sheet. Wardrobe was not informed because she didn't need any at all. The movie was in no way scripted to have porn or sex or nudity. I was brought into the production by a show runner I trusted and he was really ashamed and apologetic once he realized how things were for our actresses and crew.

 

I love your podcast so much and never miss an episode, but couldn't finish this one and honestly my opinion of Paul and Jason has diminished a bit over this. You usually feature trivia and research and alternate scenes/endings. How did the foulness of this guy get past you? It's easy to find plenty of information on how awful he is to the female gender on both the cast and the crew.

 

Like I said, June and Paul and Jason and all your wonderful guests have delighted me for so long. I was surprised by how actively angry your dismissal of such a gross person's behaviour made me. I hope I don't ever feel compelled to sign into these forums for anything other than praise and respect again.

 

I have to agree actually….. and I'm speaking as someone who genuinely ADORES this show… but this episode was difficult to get through.

 

More than anything it was hard to shake the feeling that, charm notwithstanding, Jason's comments throughout seemed pretty similar to the director's…. and I get that being the Rack Focus guy is Jason's thing and he's always been a favorite of mine (even in this episode- that Robert/Paul/Ross/Steven Lost Boy's rollcall had me in tears)…. but between all the tits talk, coupled with the high-waist-pants PSA….. it just …

 

… it didn't feel right. Or fair. Or kind. Or fun. It left the same kind of feeling the Clark Kellyson episode did, actually…. just overly reductive of women. Or at least, possessive over their appearance.

 

That said, again, the rollcall bit was brilliant. And I LOVED the realization that the autoshop couple genuinely thought they were financially responsible for the mall's damage. Fan. Tastic. Oh. And June is a hero.

[Last_convenient_parking 1]

Can we talk about Paul and Mary Bland -- the snarky restaurateurs previously of the movie Eating Raoul? That movie ends -- sorry spoilers -- with Mary serving a meal made from her recently murdered lover to the realtor negotiating the purchase of a restaurant for them. There is no reason for them to be at this all mall meeting, UNLESS we are to believe that Chez Bland is now in the mall.

 

Since they feature so prominently in the opening, I am forced to believe that the lightning storm is actually a red herring meant to disguise the fact that Paul and Mary have reprogrammed the Protectors into Killbots either to provide them with meat for their cannibal cuisine, or simply to get rid of people they don't like 'cause there's no way they're cool with what's happening in that furniture store. Paul thinks they can be programmed, Mary thinks they can be useful to the restaurant, and all the bodies seem to disappear to somewhere.

 

Paul and Mary are the murders.

 

Also, can we please have an episode on Eating Raoul?