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"The robot splatter classic Chopping Mall finally makes its way to DVD in a packed release, thanks to the fine folks at Lions Gate Entertainment. A favorite for many '80s slasher fans, the film gained notoriety on home video, but went out of print for a while, forcing the horror community to rely on various bootlegs. Thankfully, there's now a widely distributed release for all the sickos to dive into, and with one lone exception, they shouldn't be disappointed with the final result. The simple fact that there are extras is amazing; even better is that they're pretty darn good ones -- starting with the audio commentary by director/co-writer Jim Wynorski and writer Steve Mitchell. The duo, both from the school of Roger Corman, let the beans spill on everything from the origins of the movie's title to blowing stuff up in the famed Galleria Mall (known for its use in numerous movies including Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Commando). The track is fast, funny, and everything else that you want it to be -- complete with a bunch of asides that only the female-loving Wynorski could dish out. More good stuff can be found in the ""Building the Killbots"" featurette, where robots creator Robert Short discusses his involvement in the picture, along with the secrets behind how the characters were constructed and their sad fate after the film. The explosive theatrical trailer is also included, as well as a photo gallery consisting of a bunch of lame black-and-white stills, along with the never-before-seen original Killbots poster. One drawback even the director mentions is that the film has not only been given a full-screen treatment, but it's literally duped straight off of the Lightning Video print (proof positive is in the credits, where they even kept the ""Contact Lightning Video"" logo intact). That said, the picture does come across well, but it all matters on your disc ethics whether you'll pick it up or not. Either way, at least Chopping Mall is finally on DVD -- and that is truly a beautiful thing, whether Lions Gate took the low road with this release or not."
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Chopping Mall (1986)
77 min
High-tech robots equipped with state-of-the-art security devices have been recruited as the new mechanical "night watchmen" for the Park Plaza Mall. When a jolting bolt of lightning short-circuits the main computer control, the robots turn into "killbots" on the loose after unsuspecting shoppers!