"Chopping Mall"

The Beverly Center gets some new robots to patrol the place and detain intruders in "Chopping Mall" (Concorde Pictures, 1986). In the mall, called the Park Plaza for the film, things go awry one dark night when the mall is hit by repeated lightning strikes that affect some of the rooftop electronics equipment and scramble the robots brains. They become killing machines that go after the staff and a group of young store employees staying late in one of the stores to party. 

While we're at the Beverly Center for several exterior shots, most of the mall interior scenes were shot either at Sherman Oaks Galleria or on sets. See the page about the Beverly Center Cinemas on the Los Angeles Theatres site. They opened in the mall in 1982 and closed in 2010.  

Jim Wynorski directed. The cinematography was by Tom Richmond. The cast includes Kelli Maroney, Tony O'Dell, Russell Todd, Kerri Emerson, Barbara Crampton, Nick Segal, John Terlesky, Paul Bartel, Mary Woronov and Gerrit Graham. The survival statistics aren't good.    

 

Late in the film we get a look at the boxoffice for the Pacific 4 on the top floor of the Sherman Oaks Galleria. "Krush Groove" was an October 1985 release. To the right it says "Remo." The film "Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins" was also out in October. 

 

A wider boxoffice view.  Note the "CIFICAP" reflection in the window. The theatre entrance is just off to the left with "Pacific 4 Theatres" signage above the doors. No, we don't see the theatre entrance nor go to an after-hours movie. 

 

A killer robot on patrol. Who will be next?  

 

A POV robot closeup. We're looking through the railing because by this time our leading lady is dangling there by her fingertips to escape detection by the robot. 

See the page about the Pacific 4 and later theatres in the mall on the Sherman Oaks Galleria page on the Los Angeles Theatres site.  

On IMDb: "Chopping Mall"  The full movie is on YouTube. 

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"Commando"

 

We get a look at the Pacific 4 Theatres in the Sherman Oaks Galleria in a brawl scene in Mark Lester's film "Commando" (20th Century Fox, 1985). 

 

The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Rae Dawn Chong. Also featured are Dan Hedaya, Vernon Wells, Alyssa Milano, David Patrick Kelly, James Olson and Sharon Wyatt. The cinematography was by Matthew F. Leonetti. This was familiar terrain for Leonetti as he had shot "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" here in 1981. 

 

 

Heading to get Arnold, who's going to throw a telephone booth at them.

See the page about the Pacific 4 Theatres on the Los Angeles Theatres site. There's also information on the replacement 16 screen complex that opened in the mall in 2001. It was later rebranded as an ArcLight and in 2021 became the Regal Sherman Oaks Galleria. 

There's a two-and-a-half minute clip of the mall brawl scene on YouTube. Thanks to Whiteberry for sharing it as part of his great post on Blu-ray.com that gives a rundown of the mall's appearances in various movies and TV shows.  

On IMDb: "Commando" 

"Fast Times at Ridgemont High"

During the opening credits of Amy Heckerling's "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (Universal, 1982) we see ticket taker Mark 'Rat' Ratner, played by Brian Backer, at the Pacific 4 Theatres in the Sherman Oaks Galleria.

The film also features Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, Ray Walston, Kelli Maroney, Eric Stoltz and Forest Whitaker. Cameron Crowe did the screenplay based on his book. The cinematography was by Matthew F. Leonetti. Marty Glassman comments: 

"I was in there watching 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' with a friend, when they showed the scene of the inside of the mall. Everyone started laughing in the theater, and then they showed the kid taking tickets in the theater that we were watching the movie, and then we really started laughing."

 

"Smoking is upstairs and to your left." 

 

Local scalper Mike Damone, played by Robert Romanus, comes by for a chat.

 

 The kids want Van Halen tickets. They're not happy but they pay $20 for the $12 tickets. 

 

 

 

Stacey, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh, works at Perry's Pizza. Rat gets brave and asks for her number. 

 

 

 

A look across from Perry's. On the theatre's readerboard: "The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas." Thanks to Whiteberry for this screenshot he shared in a great post on Blu-ray.com that gives a rundown of the mall's appearances in various movies and TV shows.

 

 

 

At the end of the film we see Rat closing doors after a show. A new year has begun.

 

Stacy and her co-worker, Phoebe Cates, are on duty at Perry's Pizza. Stacy waves.  

 

 

Rat waves back. Stacy beckons him over and they kiss. The end credits advise that they're in a passionate romatic relationship but they haven't yet gone all the way.

See the page about the Pacific 4 Theatres on the Los Angeles Theatres site. There's also information on the replacement 16 screen complex that opened in the mall in 2001. It was later rebranded as an ArcLight and in 2021 became the Regal Sherman Oaks Galleria.  

Todd Tarpley analyzes the mall layout and has a number of shots from the film in a post on his site The Tarp Report. The mall exterior we see in the opening credits was shot at Santa Monica Place. The school they used was located in Van Nuys. 

On IMDb: "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" 

A production shot of Brian Backer at the theatre entrance. Thanks to Whiteberry for sharing this image in his superb 2021 post about the mall's movie appearances on Blu-ray.com.

"Valley Girl"

We get a shot of the Sherman Oaks Galleria in the opening credits of Martha Coolidge's "Valley Girl" (Atlantic Releasing, 1983). We do get some scenes inside a mall but they were shot at the Del Amo in Torrance. The film doesn't take us to the movies here either, but there are two visits to the nearby Sherman Theatre. And, of course we go cruising over the hill in Hollywood.

The film, starring Nicolas Cage and Deborah Foreman, is a story of the punk from the city meeting the girl from the other side of the hills. Also featured are Cameron Dye, Heidi Holicker, Elizabeth Daily, Michael Bowen, Michelle Meyrink, Colleen Camp and Frederic Forrest. The cinematography was by Frederick Elmes.

Half an hour into the film Deborah, Nic, Cameron and Heidi go over the hill to cruise Hollywood. 

 

 

 

"Heidi's Song" was playing at the Chinese, 6925 Hollywood Blvd. It had a big run of five days beginning November 19, 1982. 

 

"An Officer and a Gentleman" was playing at the Mann Chinese Twin. 

 

Disney's "Tex" was on the other side of the Twin. 

Visit the Grauman's Chinese pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site for hundreds of views of the theatre inside and out. There's also a separate page for the Mann Chinese Twin. 

 

 

"The Empire Strikes Back" was playing at the Paramount Theatre, 6838 Hollywood Blvd.

 

The theatre was called the Paramount on and off between 1942 and 1989. It's now back to its original name. See the pages about the El Capitan on the Los Angeles Theatres site for the history of this Hollywood legit and film house along with hundreds of photos.

 

 

 "Eight to Four" and "Please, Mr. Postman" playing at the Pussycat Theatre, 6656 Hollywood Blvd. 

 

 

Panning up to the Pussycat oval at the top of the facade. See the page on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Pussycat/Ritz Theatre.

 

 

The Hollywood Blvd. footage is intercut with some shots on Sunset. Here we're driving east by the Tiffany Theatre, 8535 Sunset Blvd. They were running the 1925 version of "The Wizard of Oz" with Dorothy Dwan, Charles Murray and Oliver Hardy along with Sabu in "The Jungle Book," a film from 1942.

 

 

A look at the entrance. In the display case: "Rediscovering The American Cinema." Playing midnights on Fridays and Saturdays: "Rocky Horror  Picture Show" 

Check out the Los Angeles Theatres page about the Tiffany Theatre for more information about the venue. It opened in 1966. 

 

 

On the left we get some of the Vogue in this view east across the Las Palmas intersection. No, they don't drive that next block to see what's playing at either the Vogue or the Egyptian.   

See the pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Vogue Theatre, a 1935 design by S. Charles Lee. It's been through many remodels and different uses including a nightclub, a movie memorabilia auction display room and a museum. In 2023 it got repurposed again as a church.

An hour and nineteen minutes into the film Nic and Deborah go to the movies at the Sherman Theatre, 15052 Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks.

 

What's playing? Well, of course.

Back at the Sherman again later in the film as Deborah heads to a movie with her friends. She's caved into pressure from the friends, dumped Nic, and gone back to her Valley boyfriend. But Nic been trying all sorts of tricks to woo her back, popping up in her life at unexpected moments. 

 

 

Deborah getting her ticket torn by the strange guy at the door wearing 3-D glasses. 

 

Yes, it's Nic again.

 

See the page about the Sherman Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the house. The theatre opened in 1949 and has been demolished.

 

 

After a melee at the prom the end credits roll with Nic and Deborah in a limo on the 405. We get a look across at the signage for the Sherman Oaks Galleria.  

 

See the page about the Galleria's Pacific 4 Theatres on the Los Angeles Theatres site. There's also information on the replacement 16 screen complex that opened in the mall in 2001. It was later rebranded as an ArcLight and in 2021 became the Regal Sherman Oaks Galleria.  

On IMDb: "Valley Girl"

Check out the page about "Valley Girl" on Chas Demster's site Filming Locations of Chicago and Los Angeles for information about many other locations seen in the film. The San Fernando Blog article "Filming Locations: Valley Girl" does a fine job covering the film's Valley locations. Also see a Fast-Rewind article "Valley Girl Behind the Scenes."