He's our guide and he only gets more interesting as he reveals how he came to work at the mall. Now that you know, have fun looking around! Jasper Mall had its world premiere at Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Construction of malls boomed throughout the 60s and 70s, finally peaking around 1985. Thomason and Whitcomb capture 2018 through the perspective of . You really feel as if you know these people. By the late 80s, malls were actually dying, and that was a trend that only accelerated through the 90s up until this very day leaving behind a landscape of abandoned malls and sprawling parking lots reminiscent of post-apocalyptic ghost towns. Jasper Mall is a time capsule for the future, where one day we will look back and say "remember when we used to go to the mall?" The filming and editing of this documentary stood out. The Jasper Mall could soon be home to Rural King, a farm and home brand. ", Jasper Mall opened in August 1981. Did malls serve a social role for you growing up? The Jasper Mall is located in the heart of the city, just a few blocks from the train station. Cinematography, editing and musical score were on point. I recommend this film. "He truly cares and takes pride in the work he does there.". For someone who grew up with their local mall being their "go to place" as a youth, this brought back both memories and sad realizations. Jasper, AL 35501 . As the mall deteriorates, the film follows its inhabitants, as well as the characters who live there. The United States had 116,000 shopping malls in 2017, which is a slight increase over the previous year. After all the mall was alright with having children of minorities sit on Santa Claus' lap. A very sad but poignant documentary about a dying mall in Alabama. Approximately 80% of the 1 million square feet in the center are occupied. You can find a story anywhere in the world, travel to shoot it, and edit it fromyour car if you want. It's quite unusual for this production and kinda warm feeling for people inside the mall. After a decade of declining occupancy and traffic, it closed in 2009. 7.1K views 8 months ago #deadmall #deadmalls #mallsoft In 2019, filmmakers Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb spent several weeks documenting the stores and people of Jasper Mall. And nothing much has changed except we dont get DVDs in the mail anymore. JASPER, Ala. David Gifford, a preacher from Hamilton, Alabama (population: 6,800), drives nearly an hour to Jasper (population: 14,000) to shop at the JCPenney at the mall here in the northern . In the 90s Toys R Us was a retail powerhouse then the internet happened. Originally developed by the local Simmons family and Georgia developer George Ewing, the mall is owned by Kohan Retail. Randall Park Mall opened in 1976 in North Randall, Ohio, on the site of a former racetrack. As it turns out, the types of malls Gruen envisioned those more thoughtfully integrated into their communities have proven to be the most successful malls over the long haul, though retail and entertainment are more profitable and therefore largely prioritized over mixed-use purposes. It takes on a sort of community center vibe, I think. Where are. It was truly sad! Don't forget to write a review about your visit at Belk in Jasper Mall and rate this store . Jewelry Doctor. While this was never uttered in the film. Rock music fans might have seen Windows fun 2019 release Lost Weekend, a documentary short about two Pennsylvania teens who won an MTV contest and got to party with Van Halen for 48 hours. Nevertheless, the music that went along with the film was well used. "Mike is probably the most compelling character," Thomason says, "because he's what holds the mall together. "[3], The film also follows the day-to-day operations of the remaining 20 or so store owners with a focus on the slowdown of customers. Theres no denying retro malls are having a moment. (https://catsystemcorp.bandcamp.com/album/--10)#deadmall #deadmalls #mallsoft #deadmallseries Also, I remember being at Brookdale Center in Brooklyn Center, MN before it closed. Instead of expanding those key moments a little more to fit the overall narrative of the shopping center creeping closer to its own demise. And of course, the food courts. The Jasper Mall has its glory days in the 90s and early 2000s, and many of the people who work there now were around for those days. . In addition to its beauty, the mall is a symbol of the American dream, but it eventually succumbs to the ebbs and flows of time. None of these questions were answer or explained in this documentary. covers the mall itself, and interviews various individuals that work in all different types of positions within the mall, those who regularly visit the mall for different reasons, and business owners within the mall. It captures the struggle of everyday life brilliantly and without narration, but there is always hope tucked away if you look. Added to that, the couple are not really employees nor persistent shoppers at the mall. To order, give us a call & we will ship to you! regressive theory of viruses. Lost Weekend, a documentary short about two Pennsylvania teens who won an MTV contest and got to party with Van Halen for 48 hours, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. So what does the future hold for malls and shopping centers, especially those that are currently vacant (assuming theyre not already demolished and the property redeveloped)? The opening date for the mall was August 8, 1981. It looks like the malls of our childhood - like a time capsule. That allows us to focus on those areas and then meet in the middle with discussion / collaboration. A group of lovely people caught up in an inevitable economic tragedy that is coming their way. There are great stories here. The documentary is available for free through Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Vudu, and PLEX. [7], Ethan Brehm of Spoiler Magazine named it the best film of the year. The 350,000-square foot mall was designed to hold about 35 or so stores. What kept you coming back to this mall? Maybe we've already lost it as malls become more and more scarce and online shopping takes over. Required fields are marked *. Or is Jasper overall an economically depressed area that has gone severely down hill since the hey day of Jasper Mall in the 80s and 90s? It was respectful and in good taste. If you have an opportunity for Southern creatives and want tobe included in our newsletter write us at dirt@reelsouth.org. [3] Also chronicled are events hosted by the mall such as a carnival, visits from Santa Claus and an ensemble of singers. They weren't just places for shopping. Filmmakers Bradford Thomas and Brett Whitcomb craft a genuinely engaging documentary by taking the viewer on a one-year journey of the mall and the people . I can't say the same for places like the Towne Mall - yes, I realize there are a few shops still there - or Century 3. One man, if he were alive to see the demise of mall properties, possibly would have seen this coming. The mall does love to host Jungle Safaris events even after they been cited numerous times by the USDA. Season 6 Episode 607 55m 46s A dying shopping mall outside of Birmingham, Alabama, its patrons, and its tenants embody the diversity and tenderness of Americana culture in a changing South. So when I began watching this documentary, it brought me back to a time and place in my youth who's memory put a big smile on my face. [8], The film was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Slamdance Film Festival and won the Best Alabama Film award at the Sidewalk Film Festival.[9]. My son and I fell like we were watching a car wreck in slow motion. Many of us see it in our own towns and cities it's clear our local malls are becoming less and less, and this doc "Jasper Mall" hits on those things. Its a community on the brink of disappearance, and yet around every corner, there exists a strange beauty and a new kind of Americana that reflects the unique, touching, and frequently hilarious realities of the shopping mall in the internet age. Some people even chose to move their business to another location by the end of the film. I would always get my mom to drop me off there for hours and I would watch a movie, eat pizza or if I had enough money eat at Lubys, play video games at Aladdins Castle, shop for CDs at Sam Goodie, walk around Radio Shack. The tile is just like the tile work from the malls of our childhood. The store closed its doors permanently on July 31. The mall had not been remodeled since it opened in 1981. It's easier than ever to make those connections and collaborate. Robin's Nest. Currently there is one anchor store, Belk, and about ten smaller stores. Whitcomb: Documentaries have the ability to stay with you for a very long time. This doc creates heroes and people you want to root for just by showing their day to day lives. Another story that seems to go nowhere was the nail saloon lady. By | March 29, 2023 | 0 | March 29, 2023 | 0 As his story relates to what's going on with the mall. We never did find out if she left her job and travel the world. But that property at least has been redeveloped. What do you want people to take away from seeing this community? is jasper mall in alabama still open May 21, 2021 For better or worse, malls were and in many places still are, a central gathering place for a town, a place where people meet, couples go on dates, kids get their first jobs, someone opens a business they've always . Jasper Mall is still open, amazingly, after watching this film. Subtitled, A year in the life of a dying shopping mall, the doc Jasper Mall, is now streaming on video on demand platforms. For us it was all about the arcades, Tilt and Aladdin's Castle. The store closed in March 2017. By | March 10, 2023 | 0 . is jasper mall in alabama still open. Great film, it's a must watch. Forest Fair Mall opened in 1988 with four anchors and 200 stores. The developer will come to do a land acquisition at the Jasper Mall in the next six weeks. The economic hardships of a once-thriving mall in Jasper, Alabama are highlighted in this film. The documentary was filmed over the course of 2018 as the mall tried to rebrand and recover from the loss. There is no definitive answer to this question as it is unclear who Mike is and where Jasper Mall is located. Jasper Mall was co-directed and co-produced by Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb. This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. It's called "Jasper Mall" and is named for the shopping center in Walker County, northwest of Birmingham. The documentary covers the mall itself, and interviews various individuals that work in all different types of positions within the mall, those who regularly visit the mall for different reasons, and business owners within the mall. I cannot find any information about movies jasper mall directed. It really does symbolic representative, this dying mall's detachment with the more common younger online driven patrons. As he puts it during one moment in the doc, "I left a zoo, now I'm in a jungle." No voiceovers, no thematic soundtrack, just pure cinematography and story telling. The film is based on true events, despite the fact that it is a fiction film. All rights reserved. As a child of the 80s, I spent much of my adolescence in malls like Jasper Mall making friends, hanging out in the food courts and the arcades, and just spending time there. There is held out hope that somehow with the right store, department, or entertainment, the glory days will come back. Malls and "Jasper Mall" with its untouched '80s aesthetic fit the bill perfectly. In an ironic twist of fate, Amazon Prime picked up the documentary Jasper Mall, which explores the phenomenon of a once-bustling mall in Jasper, Alabama, now slowly fading into obscurity. In 2007, the last enclosed mall in the United States was completed, marking the first time in over 50 years that there had been no new enclosed malls constructed. The building was completely demolished by 2017, and like salt in the wound Amazon immediately built a new distribution center on the site. It captures the moments and then some. 1. copywriting jobs remote no experience. That moment felt awkwardly staged reenactment as they look like they secretly have no clue why they agreed to meet there rather than at home texting. Its hard to quantify the value of that draw, said OMary. The new developer intends to convert the space into a community that includes homes, offices and a grocery store. A very nice and integer documentary about a dying mall and the people to whom this mall means something in their lives, in one way or another. The doc's trailer is a poetic two-minute watch just by itself. With an 84-minute running time, Jasper Films is being released via Window Pictures. What will ever become of it? ClickAmericana.com is made with and by Synchronista LLC 2011-2022. May 23, 2021 by Nicholas Price. [4] The Jasper Mall was chosen as the site of the film because it had not been remodeled since it opened in 1981. A sad state from its peak. [1], Jasper Mall often revolves around Mike McClelland, a former zookeeper, who serves as the mall's superintendent and works in a security and caretaking role. Material on this site is provided for education, criticism, commentary, cultural reporting, entertainment, historical reference, and news reporting/analysis. Belk in Jasper Mall, address and location: Jasper, Alabama - 300 Hwy 78 E, Ste 204 Jasper, AL 35501. It hadnt been remodeled since it opened. Almost looks like if Joe Exotic sobered up. The lack of people around with the incandescent lighting makes the antique layout of the location look really haunting. This page is not available in other languages. It is a large, modern shopping center with a wide variety of stores and restaurants. What inspired you to make a documentary about the Jasper Mall? Beautifully photographed and lovely interviews. Jasper, Alabama's mall is not too far off from this unfortunate fate and is struggling to keep its doors open for the dwindling populace who still walk its hallowed halls, despite the problematic convenience of online . Please. Click Here to Book Direct. Jasper is located about 40 miles outside Birmingham, Alabama. Still, Cloverleaf held on through the 90s, but by 2008 there were so many store vacancies that the mall closed for good. Caption: Megan Scarano reports on a potential new . How did you purchase your ticket? Such examples are the amazing analogically-like footage where mostly elderly customers order funeral flowers, play dominos in an empty food court, sing contradicting gospel music and unable to connect with modern technology. Co-directors Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb spent a year shooting the film. Oh, wow. [2] The only remaining anchor store is Belk and according to one shopper, "If Belk goes, we are in deep woo-woo. In this video, Jasper Mall chronicles a year in the life of a dying shopping mall . Glittering paeans to retail in an era where a prosperous American middle class had plenty of money to spend, and mall store pricing was still competitive. The PRICE Act would give families $6,900 in taxpayer money which could be used for private school tuition or homeschooling. This was thoughtful and kind to us all. There are stories and there are teenagers coming and going still. While some people might think of that as boring. . We want people to see humans. Even so, I think it's worth watching to be reminded of how the other America, flyover America, may not be exactly what you think it is. Home; News; Sports; Extras; Walker Magazine; Subscribe; https://www.youtube.com/deadmallwalking?sub_confirmation=1Intro: Jingle Punks All This Down Time (pitched down)Music: Kevin MacLeod Lobby Time (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Corp Area 7 Recreational Facilities Corp PlazaCourtesy of . Recently I watched a documentary about Jasper Mall that was released in 2020 and it covers the large, empty looking, still open Jasper Mall located in Jasper Alabama. Post author: Post published: March 15, 2023; Post category: christina cassini images; Post comments: . Your email address will not be published. Jasper Mall is an enclosed shopping mall located in Jasper, Alabama, United States, approximately 30 miles (48km) west of Birmingham.[2]. Seniors get their morning walks in. That was annoying because it ruins the illusion of observation that the movie was trying to build. He says "I used to run a zoo, now I run a jungle". Frozen Yogurt Shop. Gruen imagined a mall residing in the heart of a communitys downtown business center, not exclusive to retailers, but also integrating residential housing, schools, museums and parks. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, small businesses will account for 33.3% of all new jobs by 2021. All rights reserved (About Us). ago I think it'll make a comeback, eventually. You have been working in the Birmingham area for a while now. [7][8][9] This was part of an 80,000-square-foot (7,400m2) expansion of the mall by Sharp Realty. What advice do you have for filmmakers trying to make a living outside of "the coasts." It wasnt true. Smaller malls in the area are all but empty or closed. Anyways - the guy who is the night manager of the place is a former zookeeper. But that property at least has been redeveloped. It's so low key, so go-with-the-flow, so "real time" feeling that it manages a dreamlike quality. By NICOLE SMITH Daily Mountain Eagle nicole.smith@mountaineagle.com. ", It's well documented consumers have gravitated to online shopping in recent years and shopping malls are looking extinction in the eye. Due to this, the amount of people who visit Jasper Mall has decreased drastically .. The staff is friendly and helpful, and the prices are reasonable. Nail Galaxy. I knew that there were mall walkers, but I didnt know just how many. [11], On March 17, 2017, it was announced that the JCPenney store would also be closing as part of a plan to close 138 locations. Only 21 Sears stores remain on the mainland, with two more in Puerto Rico. Sadly, that subplot was abandoned. The documentary provides a good picture of the current state of the American middle class. The answer is yes! It closed several years ago and is now used as a warehouse. There is an endearing quality to this doc, but also an underlying melancholy all the way through. WBHM's Andrew Yeager spoke with Thomason. I'm honestly surprised to hear it's still open. I remember watching Vernon, Florida for the first time and not being able to shake it for a while. It was demolished in 2011. . In 2019, filmmakers Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb spent several weeks documenting the stores and people of Jasper Mall. Report abuse . Theres a lot of speculation about why malls, which have so much to offer retailers and customers alike, started fading away. Zales to close in Jasper Mall. Whitcomb: I grew up in the 90s going to Baybrook Mall in Clear Lake City, Texas. Jasper, AL 35501 205-221-2840 Follow us. The soundtrack was released on vinyl and cassette via the Alabama-based independent record label Earth Libraries. Stay up to date on new open call deadlines, film releases, filmmaker interviews,career and film fundingopportunities, and thoughtful words on the South. Yogurt Street. Although the filmmakers can't say for sure how many patrons visited Jasper Mall during its prime, Whitcomb says, "There's a photo of the mall parking lot on opening day and it's completely full. Get news alerts in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store or subscribe to our email newsletter here. We would also go with no plan. We're also both southerners (from Texas), so we relate to a southern lifestyle and to southern stories. To add onto the mess, the shopping center itself sits in a predominately rural mountainous forest area with barely any locals due to the location's violent tornado patterns and borderline economic poverty problems. To tell you the truth, the movie would have work better if the filmmakers focus more on the life of the teenager custodian. The usual suspects are the obvious competition: cable TV shopping channels that emerged in the late 1980s and later, of course, the revolutionary e-commerce trend. [4], Towards the end of the film, more shops including Subway, Grady's Sandwich Shop, Robin's Nest Flowers & Gifts and Jewelry Doctor all close or move. Scroll on for a peek inside some abandoned malls and the sad histories of their demise. Since the. There would be winners and there would be losers. The mall is easy to navigate, and the store directory is available online. What are you working on next? [2], Third anchor Belk opened an approximately 60,000-square-foot (5,600m2) store in March 2002. After contacting Western Union Financial Services, Inc. and if you still have an unresolved complaint regarding the company's money transmission services, please contact the Texas Department . ago I'm usually not a fan of indoor brick, but it is tasteful here 21 kmr1981 6 mo. Not trashy. Is that why you decided to make this film? Sign up to get all the Reel South DIRT. Fewer young people want to work in trade jobs than ever before, and thats left a hole in the job market. This school might get you a house, Alabama senators back bill to cut state sales tax on food, Alabama governor defends dismissal of education leader, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Report, CorporationFor Public Broadcasting (CPB). Wed check in with Mike and see if theres anything going on. Many younger people leave their local towns for better lives as the decrease in population hurts mall sales. I found myself wanting to know a little more about things. Regions Jasper Mall branch offers a wide range of personal and business banking services including checking and savings accounts, . The mall was built in 1977 and underwent a $8 million renovation in 2014. On a macro level the Jasper Mall is a metaphor for the dying middle class and the state of quiet desperation that is America today. Woodville Mall opened near Toledo, Ohio in 1969, but within two years another mall opened in the Toledo area, which marked the beginning of the end for Woodville, though no one knew it yet. Furthermore, one of the main causes that the shopping center get overlooked is because after the completion of interstate 1-22. What we know about Rural King is that they will probably draw from the county contiguous to Walker county and even beyond in a major draw. I felt like I really new the people and their stories. Amazing documentary about a mall built in the 80s and the state of the mall today. [12], On January 24, 2020, Jasper Mall, a documentary feature film billed as "a year in the life of a dying shopping mall, its patrons, and its tenants" premiered at Slamdance Film Festival.[13]. Jasper Mall takes you inside the titular mall in Alabama to witness the slow, monotonous process of its closing down. Whitcomb: This is a hard and fun question. A growing number of hikers are tackling Alabama's longest continuous footpath and trail communities are welcoming the growth. There is no security guy at the Jasper Mall. . I remember when I was young always being at the mall. If there was, then wed follow him around a little bit. I was also able to catch up with Mike McClellan, long lost Australian cousin of the Tiger King.Equipment I use or have previously used: GoPro Hero7 Black Camera https://amzn.to/2SZlPSl DJI Osmo Pocket Camera https://amzn.to/3lIK7fA Blue Yeti Microphone https://amzn.to/3duqlS3 iPhone 11 https://amzn.to/354XGPKOn the wish list for future productions: GoPro Hero9 Black https://amzn.to/3k2YECm (US), https://amzn.to/3lQwXgM (UK) DJI Pocket 2 https://amzn.to/2TQWme5 (US), https://amzn.to/3kOFD7b (UK) DJI Mavic Mini Drone https://amzn.to/3dw87jq (US), https://amzn.to/3nQmDai (UK)Some of the above are affiliate links, which help to support the channel directly at no extra cost to you._ _ _Instagram http://www.instagram.com/deadmallwalkingSubscribe for more! The 105-acre property in Montgomery Township was valued at $56.6 million. I kept rooting for the store managers that have put their lives into their business. And so the concept exploded across the country, with multiple malls being built in the outskirts of every major American city and some smaller ones, too. I've watched it twice so far and am just so mesmerized at how the camera captures the moments! But in the 1970s, it was the premiere mall in the area. Consider These Factors, Bayside Mall: A Popular Shopping Destination In Toronto, The Pros And Cons Of Teen Curfews In Shopping Malls, The Americana At Brand A Luxury Shopping Mall In Los Angeles To Close Its Doors, The Importance Of The Quinceanera Dress And Mass, As Electric Cars Become More Popular Free Charging Stations Are Popping Up Across The Country, The Fashion District: A New Shopping Mall In Philadelphia. The concept he had in mind, however, was different from what actually transpired. For one year it follows the local mall in Jasper, Alabama and how it declines and grows less and less with stores closing and chains going out of business. Jasper Mall is an American story. The malls north and south ends have been dark since 2017, when two of its three anchor stores closed. NorthTown Mall, located on the north side of Spokane, has been purchased by the Great Neck, New York-based Kohan Retail Investment Group. One such example is the filmmaker's request in telling a teen couple's story about the struggles of starting an interracial relationship in the deep south. I remember being a tween and young teen and malls were a place to meet up with friends, girls, etc. We work well together because we excel in different areas. Dying Mall Documentary from Jasper, Alabama. The decades-old Jasper Mall was once a bustling shopping hub for the residents of Walker and surrounding counties; however, since two of its three anchor stores closed in 2017, both the north and south ends of the mall have remained dark. in Jasper, Alabama, but it feels like a signature southern small town.Regulars frequent the largely empty space like they're attending church. Upon this event, the mall effectively has two anchor stores, Belk Department Store and Dunham's Sports. A few key retail places moved so the whole mall is dying. Another thing that the film doesn't point out is how many times, the mall went through foreclosure and who currently owns it. Cinematography was also directed by Whitcomb. Many are adding sports beyond the more typical offerings of football, basketball and track and field. The hope is to have Rural King open in a year. If you have a subscription for Amazon Prime or Sling TV, its available there as well. The filmmakers don't even give key data like where this mall is even located. We didnt go to film school or anything, we just rented lots of DVDs from Netflix and watched obsessively. WBHMs Andrew Yeager spoke with Thomason. It's still not quite an informative watch. The Jasper Mall is a shopping mall located in Jasper, Alabama. In this video, Jasper Mall chronicles a year in the life of a dying shopping mall, its patrons, and its tenants. But with the rise of online shopping, many indoor malls have suffered. Facebook. The movie Jasper Mall is not yet available for review, and no reviews have appeared for it. Sweet good people affected by change. Aces Adventures visited the mall after the documentary aired on Netflix just to see what it was like: Jasper Mall is an indoor shopping mall located outside of Birmingham, Alabama. JASPER MALL chronicles a year in the life of a dying shopping mall, its patrons, and tenants. As a result of having your ticket verified for this movie, you grant us access to the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against another Fandango ticket purchase.
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