Eight artists secretly build a hidden apartment inside a busy shopping mall…and somehow live there for four years without getting caught.
Lance McDaniel of OKC Friday called this his favorite documentary of the year. He said,
“The story of a group of Rhode Island artists who create a secret apartment inside the Providence Place Mall and then live there for four years is made even more special by the lead artist’s connection to Oklahoma City. Michael Townsend was visiting Oklahoma when the 1995 bombing took place. He went to local hospitals to draw pictures with the kids and ended up creating murals with tape. He has now expanded that tape art mural program to children’s hospitals across the country. “
Trailer for “Secret Mall Apartment”
You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up
- In 2003, eight Rhode Islanders built a real apartment inside the busy Providence Place Mall. They lived there for four years, filming almost everything as they went.
- They snuck in couches, lamps, televisions, furniture, and tapped into the mall’s electricity. The apartment was a 750-square-foot hidden hangout with flooring, decorations, and a PlayStation.
- The7 built a brick wall with a locking door, using more than two tons of cinder blocks so security guards wouldn’t discover the apartment.
Watch “Secret Mall Apartment”
You can watch “Secret Mall Apartment” on Prime Video and Apple TV.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 92/100
- IMDB Rating: 7.0/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 75/100 (Audience); 98/100 (Critics)
Director’s Note: Jeremy Workman directed this 91-minute documentary. He also directed “Lily Topples the World” and “The World Before Your Feet”. Workman has a knack for finding obsessive people doing unusual things that somehow become emotional and inspiring.
Release Date: 2024
Other Unique Stuff
- The apartment survived multiple mall renovations without being discovered. Construction crews were sometimes working surprisingly close to the hidden space.
- What began as an art prank transformed into a protest against gentrification and corporate control. Providence’s downtown was changing around them.
Wrap Up:
“Secret Mall Apartment” somehow works as a prank movie, an urban exploration doc, and a surprisingly emotional story about friendship and creativity. If you’ve ever looked at a giant mall and wondered what hidden spaces exist behind the walls, this one will completely suck you in.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc