Review: Night of the Comet

Dir. Thom Eberhardt (1984)

Some movies exist solely to paint upon the canvas of the mind, to explore hidden beauty and meaning, inspiring its viewers while thrilling them with intellectual, spiritual, or scientific possibilities. 

Night of the Comet has different goals. It’s the kind of movie that transcends being cheesy and reinvents itself as being cheese personified; yet it’s earnest, heartfelt even. 

A comet strikes the earth, wiping out most the population. Few survive unharmed, some become unhinged, yet hilariously intelligent, zombies. Our story follows teenage sisters as they grapple with their place in this new world, struggle to survive, and endure the hardship of having to decide what to do when humanity’s supply of hair product runs out.

Crafted on an ultra-low budget in 1984, this film is set in LA and features visuals, music, and filmic stylings that are, in my view, the clearest and most entertaining distillation of everything that made the 1980s both great and terrible in equal measure. The overall tone is that of comedy, tinged with schlock horror elements and, oddly enough for the time, sporting unusual and well-developed characters. We really get to know these sisters and their differing personalities. We root for them as a team, in over their heads against a world turned mad. Tension builds, but it’s kept in check by truly funny moments. It takes time to slow down every once in awhile and build a believable sibling relationship that feels both real and interesting. I left the movie wanting to hang out with these characters more.

There are some cheap scares and useless dream fake-outs, but in general the characters, mood, and narrative rise above some of the less-than-quality film-making. Compared to similar films from the 80s the overall gore factor seems pretty restrained and the film is free of nudity or adult situations, though there IS one totally unnecessary exploitative underwear scene...it’s a shame too, because the scene is part of one of those meaningless “gotcha” dream sequences. It’s really the weakest point of the movie.

The soundtrack goes 80s hard, we’re talking soaring synths and poppy hooks with some nice atmospheric stuff thrown in for good measure. The hair, the city, the clothes, the mall, man...this is one movie that scratches that 80s-retro itch. It’s a comedy, it’s a light zombie movie, it’s a drama about sisters, and it’s a love letter to the era in which it was made. Night of the comet, as a piece of entertainment and a time capsule, only seems to get better with age.

For the same reasons that I love this movie, others may be unable to stand it. I’d recommend this one for fans of cheesy creature features, horror, comedy, and 80s kitsch. If you find yourself in the small camp of people who actively enjoys ALL of those genres, then this may be your new go-to favorite. For anyone else, well...your mileage may vary!

-Josh Evans