Night of the Comet (1984)

Caught this last night for the first time. 

Agree with the OP; no part of this movie works, but somehow the movie as a whole works. I kept thinking during it that it ought to be either a lot funnier or a lot scarier, and I was conscious of being disappointed with it as I watched it, but at some point it won me over. I think part of the good feeling it leaves you with comes from the (spoilers ahead) fakeout killing of one of the leads. When they give her an unexpected reprieve it earns the movie a lot of goodwill and positive momentum heading into the nice ending (which again ends on an unexpected positive note). 

That said, it's bizarre for a cult film in that it's so quiet and modest and slow, and character-driven. Almost a meditative b-movie. And it really is super-slow and nothing-y for much of its runtime, to a degree difficult to describe. There's really no attempt to create any tension or conflict for the first hour or so. Of a 90 minute movie. 

Also I loved the male and female leads in this, the girl especially. My first thought after watching it was that she'd have made a perfect Lois Lane.

I wish I'd caught this movie growing up.  I didn't see it until my late 20s.  I definitely dig it (enough that, after first renting it, I promptly bought it and began showing it to friends), but it's not one that I tend to think about unless someone brings it up in conversation.  Fun, but it doesn't stick in my head the way the best/weirdest of cult cinema tends to.

I kinda love this movie, but I've never made it to the end. It's the kind of late night movie I'd catch in my teens, usually so late(probably on Monstervision or USA Up All Night) that I'd just fall asleep during it.

I think its in my Netflix Queue, so maybe I can finally see how it ends.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ratty 

Kelli Maroney's finest hour.

WRONG!!!

In which she strips out of her Night of the Comet cheerleader outfit, greases her incredible tits and then pumps some weights. And if that doesn't do it for you there is still Michelle Bauer, Monique Gabrielle, Roxanne Kernohan and Brinke Stevens in various states of undress. Makes a great double bill with Fred Olen Ray's Evil Toons (1992).

As for Night of the Comet; it's one of my favorite movies from the 80's. Sure, it's cheap and doesn't offer anything in the way of gore or nudity but the movie have an overwhelming charm to it that I've always loved. Soo many great little touches and some fantastically creepy moments. It even has Mary Woronov. Speaking of which....