Night of the Comet
1984 · Directed by Thom Eberhardt
- comedy
- horror
- science fiction
The story
After a comet wipes out most of life on Earth, two Valley Girls find themselves fighting against cannibal zombies and a sinister group of scientists.
What it’s like
Bright, saturated 1980s Southern California: sunlit malls, pastel shopping bags, hot pink and turquoise wardrobes, and a cheerful pop-synth score that keeps the mood giddy even as the streets empty out. The camera is mostly plain and functional, with quick cuts and broad comic framing, and the deserted city has a sun-drenched, eerily quiet emptiness that feels more playful than dread-soaked. Its vibe is campy, breezy, and deliberately silly, a cheerful apocalypse with an optimistic streak and plenty of teen banter. Pacing is brisk and episodic, with a light, bouncy rhythm and frequent shifts from joke to chase to goofy set piece. Violence is present but cartoonish: zombie attacks and a few gunshots, some blood, and stylized menace rather than gore, with mild sexual innuendo and no real cruelty. Best for comfort-watch fans of 80s genre camp, anyone who wants a fun, low-stakes end-of-the-world romp with a gentle heart, and viewers who enjoy big hair, big sunglasses, and big laughs.