Night of the Comet

Night of the Comet doesn't have any right to be as doggone enjoyable as it is. For one thing, it's an overly simple pitch: The Omega Man with Valley Girls. Instead of disease, we've got a different end of the world event - a Haley's-type comet that turns everyone to red dust - which leaves only a few survivors and a plague of pesky zombies. And unlike Richard Matheson's I Am Legend, the survivors don't hole up and go slightly mental - they go to the mall in a "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" montage!

While not a major hit, first time feature director Thom Eberhardt's action-comedy zombie-apocalypse teen film really captured the adolescent imagination and became burned in the mind of pretty much any kid growing up in the 80s. It tainted a lot of reality for me, and for years I thought that all radio stations were heavily decorated with neon (false), that cheerleaders holding automatic weapons were pretty hot (true), that steel would protect me from evil comets (possible), and that movie theater projection booths would be an awesome place to have a tryst (no comment).

Re-watching the film as an adult, I'm struck a bit more by the movie's mellow pace and enjoyable tongue-in-cheek sense of humor. And God bless low budgets, because instead of annoying over-effects, we get simpler tastes of post apocalyptic life: a red tint in the air, piles of clothes (like a Christian scare film), empty streets, and zombies that aren't the drooling, decomposing, over-the-top undead - but merely the angry, slightly decomposing undead.

Unfortunately, the small budget does mean a selection of crappy non-hits for the soundtrack. Listen to:  Thom Pace, "Virgin In Love"

Unlike many a comedy thriller, the first half of the film offers plenty of character development. The heroines are two sisters, the oldest being Regina (the rather bland Catherine Mary Stewart), and the youngest being sassy cheerleader Sam, played with completely endearing snottiness by Kelli Maroney. In fact, you could say that she pretty much steals the film, and creates the defining 80s cheerleader girl in the process (she was actually cast due to her other cheerleader role in Fast Times At Ridgemont High). They meet up with a hunky young male survivor (played by future Star Trek Voyager cast member Robert Beltran) and take up camp at a Top 40 radio station.

After the girls' aforementioned shopping spree is interrupted by a bunch of gun toting stock boys (watch for Dick Rude in a small part), the film shifts gears and the government subplot kicks in. A small group of researchers survived the comet and are searching for a cure to the "sickness" left behind. They want our heroes as guinea pigs. Most of the time when I talk to people about Night of the Comet, they don't really remember the second part of the film (which includes such great cult movie character actors as Mary Woronov and Geoffrey Lewis), even with all the daring escapes, rescue of children, and explosions. That's how deep into our mind the sister's post-apocalypse valley girl adventure gets, and how sort of genuinely sweet and sincere the characters become.

For a low budget film, Night of the Comet has some surprisingly thoughtful visual touches. This bit of IMDB trivia explains why:

The production designer, John Muto, used what he describes a "comic book" sensibility for the film. Characters were given specific colors, with the bad guys in blues and grays and the girls in colors. Regina's colors were deeper than Sam's to reflect that Regina was more intellectual than Sam and that Sam was wackier than Regina. For example, Sam's cheerleading outfit is made in magenta and turquoise to make it really stand out.

After years of being out of print on VHS, Night of the Comet is now on DVD.

Links:
The Ultimate Night of the Comet Fan Site

The Inferno Music Crypt uploaded the soundtrack

Kelli Maroney's official site - according to her site, she is producing her own kids show called SNUGGYBEAR© AND THE T-SHIRT KIDS©.

And finally, Siskel & Ebert preferred Night of the Comet to The Terminator in this look at 80s SciFi movies:

Comments

[zombot]

i remember bits of it from childhood, but these days ALL I SEE is the end half on TV. so thanks for the reminder to track down a dvd.
Don't forget Night of the Creeps- which is another low budget, earnest and enjoyable one- which Slither kinda ripped off and then took advantage of the bigger budget.

[Captain Wrong]

I loved this movie as a kid. For some reason I always got it mixed up with Day of the Dead. Still, before the DVD came out, I tracked it down and was pleasantly surprised to see it holds up.

[James]

Night of the Comet was a staple of USA's Up All Night series, which is where I watched it a few times. They program really warped my mind a few times with discoveries like this.

[Craigou]

I saw this a few times on Sci-fi network some time near last years Halloween. It's a great B movie. I'd agree with Clinton that it's not over the top and over done like 28 days later trilogy. If you like Night of the Comet's tongue-in-cheek humor check out D.E.B.S as well.

[anne]

I work as a projectionist. when I tell this to people, they too often get all "cinema paradiso" on me. (yawn)

when instead someone mentions night of the comet, it lets me know I am dealing with someone more of my maturity level.

[Robert1014]

I'm old enough that I was already an adult when I caught this on cable many years back, and it's always been a favorite of mine. I can never catch any part of it on tv without sitting through the rest. I did finally get the dvd recently.

I always remember the second half of the film as well as the first because I think Mary Woronov gives her most affecting performance in this film, especially her line readings in her last moments of consciousness as she addresses "Santy Claus." Also, Geoffrey Lewis--father of actor/singer Juliette Lewis--is memorable as the head mad scientist...but, of course, he is indelible in every performance he gives.

A great movie.

[D.M.Keener]

I always enjoy this movie whenever it's on TV.I have to get the DVD!!!

[Peter]

James-- I knew I recognized this movie from somewhere! "Up All Night"! Glad to hear it's made the jump to DVD.

[xavier]

This was a movie that kept my youthful imagination supple enough to believe that I might be able to live on this planet alone. Fat chance.