Night of the Comet

05/16/2018 07:23

Film: Night of the Comet

Year: 1984

Director: Thom Eberhardt

Writer: Thom Eberhardt

Starring: Catherine Mary Stewart, Kelli Maroney and Robert Beltran

 

Review:

This film is an interesting blend of comedy, sci-fi and horror. This is one that I had heard about growing up, but never had gotten around to seeing it. Thanks to a podcast I listen to that does a movie club challenge, I decided to check this film out. The official synopsis is: A comet wipes out most of life on Earth, leaving two Valley Girls fighting against cannibal zombies and a sinister group of scientists.

Now coming into this film, I definitely thought there was going to be much more zombies than what we got. These are interesting zombies in that they aren’t dead. They are people that survived the comet going over top of them. We never actually see them eating anyone. They can talk and use weapons, which is different was well. I didn’t mind this concept for the creatures, but I did want more of them. There is very few in the film to be honest. I am getting ahead of myself though. Most of the population is turned to dust due to the comet that goes overhead. We never really learn why it does, but that is the cause and it seems to be radiation. Those that get a little bit of exposure survive, but eventually turn.

The characters we follow are a couple of sisters. One works at a movie theater, Regina Belmont (Catherine Mary Stewart). Her sister who wears a cheerleading outfit the morning after this happens is Samantha Belmont (Kelli Maroney). They are a couple of valley girls, but they are quite odd to be honest. I found them both to be attractive in different ways. They both know how to use guns, from their father from what I gathered. Before the world ended, they live with their step-mother Doris (Sharon Farrell). She is a horrible woman and is mean to them.

They meet up with a Hector Gomez (Robert Beltran). He takes a liking to Regina and she seems interested as well. This bothers Sam, but that seems more that they think they are the only three left alive. There is a group of scientists, who seemed prepared for this event and they are looking for a cure to it. They are led by Dr. Carter (Geoffrey Lewis) and Audrey White (Mary Woronov). She is standoffish and wants to stay inside of their bunker while the rest have other plans.

This film is quite campy though. The two girls have some great one-liners in this film. It has some cheesy fun and a little bit unrealistic. Now I am a big fan of films like this, but even this one has a little bit too many things that are unbelievable. I still had fun with it, but I did have some issues with the writing of the film.

I thought the acting was good though. The cast I didn’t have any issues with. I thought Stewart was good as the smarter, stronger sister, but I also like Maroney’s role as well. They play off each other well. Beltran was okay; he really doesn’t get much character development or screen time actually. I thought the scientists were all played well. Lewis does great as the leader who has some nefarious plans for the survivors. I also like Woronov and the role she played. It caught me off guard to be honest in a good way. The rest of the cast rounded out the film for what was needed in my opinion.

The effects of the film were pretty good, but some of them were definitely 1980’s. The effects that were used in the sky during the comet’s pass over are an example here. I do think the rest of them were good though. The zombies look good and when they are killed I didn’t have any issues there. I would say outside of just the one aspect, this is a solid part of the film.

Editing of the film was decent. I thought the film starts off well and then there is a lull in the middle of it. The parts at the radio station and the girls trying on different things really don’t do a whole lot to progress the story, but I still thought the ending was pretty satisfying for what the film was going for.

The sound design of the film is definitely 80’s. The song at the beginning of the film was great in a way this decade could produce. I like the montage scene with Cyndi Lauper’s ‘Girls Wanna Have Fun’ as well as some of the other song choices throughout the film. It isn’t for everyone, but I was a fan of it.

Now with that said, this film does have some good aspects and some that are not so good. I like the concept of the film, but I do think that they the writing falls short a bit. I just wanted more than what we got. I thought the acting was pretty good across the board. The editing of the film has some issues as well, but the sound design definitely makes up for that in the end as well as the effects do. I think that this film is above average and just missed the mark on a few things. I would still recommend it as it is a campy, cheesy fun film with some good looking stars.

 

My Rating: 7 out of 10