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[[File:Night_Of_The_Comet_1984_9862.jpg|frame|The comet's coming, and the world will never be the same]]
[[File:Night_Of_The_Comet_1984_9862.jpg|frame|The comet's coming, and the world will never be the same]]


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'''''Night of the Comet''''' is a 1984 film directed by Thom Eberhardt and starring Catherine Mary Stewart, Robert Beltran, and Kelli Maroney. It has elements of such diverse genres as science fiction, horror, zombie apocalypse, comedy, and romance.

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''Night of the Comet'' is a 1984 film directed by Thom Eberhardt and starring Catherine Mary Stewart, Robert Beltran, and Kelli Maroney. It has elements of such diverse genres as science fiction, horror, zombie apocalypse, comedy, and romance.


The plot centers around The Earth passing through the tail of a rogue comet -- an event which has not occurred in 65 million years, the last time coinciding with [[Phlebotinum Killed the Dinosaurs|the extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs]]. On the night of the comet's impending mid-December passage, large crowds gather to celebrate the event. The next morning, a reddish haze covers everything, and there are no people, animals or other signs of life, only small piles of red dust and empty clothes where people stood and watched the comet's passage. The people who "survived" are either dying, or turning into flesh eating zombies. Siblings Samantha and Regina Belmont are the film's main protagonists.
The plot centers around The Earth passing through the tail of a rogue comet -- an event which has not occurred in 65 million years, the last time coinciding with [[Phlebotinum Killed the Dinosaurs|the extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs]]. On the night of the comet's impending mid-December passage, large crowds gather to celebrate the event. The next morning, a reddish haze covers everything, and there are no people, animals or other signs of life, only small piles of red dust and empty clothes where people stood and watched the comet's passage. The people who "survived" are either dying, or turning into flesh eating zombies. Siblings Samantha and Regina Belmont are the film's main protagonists.


Despite the schlocky opening scenes, the movie seems to be an attempt at a [[Deconstruction]] of typical thriller movies of the era, in that both leads are capable [[Action Girl|Action Girls]] rather than just monster bait (in fact, they bear suspicious similarities to [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer|another Californian blonde who fought the undead in the next decade]]), the lead male is [[Humans Are White|Hispanic]], [[Dropped a Bridge On Him|bridge-dropping]] is played with, and so on.
Despite the schlocky opening scenes, the movie seems to be an attempt at a [[Deconstruction]] of typical thriller movies of the era, in that both leads are capable [[Action Girl]]s rather than just monster bait (in fact, they bear suspicious similarities to [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer|another Californian blonde who fought the undead in the next decade]]), the lead male is [[Humans Are White|Hispanic]], [[Dropped a Bridge on Him|bridge-dropping]] is played with, and so on.

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{{tropelist}}
=== This film contains examples of: ===
* [[Action Girl/Live Action Films|Action Girl]]: Samantha and Regina
* [[Action Girl]]: Samantha and Regina
* [[Apocalypse How]]: Class 3b.
* [[Apocalypse How]]: Class 3b.
* [[Artistic License Astronomy]]: Comets are visible long before and after they pass, so not wanting to "miss the comet" is a little silly.
* [[Artistic License Astronomy]]: Comets are visible long before and after they pass, so not wanting to "miss the comet" is a little silly.
* [[Axe Crazy]]: All the zombies, but ''especially'' the mall stockboys.
* [[Axe Crazy]]: All the zombies, but ''especially'' the mall stockboys.
{{quote| '''Willy:''' I'm not crazy. I just don't give a fuck.}}
{{quote|'''Willy:''' I'm not crazy. I just don't give a fuck.}}
* [[Brick Joke]]: At the beginning of the film, Reggie is playing a video game, and manages to place among the top scorers. There's another set of initials above hers. Annoyed, she wonders who they belong to. At the end of the movie (that is, post-end of the world!), another survivor is seen driving a car. The initials from the video-game scoreboard are on the license plate.
* [[Brick Joke]]: At the beginning of the film, Reggie is playing a video game, and manages to place among the top scorers. There's another set of initials above hers. Annoyed, she wonders who they belong to. At the end of the movie (that is, post-end of the world!), another survivor is seen driving a car. The initials from the video-game scoreboard are on the license plate.
* [[Chekhov's Gunman]]: One of the scientists, Rogers, is mentioned as missing towards the end and Dr. Wilson says he has probably already regressed. This is waved off by Dr. Carter. Guess who shows up for one last scare to menace our heroes after {{spoiler|Hector has blown up Carter and the others in their car}}?
* [[Chekhov's Gunman]]: One of the scientists, Rogers, is mentioned as missing towards the end and Dr. Wilson says he has probably already regressed. This is waved off by Dr. Carter. Guess who shows up for one last scare to menace our heroes after {{spoiler|Hector has blown up Carter and the others in their car}}?
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* [[Depopulation Bomb]]
* [[Depopulation Bomb]]
* [[Desolation Shot]]
* [[Desolation Shot]]
* [[Distressed Damsel]]: Averted ''hard.'' As noted, these are [[Action Girl|Action Girls]], aggressive, resourceful, and expert at handling weapons. Even when one of the girls is captured, her sister is a major part of the rescue plan.
* [[Damsel in Distress]]: Averted ''hard.'' As noted, these are [[Action Girl|Action Girls]], aggressive, resourceful, and expert at handling weapons. Even when one of the girls is captured, her sister is a major part of the rescue plan.
* [[Dream Within a Dream]]: Sam has one (two?) of these involving zombie motorcycle cops.
* [[Dream Within a Dream]]: Sam has one (two?) of these involving zombie motorcycle cops.
* [[Eighties Hair]]: Oh dear Lord, yes.
* [[Eighties Hair]]: Oh dear Lord, yes.
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* [[Fluffy Fashion Feathers]]: The white marabou jacket and boa Samantha wear in the (sort of) shopping spree scene.
* [[Fluffy Fashion Feathers]]: The white marabou jacket and boa Samantha wear in the (sort of) shopping spree scene.
* [[Groin Attack]]: Unleashed by Sam upon one of the zombie stockboys.
* [[Groin Attack]]: Unleashed by Sam upon one of the zombie stockboys.
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* [[Hey, It's That Voice!]]: The little girl rescued at the end went on to voice Jenny "XJ-9" Wakeman in ''[[My Life as a Teenage Robot]]''.
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* [[Hey Its That Guy]]: Hey, [[UHF (Film)|Uncle Harvey]] owns a theater!
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* [[Hoist by His Own Petard|Hoist By Their Own Petard]]: Minder and Davenport are "[[It Makes Sense in Context|sent to see Santa]]" in the same manner as their victims.
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** [[Star Trek Voyager|Commander Chakotay]] is Hector.
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** Regina went on to play [[The Last Starfighter|Maggie Gordon]].
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* [[Hey Its That Voice]]: The little girl rescued at the end went on to voice Jenny "XJ-9" Wakeman in ''[[My Life As a Teenage Robot]]''.
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* [[Hoist By His Own Petard|Hoist By Their Own Petard]]: Minder and Davenport are "[[It Makes Sense in Context|sent to see Santa]]" in the same manner as their victims.
* [[Improvised Weapon]]: A keyboard!
* [[Improvised Weapon]]: A keyboard!
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* [[Left the Background Music On]]: During the scene at the mall, the background music is cut off when the boombox is destroyed.
* [[Look Both Ways]]: Parodied and subverted.
* [[Look Both Ways]]: Parodied and subverted.
* [[Mad Scientist]]: Dr. Carter.
* [[Mad Scientist]]: Dr. Carter.
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* [[Promotion to Parent]]: Reggie for Sam, and Sam is not happy about it.
* [[Promotion to Parent]]: Reggie for Sam, and Sam is not happy about it.
* [[Ragnarok Proofing]]: Short term version.
* [[Ragnarok Proofing]]: Short term version.
* [[Retroactive Recognition]]:
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** Hey, [[UHF (film)|Uncle Harvey]] owns a theater!
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** [[Star Trek: Voyager|Commander Chakotay]] is Hector.
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** Regina went on to play [[The Last Starfighter|Maggie Gordon]].
* [[Shown Their Work]]: The Mac-10 jams, and Sam says "Daddy would have gotten us Uzis." The Mac-10 is notoriously prone to jamming, and the Uzi is famously robust.
* [[Shown Their Work]]: The Mac-10 jams, and Sam says "Daddy would have gotten us Uzis." The Mac-10 is notoriously prone to jamming, and the Uzi is famously robust.
* [[Sigil Spam]]: The think tank's logo is on a few things you'd normally expect to see like the guards' uniforms, the helicopter, etc., but it starts getting silly when it's plastered on computers, tabletops and storage canisters.
* [[Sigil Spam]]: The think tank's logo is on a few things you'd normally expect to see like the guards' uniforms, the helicopter, etc., but it starts getting silly when it's plastered on computers, tabletops and storage canisters.
* [[The Slacker]]: Regina 'Reggie' Belmont
* [[The Slacker]]: Regina 'Reggie' Belmont
* [[Slept Through the Apocalypse]]: True of Sam, Reggie and Hector.
* [[Slept Through the Apocalypse]]: True of Sam, Reggie and Hector.
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* [[Sorry I Left the BGM On]]: During the scene at the mall, the background music is cut off when the boombox is destroyed.
* [[Technically Living Zombie]]: The "comet zombies" aren't so much undead as simply slowly decomposing people who must drink human blood to stave off their transformation into dust.
* [[Technically Living Zombie]]: The "comet zombies" aren't so much undead as simply slowly decomposing people who must drink human blood to stave off their transformation into dust.
* [[Unintentional Period Piece]]
* [[Unintentional Period Piece]]
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* [[Would Hurt a Child]]: The desperate scientists have no problem draining kids for their blood.
* [[Would Hurt a Child]]: The desperate scientists have no problem draining kids for their blood.
* [[Wouldn't Hurt a Child]]: Hector, however, can't bring himself to shoot the zombie kid that chases him through his house.
* [[Wouldn't Hurt a Child]]: Hector, however, can't bring himself to shoot the zombie kid that chases him through his house.
{{quote| '''Hector:''' Lucky for you I like kids!}}
{{quote|'''Hector:''' Lucky for you I like kids!}}
* [[What an Idiot]]: In-universe. Audrey basically says this about screwing up their survival plan.
* [[What an Idiot!]]: In-universe. Audrey basically says this about screwing up their survival plan.
* [[Wrench Whack]]
* [[Wrench Whack]]
* [[X Meets Y]]: ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' meets ''[[The Omega Man]]''.
* [[X Meets Y]]: ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' meets ''[[The Omega Man]]''.
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{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Films of the 1980s]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
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[[Category:Night Of The Comet]]
[[Category:Film]]
[[Category:Film]]
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[[Category:Films of the 1980s]]
[[Category:Cult Classic]]

Latest revision as of 03:21, 13 April 2022

The comet's coming, and the world will never be the same

Night of the Comet is a 1984 film directed by Thom Eberhardt and starring Catherine Mary Stewart, Robert Beltran, and Kelli Maroney. It has elements of such diverse genres as science fiction, horror, zombie apocalypse, comedy, and romance.

The plot centers around The Earth passing through the tail of a rogue comet -- an event which has not occurred in 65 million years, the last time coinciding with the extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs. On the night of the comet's impending mid-December passage, large crowds gather to celebrate the event. The next morning, a reddish haze covers everything, and there are no people, animals or other signs of life, only small piles of red dust and empty clothes where people stood and watched the comet's passage. The people who "survived" are either dying, or turning into flesh eating zombies. Siblings Samantha and Regina Belmont are the film's main protagonists.

Despite the schlocky opening scenes, the movie seems to be an attempt at a Deconstruction of typical thriller movies of the era, in that both leads are capable Action Girls rather than just monster bait (in fact, they bear suspicious similarities to another Californian blonde who fought the undead in the next decade), the lead male is Hispanic, bridge-dropping is played with, and so on.

Tropes used in Night of the Comet include:

Willy: I'm not crazy. I just don't give a fuck.

Hector: Lucky for you I like kids!

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