Night of the Comet (1984)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Thom Eberhardt

Writer:

Thom Eberhardt (written by)

Release Date:

16 November 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

It was the last thing on earth they ever expected.

Plot:

A comet wipes out most of life on Earth, leaving two Valley Girls to fight the evil types who survive.

Plot Keywords:

Comet | Scientist | Radio Station | Dead | Killer Child

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Robert Beltran	...	Hector
Catherine Mary Stewart	...	Regina
Kelli Maroney	...	Samantha
Sharon Farrell	...	Doris
Mary Woronov	...	Audrey
Geoffrey Lewis	...	Carter
Peter Fox	...	Wilson
John Achorn	...	Oscar
Michael Bowen	...	Larry
Devon Ericson	...	Minder
Lissa Layng	...	Davenport
Ivan E. Roth	...	Willy
Janice Kawaye	...	Sarah
Chance Boyer	...	Brian
Andrew Boyer	...	Rogers
Stanley Brock	...	Mel
Marc Poppel	...	Danny Mason Kenner / DMK
Raymond Lynch	...	Chuck
Bob Perlow	...	TV Reporter
John Stuart West	...	Monster Cop
Alex Brown	...	Monster in Alley (as Alex A. Brown)
Dick Rude	...	Stock Boy
Chris Pedersen	...	Stock Boy
Karl Johnson	...	Guard #1
Joel Levine	...	Guard #2
Wilson Camp	...	Party Guest
Anna Mathias	...	Party Guest
Tim Hannon	...	Party Guest
Bobby Porter	...	Monster Kid
Steve LaBeau	...	DJ (voice)
Michael Hanks	...	Narrator
Chris Chesser	...	Radio Spot Announcer
Dale E. House	...	Helicopter Pilot (as Dale House)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Helen Kelly	...	Girl at the theater (uncredited)

Directed by
Thom Eberhardt

Writing credits
Thom Eberhardt		(written by)

Produced by
Thomas Coleman	....	executive producer
Wayne Crawford	....	producer
Nancy Israel	....	associate producer
Andrew Lane	....	producer
Michael Rosenblatt	....	executive producer
Sandra Scheik	....	associate producer

Original Music by
David Richard Campbell

Cinematography by
Arthur Albert		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Fred Stafford

Casting by
Annette Benson

Production Design by
John Muto

Set Decoration by
David Wasco

Makeup Department
David B. Miller	....	makeup effects design
William Snyder	....	makeup artist

Production Management
William Fay	....	unit manager
Nancy Israel	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
H. Gordon Boos	....	first assistant director
H. Gordon Boos	....	second unit director
Gary A. Lowe	....	second assistant director
John Muto	....	second unit director

Art Department
Anne H. Ahrens	....	assistant art director (as Anne Huntley)
Paul Ahrens	....	property master
Don DeSimone	....	lead carpenter
Sherry Dreizen	....	art assistant
Vivianne Bertrand Gelbart	....	art assistant
Bernardo F. Munoz	....	construction supervisor (as Bernardo Munoz)
Bernardo F. Munoz	....	scenic artist (as Bernardo Munoz)
Bernardo F. Munoz	....	special props (as Bernardo Munoz)
John Myhre	....	assistant property master
Dave Peltz	....	art assistant
Stewart Russell	....	construction coordinator
Thierry Verrier	....	assistant set decorator

Sound Department
John L. Anderson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Doug Davey	....	sound re-recording mixer
Björn Emilsson	....	boom operator (as Bjorn Emilsson)
Lois Freeman	....	sound editor
Bill Gentry	....	sound editor
Carl Graham	....	sound editor
Chris Haire	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Christopher L. Haire)
Steve Nelson	....	sound mixer
Fred Stafford	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Rick Bugental	....	motion control camera operator
John O'Connell	....	motion control camera operator
Steven Wilzbach	....	motion control camera operator (as Steve Wilzbach)
John Eggett	....	special effects supervisor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
John Muto	....	visual effects designer
Ted Rae	....	visual effects
Mark Sawicki	....	opticals: CMI

Stunts
Sandra Lee Gimpel	....	stunts
Debby Lynn Ross	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
David Birke	....	grip
Bruce Clarke	....	grip
Donne Daniels	....	key grip
John Esaki	....	second assistant camera
Chris Fenney	....	best boy
Philip Holahan	....	first assistant camera
Steve Jezewski	....	best boy grip
Shaun Madigan	....	gaffer (as Shaun McClelland)
Austin McKinney	....	plate photographer
Tom Richmond	....	camera operator: second unit
Diane Roderick	....	still photographer
Mike Townsend	....	grip
Elizabeth Webber	....	electrician (as Beth Webber)

Casting Department
Janet Cunningham	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Linda Linn	....	key costumer
Deborah Loft	....	wardrobe mistress
Regina Wrubel	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Bill Gentry	....	assistant editor
Carl Graham	....	associate editor
Joseph	....	color timer (uncredited)

Music Department
Tim Jaquette	....	music mixer
Tim Jaquette	....	songs mixer
Ross Pallone	....	music mixer
Ross Pallone	....	songs mixer
Tom Perry	....	music mixer
Tom Perry	....	songs mixer
Tom Perry	....	music supervisor
Bob Summers	....	music mixer
Bob Summers	....	songs mixer

Other crew
Nancy Battaglia	....	promotions
Rick Bugental	....	slit scan: Lumeni
Thomas Coleman	....	presenter
Dulanie M. Ellis	....	script supervisor (as Dulanie Ellis)
Dr. Gary Etting	....	specialist: contact lens
Diana Galvin	....	production coordinator
Dr. Ronald Guiley	....	specialist: contact lens
Susan Israel	....	production coordinator: New York
Richard Jenkins	....	neon
Philip Lieberman	....	video game consultant
Carla Madison	....	craft service
Gary Mascaro	....	choreographer
Peter Merwin	....	production assistant
John O'Connell	....	slit scan: Lumeni
Arthur Payne	....	production assistant
Steven Pomeroy	....	assistant to production manager
Dr. Peter Rosenberg	....	specialist: contact lens
Michael Rosenblatt	....	presenter
Peter Rutenberg	....	production accountant
Mark Sawicki	....	title opticals: CMI
Steven Wilzbach	....	slit scan: Lumeni (as Steve Wilzbach)
Harry Hauss	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)

Thanks
Chuck Comisky	....	special thanks
Carol Geissinger	....	special thanks
Dave Hogan	....	special thanks
Ken Jones	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Thomas Coleman and Michael Rosenblatt Productions
• Film Development Fund (in association with)

Distributors

• Atlantic Releasing Corporation (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• Filmways Australasian Distributors (Australia) (theatrical)
• CBS/Fox (video)
• GoodTimes Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Norstar Releasing (Canada)
• Oy Europa Vision AB (1986) (Finland) (video)
• Paramount Pictures (USA) (TV)

Special Effects

• Court Wizard Special Effects (as Court Wizard)

Other Companies

• One to One Sound  production sound
• The Time Lapse Company  time-lapse photography
• Lumeni Productions  slit scan/motion control (as Lumeni)
• CMI (II)  title opticals
• Ultra Film Services Inc.  negative cutting
• Otto Nemenz International  Arriflex camera (as Otto Nemenz Int'l, Inc.)
• Filmtrucks  locations
• Atari  Atari Tempest coin video game courtesy of
• Malibu Sport  additional sportswear
• Nike  additional sportswear
• Banana Republic  additional sportswear
• L.A. Air Force  radio jingles
• Ford Motor Company  vehicles
• Larry Edmunds Booksellers  special thanks (as Larry Edmunds Book Shop)
• Dream Quest Images  special thanks (as Dreamquest)
• Health Valley Natural Foods  special thanks
• Tenneco West  special thanks
• Western Bagels  special thanks
• Dean Foods  special thanks
• Thunderbird Marketing  special thanks
• Trader Joe's Markets  special thanks
• Pervo Paint  special thanks
• Hickory's Best  special thanks
• BDR Sound  songs recorded at
• Hollywood Sound  songs recorded at
• Studio Masters  songs recorded at

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Germany:16 | Iceland:12 | Finland:K-16 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #27376) | Australia:M | UK:15 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

5515 Wilshire Blvd., Hancock Park, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Thomas Coleman and Michael Rosenblatt Productions

Trivia:

The movie poster on the door of the projector room (seen as Larry leaves) is for a movie called "Red Dust".

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): The scene where Hector was underneath the jeep planting explosives on to it while he was watching Samantha enter inside of the elevator to the underground base, you can clearly see a pair of feet walking by on the other side of the jeep, which looked like one of the think tank researchers. If that was not one of the actors who had just mistakenly walked in front camera during that scene shot, then how in the world did that pair of feet from that what appears to be one of the think tank researcher characters not see Samantha enter inside of the elevator or hear Hector underneath the jeep? Hector was making some noise underneath the jeep while he was planting the explosives on to it.

Quotes:

Regina Belmont: DMK? Who the hell is DMK?

Movie Connections:

References Red Dust (1932)

Soundtrack:

Lady in Love

Classic zombie film

I think night of the comet is a classic zombie film that doesn't take the genre or itself too seriously. Its the ultimate fantasy film asking the question most people have asked themselves, namely "what would it be like to be the last people alive on earth".

Reggie and Samantha are two bickering teenage sisters only united in the passionate hatred of their stepmother Doris, who has an equal hatred for the girls. The Comet is big news and everyone is getting ready for the big event, except for Reggie and Samantha who have other things on their mind... The next day comes, and mixed with all the revellers party hats is a mysterious sand. No one seems to be around....

The premise of the film is good and whilst the acting is not the best it is still perfect for this kind of film. The characters DO have development and aren't just cardboard sketches. The zombies aren't the biggest part of the film but when they make their appearance they do please.

This film is always missed off from the classical zombie flic list usually due to its 'hollywood teenager' aimed audience. Most zombie fans ignore it on the basis that it doesn't seem to be a zombie film whilst the non-zombie fans miss out because they don't like the science fiction element. I'd love to see this film transfered and cleaned up for DVD release especially now that more and more films of this genre are making their appearance on DVD.

Don't expect a brilliant script or brilliant actors. I'd say this one is similar to the film 'dead heat' in terms of its zombie load (expect to jump once at least) and 'my best friend is a vampire' for its fantasy element.