Night of the Comet | November 16, 1984

Night of the Comet

 "Night of the Comet" is a 1984 American science fiction comedy horror film written and directed by Thom Eberhardt. The film stars Catherine Mary Stewart, Robert Beltran, and Kelli Maroney as survivors of a comet that turns most people into dust or zombies. "Night of the Comet" was made on a budget of $700,000 and grossed $14.4 million in the United States. According to Rotten Tomatoes, it received positive reviews and has since become a cult film, influencing the creation of "Buffy Summers."

Director Thom Eberhardt wanted to combine the idea of a strong female protagonist with his love for post-apocalyptic films set in empty cities when writing the script. He drew inspiration for the female characters from Ginger Rogers and real teenage girls he met while filming a PBS special. He asked the girls to describe how they would react to an apocalyptic event without revealing the script's premise. The girls saw the scenario as an exciting adventure and only saw drawbacks when Eberhardt brought up the topic of dating. Eberhardt used their responses to write a light and adventurous script. Initially, Eberhardt had difficulty convincing the studio to let him direct, but they relented when Atlantic Releasing Corporation immediately offered to invest $700,000. Atlantic also wanted to capitalize on the success of the 1983 hit "Valley Girl" and the popularity of quirky drive-in movies like "Repo Man." Producers Andrew Lane and Wayne Crawford clashed with Eberhardt during filming. Eberhardt later said they didn't understand the film and resented being assigned to such a low-budget B-movie. Early in production, they tried to replace him. Despite this, Eberhardt praised their production skills and said he couldn't have made the film without their help.

Heather Langenkamp auditioned for the role of Samantha "Sam" Belmont and was the top choice on the casting list, but the role ultimately went to Kelli Maroney. The Earth is passing through the tail of a comet, an event that hasn't occurred in 65 million years and coincides with the extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs. On the night the comet passes, 11 days before Christmas, large crowds gather outside to watch and celebrate.

18-year-old Regina "Reggie" Belmont works at a movie theater in Southern California. She is annoyed to see that the initials DMK have the sixth-highest score on the theater's Tempest video game. All the other top scores are hers. She stays after the theater closes to help her boyfriend, projectionist Larry Dupree, sneak in and borrow film reels for illegal duplication for his profit. He offers to pay her for her help with the money he expects to make when he returns the film reels in the morning. Reggie and Larry spend the night in the steel-lined projection booth and have sex.

Meanwhile, Reggie's 16-year-old sister Samantha ("Sam") argues with their stepmother Doris, implying that Doris is cheating on their father, who is away on active military duty. After the argument turns physical, Sam spends the night in a steel backyard shed.

The next morning, a red haze covers the sky. There are no signs of life, only piles of red dust and empty clothes scattered everywhere. Unaware of what has happened, Larry goes outside and is killed by a zombie. After trying to beat DMK's high score, Reggie mistakes the red sky for severe smog and goes outside to look for Larry. She soon encounters a zombie but escapes on Larry's motorcycle. At home, she finds her sister. They speculate that they were saved from the comet's effects because they spent the night in steel containers.

The sisters hear a broadcast from a disc jockey on the radio and rush to the local radio station, only to find that it is a pre-recorded show. There, they meet another survivor, Hector Gomez, who spent the night in the steel back of his truck. When Sam speaks into the microphone, researchers in an underground facility in the desert hear her. As they listen to Reggie, Sam, and Hector discuss what to do, the scientists mention that the zombies were less exposed to the comet but will eventually disintegrate into dust. Hector leaves to check if any of his family survived but promises to return as soon as possible.

Reggie and Sam go to a shopping mall to get guns and clothes. After a shootout with evil stock boys and their leader, Willy, the girls are captured but rescued by a rescue team sent by the scientists. Reggie is taken back to the base. Disillusioned scientist Audrey White diagnoses Sam with a rash caused by exposure to the comet and suggests dealing with her while waiting for Hector to return. She only injects Sam with a sedative, pretending to euthanize her, and then kills the remaining scientists. When Hector returns after encountering a zombie child, Audrey briefs him on the situation and then gives herself a fatal injection (as she has also been exposed). Sam and Hector set out to rescue Reggie.

Back at the base, it is revealed that the researchers suspected the comet's effects and prepared for it, but accidentally left the ventilation system open and the fans running during the comet's passage. The deadly dust seeped into the base. Growing suspicious, Reggie escapes and discovers that the dying scientists were hunting healthy survivors to harvest their uncontaminated blood while desperately searching for a cure. Before being processed, Reggie saves two young children and disconnects other victims from life support. Sam and Hector arrive, rescue the three, and blow up the scientists.

Eventually, rain washes away the red dust, and the sky clears. Reggie pairs up with Hector to act as parents to the children. Sam feels left out. Frustrated, she ignores Reggie's warning to cross a deserted downtown street against a still-functioning traffic light, claiming no one is left. Sam is nearly hit by a sports car driven by Danny Mason Keener, a survivor her age. After apologizing, he invites her to join him. As they drive off, the car's license plate reads "DMK."