Summary
Sci-fi truly took on a life of its own in the 1980s and was majorly popular due to films likeBack to the Future, Star Wars,Ghostbusters, and more. While these were very successful, there were countless other sci-fi movies that seemed to go under the radar. Sometimes, the major success of the others overshadowed them, or their low budgets were used for big futuristic concepts that didn’t quite work at the time.
Cult sci-fi moviesof the 1980s have a certain charm and campy quality to them that feels very different from big box-office hits. With their quirky interpretations of space-wear, futuristic practical effects, and little evil creatures, they are always fun movies to look back on, even if we’re now laughing at them. They can also be majorly nostalgic for those who grew up at the time.
10 Best Cult Classic Action Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
The ’80s was a golden age for action movies, but with so many movies being released, some slipped through the cracks and went on to become cult hits.
10Android (1982)
Directed By Aaron Lipstadt
Androidtakes place in a space station lab where Dr. Daniel, who is a scientist, is building and testing androids illegally. He soon realizes the android is closer to being a human than he originally thought as it begins to display emotions like love, jealousy, and anger.
This cult'80s sci-fi moviewas Aaron Lipstadt’s directorial debut, and not long after that, he directed the post-apocalyptic action movieCity Limits. At the time of its release,Androidreceived largely mixed reviews. However, even with some weaker elements,it’s a fairly impressive movie considering it was made on a shoestring budget. It’s this fact that has contributed to the movie’s rising cult status, as movie budgets have become pretty bloated since. Its plot is also surprisingly ahead of its time, considering the increased fear of robots and AI in recent years.
9Night of the Comet (1984)
Directed By Thom Eberhardt
Night of the Comettells the story of two teen sisters, Regina and Samantha, who are some of the only survivors of a zombie attack following a comet sighting. They eventually learn they are being hunted by scientists who want to find an antidote by experimenting on the survivors' bodies.
LikeAndroidand many other cult classic films,Night of the Cometwas made for an incredibly low budget – less than $1 million in this case. Unlike some other movies in the same category, though,Night of the Cometactually did receive fairly positive reviews when it was first released,partly due to its powerhouse female protagonists and fun tone. This made it a unique film at the time, and it’s still worth a watch today. Adding to its appeal: the Samantha character helped inspire Buffy Summers ofBuffy the Vampire Slayer.
Night of the Comet
Cast
Night of the Comet, released in 1984, follows two teenage sisters in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles after a comet wipes out most of humanity. They navigate a landscape of red dust and zombie-like mutants, eventually joining forces with a truck driver to combat a malevolent scientific group.
Directed By Gary Sherman
A sci-fi film of the horror variety,Dead & Buriedfollows the creepy story of Sheriff Dan Gillis and his wife Janet, who learn that the town coroner, Jack, has been creating an army of zombies who live normally like locals in their small coastal town. The town welcomes visitors and strangers, only for them to be killed and sent back as un-dead members of society.
Gary Sherman directed other films in the horror genre in the ’80s, such asPoltergeist III.His experience with similar movies might be part of the reason audiences have been more keen on checking outDead & Buriedin recent years, which made little to no impact on the box office at the time of its release. However, despite few people seeing the movie when it first came out, it was praised for its special effects and acting.
Dead and Buried
In the small town of Potters Bluff, several tourists are brutally murdered by a group of locals, but they don’t stay dead for long. Shortly afterward, they reappear in the city as residents.
7Galaxina (1980)
Directed By William Sachs
Fans of films likeBarbarellawill enjoyGalaxina, which follows a similar story of a life-like android woman, played by Dorothy Stratten. Galaxina is also a crew member of an Intergalactic Space Police cruiser and ends up left alone with the pilot, Sgt. Thor, when the ship is put into suspended animation for decades
This very campy film is a play on other sci-fi stories of the time, and it has a lot of fun both celebrating and poking fun at the genre’s tropes, striking just the right balance between the two. The love story between Galaxina and Sgt. Thor helps set it apart from other movies. Additionally, its director, William Sachs, helmed other cult classics such as 1977’sThe Incredible Melting Man.Galaxinahas something for everyone and is well worth checking out today.
6Repo Man (1984)
Directed By Alex Cox
Repo Manfollows protagonist Otto, a punk rocker in Los Angeles who loses his job and starts working for a repossession agent named Bud. He begins to enjoy his new job as a repo man and soon comes across a ‘64 Chevy Malibu. This leads Otto on a series of adventures to find the car, as he’s thrust into a world involving theCIA, aliens, and otherworldly things.
While many cult classics star actors who don’t wind up becoming very famous,Repo Manis an exception in that regard.It stars Emilio Estevez, who is, of course, well-known for other iconic roles such as Andrew fromThe Breakfast Cluband Two-Bit Matthews fromThe Outsiders.Repo Manis a great example of a campy cult classic that nonetheless received solid reviews following its initial release. As of 2024, a sequel is in the works, highlighting how popular the movie has become.
Repo Man
Repo Man is a 1984 science fiction crime comedy film directed by Alex Cox. The story follows a young punk rocker named Otto, played by Emilio Estevez, who becomes involved in the seedy world of automobile repossession, uncovering a surreal conspiracy involving a mysterious 1964 Chevrolet Malibu. The film also stars Harry Dean Stanton as Bud, a seasoned repo man who mentors Otto.
5The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)
Directed By W.D. Richter
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimensionis both a sci-fi and comedy movie that tells the story of Banzai, a man who wears many different hats, such as adventurer, rock musician, and surgeon. He finds himself in a battle to the death alongside his band of allies against alien invaders.The cast is surprisingly star-studded, featuring John Lithgow, Ellen Barkin, Jeff Goldblum, and Christopher Lloyd.
WhileThe Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimensionwasn’t very successful upon release, it is now a cult classic thanks to its wacky concepts and hilarious story. While some found the plot too convoluted at the time, it’s now seen as one of the movie’s charms. The cast certainly doesn’t hurt, with all of the actors clearly having had a great time making the film.
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension is a 1984 science fiction film that follows the adventures of Buckaroo Banzai, a physicist/rock musician/superhero played by Peter Weller. The film follows Buckaroo as he saves the world from the evil alien Lord John Whorfin, who is threatening to destroy the Earth.
4Battle Beyond the Stars (1980)
Directed By Jimmy T. Murakami
Battle Beyond the Starsis a sci-fi and action film that follows an ensemble cast of seven space warriors in a battle to save a peaceful planet for a young farmer. The planet has been conquered by an evil tyrant who is promising to give his alien followers eternal life by taking the limbs and parts of victims’ bodies and attaching them to their own.
While this small-budget film was directed by Jimmy T. Murakami,he was notably aided by a young James Cameron. Cameron provided most of the special effects featured in the film and made his feature directorial debut just two years later withPiranha II: The Spawning.Battle Beyond the Starsis a pretty clear knock-off ofStar Warsand suffers slightly as a result, but it’s still a tremendously fun look at some of Cameron’s earliest work for the big screen.
Battle Beyond the Stars
Battle Beyond the Stars follows a young farmer who assembles a group of mercenaries to defend his peaceful planet from an oppressive tyrant. Released in 1980, the film features a diverse ensemble cast, uniting to thwart the impending threat and preserve their homeland’s safety.
3The Ice Pirates (1984)
Directed By Stewart Raffill
The Ice Piratestells the story of a future where water is the most sought-after commodity in the galaxy. However, only one last water planet remains and is unreachable. Meanwhile, Princess Karina is searching for her father, who mysteriously disappeared after the possible discovery of a water planet. She is sold two space pirates to help her find him, giving the movie its title.
The Ice Pirates' themes and setting makeit anotherStar Wars-adjacent movie, though of course with a far lower budget and slightly more winking at the space opera genre. The movie is on the lower end of the “cult classic” spectrum, as audiences are just starting to recognize what it has to offer. Part of that is a solid cast that includes well-known actors like Anjelica Huston, Ron Perlman, and John Carradine.
2Trancers (1984)
Directed By Charles Band
Trancerstells the story of an Angel City trooper, Jack Deth, who is sent back in time from the year 2247 to Los Angeles, California in the year 1985. His archenemy, Whistler, wants to turn everyone into zombies, and Deth has to stop him before he kills every ancestor of the future governing council. Notably,Academy Award winner Helen Hunt has a pivotal roleas the female lead, Lena.
Trancersis a very ’80s movie that’s also in the style of film noir, which makes it a bit more unique than other stories from the same time period. The movie’s combination of time travel and exciting action provides additional appeal, as does Hunt’s role.Trancerswas only her second film after she made her debut in 1977’sRollercoaster, and it’s neat to see the actress' early work.
1Critters (1986)
Directed By Stephen Herek
Crittersis the definition of campy cult ’80s sci-fi.It follows the story of evil fuzzy creatures from outer spacethat suddenly land on a farm, and that premise alone nearly says it all. Together, the family that lives on the farm has to fight off the creatures themselves. Bounty hunters with superhuman powers also follow behind the critters but aren’t helpful to the family.
Crittersis absolutely more successful than most films considered “cult classics.” It spawned a full-blown franchise, with the most recent movie,Critters Attack!, released in 2019. Still, the original film received only mixed reviews when it first came out, and it has definitely become more popular in the years since. With horror, comedy, and, of course, sci-fi elements,Crittersis a must-watch for fans of all three genres and ’80s movies in general.
Critters
A massive ball of furry creatures from another world eat their way through a small mid-western town followed by intergalactic bounty hunters opposed only by militant townspeople.
