Cult classics have long been beloved by film fans and have become even more admired over the last 20 years or so. What is unique about cult classics is that even though they become cherished by movie lovers, they mostly remain unknown or unrecognized by casual moviegoers. Films that struggled at the box office upon initial release and didn’t fare well with audiences or critics, but gained a following in the years after their release would be considered cult classics. Similar to wine, acult classic gets better over time.
Even after earning cult status, a film can still be overlooked. Cult classics already start out as movies that barely receive any attention, so it’s unsurprising that a cult classic can still be underrated even after gaining somewhat of a following. Since cult classics commonly attract smaller groups of fans, it’s difficult for them to find a niche audience even within the film community. Few cult classics achieve the eventual mainstream popularity of films such asFight Clubwhich have gone on to be considered a masterpiece by many.
The 1990s in particular are now known for creating many movies that have earned cult status over time. Rightfully so, as the ’90s have given us cult gems such asNatural Born KillersandOffice Space. Although, the 1980s was a decade full of just as many extraordinary films that have amassed cult status over the years. The ’80s are a prominent decade for pop culture that to this day still influences the music we listen to, the clothes we wear, and the movies we love. Even though the ’80s continue to be influential in media, there are still plenty of films that are overlooked from the decade. With that being said, check out these ten ’80s cult classics that still don’t get enough credit.
Related:These ’90s Cult Classics Still Don’t Get Enough Credit
10Earth Girls Are Easy (1988)
What happens when you mix ’80s Southern California, Jeff Goldblum and Jim Carrey as aliens, and an extra-terrestrial crash-landing in a swimming pool altogether? You get the underappreciated comedyEarth Girls Are Easy. Geena Davis stars as a valley girl named Valerie who recently discovered her harsh fiancée was cheating on her, and shortly after finds a spaceship with three furry aliens has crash-landed into her pool. The aliens were cruising around the galaxy when they accidentally received a broadcast showing human girls when they decide SoCal is the place to be. Valerie takes them in, and the aliens quickly absorb American pop culture and language by watching TV.
Jeff Goldblum, Jim Carrey, and Daman Wayans are hilarious in this. They strut around the streets and neighborhoods of Southern California in their Earth bodies and uncover all that being human has to offer. It’s utterly wacky and completely strange, but certainly worth the laughs.
9Prom Night (1980)
Two years after starring in the genre-defining slasher Halloween, Jamie Lee Curtis continued with her horror roots inProm Night. Six years after the accidental death of a classmate, four teenagers are stalked by a masked killer who knows their secret at their senior prom. Prom is supposed to be one of the most memorable nights of a high schooler’s life, and those kids definitely won’t forget this night.
Prom Nightdefinitely embraces the cheesiness of late ’70s/early ’80s slasher films. The acting is questionable, the effects are almost laughable, and the dialogue is nothing special. For those reasons, it’s one of those movies that’s so bad, it’s good.
8Less Than Zero (1987)
A look into post-adolescence and youth culture,Less Than Zerofollows Clay (Andrew McCarthy) as he comes home to L.A. from his first semester in college, only to find out that his ex-girlfriend is involved with his ex-best friend, who is also suffering greatly from a severe drug addiction. Not only is Julian (Robert Downey Jr.) struggling gravely with this addiction to cocaine, but he is also in a serious amount of debt.
The movie explores how a young person’s life can turn out if they don’t move out of their hometown or find something to occupy their time post-high school. These kids are from Beverly Hills, so they clearly grew up with money, but everything is not as glamorous as it appears on the outside. Clay’s family is broken and Julian’s family could not seem to care less about him. They didn’t have nurturing families growing up which carried into their early adulthood. They are basically left up to their own devices. Yet, while Clay jumped on the opportunity to get as far away from L.A. as possible and try to build his own life, Julian felt stuck and alone, causing him to turn to people who didn’t care either way about what happened to him. This is one ofRDJ’s best performancesthat rarely gets mentioned.
7The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer star as three single women in a picturesque New England town who have their wishes granted by a mysterious man, played by Jack Nicholson, who waltzes into town. He is crude, vulgar, and not overly handsome, but he is somehow able to tap into the desires of all three women and seduce them all, resulting in restored confidence for the single women. After an unexplainable incident involving one of the town’s prominent leaders, the three women begin to understand how he is able to mesmerize them so easily and decide to experiment with some tricks they learned from him.
The Witches of Eastwickutilizes the eerie coastal New England setting perfectly to capture the witchy vibes that small Cape Cod-like towns already give off. Their town looks like a place where devious magic would occur, and the clean-cut presentation of the town actually enhances the belief that something deceitful would happen there. Jack Nicholson is more than convincing as a vulgar, inappropriate, manipulative magic man. Cher, Sarandon, and Pfeiffer shine as single but empowered women who will absolutely take back control of their lives. It’s a bit goofy at times and the effects may not completely hold up, but it will certainly entertain you for two hours.
6Christine (1983)
A nerdy but polite teenage boy purchases a classic 1957 Plymouth Fury and devotes his time to restoring it. As he works on the car, his personality goes from shy to cocky, and he goes from having one friend to dating the most popular girl in school. Arnie turns completely selfish and eventually grows jealous of the car that tracks down anyone who is perceived as a threat to them.
The concept of a killer car is ridiculous, but knowing that it comes fromthe mind of Stephen King, it becomes intriguing.Christineis a supernatural car that actually possesses Arnie, causing his personality to take a complete 180. His only friend, Dennis, grows weary of him as Arnie becomes more and more unhinged. The thing about Christine is that you cannot escape her. She will follow you down every alley and sidewalk, regardless of the damage it does to her exterior because she will just fix herself.
Related:These Are the Best Cult Classics of the 1980s
5The Lost Boys (1987)
A mother and her two boys move to a coastal California town that happens to be home to a biker gang as well as plagued by puzzling deaths, inThe Lost Boys. The younger son, Sam (Corey Haim) befriends an oddball group of boys, while the older son, Michael (Jason Patric) is inextricably pulled into the biker gang’s world by a girl he likes. Except, the biker gang aren’t just bikers, they’re vampires.
This horror-comedy is really an eccentric blend of a high school coming-of-age story and supernatural fantasy. Michael starts sleeping all day and staying out all night while Sam starts getting into trouble because his new friends are convinced that they’re vampire hunters. It uses all the normal tropes for a vampire story, but the behaviors of Michael and Sam also mirror stereotypical depictions of teenagers, such as getting into trouble and sleeping all day.
4Top Secret! (1984)
A spoof of spy movies and Elvis films,Top Secret!follows Nick Rivers (Val Kilmer), a ’50s style rock ‘n roll singer who falls in love with a girl while performing in East Germany and winds up becoming involved with a French Resistance scheme to rescue an imprisoned scientist. Considering that it is a parody film, the jokes are consistently flowing and even the most impossible feats are possible.
This wasVal Kilmer’s first-ever feature film role, and it says a lot about him and his talent that he was chosen to lead the movie. The opening of the movie features people partying on a beach, guys on surfboards shooting objects they throw in the air, a warplane accidentally being shot down, and a parody song to the tune of The Beach Boys’ “Surfin' USA”. The marquee shown at the end of the montage shows a Nick Rivera concert happening with guests such as Linda Ronstadt and Stevie Wonder, and if time allows, Frank Sinatra.
3Smooth Talk (1985)
Based on the short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?",Smooth Talkfollows 15-year-old Connie (Laura Dern), a farm girl in the Northern California suburbs desperate to escape the boredom of farm life. Her mother wants to keep her safe at home, but Connie would rather spend her days shopping at the mall with her friends and her nights flirting with boys at the local burger joint. She’s not prepared for what happens when she flirts with an older, handsome stranger named Arnold Friend.
Connie is a typical teenager who doesn’t want to be constrained by her parents' rules and would rather spend time with her friends. Despite this, she is still a relatively sheltered girl who doesn’t understand the dangers of the world around her. When she innocently flirts with Arnold, she truly has no idea that he has any malicious intent behind his charming smile. He zeroes in on her, and she has no clue.Smooth Talkreally captures the teenage need for attention and trouble, but the utter fear when that attention and trouble actually finds you.
2Heathers (1989)
Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder) attempts to survive the social jungle of Westerburg High School by sticking with the three most popular girls in school, all named Heather. When she meets the alluring, sociopathic new kid JD, her life spirals out of control as they give teen angst a body count.
Heathersis the movie that made Winona Ryder a bona fide star. She fought hard to get the role, including offering to work for free to get the part, and it led her to a career spanning more than three decades. The combination of her edgy attitude and Christian Slater’s suave yet psychotic demeanor make for an insanely captivating duo. A satire on thesocial structure of high schoolthat criticizes both the need to fit in and the disgust at having anything to do with social class.
1Paris, Texas (1984)
Travis Henderson (Harry Dean Stanton) is an aimless drifter who has been missing for four years and wanders out of the Texas desert. His brother finds him, and they return to L.A. to reunite Travis with his son. From there, Travis and his son travel to find the boy’s mother, who left after Travis disappeared. Travis must reconnect with society, his family, and himself.
Directed by German director Wim Wenders,Paris, Texasis a story about a simple man and his life. He doesn’t speak much, and he doesn’t need much. He is content with wandering the country and doesn’t feel pressured to partake in trivial things that most people in society do. We watch him stumble through his life, and finally, come face to face with a woman he once loved who is also the estranged mother of his child. It makes you appreciate the little things in your own life.
