Fiendish Flicks W/Ruby LeRouge: Schlock of the 80’s!

This week we go back in time and look to the stars for out Fiendish Flicks, with not 1, not 2, but 3 awesomely bad movies of stellar proportions! I admit it my feisty fans, I am on a nostalgia kick as of late, and nothing is more nostalgic for this 80’s child than Night of the Comet, Repo Man and They Live. Let’s start with…

 Repo Man (1984)

Not to be confused with Repo Men with Jude law, which wasn’t half as entertaining as Repo the Genetic opera of the same premise. This little flick stars a barely out of nappies Emilio Estevez, as a punk turned car repo man, enjoying the fast life of repossession until forced to compete for a big score.  Coming across the wire is a car repo with a payout of 20 grand, and every operation in town is after the car and the cash. Along with the collectors are mysterious government agencies, and alien conspiracy enthusiasts, all hunting down a 1964 Chevy Malibu with a hot trunk (literally) full of angry alien energy.  Wacky and entertaining, Repo Man was a prime example of how 80’s cinema found a perfect blend of zany mixed with horror that has been rare since, making movies so bad that they were good, which brings us to movie number 2…

 

 Night of the Comet (1984)

What better way to spend a night than in a steel lined storage shed? In a steel lined projection booth of course! At least it is if a comet is about to pass close to the earth that hasn’t passed since the extinction of the dinosaurs. As the rest of the world gathers outside to celebrate the passing, that’s exactly how Valley Girl teens, Reggie and coincidentally her little Sister “Sam” spend it (played by Catherine Mary Stewart and Kelli Maroney). The morning after they wake to find everyone they knew, everyone in the city it seems, has turned into red dust! What’s a couple of teens to do in a situation like this? Shopping montage of course! (come on, it’s the 80’s, No flick is complete without a shopping or makeover montage). Their little 5 finger discount extravaganza is cut short when they find that they aren’t alone after all. Some unfortunate souls were only half shielded from the effects of the comet’s fly by, and are slowly turning to zombies! Just for fun, they threw in scientists with nefarious plans, and a leading man that looks like Erik Estrada to boot! Between fighting cosmic zombies, fighting wayward scientists and fight over Hector (Robert Beltran) who they believe is the last eligible man on earth, what more could you ask for? Night of the Comet is as cheesy as it gets, so grab some crackers and enjoy the fun.

 

They Live(1988)

Last on the list, but certainly not the least! They Live has some of the best lines of any horror flick in history, “I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass, and I’m all out of bubble gum.” or “Brother, Life’s a bitch and she’s back in heat.” That’s schlock horror comedy gold right there I tell ya! Written and directed by John Carpenter in 1988, and starring pro wrestler ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper, They Live is about a blue collar guy who is down on his luck finding a pair of sunglasses that reveal an international alien conspiracy! That’s right, aliens have gone global, appearing to be the human rich to the naked eye and using subliminal advertising to keep the poor man down, eliminate the middle class, and create a world of mind controlled, mass consuming, human drone slaves. Wait….did They Live predict the occupy wall street/99% movement?! Maybe instead of looking to the stars for alien life, we should be looking at the next political fundraiser! While you are watching these 3 flicks of cheese and deciding whether you are suffering from mind control, this girl will be looking for next week’s Fiendish Flick. Til then my monster movie mavens.  -Ruby