NIGHT OF THE COMET
US, 1984, 95 minutes, Colour.
Robert Beltran, Catherine Mary Stewart, Sharon Farrell, Mary Woronov, Geoffrey Lewis.
Directed by Thom Eberhardt.
Night of the Comet is one of those brief science fiction films that becomes a cult film. Made on a small budget, the work of writer-director Thom Eberhardt (who shows himself a film buff with his homage to various films and genres). The film uses an ordinary Los Angeles setting but with red filters and the empty city, it creates an end of the world atmosphere. The film shows a deadly comet, the elimination of the population, a few young survivors who eventually have the responsibility of running the world (and return to attitudes of law and order even amongst themselves so few in number). The film also shows scientists exploiting the situation - who by mistake are contaminated and turn into scientific vampires for self-preservation.
The film has a good cast. Catherine Mary Stewart is an attractive heroine. Geoffrey Lewis continues his characterisations as the head scientist. Mary Woronov, star of many of these small-budget features (Eating Raoul etc.) is quite moving as the scientist who seems to be villain but who is actually on the side of the youngsters.
The film can be well compared with the big-budget supporting features of the '50s and '60s. Not everybody's entertainment - but, of its kind, well done.
1. The popularity of this kind of big-budget science fiction film?, Continuing the tradition of the small budget features of the '50s and 1960s? The work of the writer-director - and his knowledge of and reliance on the conventions of small-budget science fiction?
2. Los Angeles, location photography, the use of filters to suggest an eerie end of the world atmosphere? The use of scientific facilities to create an impression of contemporary technology? Special effects and make-up for the mutants? The musical score for atmosphere?
3. The title and its focus? The 1986 arrival of Halley's Comet and traditions of superstition about comets? The threats from outer space? The day the world ended?
4. The opening and ordinary life in Los Angeles, people going out to see the comet, their being reduced to nothing? The irony of the survivors in the projection room, in the garden shed, in the science facility? The potential for a fable about the end of the world?
5. The sketch of the people who died - especially the family? Regina and Samantha and their relation to their stepmother, the blowsy stepmother and her attitudes - and her comeuppance from the comet? Establishing a sense of character, situation, especially for Regino and Samantha?
6. Regina and her relationship with Larry, staying the night with him (and his pirating films especially It Came From Outer Space)? His going out into the street and being killed? Regina and her wandering the city? Finding Samantha and the irony of her survival? The encounter with Hector at the radio station? The eeriness of the radio station functioning automatically after everybody was dead? Their sending messages out? The tour through the city, the exhilaration of the shopping spree? The freedom of owning, everything - vehicles, food, clothes of this store, boys and their punk style, the tactics used by Regina and Samantha to kill them (the influence of the Green Berets)? The rescue by the scientists? The encounter with Audrey? Regina back at the headquarters, the giving of blood, the danger to her, the rescue? The future of the world with Regina and Hector? Taking on responsibilities?
7. Samantha and her attitudes towards her stepmother, being saved, encountering Regina, the radio station, Hector? The encounter with Audrey and the possibility of her death? Audrey killing herself? The rescue of Regina?
8. Hector and his isolation, arriving, the radio station, working with two girls, the fight in the store, the kidnapping? His visit home and the transformations and mutants? His teaming with Regina for the future of the world?
9. The portrait of the scientists, their seeming sympathy, scientific integrity? The irony that they were contaminated? Audrey seeming sinister but then being revealed as sympathetic, her decision not to kill, the pathos of her suicide? Carter and his relentlessness? The team? The grim comedy of the nurses talking in a maternal way while preparing to kill their victims? The deaths of the scientists?
10. The mutants and the monstrous sight of human nature being revealed? Store boys, police?
11. The eeriness of this kind of story? The relationship with nuclear themes? The possibility of human destruction with the world and its technology and achievement still remaining? The final themes of human values and the kinds of responsibility the youngsters should take on profound responsibilities, the letter of the law about driving vehicles? Propriety? How seriously was the film to be taken? How much irony?
