10 Great Cult Sci-Fi Movies From The 1980s You Need To See

Summary

• Cult sci-fi movies of the 1980s bring a campy charm and quirky practical effects that set them apart from big hits.
• Low budgets and unique concepts made some lesser-known sci-fi films stand out, despite being overshadowed.
• Nostalgic and fun, these cult classics offer a different take on the sci-fi genre, making them worth revisiting today.

Sci-fi truly took on a life of its own in the 1980s and was majorly popular due to films like Back 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 movies of 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 Android (1982)

Directed By Aaron Lipstadt

Android takes 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 movie was Aaron Lipstadt’s directorial debut, and not long after that, he directed the post-apocalyptic action movie City Limits. At the time of its release, Android received 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.

9 Night of the Comet (1984)

Directed By Thom Eberhardt

Night of the Comet tells 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.

Like Android and many other cult classic films, Night of the Comet was 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 Comet actually 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 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

8 Dead & Buried (1981)

Directed By Gary Sherman

A sci-fi film of the horror variety, Dead & Buried follows 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 as Poltergeist III. His experience with similar movies might be part of the reason audiences have been more keen on checking out Dead & Buried in 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.

7 Galaxina (1980)

Directed By William Sachs

Fans of films like Barbarella will enjoy Galaxina, 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’s The Incredible Melting Man. Galaxina has something for everyone and is well worth checking out today.

6 Repo Man (1984)

Directed By Alex Cox

Repo Man follows 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 the CIA, aliens, and otherworldly things.

While many cult classics star actors who don’t wind up becoming very famous, Repo Man is an exception in that regard. It stars Emilio Estevez, who is, of course, well-known for other iconic roles such as Andrew from The Breakfast Club and Two-Bit Matthews from The Outsiders. Repo Man is 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.

5 The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)

Directed By W.D. Richter

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension is 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.

While The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension wasn’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.

4 Battle Beyond the Stars (1980)

Directed By Jimmy T. Murakami

Battle Beyond the Stars is 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 with Piranha II: The Spawning. Battle Beyond the Stars is a pretty clear knock-off of Star Wars and suffers slightly as a result, but it’s still a tremendously fun look at some of Cameron’s earliest work for the big screen.

3 The Ice Pirates (1984)

Directed By Stewart Raffill

The Ice Pirates tells 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 make it another Star 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.

2 Trancers (1984)

Directed By Charles Band

Trancers tells 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 role as the female lead, Lena.

Trancers is 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. Trancers was only her second film after she made her debut in 1977’s Rollercoaster, and it’s neat to see the actress’ early work.

1 Critters (1986)

Directed By Stephen Herek

Critters is the definition of campy cult ’80s sci-fi. It follows the story of evil fuzzy creatures from outer space that 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.

Critters is 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, Critters is a must-watch for fans of all three genres and ’80s movies in general.