Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and this applies to absolutely every piece of art and its various mediums. What’s beautiful for you may be ugly to others, and movies follow this same rule. Saying a movie is bad should be the result of a thorough evaluation with enough arguments because, remember, perhaps the movie isn’t bad. It’s just that you may not like it. At the very bottom of the conversation about “bad movies,” there lie those that are so, so bad, they’re actually good and fun to watch.
Often labeled as cult films, so-bad-they’re-good movies are usually the result of a series of mistakes in film production that range from the absurdity of the script to simple budget issues. Nevertheless, what’s outrageously bad for some may actually be a beloved film for others. The 1980s were specifically great in this regard with a peculiar horror style, the awkward use of music, and martial arts that were not in the same vein as Bruce Lee’s iconic display of kung fu. These are the absolute best so-bad-they’re-good movies from the 1980s.
10
Pieces (1987)
In Pieces, college students are facing a ruthless killer who decapitates victims in broad daylight and seems to collect pieces of their bodies as trophies. The mystery of the killer with a special preference for chainsaws is resolved, and it’s directly related to the film’s opening sequence, one of the most notorious introductions in 1980s horror.
One of Hundreds That’s Just Special
While it’s another slasher in a sea of slasher movies, Pieces is a very original, yet inconsistent movie. The film needs to comply with slasher tropes with excessive gore, nudity and terrible dubbing. However, it’s the film’s introduction that runs like a test: if you can go past the scene where 10-year-old Timmy brutally kills his mother with an axe, then Pieces may be your cup of tea. Especially when its ending closes the circle in a poetic and very gruesome manner.
Stream Pieces on Tubi
Related
10 Movies That Exemplify Low-Budget ’80s Horror
You don’t need millions of dollars to make a horror hit, and the ’80s had an abundance of B-movie gems.
9
No Retreat, No Surrender (1986)
No Retreat, No Surrender follows Jason Stillwell, a teenager whose love for Bruce Lee is obsessive. His father has a dojo where he trains every day, but one day they get unexpected visitors. For some reason, a crime lord wants to own all the dojos in the country, and Jason and his family run from the city. What follows is an absurd fever dream where Jason is visited and trained by Lee’s ghost just before a very important kickboxing tournament.
Attempting to Cash In on The Karate Kid’s Success
Directed by action choreographer Corey Yuen, No Retreat, No Surrender is exactly what it aims to be: a martial arts film attempting to capitalize on the success of The Karate Kid. The problem is that it looks very cheap and the performances are so bad you will snicker every time Jason argues with his dad. It’s Jean-Claude Van Damme’s presence as a Soviet fighter that feels like a cherry on top because of how hilarious his acting chops were.
Stream No Retreat, No Surrender on Freevee
8
Chopping Mall (1986)
A group of teenagers that work at the mall all get together for a late night party in one of the stores. When the mall goes on lock down before they can get out, the robot security system activates after a malfunction and goes on a killing spree. One by one the three bots try to rid the mall of the “intruders.” The only weapons the kids can use are the supplies in other stores, or if they can make it till morning when the mall opens back up.
- Release Date
-
March 14, 1986
- Director
-
Jim Wynorski
- Cast
-
Kelli Maroney
, Tony O’Dell
, Russell Todd
, Karrie Emerson
, Barbara Crampton
, Nick Segal
, John Terlesky
, Paul Bartel
In Chopping Mall, a group of teenagers working at the Park Plaza Mall decide to have an after-party when the mall closes its doors. The problem is that they’re unaware that the new security system involves violent robots that go rogue after lightning strikes and wreak havoc on whatever they can find.
A Great Gateway Horror Film
Starring a young Barbara Crampton, Chopping Mall is a horror comedy that cleverly blurs the lines between taking itself seriously and presenting a worthy comment on American consumerism. The robots are hilarious, clunky, and not very scary. It’s a great gateway horror film for those who want to explore the underbelly of scary B-movies.
7
Mac and Me (1988)
- Release Date
-
August 12, 1988
- Director
-
Stewart Raffill
- Cast
-
Christine Ebersole
, Jonathan Ward
, Tina Caspary
, Lauren Stanley
, Jade Calegory
, Vinnie Torrente
Mac and Me follows Eric Cruise, a boy in a wheelchair who befriends a lost alien abandoned by his family. MAC (or “Mysterious Alien Creature”) opens up to Eric, who quickly finds out that the alien has magic powers, but Eric decides to reunite him with his family nonetheless. If that plot sounds familiar to you now, imagine what American audiences felt in 1988.
Following E.T.’s Blueprint the Wrong Way
The film is a hysterical rip-off of Steven Spielberg’s E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. Its production had a rough start, as director Stewart Raffill was brought on board (as well as the rest of the crew) without the existence of a script. All they knew was that McDonald’s and Coca-Cola had to be shown at some point, and the film had to try to follow the blueprint that made Spielberg’s film an icon of family-friendly sci-fi.
Stream Mac and Me on Tubi
6
Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984)
- Release Date
-
December 21, 1984
Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo is a direct follow-up to Breakin’, a film that isn’t so bad. In the original, a jazz dancer joins two dancing partners, and they rock the breakdance scene in California. In the sequel, the original trio tries their best (dancing, of course) to stop a community recreation center from being demolished.
A Cult Classic That Will Never Be Forgotten (or Forgiven)
Released a mere seven months after the first film, it felt uninspired and had a very thin plot that didn’t work at all. Yet somehow, in a very bizarre review, famed critic Roger Ebert awarded the film three out of four stars. The plot is so silly you will beg for the dancers to start their numbers soon. Perhaps you could play a game and try to count every time someone busts a move.
Stream Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo on Tubi
5
The Last Dragon (1985)
- Release Date
-
March 22, 1985
- Director
-
Michael Schultz
- Cast
-
Taimak
, Vanity
, Christopher Murney
, Julius Carry
, Faith Prince
, Leo O’Brien
The ’80s martial arts adventure The Last Dragon follows Leroy Green, a young martial arts fanatic who wants to follow in the steps of his idol, Bruce Lee. Leroy is an African-American living in Harlem, and wearing the attire of his idol doesn’t earn him any respect. However, Leroy gets the chance to to show his might when another fighter enters the ring. Meanwhile, a corporate mogul tries to dominate the local music scene.
A Hilarious Culture Mashup
Ok, so The Last Dragon maybe wasn’t so bad when we saw it in 1985, but in retrospect, it feels like a disastrous attempt to wink at every single cultural phenomenon that was trendy at the time. The film has pop music, breakdance, martial arts, and… fantasy? Somehow, director Michael Schultz blended everything into a funny adventure that has too many dance sequences and a villain that will make you laugh every time he announces himself.
4
Jaws: The Revenge (1987)
- Release Date
-
July 17, 1987
- Director
-
Joseph Sargent
Jaws: The Revenge is the story of Ellen Brody, Chief Martin Brody’s widow, who decides to follow her family’s advice to move to the Bahamas when one of her sons is killed by a shark on Amity Island. The problem is that, apparently, a shark has followed Ellen and attempts to avenge what her family did. Exactly, a shark thinking of revenge.
A Blasphemous Attempt at a Genre Offering
The film is a laughable excuse for a sequel, but it has its followers. Jaws: The Revenge had a decent box office performance, but it was a nail in the coffin for a franchise that had grown tired and lacked any sort of inspiration. The film’s special effects are only a part of what makes it a so-bad-it’s-good movie, and we guarantee you will have a riot when you notice them. And yes, you will notice all the bad special effects.
3
Basket Case (1982)
- Release Date
-
April 2, 1982
- Cast
-
Kevin Van Hentenryck
, Terri Susan Smith
, Beverly Bonner
, Robert Vogel
, Diana Browne
, Lloyd Pace
Basket Case is the story of Duane Bradley, a young man who rents a room at a very shady hotel in New York City. Duane carries a wicker basket, which seemingly contains a creature. When Duane visits a doctor who’s associated with a surgery he had in the past, and the doctor gets brutally killed, it’s revealed that the wicker basket is the home of Belial, Duane’s twin brother, who’s out for blood and after those who separated him from Duane.
Before The Substance, There Was…
Technically, the premise isn’t so bad. It’s just that the execution is one of the greatest displays of campiness in a decade when most horror films were campy. However, Basket Case isn’t afraid to show its monster, a sentient blob whose movements in stop-motion are a spectacle for fans of the format. Unexpectedly gory, the film is a treasure for some critics, who recognize the artistic value of the film and have graced it with a 77% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Related
10 Best Gritty American Crime Thrillers from the 1980s
The 1980s were mostly known for horror and sci-fi. But the following gritty American crime thrillers will make you change your mind.
2
Mannequin (1987)
Mannequin (1987) is a romantic comedy that follows the story of a young artist who discovers a mannequin in a department store that comes to life. Set against the backdrop of a retail environment, the film explores themes of creativity, ambition, and the unexpected moments that change our lives. With a unique blend of humor and charm, it offers a lighthearted narrative about finding inspiration and love in the most unlikely places.
- Release Date
-
February 13, 1987
- Director
-
Michael Gottlieb
- Cast
-
Andrew McCarthy
, Kim Cattrall
, Estelle Getty
, James Spader
, G.W. Bailey
, Carole Davis
, Meshach Taylor
, Steve Vinovich
, Christopher Maher
, Phyllis Newman
, Phil Rubenstein
, Jeffrey Lampert
, Kenneth Lloyd
, Jake Jundef
, Harvey Levine
, Thomas J. McCarthy
, Pat Ryan
, Glenn Davish
, Steve Lippe
, Lee Golden
, Vernon R. DeVinney
, Olivia Frances Williams
, Charles Lord
, Ben Hammer
, Jane Moore
, Jane Carol Simms
, Judi Goldhand
, Lara Harris
, Dan Lounsbery
, Kitty Minehart
In Mannequin, Jonathan Switcher works as an artist. Although he tries to make a living out of sculpting inanimate objects, he keeps getting fired because he doesn’t work fast enough. One day, he notices one of his creations in a department store, and somehow, the mannequin comes alive as it holds the soul of an ancient Egyptian. Care to guess if they fall in love?
The Unbelievable Becomes a Riot
Believe it or not, there’s a film on this list that was nominated for an Academy Award, and that is Mannequin. It got a nod for Best Original Song, but it’s perhaps the only positive thing about the film. The premise is simply stupid, and the execution is all over the place when it tries to build a compelling love union from something as absurd as a mannequin coming alive. Weirdly, it received a sequel that’s somehow even worse.
1
Can’t Stop the Music (1980)
Promoted as the “movie musical event of the ’80s,” Can’t Stop the Music is the best worst biopic of the decade. The film is a fantasy journey that attempts to narrate how the iconic disco group the Village People was formed by a DJ and composer duo who saw the potential in six strangers from the musical scene in Greenwich Village.
A Concept That Never Worked
The film was a terrible box office bomb that apparently inspired some industry people to create the Golden Raspberry Awards: it was the first movie to win the not-so-prestigious Worst Picture Award in 1980. Today, it remains a staple of a guilty pleasure for some ’80s fans who feel connected to its silliness and lack of rationality. The performances by the real members of the Village People will make you roll your eyes a few times.