Night of the Comet (1984)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1984
Running Times: 94 mins 51 sec (UK)
Format: colour
Ratio:
Sound:

CREDITS

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Atlantic Releasing Corporation presents A Thomas Coleman and Michael Rosenblatt Presentation in association with Film Development Fund
Copyright: © 1984 Atlantic 9000, Inc.
From Atlantic Releasing Corporation
Executive Producers: Thomas Coleman and Michael Rosenblatt
Produced by: Andrew Lane and Wayne Crawford
Associate Producers: Nancy Israel and Sandra Scheik
Production Manager: Nancy Israel
Unit Manager: William Ray
Production Co-Ordinator: Diana Galvin
New York Production Co-Ordinator: Susan Israel

SCRIPT
Written by: Thom Eberhardt

DIRECTION
Directed by: Thom Eberhardt
Second Unit Directors: John Muto. H. Gordon Boos
First Assistant Director: H. Gordon Bloos
Second Assistant Director: Gary A. Low

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Arthur Albert
First Assistant Camera: Philip Molahan
Second Assistant Director: John Esaki
Second Unit Camera: Tom Richmond
Gaffer: Shaun McClelland
Best Boy: Chris Fenney
Electrician: Beth Webber
Key Grip: Donnie Daniels
Best Boy Grip: Steve Jezewski
Grips: David Birke, Bruce, Clarke, Mike Townsend
Still Photographer: Diane Roderick
Arriflex Camera Supplied by: Otto Nemenz International Inc

EDITING AND POST PRODUCTION
Editor: Fred Stafford
Assistant Editor: Bill Gentry
Associate Editor: Carl Graham
Negative Cutting: Ultra Film Services Inc

MUSIC
Music by: David Richard Campbell
Music Supervised by: Don Perry

SONGS AND ADDITIONAL MUSIC
All Songs Produced By: Don Perry, Bob Summers

"Whole World is Celebratin'"
Written by Chris Farren & Wayne Crawford
Performed by Chris Farren

"Time Out"
Written and produced by Chris Farren

"I'll Take the Blame"
Written and performed by Thom Pace

"It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"
Performed by Jerry Sharell

"Let My Fingers Do the Walking"
Written by Kenny Lee Lewis & Diane Steinberg
Performed by Stallion

"Strong Heart"
Written by Skip Adams, Mark Bensi
Performed by John Townsend

"Unbelievable"
Written by Gary Mallaber, John Massaro, Byron Alldred
Performed by Revolver

"Trouble"
Written and performed by Skip Adams

"Lady in Love"
Written by Bob Summers
Performed by Revolver

"Living on the Edge"
Written by Jocko Marcellino, Randy Handley
Performed by: Jocko Marcellino

"Virgin in Love"
Written by Thom Pace, Maria Hegsted
Performed by Thom Pace

"Hard Act to Follow"
Written by Michael Hanna, Diana DeWitt, James Pritchett
Performed by Diana DeWitt

"Learn to Love Again"
Written by Chris Farren
Performed by Chris Farren & Amy Holland

"Girls Just Want to Have Fun"
Written by Robert Hazard
Performed by Tami Holbrook

"Eyes on You"
Written by Bob Summers
Performed by Jocko Marcellino

"Tell Me Yourself"
Written by Gary Mallaber, John Massaro, Byron Alldred
Performed by Revolver

"Never Give Up"
Written by Jay White
Performed by Bobby Caldwell

"Makin' Me Blue"
Written by Bob Summers
Performed by Jim Christopher

"King Country Woman"
Written by Thom Pace & Dave Hegsted
Performed by Doug Kershaw

Songs Recorded At: BDR Sound; Hollywood Sound; Studio Masters
Mixed By: Tom Perry, Bob Summers, Ross Pallone, Tim Jaquette
Radio Jingles: L.A. Air Force

SOUND
Production Sound: One To One Sound
Sound Mixer: Steve Nelson
Boom Operator: Bjorn Emilsson
Sound Editors: Fred Stafford, Carl Graham, Bill Gentry, Lois Freeman
Re-recording Mixers: Christopher L. Haire, John L. Anderson, Doug Davey

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Key Costumer: Linda Linn
Wardrobe Mistress: Deborah Loft
Wardrobe Assistant: Regina Wrubel
Dresses: Casadei and TD4 by Electra Casadei
Additional Sportswear Courtesy Of: Malibu Sport; Nike; Banana Republic
Make-up: William Snyder

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Make-up Effects Designer: David B. Miller
Contact Lens Specialists: Dr Ronald Guiley, Dr Gary Etting, Dr Peter Rosenberg

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Visual Effects Designer: John Muto
Visual Effects: Ted Rae
Special Effects: Court Wizard
Plate Photography: Austin McKinney
Time Lapse Photography: The Time Lapse Company
Slit Scan / Motion Control: Lumeni, John O'Connell, Rick Bugental, Steve Wilzbach
Title Opticals: CMI, Mark Sawicki

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: John Muto
Assistant Art Director: Anne Huntley
Set Decorator: David Wasco
Assistant Set Decorator: Thierry Verrier
Property Master: Paul Ahrens
Assistant Property Master: John Myhre
Art Assistants: Vivianne Bertrand Gelbart, Sherry Dreizen, Dave Peltz
Scenic Artist / Special Props / Construction Supervisor: Bernardo Munoz
Lead Carpenter: Don Desimone
Neon: Richard John Jenkins

MISCELLANEOUS
Script Supervisor: Dulanie Ellis
Production Accountant: Peter Rutenberg
Production Assistants: Arthur Payne, Peter Merwin
Assistant to the Production Manager: Steven Pomeroy
Craft Services: Carla Madison
Promotions: Nancy Battaglia
Choreography by: Gary Mascaro
Video Game Consultant: Philip Lieberman
Atari Tempest coin video game couresy of Atari, Inc. © 1981
Vehicles by: Ford Motor Company

LOCATIONS
Filmed at: Raleigh Studios, Hollywood, California
Locations by: Filmtrucks

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks To: Carol Glessinger, manager Bullocks / Wilshire Department Store; Larry Edmunds Book Shop; Chuck Comisky and Ken Jones; Dreamquest; Dave Hogan; Health Valley Natural Foods, Montebello, California; Tenneco West; Western Bagel Baking Corp; Dean Foods; Thunderbird Marketing Corp; Trader Joe's Markets; Pervo Paint Co; Hickory's Best

STUNTS
Stunts: Debby Lynn Ross, Sandra Lee Gimpel

CASTING
Casting by: Annette Benson
Extra Casting: Janet Cunningham

CAST
Starring
Robert Beltran (Hector Gomez)
Catherine Mary Stewart (Regina Belmont)
Kelli Maroney (Samantha Belmont)
Sharon Farrell (Doris Belmont)
Mary Woronov (Audrey)

and
Geoffrey Lewis (Dr Carter)

Co-Starring
Michael Bowen (Larry Dupree)
Peter Fox (Dr Wilson)
John Achorn (Oscar)
Lissa Layng (Davenport)
Devon Ericson (minder)
Ivan E. Roth (Willy)
Chance Boyer (Brian)
Janice Kawaye (Sarah)

Andrew Boyer (Rogers)
Stanley Brock (Mel)
Marc Poppel (Danny Mason Kenner / DMK)
Raymond Lynch (Chuck)
Bob Perlow (TV reporter)
John Stuart West (monster cop)
Alex A. Brown (monster in alley)
Dick Rude, Chris Pedersen (stock boys)
Karl Johnson, Joel Levin (guards)
Wilson Camp, Anna Mathias, Tim Hannon (party guests)
Bobby Porter (monster kid)
Steve LaBeau (voice of the DJ)
Michael Hanks (newscaster)
Chris Chesser (radio spot announcer)
Dale E. House (helicopter pilot)

A comet that hasn't been this way since the age of the dinosaurs returns to Earth and within 24 hours, most of the population has been turned to dust or transformed into zombies. In Los Angeles, teenage sisters Regina and Samantha have survived the apocalypse and team up with another survivor, truck driver Hector. The arrival of a group of scientists who have survived the catastrophe in a top secret research facility just causes even more problems.

It's the end of the world as we know it and all the survivors want to do is go shopping. This is as dumb as they get but it's also immensely likeable thanks to great central performances (Stewart and Maroney are excellent as the Uzi toting teens) and a marked reluctance by writer director Eberhardt to take any of it even remotely seriously. It gets a bit bogged down once the action moves to the research base, but overall it's great, brainless fun with lots of funny asides and a wonderful ending ("We do not cross against the light!").

UK
Video Distributor: CBS / Fox; Twentieth Century Fox Home Video (6743)

USA
Theatrical Distributors: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation / Atlantic Releasing Corp
Video Distributor: CBS / Fox

UK
Rating: 15

USA
Rating: PG-13

1984
November
16: USA - theatrical release

1985
May
8: UK - rated 15 by the BBFC (for theatrical release)

September
1: UK - rated 15 by the BBFC (for video release)

1994
June
8: UK - video deleted (Twentieth Century Fox Home Video (6743))

2007
March
19: UK - television broadcast (on Sci-Fi)

The last time it came the dinosaurs disappeared

Der Komet - Der Tod kommt aus dem All - German title
Der Komet - German title
La notte della cometa - Italian title

SEE ALSO
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
It Came from Outer Space (1953)

BOOKS

Hoffman's Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies 1991 - 1992 p.260-261
credits, review

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

comets; end of the world; post apocalypse; zombies; cinemas; radio stations; teenagers; children; blood; scientists

Last Updated: 1 January, 2009