12 Underrated and Forgotten 80s Film Gems

Whenever I do these lists, someone always complains that one or more aren’t actually underrated, but I suppose it depends on how you define that term, but for me, these 80’s films are all underrated.

However, I’m definetly not saying they are masterpieces, but I do feel they deserve more love overall.

Night of the Comet (1984)

Teenagers wake up to find the world wiped out by a comet.

It’s goofy, fun, and surprisingly clever for its teen centric premise.

The Last Dragon (1985)

A over the top martial arts musical with cheesy dialogue and a ridiculous but entertaining story.

It’s pure 80s fun with action, music, and comic book style heroics.

Class of 1984 (1982)

A high school thriller about violent teens and a music teacher pushed too far.

It’s dark, tense, and has some strong performances, yet it flew under the radar when it was released.

The Brother from Another Planet (1984)

A funny and quite thought provoking film with a socially conscious, quirky story about a mute alien.

My Science Project (1985)

This one is quite a zany and imaginative film offering a fun mix of science fiction and teen comedy.

Summer School (1987)

Summer School is funny, heartwarming, and has the kind of quirky charm that makes it an underrated comedy gem.

Deadly Friend (1986)

Quite creepy and inventive, and also mostly forgotten today because of Wes Cravens other (better) hits, which is a shame.

Wanted: Dead or Alive (1986)

This one is gritty with a lot of good tension too, but was eclipsed by the bigger action films of the decade.

Little Monsters (1989)

Playful, creative, and rarely mentioned in discussions of 80s family films when it really should be.

Running on Empty (1988)

Emotional, well acted, and often forgotten despite some acclaim.

I mean it only has 19k reviews on IMDB which is low, and should be better known among the masses.

Cutter’s Way (1981)

if you like your movies with a pulse and are a little dangerous, then Cutter’s Way is worth every minute.

Chopping Mall

You will know from the first five minutes that you are going to have a good time with Chopping Mall, as it’s stupid, campy, and has got laser fueled robot murders.

What more do you need?

So those are my choices for some underrated 80’s films I think are worth the watch, and deserve more exposure.

Simon Leasher

A lover of cinema for over 35 years, I have watched many films from around the world in many different genres, yet I still normally always come back to trashy slasher horror films when in doubt. More

And yes, The Godfather 2 is better than The Godfather.