Night of the Comet is a 1984 American science fiction comedy horror film written and directed by Thom Eberhardt.

It stars Catherine Mary Stewart, Robert Beltran, and Kelli Maroney as survivors of a comet that has turned most people into either dust or zombies.

Staying after the theater closes, she helps her boyfriend, projectionist Larry Dupree, sneak back in so he can loan out a film reel for illegal duplication for his own profit.

As they listen to Reggie, Sam and Hector debate what to do, the scientists note that the zombies, though less exposed to the comet, will eventually disintegrate into dust themselves.

Audrey White, a disillusioned scientist, offers to dispose of Sam, whom she diagnosed as having been exposed to the comet due to her developing rash, and to wait for Hector to return.

Frustrated, she ignores Reggie's warning about crossing a deserted downtown street against the still-operating signal light, claiming there is nobody else left.

When writing the script, director Thom Eberhardt wanted to merge the idea of strong female protagonists with his love of post-apocalyptic films set in empty cities.

Eberhardt initially had trouble convincing the studio to let him direct it, but they relented when he held out, as Atlantic Releasing Corporation was looking to immediately invest $700,000.

Atlantic also wanted to capitalize on the success of their 1983 hit Valley Girl and the popularity of quirky drive-in films like Repo Man.

Heather Langenkamp auditioned for the role of Samantha "Sam" Belmont and was the number one choice on the casting list but the part ultimately went to Kelli Maroney.

The website's consensus reads: "Valley Girl culture satire Night of the Comet gets lots of mileage out of its slapstick sci-fi zombie approach.

[5] Variety wrote that Eberhardt "creates a visually arresting B-picture in the neon-primary colors of the cult hit Liquid Sky", as well as pointing out similarities with Five, The Day of the Triffids, The Omega Man, Dawn of the Dead and Last Woman on Earth.

"[6] Vincent Canby of The New York Times called it "a good-natured, end-of-the-world B-movie" whose "humor augments rather than upstages the mechanics of the melodrama".

[11] Sherilyn Connelly of The Village Voice criticized the synopsis on the back of the disc packaging, saying that it dumbed down the film and portrayed the independent women as helpless stereotypes.

Other songs include "The Whole World is Celebratin'" (also performed by Chris Farren), "Lady in Love" and "Unbelievable" by Revolver, "Strong Heart" by John Townsend, "Trouble" by Skip Adams, "Living on the Edge" by Jocko Marcellino, "Virgin in Love" by Thom Pace, "Never Give Up" by Bobby Caldwell and "Hard Act to Follow" by Diana DeWitt.

[15] Keith Phipps of The Dissolve wrote that the film's cult following comes from how matter-of-factly it treats its weird premise.