The 10 Worst Movies of the 1980s, Ranked (2024)

The 1980s are often described as the worst decade for cinema. This was the era of studio dominance and commercialized filmmaking, where producers tended to play it safe and repeat the same successful formulas over and over again. Franchises were all the rage, and independent filmmaking was only just coming into its own. There were many good films released during this time, of course, but also many, many turkeys.

With this in mind, this list considers some of the most infamous film failures the '80s had to offer. These movies, despite sometimes featuring big budgets or star-studded casts, managed to alienate audiences with their lack of cohesion and entertainment value. From misguided musicals to unnecessary sequels, they all stand as examples of how even good intentions and lofty ambitions can lead to cinematic disaster.

10 'The Apple' (1980)

Directed by Menahem Golan

“Do you want to sell your soul to the devil for rock and roll?” The Apple is a bizarre rock musical set in the then-futuristic dystopian future of 1994, where a music corporation controls the world through its monopoly on entertainment. The story follows two aspiring musicians, Bibi (Catherine Mary Stewart) and Alphie (George Gilmour), as they rise to fame under the corrupt BIM company while struggling to maintain their integrity.

What could have been a decent allegory about the music industry becomes a mess of gaudy costumes, nonsensical plot twists, and overly literal musical numbers. Menahem Golan's direction leans heavily into camp, but the lack of self-awareness turns the film into an unintentional comedy. While catchy in a kitschy way, the songs do little to advance the plot or develop the characters. Even when the melodies are fine, the lyrics are frequently absurd. Consequently, critics rippled The Apple to shreds on release, and its reputation as an all-time stinker has only grown over time.

9 'Tarzan, the Ape Man' (1981)

Directed by John Derek

“He’s not just an ape-man. He’s a god in the jungle.” John Derek's Tarzan, the Ape Man reimagines Edgar Rice Burroughs's classic story, focusing less on Tarzan and more on Jane Parker (played the director's wife, Bo Derek) as she embarks on an expedition to Africa and encounters the titular jungle hero (Miles O'Keeffe). From here, the movie devolves into a series of slow-motion montages and soft-focus shots of Derek, turning what should have been a fun adventure into a self-indulgent vanity project.

The plot takes a backseat to supposedly exciting imagery, leaving little room for character development or narrative cohesion. As a result, the movie is mostly remembered for its attempted softcore eroticism and over-the-top portrayal of the jungle. It all ultimately feels hollow and exploitative, a far cry from the 1999 animated version or even 1960's Tarzan the Magnificent. Despite its many flaws (or perhaps because of them), Tarzan, the Ape Man still performed well at the box office.

8 'Ishtar' (1987)

Directed by Elaine May

“Danger is my middle name. What’s yours?” Ishtar stars Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman as Chuck and Lyle, two struggling lounge singers who inadvertently become embroiled in a Middle Eastern political conspiracy. The premise offers plenty of potential for satire and comedy, and the star power led to high expectations, but the finished product is undermined by misjudged humor and awkward pacing.

The duo's antics, meant to be charmingly inept, come across as tedious, and the movie struggles to balance its comedic tone with the espionage subplot. By the time the film reaches its climax, any remaining interest has been long extinguished. Hype plus poor execution proved to be a fatal combination, causing Ishtar to bomb at the box office. It grossed just $14.4m against a $51m budget. Critics were quick to add it to the pantheon of all-time worst films. Subsequent reviews have been a little kinder to it, but Ishtar is still far from good.

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Ishtar

PG-13

Comedy

Adventure

Cast

Dustin Hoffman , Warren Beatty , Isabelle Adjani , Charles Grodin , Jack Weston , Tess Harper , Carol Kane , Aharon Ipalé , Fijad Hageb , David Margulies , Rose Arrick , Julie Garfield , Cristine Rose , Robert V. Girolami , Abe Kroll , Hannah Kroll , Herb Gardner , Bill Moor , Edgar Smith , J.C. Cutler , Bill Bailey , Ian Gray , Maati Zaari , Larbi Bouhaddane , Fred Melamed

Runtime

107 minutes

7 'The Garbage Pail Kids Movie' (1987)

Directed by Rod Amateau

“Outcasts unite!” Based on the trading cards, The Garbage Pail Kids Movie follows Dodger (Mackenzie Astin), a boy who befriends a group of grotesque, anthropomorphic dolls brought to life by a magical garbage pail. They try to help Dodger stand up to bullies and win the affections of his crush, all while evading a group intent on exploiting the Kids. Aside from the flimsy plot, the movie tries and fails to win audiences over with gross-out humor and mean characters.

The animatronic designs of the Garbage Pail Kids are more unsettling than endearing. Some of them borer on nightmare fuel. Plus, a lot of their antics are simply inappropriate for younger viewers. The voice acting is similarly dreadful (the live performances are wooden too). In the end, The Garbage Pail Kids Movie winds up appealing to no one: too silly for general viewers, too rude and crude for little kids. What a mess.

The Garbage Pail Kids Movie

PG

Adventure

Comedy

Family

Musical

Sci-Fi

Cast

Anthony Newley , Mackenzie Astin , Katie Barberi , Phil Fondacaro , Ron MacLachlan , J.P. Amateau , Marjory Graue , Debbie Lee Carrington , Kevin Thompson , Bobby Bell , Larry Green , Arturo Gil , Susan Rossitto , John Cade , Lynn Cartwright , Chester Grimes , Patty Lloyd , Leo Gordon , Gavin Moloney , Lindy Huddleson , Kristine McKeon , Debbie Lytton , John Herman Shaner , Joan L. Burton , Jim Cummings , Chloe Amateau , Teri Benaron , Nicolas Pernisco , Ross Sherman

Runtime

100 minutes

Writers

Linda Palmer , Rod Amateau , John Pound

6 'Jaws: The Revenge' (1987)

Directed by Joseph Sargent

“This time, it’s personal.” The fourth installment in the Jaws franchise sinks to new depths, providing a jarring juxtaposition to Steven Spielberg's terrific original. It centers on Ellen Brody (Lorraine Gary) who becomes convinced that a vengeful shark is targeting her family. This is essentially an aquatic slasher movie. The concept is absurd, and the characters frequently defy logic. For instance, Ellen could solve this problem by simply moving away from the coast, yet this doesn't seem to occur to her.

Then there are the laughable special effects, including a blatantly fake shark in the climax. It looks like a goldfish compared to the fearsome animatronics of the first film. Somehow, Michael Caine was roped into this disaster, with his supporting character providing the only moments of levity. For all these reasons, Jaws: The Revenge ranks among the very worst shark movies ever, which is saying something, considering this subgenre includes the likes of Sharknado.

Jaws: The Revenge

PG-13

Adventure

Thriller

Horror

In the fourth installment of the Jaws series, Ellen Brody believes a great white shark is seeking revenge on her family. When her son is killed, she heads to the Bahamas, where the shark follows, leading to a final, deadly confrontation.

Where to Watch

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Not available

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Cast

Lorraine Gary , Michael Caine , Mario Van Peebles , Lance Guest , Karen Young , Judith Barsi , Lynn Whitfield , Mitchell Anderson

Runtime

89 minutes

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5 'Inchon' (1981)

Directed by Terence Young

“Victory is never easy.” Inchon is a war epic chronicling General Douglas MacArthur's (Laurence Olivier) role in the pivotal Battle of Inchon during the Korean War. Despite its grand ambitions and hefty budget, the film is an unmitigated disaster, plagued by poor storytelling, wooden performances, and questionable historical accuracy. It has the production value of a B-movie and all the emotional depth of a Call of Duty cutscene.

While Olivier's performance is solid (though he reportedly later regretted his involvement), the rest of the actors are flat, delivering their lines without emotion. The storytelling itself is likewise one-dimensional, reducing the enemy soldiers to cardboard cutouts. The North Korean soldiers, for example, have no lines. They are plot devices rather than real people. Perhaps predictably, Inchon was a major commercial flop, bringing in just $5.2m against a $46m budget, making it the least profitable movie of 1982.

4 'Ghosts Can’t Do It' (1989)

Directed by John Derek

“Love never dies.” Bo Derek strikes again, this time playing Katie, a widow who is haunted by the ghost of her late husband Scott (Anthony Quinn). Scott devises a plan for Katie to seduce a younger man and transfer his soul into the man’s body so they can be together again. If this premise wasn't odd enough, the supernatural elements are poorly developed, and the romantic subplot is unconvincing, making it difficult to invest in the characters' plight.

This is essentially Patrick Swayze's Ghost, had it been directed by Ed Wood. Rather than being 'so bad it's good', Ghosts Can't Do It is simply difficult to sit through. The lack of chemistry between the leads, the bizarre and incoherent narrative, and the overall sense of self-importance make it not only forgettable but actively grating. Perhaps the most notable thing about this movie is that it won Donald Trump a Razzie for Worst Supporting Actor.

Ghosts Can't Do It

R

Fantasy

Action

Comedy

Science Fiction

Romance

Cast

Anthony Quinn , Bo Derek , Don Murray , Julie Newmar , Victoria Burgoyne , Henry Jayasena , Leo Damian , Mickey Knox , Wade Collings , Donald Trump , Jane Damian

Runtime

90 minutes

3 'Hobgoblins' (1988)

Directed by Rick Sloane

“Small creatures. Big trouble.” A blatant ripoff of Gremlins, Hobgoblins follows a group of teenagers who accidentally unleash mischievous alien creatures that wreak havoc in their small town. Unsurprisingly, the movie fails to replicate the charm or creativity of its source material, relying instead on cheap effects and juvenile humor.

The plot is paper-thin and Rick Sloane's direction is amateurish, brought down further by performances that range from wooden to outright cringeworthy. And that's without even getting started on the low-quality puppetry. In interviews, the director has tried to argue that the film's poor quality was intentional (Tommy Wiseau would try a similar trick with The Room). However, it's difficult to take that claim seriously. That's because Hobgoblins doesn't have the kind of over-the-top, intentionally ridiculous tone that can make bad movies enjoyable. Rather than being 'so bad it's good', watching this dud is a pure chore.

Hobgoblins

Not Rated

Horror

Comedy

Sci-Fi

A young security guard must track down diminutive aliens who kill people even as they make their fantasies come true.

Cast

Tom Bartlett , Paige Sullivan , Steven Boggs , Kelley Palmer , Billy Frank , Tamara Clatterbuck , Duane Whitaker , James R. Sweeney

Runtime

68 Minutes

Writers

Rick Sloane

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2 'Mac and Me' (1988)

Directed by Stewart Raffill

“Friendship has no boundaries—except product placement.” Mac and Me is another ripoff movie, this time brazenly aping E.T. It tells the story of Eric (Jade Calegory), a wheelchair-bound boy who befriends an alien named MAC (Mysterious Alien Creature) after the latter becomes stranded on Earth. Together, they evade government agents and try to reunite MAC with his family. The resulting movie traffics in saccharine sentimentality, unconvincing special effects, and awkward dance numbers.

Worst of all, Mac and Me is jam-packed with a ridiculous amount of product placement. There are ads everywhere, especially for Coca-Cola and McDonald's, and they are far from subtle. For example, at one point, the dying alien is revived by a life-giving sip of Coke. Even the title is a sneaky bit of branding. It's legitimately amazing that a movie this awful and brazen exists. It's the poster child for '80s corporate cash-grab filmmaking.

Mac and Me

PG

Family

Fantasy

Science Fiction

Adventure

After an alien family accidentally gets transported to Earth during a space mission, one of the young aliens finds himself separated from his parents. Struggling to survive in a new world, he encounters a boy who helps him evade capture while searching for a way to reunite with his family.

Cast

Jade Calegory , Lauren Stanley , Christine Ebersole , Jonathan Ward , Tina Caspary

Runtime

95 Minutes

Writers

Stewart Raffill , Steve Feke

1 'Going Overboard' (1989)

Directed by Valerie Breiman

“Comedy doesn’t sink—it drowns.” When it comes to the very worst movies of the 1980s, one can make a strong case for this stinker of a comedy, which marked Adam Sandler's feature debut. He stars as Shecky Moskowitz, a struggling comedian working as a waiter on a luxury cruise ship. Determined to achieve stardom, Shecky seizes an opportunity to perform stand-up for the passengers while dealing with a string of slapstick misadventures involving generals and assassination plots.

This feels like a bad student film. Despite Sandler's natural comedic talent, the movie's lack of structure, poorly executed gags, and low production values make it almost unwatchable. Sandler perhaps gets a bit of a pass, given that this was made before he joined Saturday Night Live, but the rest of the cast and crew do not. While die-hard fans of the actor may appreciate Going Overboard as a curiosity, most viewers are likely to abandon ship.

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