The year 1985 brought us several classics, including The Goonies, Back to the Future, and Clue. However, like every other year, it also produced numerous doozies. Here are a handful of the worst the year had to offer. Do you agree?
1. The Slugger’s Wife (1985)
The Slugger’s Wife stars Michael O’Keefe and Rebecca De Mornay. It follows a baseball player having trouble making it on the field and falling in love with a talented singer, thinking their relationship will help him. Unfortunately, it didn’t deliver and was criticized for having a plot that didn’t make sense, lousy acting, and a lack of balance between the romantic and sports parts.
2. Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf (1985)
This movie is a horror sequel about a man’s quest to stop a werewolf group led by a bad guy. The tone and effect of the film are different from the original The Howling. Instead, the movie is more exploitative and campy. Critics and audiences often remember it for the funny things that happened by accident and how it was different from the scary atmosphere of its predecessor.
3. Death Wish 3 (1985)
Death Wish 3 sees vigilante Paul Kersey again taking on New York’s underworld. The first Death Wish movie discussed important things like crime and justice. On the other hand, this one had over-the-top action that was almost funny. Critics thought the movie was the worst in the series because it had too much violence and insufficient meaning.
4. Revolution (1985)
Revolution is a historical story about a fur trapper’s role in the American Revolution. The film had a good idea and a great cast, but the story was all over the place, the accents were all different, and it didn’t make me feel anything. It tried hard to show how great the Revolutionary War was.
5. Fraternity Vacation (1985)
Fraternity Vacation is a raunchy comedy about a group of college pals on spring break. Some old comedies have stood the test of time, but this one was full of crude jokes and didn’t do much to develop the characters. It didn’t have a lot of wit or memorable moments and was quite dull overall.
6. King Solomon’s Mines (1985)
King Solomon’s Mines is an action movie about a man who wants to get rich and a strong-willed woman who helps him find a legendary treasure in Africa. Richard Chamberlain and Sharon Stone starred.
7. King David (1985)
King David recounts this saga based on the biblical account of his ascent to power and turbulent rule. The film was criticized for being poorly made and having a story that didn’t make sense. Richard Gere played King David.
8. Red Sonja (1985)
The fearless warrior Red Sonja (Brigitte Nielsen) sets out to avenge her family’s murder and rid her kingdom of Queen Gedren’s evil tyrannical rule. The film was supposed to show how strong women can be, but it didn’t meet expectations. Some reviewers pointed out its uneven tone and less-than-stellar script. I remember watching this film on TV and loving it.
9. Summer Rental (1985)
Summer Rental is a comedy about an overworked air traffic manager who decides to take his family on vacation during the summer. John Candy is legendary, and he couldn’t make this script work.
10. Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend (1985)
Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend is about a married couple who find a live brontosaurus in Africa. Even though the story was interesting, the movie got terrible reviews for its weak special effects and lack of emotional impact. William Katt and Sean Young starred.
11. Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)
Friday the 13th: A New Beginning follows a group of teens at a halfway house who face a new killer in a mask. It failed to deliver the same gripping fear that the original Friday the 13th movie had — completely lacking suspense.
12. Santa Claus: The Movie (1985)
Santa Claus: The Movie is a 1985 Christmas film starring Dudley Moore, David Huddleston, and John Lithgow. It follows the origin of Santa Claus, who must adventure out to save one of his elves from a nasty toy executive. Despite a stellar cast, the film was a box office bomb and not well-received by critics.
13. Once Bitten (1985)
Once Bitten is a horror-comedy about a teenage boy who becomes the target of a charming vampire (Jim Carrey) who wants blood from a virgin. The movie didn’t have the wit and charm needed to woo a crowd and bombed. However, like many “so bad they are good movies,” this one has developed a cult following.
14. Rustlers’ Rhapsody (1985)
A parody of traditional Westerns, Rustlers’ Rhapsody follows a cowboy (Tom Berenger) who arrives in a town straight out of the movies. Spoofs can often make people laugh, but the humor in this movie missed the mark for some viewers, making it a dull copy.
15. Perfect (1985)
Perfect dives into the fitness and journalism industries, examining a bond between a reporter and a personal trainer. John Travolta and Jamie Lee Curtis starred and couldn’t make it work. It was criticized for its shallow look at the fitness business and for not having a very interesting story.
16. My Science Project (1985)
The science fiction comedy My Science Project follows high school student Michael Harlan (John Stockwell), who acquires a mysterious and potent device while researching a project. This sci-fi comedy had to compete against Back to the Future, Real Genius, and Weird Science — it lost.
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