1985 gave movie fans plenty of films worth talking about, but it also produced quite a few that didn’t turn out the way audiences hoped. Some had big stars, familiar franchises, or interesting stories behind them, yet something about the finished movie just didn’t click.
A few were sequels that couldn’t live up to their predecessors. Others had ambitious ideas that became messy once they reached the screen. Then there were movies with talented casts that simply couldn’t overcome weak scripts, awkward pacing, or uninspired direction. These are the 1985 releases that left many viewers wishing they had picked something else at the theater.
Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf
Howling II takes a very different route from a straightforward werewolf movie. Christopher Lee joins the cast, but the film leans so heavily into campy horror that the story can be difficult to take seriously.
The plot jumps around, the editing can feel choppy, and some of the performances are wonderfully over-the-top. There are moments that are entertaining for exactly that reason, but the movie never comes together as a particularly strong sequel.
The Bride
Inspired by the story of Frankenstein, The Bride follows a scientist who creates a companion for the monster. With Sting and Jennifer Beals in the lead roles, the movie certainly had an interesting cast and a dark visual style.
The problem is that the story drags on without giving viewers enough reason to stay invested. The gothic look is memorable, but the slow pacing makes the movie feel much longer than it needs to be.
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Teen Wolf Too
After Teen Wolf became a hit, it was only natural that a sequel would follow. This time, Jason Bateman plays a college student who discovers that being a werewolf runs in his family.
The basic setup feels familiar, but that’s also the problem. Much of the movie seems to repeat ideas from the first film, without the same energy Michael J. Fox brought to the original. Bateman does what he can, but the sequel never quite finds its own identity.
King Solomon’s Mines
The success of Indiana Jones helped spark a wave of adventure movies during the 1980s, and King Solomon’s Mines clearly wanted a piece of that audience. Richard Chamberlain and Sharon Stone lead the cast through a treasure hunt filled with danger, villains, and jungle escapades.
The movie has plenty going on on screen, but the cheesy dialogue and predictable scenes make it hard to take the adventure seriously. It feels more like an imitation of the movies that inspired it than a great adventure in its own right.
Lifeforce
Lifeforce is one of those movies where the basic idea sounds much better than the finished product. The story follows astronauts who discover alien beings aboard a spacecraft, which eventually leads to a strange invasion by creatures that drain people’s life energy.
The movie mixes science fiction, horror, action, and plenty of spectacle, but those pieces don’t always fit together. Some of the visual effects are impressive for the period, yet the story can feel scattered, and the tone changes so often that it’s hard to know exactly what kind of movie you’re watching.
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American Ninja
American Ninja has the setup for a fun 1980s action movie. Michael Dudikoff plays a mysterious soldier with impressive martial arts skills, setting up plenty of opportunities for fights, stunts, and military action.
Unfortunately, the story spends too much time on familiar action-movie clichés. The acting is uneven, and even some of the fight scenes feel less exciting than they should. Fans of old-school martial arts movies may still find some enjoyment in it, but it doesn’t always deliver the excitement promised by its premise.
Perfect
John Travolta and Jamie Lee Curtis were a strong pairing for Perfect, which follows a journalist investigating the growing aerobics scene of the 1980s. The movie had plenty of material to work with, especially with the era’s obsession with fitness and celebrity culture.
Instead, the story feels awkward and uneven. The aerobics sequences have become some of the most recognizable parts of the movie, but more because of their unmistakably 1980s style than because the film itself was a hit.
Transylvania 6-5000
Two reporters travel to Eastern Europe to investigate stories about monsters in Transylvania 6-5000. With Jeff Goldblum, Ed Begley Jr., and Geena Davis in the cast, the movie had plenty of comedic talent at its disposal.
The trouble is that the jokes don’t land often enough. The premise gives the film plenty of opportunities for ridiculous situations, but the humor can feel forced, leaving the movie stuck somewhere between horror parody and straight comedy.
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A View to a Kill
A View to a Kill marked Roger Moore’s final appearance as James Bond. It has the familiar Bond ingredients, including exotic locations, elaborate gadgets, a dangerous villain, and plenty of action.
Still, some viewers felt that the movie lacked the energy of earlier Bond adventures. Moore was also older than he had been in previous entries, a point that became a frequent topic of discussion surrounding the film. The Duran Duran theme song, meanwhile, became one of the movie’s most memorable pieces.
The Slugger’s Wife
The Slugger’s Wife tries to blend baseball and romance, following a professional player whose personal life becomes entangled with his career. The idea could make for a fun sports romance.
The finished movie never quite finds the right chemistry between its leads. The story is predictable, and the relationship at the center of the movie doesn’t feel convincing enough to carry the rest of it.
The Man with One Red Shoe
Tom Hanks stars as an ordinary man who gets mistaken for a spy in The Man with One Red Shoe. Government agents follow him around while he has no idea why he’s suddenly caught up in their business.
The setup has all the ingredients for a funny mistaken-identity comedy, but the script doesn’t always make the most of them. Hanks keeps the movie moving with his easygoing performance, but there are plenty of stretches where the jokes fall flat.
Fletch
Fletch has become better remembered over the years, but its reception wasn’t universally glowing when it arrived. Chevy Chase plays investigative reporter Irwin “Fletch” Fletcher, who uses a series of disguises while looking into a suspicious case.
Chase’s sarcastic delivery gives the movie much of its personality. The mystery itself can become unnecessarily tangled, though, and some of the plot twists are easier to appreciate for their comedy than for the actual story.
Santa Claus: The Movie
Santa Claus: The Movie had plenty working in its favor. It had a large budget, elaborate sets, a famous holiday character, and Dudley Moore playing an important role. The movie clearly wanted to become a Christmas favorite for families.
Instead, it tries to squeeze several different stories into one movie and ends up feeling far too long. There are some charming moments, but the film never quite reaches the warm holiday feeling it was aiming for.
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
The third Mad Max movie takes the franchise in a somewhat different direction. Mel Gibson returns as Max, while Tina Turner makes a memorable appearance as Aunty Entity.
The movie has plenty of striking moments, but fans who loved the rougher, more intense action of the earlier films sometimes found this one a little too restrained. The famous Thunderdome sequence remains one of its strongest parts, but the movie as a whole has a very different feel from its predecessors.
Rocky IV
Rocky IV is one of the most recognizable entries in the Rocky series, thanks in large part to its Cold War storyline, massive training montage, and larger-than-life presentation. Rocky faces Soviet boxer Ivan Drago, played by Dolph Lundgren, in a fight loaded with political symbolism.
For some viewers, the movie’s straightforward story and exaggerated dialogue make it one of the weaker entries in the series. At the same time, its training scenes, music, and memorable lines have helped it remain one of the most talked-about Rocky movies.
The Dungeonmaster
The Dungeonmaster throws fantasy, science fiction, computer technology, and heavy-metal imagery into one very strange movie. The story follows a computer programmer who faces a series of challenges created by an evil wizard.
The movie jumps from one bizarre scenario to another, so following the plot can be a challenge. The effects and production are also very much products of their time. Still, its oddball style has helped it develop a small cult following among viewers who enjoy movies that are more entertaining because of their flaws.
Red Sonja
Red Sonja arrived during the height of the 1980s sword-and-sorcery craze. Brigitte Nielsen stars as the warrior heroine, while Arnold Schwarzenegger appears as Kalidor.
The movie has plenty of action, costumes, and fantasy scenery, but the script doesn’t give the cast much to work with. The performances can feel stiff, and the story never reaches the same level of excitement as the movies that inspired it.
Still, Red Sonja has remained part of the conversation around 1980s fantasy movies, partly because of its cast and partly because it captures the unmistakable style of that era.
