From dark fantasies to quirky sci-fi adventures, these underappreciated gems initially failed to connect with audiences but found their devoted following years later. Join us as we explore these cinematic treasures that went from box office disappointments to beloved cult classics!
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00:00Okay, you people sit tight, hold the fort, and keep the home fires burning.
00:04And if we're not back by dawn, call the president.
00:08Welcome to WatchMojo.
00:10And today, we're counting down our picks for the biggest cult classics from the 80s
00:15that originally bombed or underperformed at the box office.
00:19See you later, band-aid breath.
00:23Number 20, The Dark Crystal.
00:25Today, the ceremony of the sun gives no comfort.
00:30Today, an emperor lies dying.
00:33Today, a new emperor must seize the throne.
00:37Released in 1982, The Dark Crystal was a bold and ambitious fantasy film
00:42created by puppet masters Jim Henson and Frank Oz.
00:46Featuring groundbreaking puppetry and a richly detailed world,
00:50it stood apart from other family films of the time.
00:54However, therein lay the problem.
00:56The movie's dark tone and complex mythology confused audiences and critics alike,
01:02and it underperformed at the box office with just $41 million.
01:06This greatly disappointed Universal Pictures, who had high expectations.
01:11But over time, the film gained a devoted cult following,
01:14with fans coming to appreciate its unique artistry, innovative special effects, and rich lore.
01:21And thanks to home video, conventions, and the internet,
01:25The Dark Crystal was eventually recognized as a visionary work far ahead of its time.
01:30And begin all the same.
01:34Big change.
01:35Sometimes good.
01:37Sometimes bad.
01:39Number 19.
01:40Xanadu
01:41Playwright Douglas Carter Bean once said,
01:58When you watch Xanadu, you can see the cocaine up on the screen.
02:03It's about as succinct a review as one can make.
02:07With a budget of $20 million, Xanadu barely broke even with a gross of just $23 million.
02:12Critics panned the film for its incoherent plot, cheesy special effects,
02:17and ridiculous dance sequences powered by early 80s disco.
02:22Cocaine personified.
02:24But that's exactly why people love it.
02:27Xanadu eventually developed a cult following due to its unique style,
02:31vibrant visuals, and catchy soundtrack by Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra.
02:37It's campy, and it's definitely flawed, but it's also ambitious.
02:42And people have come to appreciate that.
02:44Listen, if you're gonna dance, you have to wear something, uh...
02:47Uh, that looks special.
02:49You need some, uh...
02:50Glitz.
02:52Glitz?
02:52Something sharp-looking.
02:54You know, something with a bit of pizzazz to it.
02:57Hot.
02:58Number 18.
02:59The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension.
03:03Buckaroo, president's on line one, calling about,
03:05is everything okay with the alien space cloud from Planet 10,
03:08or should he just go ahead and destroy Russia?
03:10Tell him yes on one and no on two.
03:12There are reasons why Buckaroo Banzai bombed at the box office.
03:17Least of all is its silly title.
03:19The movie had virtually no mainstream marketing, with Fox instead going after the nerd audience
03:26by promoting the film in comic books and at Star Trek conventions.
03:30It also faced very stiff competition, going up against movies like Ghostbusters and Indiana
03:36Jones and the Temple of Doom.
03:39Unsurprisingly, it grossed just $6 million on a $17 million budget.
03:44Bomb city.
03:45But the movie's quirky tone, quotable dialogue, and imaginative worldbuilding have transcended
03:52time, and it later found popularity through home video and fun midnight screenings.
03:57The oddness that once killed the movie became its greatest strength in cult circles.
04:04Why is there a watermelon there?
04:07I'll tell you baby.
04:09Number 17.
04:11Labyrinth.
04:12You remember me as a babe.
04:14I'm a babe.
04:15Babe with the power.
04:16What power?
04:16Power of voodoo.
04:18You do.
04:19They're mine.
04:19Remind me as a babe.
04:20Jim Henson flopped with the Dark Crystal, so he tried again with Labyrinth.
04:26It fared no better.
04:28Audiences were unable to appreciate the film and its offbeat tone, unusual characters, and
04:34strong fantasy style alienating many mainstream viewers.
04:38So, despite the star presence of David Bowie, Labyrinth also underperformed.
04:44According to his son, Henson entered a dark period following its disappointing release, and
04:50he died four years later without directing another movie.
04:54But like the Dark Crystal, fans were later drawn to the movie's imaginative world and
04:59brilliant practical effects, not to mention Bowie's gloriously campy performance.
05:05Before long, nostalgia combined with a growing appreciation for Henson's artistry, transforming
05:11Labyrinth into a cult classic.
05:13You've run so long, you've run so far.
05:20"'Your eyes can be so cruel!"
05:27Number 16, Flash Gordon.
05:30You promise to use her as you will?
05:32Certainly.
05:33Not to blast her into space?
05:37Until such time as you grow weary of her.
05:40Star Wars came out in 1977, changing how science fiction was done.
05:46Unfortunately, Flash Gordon did not adhere to its new rules.
05:52Unlike Star Wars, which took itself seriously while still telling a fun and pulpy story,
05:58Flash Gordon was the opposite.
06:00It was campy, flamboyant, and over the top.
06:04It was exactly what sci-fi critics hate.
06:08And it was exactly what Star Wars tried to kill.
06:12In the end, it grossed just $46 million, an enormous disappointment considering the record-shattering
06:18money that Star Wars made just a couple years earlier.
06:22But over time, divorced from the expectations of the period, Flash Gordon gained cult status.
06:28And for the very reasons it was dismissed.
06:31Its bold colors, the grandiose soundtrack from Queen, and its campy, self-aware humor.
06:37Flash! Flash! Flash, I love you! But we only have 14 hours to save the Earth!
06:43Number 15. Legend
06:45And is your heart black and full of hate?
06:50Black as midnight, black as pitch, blacker than the foulest way.
06:55For a long time, Legend was considered one of Ridley Scott's lesser efforts.
07:00Critics were divided over the film, praising its stunning visuals and Oscar-worthy makeup
07:06while calling out its thin plots and uneven pacing.
07:10Mediocre reception aside, its performance was also hindered by a confusing marketing campaign
07:16and the release of different versions in the US and international markets, which left audiences confused.
07:23But its unique fantasy atmosphere soon gathered legions of fans, and Tim Curry's performance
07:29as the Lord of Darkness became a defining aspect of 80s cinema.
07:34Various director's cuts and home video releases also helped clear up the confusion
07:39and cemented its legacy as a misunderstood fantasy that was ahead of its time.
07:44Human hearts don't work that way.
07:47What care I for human hearts? Soft and spiritless as porridge? A fairy's heart beats fierce and free!
07:56Number 14. Day of the Dead
07:59Return a salute and see what he does.
08:02You want me to salute that pile of walking pus?
08:05George Romero's Day of the Dead was a huge hit and is widely regarded as the quintessential zombie movie.
08:13Not to mention the most influential. Hype was quite high for Day of the Dead,
08:18but Romero was unable to recreate the lightning-in-a-bottle magic of its predecessor.
08:23Gone was the goofy comic book joy of Dawn, replaced with a very dreary and apocalyptic tone
08:31and violence that was more grotesque than fun. It was not what people were expecting,
08:37especially in the fun, neon-soaked summer of 1985.
08:41But hardcore zombie fans and Romero aficionados now recognize Day as a misunderstood masterpiece.
08:49And Tom Savini's gore effects are widely regarded as some of the best in movie history.
08:55Forget it, Billy Boy. It's a dead piece. Make all the others, you know.
09:03Listen.
09:08You can't hear it over the engine.
09:10Number 13. The Transformers The Movie
09:13One shall stand, one shall fall.
09:17Why throw away your life so recklessly?
09:20That's a question you should ask yourself, Megatron.
09:24Transformers was all the rage in the 1980s, so this movie should have been an easy slam dunk.
09:31So imagine the faces on the studio execs when it grossed less than $6 million. A lot of
09:38soul-searching and industry analysis was performed, and most people blame the movie's failure on its
09:43dark tone that alienated young viewers. This included a surprisingly mature storyline,
09:49the haunting deaths of some beloved characters. Most notably, Optimus Prime, who disappears within the
09:57first half hour. But like many subversive films, it came to be appreciated over time, with fans
10:03reacting positively to its risky storytelling and fantastic production values, including some
10:09brilliant music and animation.
10:20Number 12. The King of Comedy
10:22When it comes to the films of
10:39Martin Scorsese, the King of Comedy is not often brought up, if at all.
10:44Before 2019, most people had never heard of it. It was a huge bomb at the time, grossing just $2.5
10:51million, with a budget of $19 million. And while it received good reviews, it was considered a
10:58disappointment following the cinema-shaking masterpiece that was Raging Bull. But like we
11:03said, this was before 2019. That's when a little movie called Joker came out, and many people compared
11:10its story and themes to the King of Comedy. And with this connection, the movie found a new lease
11:17on life. And a new generation came to appreciate its timeless qualities.
11:22Go ahead and laugh. Thank you. I appreciate it. But the fact is, I'm here. Tomorrow you'll know
11:29that I wasn't kidding and you'll think I was crazy. But look, I figure it this way. Better to be king
11:34for a night than schmuck for a lifetime.
11:36Number 11. Clue
11:38Well, what now?
11:40Wasmuth, let me out.
11:42No.
11:42Why not?
11:43We gotta know who did us. We're all in this together now.
11:45If you leave, I'll say that you killed them both.
11:48Me too.
11:48Me too.
11:49Oh, Wasmuth, I'll make you sorry you ever started this. One day when we're alone together.
11:54Mrs. White, no man in his right mind will be alone together with you.
11:58Well, I could use a drink.
11:59Oh, so could I.
12:02Just checking.
12:03Everything all right?
12:04Yep, two corpses. Everything's fine.
12:05Today, Clue is considered one of the quintessential whodunnits. A wild romp through an old mansion
12:12featuring a dead body, kooky characters, and lots of clever guesswork. There is no Knives Out
12:19without Clue. But this certainly wasn't its reputation in 1985. Clue was a huge box office
12:27disappointment and tended to generate confusion rather than awe, with audiences raising their
12:32eyebrows at the movie's campy tone. Furthermore, the decision to release three different endings was
12:38met with widespread confusion, and it only fueled the movie's poor word of mouth. Luckily, home video
12:44helped clear up this confusion, and audiences finally got the clue that this actually is a
12:50pretty darn good movie.
12:51So it was you. I was going to expose you.
12:54I know. So I choose to expose myself.
12:57Please, there are ladies present.
12:59Number 10.
13:00Dragon Slayer
13:01All right, I'm coming too.
13:03No, you're not. This is for me to do.
13:05I'm not afraid. After all, I was a man. Remember?
13:11Fantasy is tricky to pull off, but one fantasy film that should have gotten more love is this
13:16one directed by Matthew Robbins. Dragon Slayer is set in a medieval fantasy kingdom that sacrifices
13:23a virgin by lottery to a ferocious dragon.
13:26And in return, this dragon, it leaves your villages and crops unburned.
13:34Your kings made a pact with a monster.
13:37It's up to young wizard apprentice Galen and Valerian, a young girl disguised as a man,
13:43to end the dragon's reign of terror. Although critics were impressed by the special effects and dark
13:48themes, audiences were not as enthused. In time, however, it became a cult film, proving that a really
13:56good sword and sorcery flick is always appreciated. Eventually.
14:14Number 9.
14:15Big Trouble in Little China
14:17It's martial arts and John Carpenter. What else could you possibly need?
14:28This fantasy action film may have had a tough time at the box office, but Big Trouble in Little
14:33China is a wild adventure from start to finish. The film follows two friends, truck driver Jack
14:39Burton and Wang Chi, as they descend into Chinatown's underworld to rescue Wang Chi's fiance. There,
14:46they must contend with gangs, fierce warriors, and ancient curses.
14:59Although Carpenter was disappointed in the low box office reception and mixed reviews,
15:03Big Trouble eventually found new life on TV and home video. The result is a fun, quirky film with
15:09undoubtedly, woosia influences.
15:16It's all in the reflexes.
15:17Number 8. Once upon a time in America
15:22How are you uncle? You're looking good.
15:26You're looking a little better.
15:27Sometimes great films can be ruined by poor editing. That's the case with this Italian-American gangster
15:34film directed by Sergio Leone. The movie follows the rise of two Jewish-American mobsters,
15:39David Noodles Aronson and Maximilian Berkovitz. Based on a novel by Harry Gray, it's an epic
15:46tale of friendship, crime, love, and betrayal. Nobody's gonna love you the way I loved you.
15:53While the original, almost four-hour-long version that premiered at Cannes received raves,
15:58an edited-down two-hour-plus version released in regular theaters was a complete flop.
16:03It'd be a shame to see a lifetime of work go to waste.
16:06Some of the violence proved so controversial, these scenes were censored. But epics are epics,
16:12and Leone's operatic once upon a time proves that some stories need the extra length.
16:19Number 7. The Black Cauldron
16:22You did come for the Black Cauldron, didn't you?
16:25Good! Then Climby? It will only cost you your life!
16:33Disney's failures are rarely this mind-boggling or this risky. Based on the novels by Lloyd Alexander,
16:40the film follows young Tauren as he attempts to stop the evil horned king from conquering the world
16:45by taking possession of the titular Black Cauldron, full of ancient magic. Tauren succeeds with the
16:52help of his friends and Gurgi, a creature who sacrifices himself to defeat the cauldron.
16:57Gurgi has no friends. Gurgi! No! Don't jump! Wait! No! No!
17:04The film's darkness and lurid scene scared children when it came out, making this a hard sell to
17:12audiences. Still, the movie's beautiful animation, as well as its rich and charming rendition of Welsh
17:18mythology is a clear winner. No! You'll not have me! My power cannot die! Curse you!
17:33Number 6. The Monster Squad
17:35With Count Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, and the mummy teaming up, how did this film flop?
17:53This horror comedy follows a group of kids as they try to stop Count Dracula and his fellow monsters
17:58from taking over the world. The kids eventually get their hands on a magical amulet, which opens a
18:13portal through which the monsters are safely cast into limbo. Unfortunately, audiences felt the
18:19Ghostbusters for Kids vibes were unwarranted and it underperformed the box office. In hindsight,
18:26however, the monster-versus-monster aspect of the film is loads of fun and is just as good as any 80s
18:33tween adventure. Where you going, Rudy? I'm in the goddamn club, aren't I?
18:37Number 5. Highlander
18:39I've been alive for four and a half centuries, and I cannot die.
18:47Well, everybody's got their problems. We can now see how this unique premise may have gotten lost in
18:53translation. Highlander follows Scottish Highlander Connor McCloud, who discovers he is part of a
18:59race of immortals after surviving a deathly duel. Trained by Ramirez, a Spanish-Egyptian swordsman
19:05played by Sean Connery, McCloud must fight against the Kurgan, a fellow immortal in a gathering in New York
19:12City in 1985. While the film charmed European audiences, U.S. audiences found it incomprehensible
19:30due to its dense lore. Most people now praise Highlander's excellent fight scenes, good performances,
19:36and epic score. I have something to say. It's better to burn out than to fade away.
19:43Number 4. Heathers
19:46Greetings and salutations. Are you a Heather?
19:52Step into this candy store. Before Clueless and Mean Girls, there was Heather's. This teen film
19:58follows Veronica Sawyer as she gets involved with a clique of Mean Girls, all named Heather.
20:03Damn. It's your turn, Heather.
20:10Now, Heather, it's Heather's turn. Heather.
20:16Unlike the cheery teen comedies of the time, Heather's is a dark take on high school,
20:21as Veronica's quest for revenge against Heather Chandler ends in her death. What follows is even
20:27more black comedy as Veronica and her boyfriend accomplice JD obtain a high body count. Perhaps all
20:33that blood and gore was too much for American audiences, for the film bombed at the box office.
20:39Heather's eventually found recognition and appreciation, even becoming adapted into a popular
20:44stage musical by the same name. Veronica, you look like hell. Yeah, I just got back.
20:53Number 3. The Thing. I don't know what the hell's in there, but it's weird and pissed off, whatever it is.
21:00Yet another John Carpenter-directed misfire that proved to have staying power. It's hard to believe
21:05this seminal sci-fi horror classic did so poorly with audiences and critics at the time.
21:11I don't know who to trust. I don't know what you mean, Blair.
21:16Based on the novella, which had already been filmed in the 1950s, The Thing concerns a chameleon-like
21:22alien creature that wreaks havoc at a base in Antarctica. American pilot R.J. McCready leads
21:28the hunt for this creature, eventually destroying both it and the station. The Thing's dark themes
21:35and ambiguous ending were unfortunately not to audiences' tastes. Having to compete with Steven
21:40Spielberg's classic E.T. The Extraterrestrial was also tough. Today, it's considered one of the most
21:46influential horror films of all time. Now, that's no small thing.
21:56Number 2. Blade Runner.
21:59I've had people walk out of me before, but not when I was being so charming.
22:05Science fiction can be a tricky genre. Even so, Blade Runner may be the best sci-fi film to have
22:11bombed in the theaters. Directed by Ridley Scott, the film follows the titular Blade Runner,
22:16Rick Deckard, whose job is to terminate replicants, humanoid androids gone rogue.
22:21Replicants are like any other machine. They're either a benefit or a hazard.
22:26If they're a benefit, it's not my problem. A foundational cyberpunk work, Blade Runner delves
22:32into themes about the nature of humanity, morality, and dystopian bureaucracies. The film received
22:39mixed critical reviews for its slow pacing and lack of action, although its cinematography was praised.
22:45Blade Runner nevertheless won a slew of awards and is now considered one of the greatest films
22:50in its genre.
22:52All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain.
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23:24Number 1. Brazil
23:26It doesn't seem possible that such an arthouse dystopian film could have been conceived by Terry Gilliam
23:39of Monty Python fame, but he is indeed responsible for the satirical film about a bureaucratic
23:45authoritarian government. The movie follows dissatisfied government employee Sam Lowry,
23:50who tries to escape his polluted, brutal future world through daydreams. A minor bureaucratic error
23:55sets off a chain of events that leads to Sam's arrest. Don't fight it, son. Confess quickly.
24:04If you hold out too long, you could jeopardize your credit rating.
24:07Interrogated unto insanity, Sam disappears into his pleasant fantasies, accompanied by the beautiful
24:14strains of Ari Barozo's classic Aquarela du Brasil. Darkly funny and serious at turns, the film could
24:21not please general audiences with its downer ending. But Gilliam's vision of totalitarian reality versus
24:28idealistic fantasy is more relevant than ever. Information transit got the wrong man. I got the
24:34right man. The wrong man was delivered to me as the right man. I accepted him on good faith as
24:39the right man. Was I wrong? Are there any other 80s bombs that you love? Let us know in the comments
24:45below. I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
25:09of all.
25:16you
25:19you
25:20you
25:22you