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Prepare your mind to be twisted into a pretzel... Join us as we count down the most bizarre, perplexing, and utterly bonkers films that emerged from the weirdest corners of 1980s cinema! These aren't just strange movies - they're cinematic fever dreams that left audiences wondering what hallucinogen got slipped into their popcorn.
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00:00Two prime candidates.
00:06Yeah.
00:07Rack em up!
00:16Welcome to WatchMojo.
00:18And today we're counting down our picks for the strangest, wildest, and or most unexpected 80s films.
00:30Everyone up on top! Come on, let's move!
00:46No stranger to groundbreaking cinema, Wes Craven was certainly a horror icon for A Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream.
00:52Deadly Friend didn't receive the same acclaim for its over-the-top antics or violence.
00:56It concerns what happens when brainiac Paul Conway revives Samantha Pringle with a microchip.
01:01That might seem a little outlandish, but that doesn't even include what happens when this decision proves deadly.
01:11The new Pringle goes from a teenager to a serial killer.
01:15This wild slasher throws logic out the window to entertain you.
01:19As Conway and others try to stop the murders, Craven pushes the idea to its extreme.
01:23This is gonna stop. And I'm gonna stop you!
01:31Number 9. Amazon Women on the Moon.
01:34Ooh, selfish and bad.
01:36Well, how would you describe a man who satisfies his own needs and goes over and goes to sleep?
01:42I never did that in my life!
01:43Created by five directors, Amazon Women on the Moon is an anthology that satirizes all kinds of bad movies.
01:49This makes it something of a meta mashup of sordid, wacky, and unsavory ideas.
01:54Thrilling plots, evil villains, and low-budget effects all get their due in this film.
01:59Oh, my! You are a big one now, aren't you?
02:05There's also work from notable directors like Joe Dante and John Landis.
02:09You'll be surprised to see everyone from Arsenio Hall or Steve Guttenberg, with these performers playing clumsy, unlucky, and weird characters.
02:17Just when you think you have a handle on the scenario, the movie switches to another station.
02:21You could call it a Stranger of the Twilight Zone with even more off-the-wall concepts.
02:26Is this the way it happened?
02:28Was Jack the Ripper, in fact, a 60-foot sea surfer from Scotland?
02:32Number 8. Extro.
02:34This is not your average alien abduction story.
02:45In the case of Extro, you might be too grossed out to watch the whole thing.
02:49Sam Phillips disappears in a flash, and a creature returns years later to start a disturbing cycle of rebirth.
02:55The hero causes havoc as his new self, while his son, Tony, summons a clown and a toy soldier.
03:10Talk about a real awful father and son duo.
03:12We might not be doing the plot justice, but we don't know if we can describe it all here.
03:17The result could be described as some cross between Alien and The Thing.
03:21It's just the kind of schlocky horror you might love, or need to watch through your hands.
03:41Number 7. Brain Damage.
03:43It's not gonna happen again!
03:44What is-
03:45Killing people!
03:46Oh.
03:47I thought you meant getting high.
03:49If you know Frank Henenlotter as a director, you know what you're in for with Brain Damage.
03:54He's less Steven Spielberg and much more campy about his horror projects.
03:58The hero, Brian, comes into contact with Aylmer, with the latter offering short-term fun in exchange for other brains to eat.
04:05This twisted partnership creates some horrifying and ridiculous moments.
04:14While the hero wants out of the arrangement, he finds himself stuck in a complicated nightmare.
04:19This includes having to feed his host and queue up some striking death scenes.
04:23By the end, Henenlotter makes a case for why B-movies can be both an art form and an insane experience.
04:29Don't get us started on the villain's funny voice either.
04:32I'll be happy to help you, but you'll have to feed me first.
04:36Number 6. Killer Clowns from Outer Space
04:43The title alone should tell you everything.
04:55In this horror film, audiences get to see what happens when an extraterrestrial circus comes to town.
05:01A group of aliens come to Earth to find food and scare everyone involved.
05:05Humans then have to find a way to survive a popcorn weapon and other amusing acts.
05:17There's a goofy style here, as if the Barnum & Bailey show went terribly wrong.
05:22It's become something of a cult classic for its iconography, over-the-top nature, and memorable villains.
05:27Sometimes, a movie gives you exactly what you want, but there's also a few pies thrown your way for good measure.
05:33You think it's over?
05:35Yeah, sure.
05:42Number 5. The Toxic Avenger
05:44How many times are you going to pull that Elephant Man joke?
05:47From the fine folks at Troma Entertainment, The Toxic Avenger might be among their most famous works.
05:59Lloyd Kaufman and company nearly outdo themselves here.
06:02When he encounters Toxic Waste, a janitor turns into the most unlikely superhero.
06:06His mutated form is much more disturbing than your average Marvel film.
06:18He seeks revenge on his bullies, falls in love, and even helps out the community.
06:22This movie includes some truly gross-out sights and low-budget effects, adding to its status as a campy classic.
06:28Pushing things to the edge, this plot forces a former nerd to become a vigilante.
06:34This is the furthest thing from an average superhero origin story.
06:37Melvin the monster hero rid Tromaville of all of its evil, so the good citizens could live their lives in peace and happiness.
06:44Number 4. Repo Man
06:56This movie is nothing short of singular given its unique premise.
07:00What happens when a punk rocker starts to repossess cars?
07:03If that's not enough, one vehicle might end up being something much more alien altogether.
07:08Emilio Estevez and Harry Dean Stanton play men searching through crime-infested Los Angeles.
07:13Look out!
07:14What?
07:20You have to parse out what's really happening through robberies, weird conversations, and car chases.
07:25The otherworldly ending might have you questioning everything you saw before it.
07:29Rather than giving you answers, the movie sends you off with a few mysteries and some trippy images to ponder.
07:43Number 3. Kiwi's Big Adventure
07:46Scream your head off! We're miles from where anyone can hear you!
07:57From the mind of Paul Reubens, this role reached the silver screen under the direction of Tim Burton in his feature-length directorial debut.
08:05The visionary minds concocted a visual feast that's sometimes inexplicable and otherwise hilarious.
08:10After his bike is stolen, Pee Wee Herman goes on a road trip to find it.
08:22This includes more than a few detours to meet some unlikely characters.
08:25Not only is the hero eccentric, he encounters a few scary obstacles and even finds time to dance.
08:31Burton unleashes his visionary style onto a world that looks similar to ours, but seems to include more than a few odd changes.
08:38You'll need to watch it a few times to pick up on all the lovable and surreal details.
08:42Come on, Dottie! Let's go!
08:44Let's go! Don't you want to see the rest of the movie?
08:47I don't have to see it, Dottie. I lived it.
08:51Number 2. The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension
08:55It's hard to call this movie anything short of fully loaded.
09:17The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai gives you a whole host of genres mixed together with an adventure plot.
09:22At the center of it all, the title character tries to save the world.
09:25Peter Weller's hero can seemingly do it all, putting others to shame with his musical and scientific talents.
09:39You might be questioning Banzai's many skills in between intergalactic intrigue and sci-fi absurdity.
09:44The screenwriters may or may not have included too much for one film.
09:47With the battle against the Red Lectroids, this story juggles many twists and turns on its way to the entertaining conclusion.
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10:16Number 1. Forbidden Zone
10:21But something called lovin' made me hungry inside!
10:25In this midnight movie, the filmmakers turn experimental theater into a cinematic firestorm.
10:31The results might be bizarre even for a cult film.
10:34Huckleberry P. Jones finds another dimension in a basement, leading to all kinds of royal mishaps for members of the Hercules clan.
10:41The Elfman family are involved in this production, with Danny doing the music and his older brother Richard helming the director's chair.
10:51An assorted cast of random actors, including Hervé Villachez as King Fausto.
10:56Even Satan makes an appearance at one point, singing a rendition of Minnie the Moocher.
11:00This story about a daring rescue and a strange world defies logic, with animation and musical numbers to emphasize the surreal plot.
11:08It's also a way to enjoy a theater troupe known as the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo.
11:13Which, if you didn't know, would later turn into an awesome rock band under Danny Elfman's direction, kickstarting his iconic musical career.
11:21Do we forget another 80's movie that leaves you confused? Let us know in the comments below.
11:31Eric!
11:33Wait!
11:34Eric!
11:35Wait!
11:36Eric!
11:37Stop!
11:38Eric!
11:39Stop!
11:40No!
11:41No!
11:42No!
11:43No!
11:44No!
11:45No!
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