10 Weird '80s Comedy Movies You Forgot About

Published Aug 1, 2026, 2:30 PM EDT Dalton is a freelance writer, novelist, and filmmaker from Orlando Florida. He currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, and pursues writing full-time. He is an avid reader, film buff, and amateur historian who also publishes novels on the side. Dalton graduated from the University of Central Florida with a BFA in Film and he often applies his industry-specific knowledge when writing about film and television. Along with his blog, Dalton's critical essays on film have been published in various places online. The 1980s was a Golden Age for comedy movies, but these 10 weird '80s comedies are almost entirely forgotten today. The totally tubular decade saw an explosion in pop culture, and nearly every cinematic genre hit its peak in the '80s. Comedy was no exception, and some of the biggest films from that period were chock-full of belly laughs. There was also a wide variety of comedy styles in the '80s, from more traditional flicks, to outlandish cult films, and everything in between. No matter a viewer's taste, there was always something to keep them laughing. However, because there were so many comedies during that period, many still remain overlooked gems. They were often overshadowed by bigger films, or were simply ignored back in the day. What's more, some comedies were just a bit too weird for the average moviegoer. Subversive ideas were way outside the mainstream in the '80s, and counterculture was often trampled by more traditional works. Because mainstream comedy was so good, it was easy to forget that there was a whole other world just below the surface. Thankfully, many of these weird 1980s comedy movies are being rediscovered. Streaming has made it easier than ever to see films, and a lot of these oddball flicks are finding a modern audience who vibe with their style of humor. That's not to say all the films on this list are necessarily classics, and some are somewhat subpar. However, they are all wild, weird, and mostly forgotten. 10 Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982) Steve Martin was one of the best comedy actors of the '80s, but he still appeared in a few oddball films during the decade. Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid is a noir spoof that uses real footage from classic films to weave together a silly narrative about the mysterious death of a cheese scientist. Martin is his usual goofy self, and the movie makes the most of its unique concept. Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid isn't the funniest movie ever made, but the execution is downright hilarious. It's so unabashedly weird that viewers can't help but laugh, and it's one of the few comedies that can truly be called one of a kind. Many of Martin's other films overshadow Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, but it is definitely worth a watch. 9 Top Secret! (1984) The Zucker and Abrahams pairing is most famous for Airplane! and The Naked Gun, but Top Secret! deserves a spot in that comedy pantheon. An American singer travels to Germany where he soon finds himself in league with a resistance group fighting an evil government. The screwball comedy was Val Kilmer's feature film debut, and he really shines in the lead role. As with the aforementioned comedies, Top Secret! is a constant barrage of sight gags and silly jokes. The humor ranges from slapstick to absurdism, and it has flashes of brilliance that arguably make it better than the other Zucker/Abrahams films. It's unclear why Top Secret! is forgotten, but it is one of the greatest hidden comedy gems of any decade. 8 Repo Man (1984) Alex Cox's 1980s filmography embodies a punk rock spirit, so movies like Repo Man exist outside the mainstream of popular culture from that period. A delinquent young adult gets a job as a repo man, and crosses paths with a mysterious car containing an otherworldly secret. Unlike other comedies from the era, there's nothing glossy or idealistic about Repo Man. The film intentionally defies convention, getting laughs from its absurdism and apathetic philosophy. There aren't jokes in the film per se, but it is still a spot-on parody of '80s sleaze. The aimlessness of the movie is itself a gag, and it all builds to an outlandish climax that puts one final punctuation mark on the movie. 7 Eating Raoul (1982) In the same year that saw the release of straightforward comedies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Tootsie, Eating Raoul was taking a bite out of the genre. The seriously dark comedy follows a snobby couple who murder and rob the swingers in their apartment building. Writer/director/star Paul Bartel takes big swings at the prudish nature of 1980s society. Eating Raoul is the kind of comedy that would easily fit into the John Waters catalog, and it has the same intentionally trashy approach. The characters are hilarious exaggerations of stereotypical personality types, and it's the kind of movie where everyone is unlikable in the best way possible. If you've already seen all the '80s comedy classics, dig deeper with Eating Raoul. 6 The Adventures Of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension (1984) Part space opera parody, part musical comedy, and part everything else, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension is the kind of movie that throws everything at the wall. The title character is a rock and roll doctor who possesses a device that puts him in the crosshairs of two warring alien races and an evil dictator. With outrageous fashions and over-the-top acting, every moment is cranked to 11. Buckaroo Banzai is the sort of film that has to be seen to be believed, and no amount of description can really do it justice. It winks at the audience while expecting them to keep up with one zany twist after another, but the real experience is the absurd ride itself. It isn't everyone's cup of tea, which is probably why it is one of the more obscure comedies from the '80s. 5 Transylvania 6-5000 (1985) It would be wrong to say that Transylvania 6-5000 is one of the great horror comedies, but it is certainly one of the weirdest comedy movies of the '80s. Two reporters head to Transylvania to investigate rumors of Frankenstein's monster, and they get more than they bargained for. On the surface, the movie looks like a loving tribute to the monster mash movies of the '40s, but it's actually so much more. Transylvania 6-5000 features fourth wall-breaking jokes, and never misses a chance to poke fun at itself. It isn't a good movie by any stretch of the imagination, but it has a few laugh-out-loud moments that make it worth a watch. Ed Begley Jr. and Jeff Goldblum are a hilarious duo, and they understand they're in a weird movie. 4 Earth Girls Are Easy (1988) Though Earth Girls Are Easy is filled with comedy movie clichés, it's how those tropes are presented that make it such a weird movie. A lonely woman is shocked to discover three furry alien beings in her swimming pool, but she finds a new lease on life as she helps them acclimate to Earth culture. A lot of the movie's humor comes from watching the aliens struggle to fit in. It plays itself off as a straightforward comedy, but the absurdity of its premise pushes it one step beyond the usual humor flick. An early performance from Jim Carrey is a highlight, and there's no denying that Earth Girls Are Easy has unique charms. There's a playful musical element thrown in too, but it only adds to the oddball ambience. It's somewhat shocking that such a definitive '80s movie has been forgotten. 3 Mannequin (1987) The '80s was awash in great romantic comedy movies, but 1987's Mannequin is something else entirely. A window dresser falls in love with a mannequin who comes to life. Their unlikely courtship is interrupted by the store's devious manager. It hits all the familiar rom-com beats, but the absurdity of its premise transforms Mannequin into one of the weirdest comedies of the decade. For fans of outlandish '80s fashions and the decade's signature brand of cheese, Mannequin is a must-watch flick. However, it also has value as a so-bad-it's-good experience. A lot of the movie's humor is unintentional, and it becomes increasingly hilarious as the plot grows more and more absurd. Mannequin is one of the few forgotten '80s comedies with a sequel, but it's not very good. 2 Night Shift (1982) Farce is one of the classic comedy genres, and Night Shift is a classic '80s farce with one really weird and dark twist. Two morgue workers decide to make extra cash by allowing their sex worker neighbor to use the morgue as a spot to take her clients at night. Naturally, this premise opens the door for a lot of hilarious surprises. What's so weird about Night Shift is that it plays itself off like a regular farce, but its premise is just a bit too strange for the mainstream. This results in an odd tone shift, and the movie never really makes up its mind about what kind of comedy it wants to be. All that said, it's a pretty funny flick. It features a strong cast including a debuting Michael Keaton and an underrated performance by Henry Winkler. 1 Doctor Detroit (1983) Dan Aykroyd's '80s filmography features some of the most popular comedies of the decade, but it also features absurd curiosity pieces like Doctor Detroit. Aykroyd plays a mild-mannered college professor who must pretend to be the titular criminal in order to save a handful of abandoned call girls. For the first time in his career, Aykroyd is let off his leash, and the results are unique to say the least. Doctor Detroit is not a good movie. It often fails to be particularly funny, and its attempts at humor usually elicit groans instead of laughs. However, it's such a weird project that it deserves attention. It eschews the logic of '80s comedy films and jumps from one random scene to the next with little motivation. It's forgotten because it's bad, but it needs to be remembered because it's absolutely bonkers.