I remember watching this film as a pre-teen when it first came out. I'll admit the main draw at the time for me was watching Kelli Maroney run around in that sexy cheerleader outfit. Other than that, and the fact that people are turned into red dust because of the comet, very little memory remained of the film itself.
Watching the flick 20 years later, I was surprised at what an inventive story "Night of the Comet" is based on. Without giving away any spoilers, the basic tale is of two sisters who survive the passing of a comet, maybe the same comet responsible for wiping out the dinosaurs years ago. The comet seems to have turned most folks into piles of red dust, and others into zombie-like flesh eaters.
The special effects aren't bad for a 1980's B-movie either. The deserted city landscape is as effective as the recent Will Smith "I Am Legend", probably at 1/4th the cost. There really isn't any gore to speak of, but the zombie effects were also pretty decent.
The cast seems to have been pulled from the who's who of Soap Opera's of the day. But they do a good job, and as a Star Trek fan it's fun to see a young Chakotay (Robert Beltran) as the knight in shining denim role.
But make no mistake, this is pure cheese. If you are looking for genuine scares, look elsewhere. This is a fun slice of Reagan era sci-fi along the lines of "Damnation Alley" or "Steel Dawn". But I think the film makers realized that they weren't making a Shakespearian Drama here, I mean there is goofy 80's montage thrown in the middle of thing where the girls go shopping to a cover version of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"!!
So if you are in the mood for some goofy fun, heroins sporting big hair and leg warmers, then pop a big old bowl of popcorn and enjoy "Night of the Comet".

For anyone that lived through the 80's, this movie is a fun flash-back to the good old days of primitive arcade games, feathered hair, and command line operating systems! Plus, it's a great cheesy B-movie sci-fi flick to boot. The opening scene where Sam rides the motorcycle through the deserted city seems completely ripped off by 28 Days. And, the three leads, Robert Beltran, Catherine Mary Stewart, and Kelli Maroney, are totally AWESOME! You should buy this DVD now-now-now!

I am sooo glad that they finally released this on DVD. This is such a good sleeper movie that has such a following. Not bad acting either. It's a fun watch.