10 Cheesy Sci-Fi Horror Movies Like Chopping Mall

Summary

• Chopping Mall
  is a cheesy 1980s sci-fi horror movie with fun moments, teenage partying, and deadly laser-firing security robots called Killbots.
• Re-Animator
  , a black comedy horror film, follows Dr. Herbert West’s experiments with resurrecting the dead, featuring gore and terrifying elements.
• Brainscan
  , a science-fiction slasher movie, follows a teen tormented by a video game host urging him to commit real murders, with an early take on virtual reality.

Chopping Mall is remembered as a cheesy yet classic sci-fi horror movie reminiscent of the other films produced at the time. The film follows a group of teens trapped overnight in a mall with deadly laser-firing security robots known as Killbots. Chopping Mall was made in 1986, an era known for its growing horror market, with slasher movies and predictive science fiction becoming signatures of the genre. The film is scary but not terrifying, especially now that the effects have aged, such as the hand-drawn electrical shock effects. Chopping Mall has fun moments, too, filled with kissing and teenage partying.

Unlike other horror movies, the main characters are likable and proactive heroes, albeit dumb teenagers. The film is well-regarded to the point that famous horror director James Wan even spoke of remaking Chopping Mall. With many kills, decent gore, and a fun cast, Chopping Mall is a well-liked example of a 1980s sci-fi movie with a cult following. And plenty of other sci-fi movies match Chopping Mall’s perfect blend of campiness and playful horror.

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10 Re-Animator (1985)

Dir. Stuart Gordon

Re-Animator follows Dr. Herbert West, who has figured out how to resurrect the dead, to often deadly results. The film features horror legends Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton, the latter of whom starred in Chopping Mall. The movie is a black comedy with many terrifying elements.Re-Animator was based on a 1922 H.P. Lovecraft novelette, “Herbert West–Reanimator.” The film made $2 million at the box office on a roughly $1 million budget. The film was successful enough to have two sequels, The Bride of Re-Animator in 1990 and Beyond Re-Animator as recently as 2003.

Like Chopping Mall, the movie has a mix of both realistic and cheesy gore, though Re-Animator is notably more graphic in its kills. Its initial cut was too gory for an R-rating, but it was better received after initial edits. The unrated version is still available as the director’s cut of the film. With its infamous gore and dry humor, Re-Animator has become a cult classic of 1980s horror.

Re-Animator UnratedHorror Sci-FiComedy Where to Watch

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1985’s Re-Animator is a feature-length film based on H.P. Lovecraft’s short story, Herbert West–Reanimator. The Horror and Comedy release follows a man that spends time attempting to create a reagent that will reanimate the dead.

Director Stuart Gordon Release Date October 18, 1985 Cast Jeffrey Combs , Bruce Abbott , Robert Sampson , David Gale , Barbara Crampton Runtime 84 minutes Writers Stuart Gordon , William Norris , Dennis Paoli Main Genre Horror Expand

9 Brainscan (1994)

Dir. John Flynn

Brainscan features teen Michael (Edward Furlong), who is followed by the physical manifestation of an ultra-realistic video game. Encouraged and tormented by the game’s host, the Trickster, Michael executes several murders, which end up being real. The movie, which seems relatively simple after its first twist, also has another important twist near its end. The film’s critical reception was mostly negative at the time, with many criticizing its straightforwardness and restraint, often missing opportunities for the scares and gore typical of the slasher genre.

It was an early take on virtual reality, which has evolved since 1994 but continues to be a science-fiction plot point.

Brainscan is a science-fiction slasher movie with a monstrous element in the form of the deformed Trickster. It was an early take on virtual reality, which has evolved since 1994 but continues to be a science-fiction plot point. Both Brainscan and Chopping Mall feature teen heroes, though Chopping Mall‘s ensemble cast tends to be more likable and slightly better actors. Brainscan is an easy watch without many major scares or much suspense. It’s a comical horror that relies on its absurd premise, with its technological horror seeming unrealistic and campy in modern times.

8 Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)

Dir. Stephen Chiodo

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Killer Klowns from Outer Space is an alien invasion movie in which a small town is invaded by evil extraterrestrials who look like clowns. The Klowns plan to capture, kill, and eat the humans. Part of this movie’s charm is the effects. The Klowns were made practically, using rubber suits and puppets, but often to great results. Though the Klowns don’t necessarily look real, they are believable more often than not. The movie is filled with dark and goofy fun, just as one would expect a killer Klown to be.

The original title was just
Killer Klowns,
but the second part was added to prevent it from being marketed as a slasher movie.

When it premiered, Killer Klowns from Outer Space had generally positive reviews, as it delivered exactly what the title promised. It is a highly imaginative and technically well-executed film for the era. It definitely leans into the cheesiness of the genre.For many reasons, Killer Klowns from Outer Space is now considered a cult classic.

Killer Klowns from Outer Space PG-13Horror Sci-FiComedy Where to Watch

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A 1980s satirical horror film, Killer Klowns From Outer Space, comes from the Chiodo Brothers; that takes place in a town being terrorized by alien “Klowns” that kill its residents by turning them into cotton candy and drinking their blood. When Mike Tobacco and Debbie Stone are enjoying a romantic evening at Lover’s Lane, they notice a strange object falling to earth, a peculiar circus tent. From that tent emerges “Klowns,” aliens with only one goal in mind – murder. Mike and his friends will band together to stop the menacing Killer Klowns before their town is wiped out and the “circus” stays forever. 

Director Stephen Chiodo Release Date May 27, 1988 Cast Suzanne Snyder , Michael S. Siegel , Grant Cramer , John Vernon , John Allen Nelson , Peter Licassi Runtime 88 minutes Writers Stephen Chiodo , Charles Chiodo

7 From Beyond (1986)

Dir. Stuart Gordon

From Beyond is a body horror science fiction in which scientists access other-dimensional creatures during a brain modification experiment. The head scientist is taken to their world and returns as a dangerous shapeshifting monster. The movie is a less comedic horror and takes a more gruesome approach to the genre than others being produced at the time. However, the gore borders on absurd, making it cheesier in that regard.

Like Re-Animator, which Gordon also directed, From Beyond is loosely based on H.P. Lovecraft’s story of the same name. The movie also features Barbara Crampton from Chopping Mall. This movie helped establish Gordon as an infamous horror movie director of the era, with all his films having a certain level of campiness. The movie had a $4.5 million budget, but only made $1.3 million at the box office.

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From Beyond RHorrorSci-Fi

From Beyond, directed by Stuart Gordon, is a 1986 horror film based on the story by H.P. Lovecraft. The plot centers on Dr. Crawford Tillinghast and his invention, the Resonator, which allows humans to perceive alternate dimensions. As the machine operates, it unlocks monstrous entities from a parallel universe, leading to terrifying consequences. Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton star in this atmospheric exploration of scientific ambition and the unknown.

Director Stuart Gordon Release Date October 24, 1986 Cast Jeffrey Combs , Barbara Crampton , Ted Sorel , Ken Foree , Carolyn Purdy-Gordon , Bunny Summers , Bruce McGuire , Del Russel Runtime 85 Minutes Writers H.P. Lovecraft , Brian Yuzna , Dennis Paoli Main Genre Horror Expand

6 Critters (1986)

Dir. Stephen Herek

Critters is an alien-themed sci-fi movie that follows a group of furry and vicious creatures who have come to Earth to escape ruthless shapeshifting bounty hunters. After they land in a small country town in the U.S. the Critters wreak havoc on the town and the family whose farm they now call home. The Critters are little puppets with insanely sharp teeth that speak in a comically subtitled language. They’re reminiscent of the Killbots as nearly unstoppable monsters with glowing red eyes and a seemingly twisted sense of humor.

The creature feature is reminiscent of Gremlins, which premiered two years prior, but the production denies any official relationship between the franchises. Along with the Critters, the bounty hunters and their costumes bring their own level of cheesiness as they reveal their pre-shifted appearance in fun special effect makeup. The film is connected to Chopping Mall as it was supposed to be produced by Roger Corman, the husband of Chopping Mall’s producer, Julie. Critters made $13.2 million at the box office on a mere $3 million budget and now is a massive film and television franchise.

Critters PG-13ActionComedyHorrorSci-FiThriller Where to Watch

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A massive ball of furry creatures from another world eat their way through a small mid-western town followed by intergalactic bounty hunters opposed only by militant townspeople.

Director Stephen Herek Release Date April 11, 1986 Cast Dee Wallace , M. Emmet Walsh , Billy Green Bush , Scott Grimes , Nadine Van der Velde , Don Keith Opper Runtime 86 minutes Writers Stephen Herek , Domonic Muir , Don Keith Opper

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5 Brain Dead (1990)

Dir. Adam Simon

Brain Dead is a psychological horror sci-fi film about a man caught in an evil corporation’s conspiracy to alter his brain. The film is more of a nightmare scenario, as it becomes harder for the hero and the audience to tell what’s really happening. The fear and paranoia in the film pair nicely with the comical, if not haunting, image of a face stretched tightly over a circle, which is heavily associated with the movie. Brain Dead stars Bill Pullman and sci-fi legend Bill Paxton.

Both Chopping Mall and Brain Dead are stories of man versus machine, though Brain Dead’s plot is much more complicated and involved. The convoluted premise is the film’s major detractor, though it rewards a rewatch to try to solve the Brain Dead mysteries. Viewers claim its style is reminiscent of director David Lynch in terms of plot and logic. Brain Dead and Chopping Mall were both produced by Julie Corman.

4 The Stuff (1985)

Dir. Larry Cohen

The Stuff is set in the United States as a sweet and highly addictive delicious substance, The Stuff, takes the country by storm. The public doesn’t know that The Stuff is found oozing from the ground, and later attacks people, turning them into Stuff-seeking zombies. The movie is filled with strange lines, absurd situations, and plot holes, which all add to its charm, at least to an extent.

It’s a quasi-realistic horror movie that never really tries to terrify the audience. Instead, The Stuff is more of a cautionary tale, an eerie what-if of a mindlessly addicted American society. Both The Stuff and Chopping Mall poke fun at American consumerism at the time, with similar pop culture references, settings, and subject matter. The Stuff definitely has longevity and a cult following among those who have seen it.

3 C.H.U.D. (1984)

Dir. Douglas Cheek

C.H.U.D. is a film about sewer-dwelling, fluorescent-eyed monsters living under New York in the 1980s. The monsters, which are the result of years of radioactive, toxic waste dumping, spend most of the movie killing people and moving ominously under the city. A few enlightened characters band together to figure out what the creatures are and how to stop them. The film even includes social commentary about the housing situation in New York City at the time. C.H.U.D. made $4.7 million on a $1.25 million budget.

C.H.U.D.’s sequel C.H.U.D. II: Bud the Chud came out five years later, in 1989. Though, it’s more of a zombie movie and doesn’t contain any actual C.H.U.D.S.

The monsters aren’t the best looking, especially compared to modern standards, but that’s part of the film’s charm. The C.H.U.D.s, which stands for “cannibalistic humanoid underground dwellers,” are scary enough without being terrifying. Because the movie focuses more on building tension and less on the actual monsters, the human characters are better developed than one might assume for the era. C.H.U.D. is one of the better-known sci-fi films of that era and is said to have directly inspired Jordan Peele’s 2019 horror movie, Us.

C.H.U.D. RHorrorSci-Fi Where to Watch

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C.H.U.D. is a 1984 horror film directed by Douglas Cheek that delves into the mystery of missing homeless people in New York City. The film follows a photographer and a police captain who uncover a government cover-up involving mutated creatures, known as Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers, living beneath the city. Starring John Heard and Daniel Stern, C.H.U.D. combines elements of horror and social commentary.

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Director Douglas Cheek Release Date August 31, 1984 Cast John Heard , Daniel Stern , Christopher Curry , Kim Greist , Laure Mattos , Brenda Currin Runtime 88 minutes Writers Shepard Abbott , Parnell Hall , Christopher Curry , Daniel Stern Main Genre Horror Expand

2 Deadly Friend (1986)

Dir. Wes Craven

Deadly Friend is a killer robot film revolving around a young girl who nearly dies and is reanimated with a robotic microchip in her brain, turning her deadly. The film is based on the 1985 novel Friend by Diana Henstell. Both Deadly Friend and Chopping Mall feature murderous robots, teen friendships and romances, and infamous head explosions. The acting and kills in this movie are pretty exaggerated, though well done by Craven. The film also has a great twist ending that subverts expectations of the genre.

Craven’s 1980s Horror Movies:

Film	Year
Deadly Blessing	1981
Swamp Thing	1982
A Nightmare on Elm Street	1984
The Hills Have Eyes Part II	1985
Deadly Friend	1986
The Serpent and the Rainbow	1988
Shocker	1989

The film was initially supposed to focus more on the relationship between the reanimated girl and her teen friend who revives her. However, the initial cut of the film was criticized for its lack of graphic violence and gore, which was typically associated with Craven’s work. The film was even marketed as a standard horror movie, with little mention of the science fiction elements. Craven created another cut and ending that was much gorier, and many criticized it for becoming too brutal. Deadly Friend is an underrated technological horror film with fun twists and cheesy teen characters.

Deadly Friend RDramaHorrorMysterySci-Fi Where to Watch

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*Availability in US Director Wes Craven Release Date October 10, 1986 Cast Matthew Laborteaux , Kristy Swanson , Michael Sharrett , Anne Twomey , Anne Ramsey , Richard Marcus Runtime 91 minutes Writers Diana Henstell , Bruce Joel Rubin Main Genre Drama Expand

1 Screamers (1995)

Dir. Christian Duguay

Screamers takes place on the planet Sirius 6B in the year 2078. What was once a mining town has now become a desolate workground, as the ore they were mining turned out to be radioactive, leaving few survivors. The film is a proxy war between the remaining miners and scientists, known as “The Alliance” and the mining company. The alliance created small killing robots called Screamers to help their cause. But years later, the survivors have come to find that the Screamers have evolved to take the form of people, dampening the already fragile trust everyone has in each other.

The movie is a novel of Philip K. Dick’s short story “Second Variety.” It addresses Dick’s regular themes of social conflict, perceived reality, and double-crossing machines. Screamers and Chopping Mall both feature deadly robots that betray their original mission to protect. Screamers explores tropes and themes similar to beloved movies and has a surprise twist ending that makes it worth another watch. Screamers is creepy, but the kills are executed just poorly enough, especially compared to modern horror, that they aren’t terrifying. The movie made $7 million on a $14 million budget.

Screamers (1995) RSci-FiHorrorThriller

Screamers is a science fiction horror film directed by Christian Duguay, based on Philip K. Dick’s short story “Second Variety.” Set in a dystopian future, the film follows a group of military personnel on a distant planet who encounter self-replicating robots designed to kill. As the machines evolve and become more dangerous, the survivors must find a way to stop them while uncovering the truth behind their creation.

Director Christian Duguay Release Date January 26, 1996 Cast Peter Weller , Roy Dupuis , Jennifer Rubin , Andy Lauer , Charles Edwin Powell , Ron White , Michael Caloz , Liliana Komorowska Runtime 108 Minutes Writers Philip K. Dick , Dan O’Bannon , Miguel Tejada-Flores Main Genre Sci-Fi Expand

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