The 15 Most Hilariously Awful '80s Comedy Movies

Sometimes you watch a film and think, "What were they thinking?" But then you laugh so hard you forget to care. Here are some '80s movies with this exact vibe.

1. Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987)

The 'Police Academy' franchise is like that friend who overstays their welcome. In this installment, the academy decides to recruit civilians to work alongside cops. What could go wrong? You get a ragtag bunch of misfits, including a skateboarding Bobcat Goldthwait, causing mayhem and barely solving any crimes.

2. Ishtar (1987)

Two awful lounge singers, played by Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty, dream of making it big but end up taking a gig in Morocco instead. Then, as luck would have it, they get entangled in a political uprising. There are camels, mistaken identities, and secret maps. It's a convoluted mess that reportedly cost around $55 million and earned a fraction of that back.

3. Teen Witch (1989)

Louise is an awkward teen who learns that she's actually descended from witches and gains magical powers on her 16th birthday. She's got the hots for the popular guy in school, so she uses her new powers to make herself popular. There's even a cringeworthy rap battle—yes, in an '80s comedy about witches. The magical escapades culminate in a prom, because of course they do.

4. Leonard Part 6 (1987)

Bill Cosby as a retired secret agent turned restaurant owner—who wouldn't want to watch that? Leonard is pulled back into the spy game to stop an evil vegetarian who controls animals with her mind. Yes, you heard it right. He fights lobsters, ostriches, and other critters while trying to save the world.

5. Howard the Duck (1986)

Howard is a talking duck from Duckworld, and he gets sucked into Earth through some space vortex. Here, he befriends Beverly, a musician, and tries to get back home. They even fight an evil alien overlord who wants to take over Earth. Yes, it's a duck doing all this. The movie was an epic flop but has since gained a cult following.

6. Caddyshack II (1988)

This is basically a sequel nobody asked for. The original Caddyshack was a hoot, but the sequel? Eh, not so much. In this go-around, Jackie Mason takes the reins as a self-made millionaire who wants to join a snooty golf club. When he gets rejected, he buys the club and turns it into an amusement park. Cue the slapstick, the cringe, and the gopher mascot from the first film.

7. Mannequin (1987)

This one's the definition of a 'guilty pleasure.' Andrew McCarthy plays Jonathan, a window dresser who falls in love with a mannequin. But wait, this isn't any ordinary mannequin! She's an Egyptian princess cursed to become a dummy, and she can only come to life when alone with Jonathan. So he decorates store windows around her, trying to make her as life-like as possible.

8. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)

You might argue that this is more of an action flick than a comedy, but come on, it's unintentionally hilarious. Superman decides he's had enough of the Cold War and gathers all the nukes in the world to throw them into the sun. All's good, right? Nope. The sun spits back a Nuclear Man, complete with '80s mullet and radioactive nails. They fight it out on the moon, because why not?

9. My Stepmother is an Alien (1988)

Dan Aykroyd is a widowed scientist who sends a radio signal to outer space, only to have Kim Basinger land in his life as an alien spy. Her mission? To learn about human relationships. She wears a purse with a one-eyed alien creature inside that gives her advice. Hijinks ensue as she tries to adapt to Earthly ways, like kissing and making dinner.

10. Grease 2 (1982)

Grease was iconic, but its sequel? It's laughably bad, and that's why we love it. It's the gender-reversed tale of the first film, with the clean-cut British guy falling for the tough American girl. Except this time, he becomes a 'Cool Rider,' donning leather and a motorcycle to win her love. There's a luau, a bowling alley number, and way too many forgettable songs.

11. Weekend at Bernie's (1989)

Nothing screams '80s comedy quite like dragging around a dead guy for an entire weekend. Two corporate peons discover their boss, Bernie, has been embezzling money, and then find him dead. Instead of reporting it, they decide to pretend he's alive to enjoy his luxury beach house and party lifestyle over the weekend.

12. Overboard (1987)

The good ol' amnesia plot. Goldie Hawn plays a snooty heiress who falls off her yacht and forgets who she is. Kurt Russell, a carpenter she earlier mistreated, sees this as a chance for revenge. He convinces her they're married and she's the mother of his four unruly kids. She swaps her designer clothes for flannel and learns the joys of manual labor.

13. Cocktail (1988)

Tom Cruise as a flashy bartender? Yes, it did happen. Brian, played by Cruise, dreams of making it big but ends up slinging drinks in NYC and Jamaica. The film's loaded with cringeworthy dialogue, bad love triangles, and scenes where bartending looks like an Olympic sport.

14. The Garbage Pail Kids Movie (1987)

Based on the popular trading cards, this one's a total trash fire, and not just because it's about garbage. Seven garbage pail kids with names like Valerie Vomit and Ali Gator are aliens who crash-land on Earth. They help a boy named Dodger fight off bullies and win the girl of his dreams.

15. Spaceballs (1987)

Mel Brooks's parody of Star Wars is both awful and awesome. You've got Lone Starr and Barf (played by Bill Pullman and John Candy) trying to rescue Princess Vespa from the clutches of Dark Helmet. There's a ludicrous speed chase, a Yogurt who teaches the Schwartz, and a giant maid robot with a vacuum cleaner.