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There is a trend that still exists today involving popular movies, where a studio that lacks integrity creates a brutish copy of the source material, releases it quickly, and hopes to trick audiences into believing their film has something to do with popular media. The plan is to trick audiences with cover art, while the content doesn’t often matter.
In the 80s it was even easier to get away with this, since before the internet, facts were far harder to check out. These films have become classics for underground movie lovers, but for general audiences, it is a brand new window into cheap filmmaking in a bygone era.
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The Last Shark
Clearly modeled after Jaws, this Italian production copies the structure of a seaside community terrorized by a massive shark. Its similarities were so strong that it faced legal issues and was pulled from U.S. theaters.
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Contamination
Inspired heavily by Alien, this sci-fi horror film replaces extraterrestrial terror with exploding eggs and parasites. Its tone and visual style closely echo Ridley Scott’s original, albeit with a much lower budget.
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Battle Beyond the Stars
This space adventure borrows heavily from Star Wars while also adapting the plot of The Magnificent Seven. The result is a hybrid that mirrors familiar beats with a science fiction twist.
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Warriors of the Wasteland
Following the success of Mad Max 2, this Italian film replicates its post-apocalyptic setting, vehicle combat, and lone warrior structure, offering a noticeably lower-budget take on the same formula.
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Mac and Me
Widely compared to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, this family sci-fi film follows a stranded alien befriending a young boy. The similarities in tone, story beats, and imagery made it one of the most talked-about imitators of Spielberg’s hit.
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Lady Terminator
Loosely copying The Terminator, this Indonesian action-horror film replaces the cyborg with a supernatural entity. Despite the shift, the structure and many scenes closely mirror the original’s premise.
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The Man Who Saved the World
Also known as Turkish Star Wars, this film lifts footage and music directly from Star Wars. Its unauthorized use of material makes it one of the most infamous cinematic rip-offs ever made.
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Alien 2: On Earth
Despite the title, this Italian production is unrelated to Alien but mimics its premise of deadly extraterrestrial organisms. It capitalized on the original’s success through branding and familiar horror elements.
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The Humanoid
Though technically late ’70s, it circulated widely into the ’80s and mirrors Star Wars with space empires, mind control, and heroic rebels, closely imitating the structure and aesthetic of Lucas’ film.
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Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn
Drawing heavily from Star Wars, this sci-fi adventure features desert planets, bounty hunters, and mystical elements. Its world-building echoes familiar tropes despite its smaller scale.
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Ator, the Fighting Eagle
Following the popularity of Conan the Barbarian, this sword-and-sorcery film mirrors its hero’s journey, tone, and aesthetic, offering a lower-budget version of the same fantasy formula.
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The Blade Master
Also known as Ator 2, this sequel continues the imitation of Conan the Barbarian, featuring similar mythic storytelling and action sequences, reinforcing its derivative origins.
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Escape from the Bronx
Inspired by Escape from New York, this Italian action film recreates the dystopian urban setting and lone antihero navigating a dangerous, lawless zone.
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The Bronx Warriors
Also influenced by Escape from New York and gang-based dystopian films, this entry blends post-apocalyptic themes with urban decay, closely following familiar narrative beats.
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Robowar
Clearly modeled after Predator, this Italian action film features a military team hunted in the jungle by a powerful enemy, closely mirroring the structure and setup of the original.
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