Merriam-Webster defines cult as “great
devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book).” Wikipedia is a little more specific in
regard to cult films. The online encyclopedia
states a cult film is one “that has
acquired a cult following and are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase,
an elaborate subculture that engage in repeated viewings, quoting dialogue, and
audience participation.” This category
of film can be broken down into sub-genres, including “So bad it’s good,” camp
and guilty pleasures, nostalgia, midnight movies, art and exploitation, B and
genre films, animation, and nonfiction.
The Matt Cook
definition of cult movie falls mostly under the first two sub-genres: “So bad
it’s good” and camp and guilty pleasures.
Upon initial release the film could be either loved or hated by critics,
but what tags it with the cult-like status is that it is initially ignored by
the masses but slowly builds up a beloved fanbase. When it comes to movies, the term cult
classic more than likely generates thoughts of Rocky Horror Picture Show.
That seems to be the most popular candidate, with massive turnouts for late-night
sing-along showings. However, a recent
contender for the top spot of cult classics that is coming on strong is Tommy
Wiseau’s The Room.
Previewing a list
of cult movies on Wikipedia, it included several titles that were successful
hits upon their initial release in theaters.
Instead of cult classics, they really should be considered sleeper
hits. This list includes:
Anchorman: The Legend
of Ron Burgundy
The Blair Witch
Project
The Breakfast Club
Clueless
Dirty Dancing
Dumb and Dumber
Galaxy Quest
The Goonies
Mamma Mia!
Pulp Fiction
All of the above movies were generally well-received by
critics and box office successes. It
would be unfair to compare them with true cult classics like Brazil and Donnie Darko. There was also
another group of movies included in Wikipedia’s list that, while technically
falling into the Matt Cook definition of cult classic in that they have gradually
cultivated massive followings after being box office disappointments, their
approval by the masses have turned them into legitimate classics. This group is made up of the following:
2001: A Space Odyssey
Blade Runner
Dazed and Confused
Fight Club
Godzilla (1954
original)
Napoleon Dynamite
Monty Python and the
Holy Grail
The Princess Bride
The Shawshank
Redemption
Willy Wonka & the
Chocolate Factory
The Wizard of Oz
With zero statistical evidence to support this opinion, a
true cult classic is either treasured or loathed. It is the rare moviegoer who watches a genuine
cult film and doesn’t have their interest meter make a move one way or another
toward “loved it” or “hated it.” Last
night I watched Suspiria from Dario
Argento and within five minutes my interest meter was dropping quickly toward “hated
it.” While it certainly didn’t end up at
the fathomless depths of abhorrence I feel toward cult films like Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! or Blue Velvet, it definitely will not see
a second viewing again anytime soon, if ever.
Some of the more popular cult classics are listed below and I have
broken them up among my “loved it” and “hated it” categories.
Loved it:
An American Werewolf
in London
The Blues Brothers
Bottle Rocket (after
multiple viewings)
Caddyshack
Clerks
A Clockwork Orange
Clue
The Crow
Empire Records
Freaks
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Mad Max
Mars Attacks!
Night of the Living
Dead
Office Space
The Road Warrior
Robocop
Super Mario Bros.
This is Spinal Tap
Tremors
UHF
Unbreakable
The Warriors
Hated it:
American Psycho
Evil Dead Trilogy (Evil
Dead, Evil Dead II, and Army of Darkness)
Big Trouble in Little
China
Howard the Duck
Hudson Hawk
Plan 9 from Outer
Space
Time Bandits
Tron
The Wicker Man
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