Cult film

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"Cult classic" redirects here. For the album, see Cult Classic.
A poster of David Lynch's film, Eraserhead
Eraserhead (1977) is an example of a cult film.[1]






Young fans of The Rocky Horror Picture Show posing, dressed in home-made costumes
Fans dressed up as their favorite characters from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Cosplay and audience interaction have become major elements of its cult following.




General overview[edit]


Cult films have existed since the early days of cinema. Harry Allan Potamkin traces them back to 1910s France and the reception of Pearl White, William S. Hart, and Charlie Chaplin, described as "a dissent from the popular ritual".[20] Nosferatu (1922) was an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula. Stoker's widow sued the production company and drove it to bankruptcy. All known copies of the film were destroyed, and Nosferatu become an early cult film, kept alive by a cult following that circulated illegal bootlegs.[21] Chuck Kleinhans identifies the Marx Brothers as making other early cult films.[13] On their original release, some highly regarded classics from the Golden Age of Hollywood were panned by critics and audiences, relegated to cult status. The Night of the Hunter (1955) was a cult film for years, quoted often and championed by fans, before it was reassessed as an important and influential classic.[22] During this time, American exploitation films and imported European art films were marketed similarly. Although critics Pauline Kael and Arthur Knight argued against arbitrary divisions into high and low culture, American films settled into rigid genres; European art films continued to push the boundaries of simple definitions, and these exploitative art films and artistic exploitation films would go on to influence American cult films.[23]:202–205 Much like later cult films, these early exploitation films encouraged audience participation, influenced by live theater and vaudeville.[17]

Modern cult films grew from 1960s counterculture and underground films, popular among those who rejected mainstream Hollywood films. These underground film festivals led to the creation of midnight movies, which attracted cult followings.[24] The term cult film itself was an outgrowth of this movement and was first used in the 1970s,[25] though cult had been in use for decades in film analysis with both positive and negative connotations.[26] These films were more concerned with cultural significance than the social justice sought by earlier avant-garde films.[10] Midnight movies became more popular and mainstream, peaking with the release of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), which finally found its audience several years after its release. Eventually, the rise of home video would marginalize midnight movies once again, after which many directors joined the burgeoning independent film scene or went back underground.[27] Home video would give a second life to box office flops, as positive word-of-mouth or excessive replay on cable television led these films to develop an appreciative audience,[28] as well as obsessive replay and study.[29] For example, The Beastmaster (1982), despite its failure at the box office, became one of the most played movies on American cable television[30][31] and developed into a cult film.[2] Home video and television broadcasts of cult films were initially greeted with hostility. Joanne Hollows states that they were seen as turning cult films mainstream – in effect, feminizing them by opening them to distracted, passive audiences.[11]:42–43


In a global context, popularity can vary widely by territory, especially with regard to limited releases. Mad Max (1979) was an international hit – except in America[35] where it became an obscure cult favorite, ignored by critics and available for years only in a dubbed version though it earned over $100M internationally.[36][37] Foreign cinema can put a different spin on popular genres, such as Japanese horror, which was initially a cult favorite in America.[38] Asian imports to the West are often marketed as exotic cult films and of interchangeable national identity, which Chi-Yun Shin criticizes as reductive.[39] Foreign influence can affect fan response, especially on genres tied to a national identity; when they become more global in scope, questions of authenticity may arise.[40]:157–160 Filmmakers and films ignored in their own country can become the objects of cult adoration in another, which produces perplexed reactions in their native country.[41] Cult films can also establish an early viability for more mainstream films both for filmmakers and national cinema. The early cult horror films of Peter Jackson were so strongly associated with his homeland that they affected the international reputation of New Zealand and its cinema. As more artistic films emerged, New Zealand was perceived as a legitimate competitor to Hollywood, which mirrored Jackson's career trajectory. Heavenly Creatures (1994) acquired its own cult following, became a part of New Zealand's national identity, and paved the way for big-budget, Hollywood-style epics, such as Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy.[42]


Despite their oppositional nature, cult films can produce celebrities. Like cult films themselves, authenticity is an important aspect of their popularity.[46] Actors can become typecast as they become strongly associated with such iconic roles. Tim Curry, despite his acknowledged range as an actor, found casting difficult after he achieved fame in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Even when discussing unrelated projects, interviewers frequently bring up the role, which causes him to tire of discussing it.[47] Mary Woronov, known for her transgressive roles in cult films, eventually transitioned to mainstream films. She was expected to recreate the transgressive elements of her cult films within the confines of mainstream cinema. Instead of the complex gender deconstructions of her Andy Warhol films, she became typecast as a lesbian or domineering woman.[48] Sylvia Kristel, after starring in Emmanuelle (1974), found herself highly associated with the film and the sexual liberation of the 1970s. Caught between the transgressive elements of her cult film and the mainstream appeal of soft-core pornography, she was unable to work in anything but exploitation films and Emmanuelle sequels. Despite her immense popularity and cult following, she would rate only a footnote in most histories of European cinema if she was even mentioned.[49] Similarly, Chloë Sevigny has struggled with her reputation as a cult independent film star famous for her daring roles in transgressive films.[50] Cult films can also trap directors. Leonard Kastle, who directed The Honeymoon Killers (1969), never directed another film again. Despite his cult following, which included François Truffaut, he was unable to find financing for any of his other screenplays.[51] Qualities that bring cult films to prominence – such as an uncompromising, unorthodox vision – caused Alejandro Jodorowsky to languish in obscurity for years.[52]

Transgression and censorship[edit]

Theatrical poster of Night of the Living Dead
Night of the Living Dead (1968) features transgressive elements, such as nudity, cannibalism, and gore, highlighted in the poster.


According to Mathijs, critical reception is important to a film's perception as cult, through topicality and controversy. Topicality, which can be regional (such as objection to government funding of the film) or critical (such as philosophical objections to the themes), enables attention and a contextual response. Cultural topics make the film relevant and can lead to controversy, such as a moral panic, which provides opposition. Cultural values transgressed in the film, such as sexual promiscuity, can be attacked by proxy, through attacks on the film. These concerns can vary from culture to culture, and they need not be at all similar. However, Mathijs says the film must invoke metacommentary for it to be more than simply culturally important. While referencing previous arguments, critics may attack its choice of genre or its very right to exist. Taking stances on these varied issues, critics assure their own relevance while helping to elevate the film to cult status.[58] Perceived racist and reductive remarks by critics can rally fans and raise the profile of cult films, such as Rex Reed's comments about Korean culture.[39] Critics can also polarize audiences and lead debates, such as Joe Bob Briggs and Roger Ebert dueling over I Spit On Your Grave (1978). Briggs would later contribute a commentary track to the DVD release in which he defends it as a feminist film.[59] Films which do not attract enough controversy may be ridiculed and rejected when suggested as cult films.[60]





Subcultural appeal and fandom[edit]

Cult films can be used to help define or create groups as a form of subcultural capital; knowledge of cult films proves that one is "authentic" or "non-mainstream". They can be used to provoke an outraged response from the mainstream, which further defines the subculture, as only members could possibly tolerate such deviant entertainment.[84] More accessible films have less subcultural capital;[17] among extremists, banned films will have the most.[60] By referencing cult films, media can identify desired demographics, strengthen bonds with specific subcultures, and stand out among those who understand the intertextuality.[85] Popular films from previous eras may be reclaimed by genre fans long after they have been forgotten by the original audiences. This can be done for authenticity, such as horror fans who seek out now-obscure titles from the 1950s instead of the modern, well-known remakes.[86] Authenticity may also drive fans to deny genre categorization to films perceived as too mainstream or accessible.[87]:439 Authenticity in performance[40]:157–168 and expertise[88]:196 can drive fan acclaim. Authenticity can also drive fans to decry the mainstream in the form of hostile critics and censors.[89] Especially when promoted by enthusiastic and knowledgeable programmers, choice of venue can be an important part of expressing individuality.[17] Besides creating new communities, cult films can link formerly disparate groups, such as fans and critics.[61]:127 As these groups intermix, they can influence each other, though this may be resisted by older fans, unfamiliar with these new references.[40]:164 In extreme cases, cult films can lead to the creation of religions, such as Dudeism.[90] For their avoidance of mainstream culture and audiences, enjoyment of irony, and celebration of obscure subcultures, Martin Roberts compared cult film fans to hipsters.[91]




Cult films can create their own subculture. The Rocky Horror Picture Show's cult following has established its own customs and norms of behavior, which are often at direct odds with mainstream society. These less restrictive norms encourage individuality and experimentation, a theme seen in the film. Although fans received mainstream disapproval for their activities, they stuck together and formed long-lasting bonds. Eventually, peer pressure drove fans to engage in standardized audience participation rituals.[102] Although often described as primarily composed of obsessed fans, cult film fandom can include many newer, less experienced members.[57]:190–191 Familiar with the film's reputation and having watched clips on YouTube, these fans may take the next step and enter the film's fandom. If they are the majority, they may alter or ignore long-standing traditions, such as audience participation rituals; rituals which lack perceived authenticity may be criticized, but accepted rituals bring subcultural capital to veteran fans who introduce them to the newer members. Fans who flaunt their knowledge receive negative reactions. Newer fans may cite the film itself as their reason for attending a showing, but longtime fans often cite the community. Organized fandoms may spread and become popular as a way of introducing new people to the film, as well as theatrical screenings being privileged by the media and fandom itself. Fandom can also be used as a process of legitimation.[57]:200–211 Fans of cult films, as in media fandom, are frequently producers instead of mere consumers. Unconcerned with traditional views on intellectual property, these fan works are often unsanctioned, transformative, and ignore fictional canon.[103]



"So bad it's good"[edit]

See also: Z movie

The critic Michael Medved characterized examples of the "so bad it's good" class of low-budget cult film through books such as The Golden Turkey Awards. These films include financially fruitless and critically scorned films that have become inadvertent comedies to film buffs, such as Plan 9 from Outer Space (1958)[104] and The Room (2003).[105] Similarly, Paul Verhoeven's Showgirls (1995) bombed in theaters but developed a cult following on video. Catching on, MGM capitalized on the film's ironic appeal and marketed it as a cult film.[106] Films which attract the derision of audiences can turn into outlets for fan creativity where fans are the final arbiters of humor rather than the film's creators.[57]:212 Jacob deNobel states that films can be perceived as nonsensical or inept when audiences misunderstand avant-garde filmmaking or misinterpret parody. Films such as Rocky Horror can be misinterpreted as "weird for weirdness sake" by people unfamiliar with the cult films that it parodies. deNoble ultimately rejects the use of the label "so bad it's good" as mean-spirited and often misapplied.[107] Alamo Drafthouse programmer Zack Carlson has further said that any film which succeeds in entertaining an audience is good, regardless of irony.[108] The rise of the Internet and on-demand films has led critics to question whether "so bad it's good" films have a future now that people have such diverse options in both availability and catalog,[109] though fans eager to experience the worst films ever made can lead to lucrative showings for local theaters[110] and merchandisers.[111]

Camp and guilty pleasures[edit]

Chuck Kleinhans states that the difference between a guilty pleasure and a cult film can be as simple as the number of fans; David Church raises the question of how many people it takes to form a cult following, especially now that home video makes fans difficult to count.[13] As these cult films become more popular, they can bring varied responses from fans that depend on different interpretations, such as camp, irony, genuine affection, or combinations thereof. Earnest fans, who recognize and accept the film's faults, can make minor celebrities of the film's cast,[112] though the benefits are not always clear.[113] Cult film stars known for their camp can inject subtle parody or signal when films should not be taken seriously.[114] Campy actors can also provide comic book supervillains for serious, artistic-minded films. This can draw fan acclaim and obsession more readily than subtle, method-inspired acting.[115] Mark Chalon Smith says technical faults may be forgiven if a film makes up for them in other areas, such as camp or transgressive content. Smith states that the early films of John Waters are amateurish and less influential than claimed, but Waters' outrageous vision cements his place in cult cinema.[116] Films like Myra Breckinridge (1970) and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970) can experience critical reappraisal later, once their camp excess and avant-garde filmmaking are better accepted,[117] and films that are initially dismissed as frivolous are often reassessed as campy.[97] Films that intentionally try to appeal to fans of camp may end up alienating them, as the films become perceived as trying too hard or not authentic.[118]


According to Brigid Cherry, nostalgia "is a strong element of certain kinds of cult appeal."[85] When Veoh added many cult films to their site, they cited nostalgia as a factor for their popularity.[119] I. Q. Hunter describes cult films as "New Hollywood in extremis" and a form of nostalgia for that period. Ernest Mathijs instead states that cult films use nostalgia as a form of resistance against progress and capitalistic ideas of a time-based economy.[13] By virtue of the time travel plot, Back to the Future permits nostalgia for both the 1950s and 1980s. Many members of its nostalgic cult following are too young to have been alive during those periods, which Emma Pett interprets as fondness for retro aesthetics, nostalgia for when they saw the film rather than when it was released, and looking to the past to find a better time period.[99] Similarly, John Hughes films have taken hold in midnight movie venues, trading off of nostalgia for the 1980s and an ironic appreciation for their optimism.[120] Mathijs and Sexton describe Grease (1978) as a film nostalgic about an imagined past that has acquired a nostalgic cult following. Other cult films, such as Streets of Fire (1984), create a new fictional world based on nostalgic views of the past.[121] Cult films may also subvert nostalgia, such as The Big Lebowski, which introduces many nostalgic elements and then reveals them as fake and hollow.[122] China Miéville praises the use of satire in Donnie Darko for its avoidance of falling into facile and comforting nostalgia,[123] but Nathan Lee identifies the retro aesthetic and nostalgic pastiche as factors in its popularity among midnight movie crowds.[124]

Midnight movies[edit]

Tomas Crowder-Taraborrelli describes midnight movies as a reaction against the political and cultural conservatism in America,[125]:27 and Joan Hawkins identifies the movement as running the gamut from anarchist to Libertarian, united in their anti-establishment attitude and punk aesthetic.[53]:223 These films are resistant to simple categorization, defined by the fanaticism and ritualistic behaviors of their audiences. Midnight movies require a night life and an audience willing to invest themselves actively.[125]:27–30 Hawkins states that these films took a rather bleak point of view due to the living conditions of the artists and the economic prospects of the 1970s. Like the surrealists and dadaists, they not only satirically attacked society but also the very structure of film – a counter-cinema that deconstructs narrative and traditional processes.[53]:224–226 In the late 1980s and 1990s, midnight movies transitioned from underground showings to home video viewings; eventually, a desire for community brought a resurgence, and The Big Lebowski kick-started a new generation. Demographics shifted, and more hip and mainstream audiences were drawn to them. Although studios expressed skepticism, large audiences were drawn to box office flops, such as Donnie Darko (2001) and Office Space (1999).[126] Today, midnight movies are more popular than ever and are strongly diverging from mainstream films shown at midnight. Mainstream cinemas, eager to disassociate themselves from negative associations and increase profits, have begun abandoning midnight screenings. Although classic midnight movies have dropped off in popularity, they still bring reliable crowds.[127]

Art and exploitation[edit]

Although seemingly at odds with each other, art and exploitation films are frequently treated as equal and interchangeable in cult fandom, listed alongside each other and described in similar terms: their ability to provoke a response. The most exploitative aspects of art films are thus played up and their academic recognition ignored.[128] This flattening of culture follows the popularity of post-structuralism, which rejects a hierarchy of artistic merit and equates exploitation and art.[23]:202–203 Mathijs and Sexton state that although cult films are not synonymous with exploitation, as is occasionally assumed, this is a key component; they write that exploitation, which exists on the fringes of the mainstream and deals with taboo subjects, is well-suited for cult followings.[129] David Andrews writes that cult softcore films are "the most masculinized, youth-oriented, populist, and openly pornographic softcore area."[130] The sexploitation films of Russ Meyer were among the first to abandon all hypocritical pretenses of morality and were technically proficient enough to gain a cult following. His persistent vision saw him received as an auteur worthy of academic study; John Waters attributes this to Meyer's ability to create complicated, sexually charged films without resorting to explicit sex.[82]:5–7,14 Myrna Oliver described Doris Wishman's exploitation films as "crass, coarse, and camp ... perfect fodder for a cult following."[131] The sickest and most disturbing films have their own cult following; these films transcend their roots in exploitation, horror, and art films.[132] In 1960s and 1970s America, exploitation and art films shared audiences and marketing, especially in New York City's grindhouse cinemas.[23]:219–220

B and genre films[edit]

Mathijs and Sexton state that genre is an important part of cult films; cult films will often mix, mock, or exaggerate the tropes associated with traditional genres.[132] Science fiction, fantasy, and horror are known for their large and dedicated cult followings; as science fiction films become more popular, fans emphasize non-mainstream and less commercial aspects of it.[133] B films, which are often conflated with exploitation, are as important to cult films as exploitation.[129] Teodor Reljic of Malta Today states that cult B films are a realistic goal for Malta's burgeoning film industry.[134] Genre films, B films that strictly adhere to genre limitations, can appeal to cult film fans: given their transgressive excesses, horror films are likely to become to cult films;[125]:33 films like Galaxy Quest (1999) highlight the importance of cult followings and fandom to science fiction;[135] and authentic martial arts skills in Hong Kong action films can drive them to become cult favorites.[40]:157–159 Cult musicals can range from the traditional, such as Singin' in the Rain (1952), which appeal to cult audiences through nostalgia, camp, and spectacle, to the more non-traditional, such as Cry-Baby (1990), which parodies musicals, and Rocky Horror, which uses a rock soundtrack.[136] Romantic fairy tale The Princess Bride (1987) failed to attract audiences in its original release, as the studio did not know how to market it.[137] The freedom and excitement associated with cars can be an important part of drawing cult film fans to genre films, and they can signify action and danger with more ambiguity than a gun.[138] Ad Week writes that cult B films, when released on home video, market themselves and need only enough advertising to raise curiosity or nostalgia.[139]


Animation can provide wide open vistas for stories; the French film Fantastic Planet (1972) explored ideas beyond the limits of traditional, live-action science fiction films.[140] Phil Hoad identifies Akira (1988) as introducing violent, adult Japanese animation (known as anime) to the West and paving the way for later works.[141] Anime, according to Brian Ruh, is not a cult genre, but the lack of individual fandoms inside anime fandom itself lends itself to a bleeding over of cult attention and can help spread works internationally. Anime, which is often highly franchised, provides its fans with alternative fictional canons and points of view that can drive fan activity. The Ghost in the Shell franchise, for example, provided Japanese fans with enough bonus material and spinoffs that it encouraged cult tendencies. Markets that did not support the sale of these materials saw less cult activity.[142] Ralph Bakshi's career has been marked with controversy: Fritz the Cat (1972) provoked outrage as the first X-rated animated film, and Coonskin (1975) was decried as racist.[143] Bakshi recalls that older animators had tired of "kid stuff" and desired edgier work, whereas younger animators hated his work for "destroying the Disney images." Eventually, his work would be reassessed and cult followings, including Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, developed around several of his films.[144] Heavy Metal (1981) faced similar denunciations from critics; Donald Liebenson cites the violence and sexual imagery as alienating critics, who didn't know what to make of the film. It would go on to become a popular midnight movie and frequently bootlegged by fans, as licensing issues kept it from being released on video for many years.[145]


Sensationalistic documentaries called mondo films replicate the most shocking and transgressive elements of exploitation films; they are usually modeled after "sick films" and cover similar subject matter.[132] According to Mathijs and Mendik, these documentaries often present non-Western societies as "stereotypically mysterious, seductive, immoral, deceptive, barbaric or savage".[146] Though they can be interpreted as racist, Mathijs and Mendik state that they also "exhibit a liberal attitude towards the breaking of cultural taboos".[146] Mondo films like Faces of Death mix real and fake footage freely, and they gain their cult following through the outrage and debate over authenticity that results.[147] Like "so bad it's good" cult films, old propaganda and government hygiene films may be enjoyed ironically by more modern audiences, who enjoy the camp value of the outdated themes and outlandish claims made about perceived social threats, such as drug use.[16] Barry K. Grant states that Frank Capra's Why We Fight World War II propaganda films are explicitly not cult, because they are "slickly made and have proven their ability to persuade an audience."[148] The sponsored film Mr. B Natural became a cult hit when it was broadcast on Mystery Science Theater 3000;[149] these educational shorts were the favorite of MST3K cast member Trace Beaulieu.[150] Mark Jancovich states that cult audiences are drawn to these films because of their "very banality or incoherence of their political positions", unlike traditional cult films, which achieve popularity through auteurist radicalism.[151]

Mainstream popularity[edit]

Quentin Tarantino in a suit, smiling

Mark Shiel explains the rising popularity of cult films as an attempt by cinephiles and scholars to escape the oppressive conformity and mainstream appeal of even independent film, as well as a lack of condescension in both critics and the films;[10] Donna de Ville says it is a chance to subvert the dominance of academics and cinephiles.[17] According to Xavier Mendik, "academics have been really interested in cult movies for quite a while now." Mendik has sought to bring together academic interest and fandom through Cine-Excess, a film festival.[18] Academic I. Q. Hunter states that "it's much easier to be a cultist now, but it is also rather more inconsequential."[13] Citing the mainstream availability of Cannibal Holocaust, Jeffrey Sconce rejects definitions of cult films based on controversy and excess, as they've now become meaningless.[152] Cult films have influenced such diverse industries as cosmetics,[153] music videos,[85] and fashion.[154] Cult films have shown up in less expected places; as a sign of his popularity, a bronze statue of Ed Wood has been proposed in his hometown,[155] and L'Osservatore Romano, the official newspaper of the Holy See, has courted controversy for its endorsement of cult films and pop culture.[156] When cities attempt to renovate neighborhoods, fans have called attempts to demolish iconic settings from cult films "cultural vandalism".[157] Cult films can also drive tourism,[158] even when it is unwanted.[159]

As far back as the 1970s, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (1978) was designed specifically to be a cult film,[160] and The Rocky Horror Picture Show was produced by 20th Century Fox, a major Hollywood studio. Over its decades-long release, Rocky Horror became the seventh highest grossing R-rated film when adjusted for inflation;[161] Matt Singer has questioned whether Rocky Horror's popularity invalidates its cult status.[162] Founded in 1974, Troma Entertainment, an independent studio, would become known for both its cult following and cult films.[163] In the 1980s, Danny Peary's Cult Movies (1981) would influence director Edgar Wright[164] and film critic Scott Tobias, of The A.V. Club.[165] The rise of home video would have a mainstreaming effect on cult films and cultish behavior, though some collectors would be unlikely to self-identify as cult film fans.[13] Film critic Joe Bob Briggs began reviewing drive-in theater and cult films, though he faced much criticism as an early advocate of exploitation and cult films. Briggs highlights the mainstreaming of cult films by pointing out the respectful obituaries that cult directors have received from formerly hostile publications and acceptance of politically incorrect films at mainstream film festivals.[4] This acceptance is not universal, though, and some critics have resisted this mainstreaming of paracinema.[166] Beginning in the 1990s, Quentin Tarantino would have the greatest success in turning cult films mainstream.[3][167] Tarantino later used his fame to champion obscure cult films that had influenced him and set up the short-lived Rolling Thunder Pictures, which distributed several of his favorite cult films.[168] Tarantino's clout led Phil Hoad of The Guardian to call Tarantino the world's most influential director.[169]

As major Hollywood studios and audiences both become savvy to cult films, productions once limited to cult appeal have instead become popular hits, and cult directors have become hot properties known for more mainstream and accessible films.[8] Remarking on the popular trend of remaking cult films, Claude Brodesser-Akner of New York magazine states that Hollywood studios have been superstitiously hoping to recreate past successes rather than trading on nostalgia.[170] Their popularity would bring some critics to proclaim the death of cult films now that they have finally become successful and mainstream,[167] are too slick to attract a proper cult following,[28] lack context,[152] or are too easily found online.[171] In response, David Church says that cult film fans have retreated to more obscure and difficult to find films, often using illegal distribution methods, which preserves the outlaw status of cult films. Virtual spaces, such as online forums and fan sites, replace the traditional fanzines and newsletters.[13] Cult film fans consider themselves collectors, rather than consumers, as they associate consumers with mainstream, Hollywood audiences.[11]:46 This collecting can take the place of fetishization of a single film.[152] Addressing concerns that DVDs have revoked the cult status of films like Rocky Horror, Mikel J. Koven states that small scale screenings with friends and family can replace midnight showings. Koven also identifies television shows, such as Twin Peaks, as retaining more traditional cult activities inside popular culture.[13] David Lynch himself has not ruled out another television series, as studios have become reluctant to take chances on non-mainstream ideas.[172] Despite this, the Alamo Drafthouse has capitalized on cult films and the surrounding culture through inspiration drawn from Rocky Horror and retro promotional gimmickry. They sell out their shows regularly and have acquired a cult following of their own.[17]

Bob Batchelor states that the Internet has democratized cult culture and destroyed the line between cult and mainstream. Fans of even the most obscure films can communicate online with each other in vibrant communities.[173] Although known for their big-budget blockbusters, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas have criticized the current Hollywood system of gambling everything on the opening weekend of these productions. Geoffrey Macnab of The Independent instead suggests that Hollywood look to capitalize on cult films, which have exploded in popularity on the Internet.[174] The rise of social media has been a boon to cult films. Sites such as Twitter have displaced traditional venues for fandom and courted controversy from cultural critics who are unamused by campy cult films.[175] After a clip from one of his films went viral, director-producer Roger Corman made a distribution deal with YouTube.[176] Found footage which had originally been distributed as cult VHS collections eventually went viral on YouTube, which opened them to new generations of fans.[177] Films such as Birdemic (2008) and The Room (2003) gained quick, massive popularity, as prominent members of social networking sites discussed them. Their rise as "instant cult classics" bypasses the years of obscurity that most cult films labor under.[178] In response, critics have described the use of viral marketing as astroturfing and an attempt to manufacture cult films.[179]

I. Q. Hunter identifies a prefabricated cult film style which includes "deliberately, insulting bad films", "slick exercises in dysfunction and alienation", and mainstream films "that sell themselves as worth obsessing over".[13] Scott Tobias states that Don Coscarelli, whose previous films effortlessly attracted cult followings, has drifted into this realm. Tobias criticizes Coscarelli as trying too hard to appeal to cult audiences and sacrificing internal consistency for calculated quirkiness.[180] Influenced by the successful online hype of The Blair Witch Project (1999), other films have attempted to draw online cult fandom with the use of prefabricated cult appeal. Snakes on a Plane (2006) is an example that attracted massive attention from curious fans. Uniquely, its cult following preceded the film's release and included speculative parodies of what fans imagined the film might be. This reached the point of convergence culture when fan speculation began to impact on the film's production.[181] Although it was proclaimed a cult film and major game-changer before it was released,[182] it failed to win either mainstream audiences or maintain its cult following. In retrospect, critic Spencer Kornhaber would call it a serendipitous novelty and a footnote to a "more naive era of the Internet".[183] However, it became influential in both marketing[184] and titling.[185] This trend of "instant cult classics" which are hailed yet fail to attain a lasting following is described by Matt Singer, who states that the phrase is an oxymoron.[1]


See also[edit]


  4. ^ a b Briggs, Joe Bob (2008). "Cult Cinema: A Critical Symposium". Cineaste, Winter 2008, 34 (1), cited on The Official Home of Joe Bob Briggs. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
  7. ^ a b Pearson, Roberta E. (2003). "Kings of Infinite Space: Cult Television Characters and Narrative Possibilities". Scope (Nov 2003). Retrieved 2013-07-01. 
  10. ^ a b c d e Shiel, Mark (2003). "Why Call them "Cult Movies"? American Independent Filmmaking and the Counterculture in the 1960s". Scope (University of Nottingham) (May 2003). ISSN 1465-9166. Retrieved 2013-05-13. 
  12. ^ Chopra‑Gant, Mike (2010). "Dirty Movies, or: Why Film Scholars Should Stop Worrying About Citizen Kane and Learn to Love Bad Films". Participations 7 (2). Retrieved 2013-07-03. 
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Church, David; Hills, Matt; Hunter, I. Q.; Kleinhans, Chuck; Koven, Mikel J.; Mathijs, Ernest; Rosenbaum, Jonathan; Weinstock, Jeffrey Andrew (2008). "Cult Film: A Critical Symposium (Web Edition)". Cineaste 34 (1). Retrieved 2013-05-09. 
  14. ^ "The Evil Dead – Cult Classic or Low-Budget Rubbish?". The London Film Review. Retrieved 2013-05-19. 
  17. ^ a b c d e f de Ville, Donna (2011). "Cultivating the Cult Experience at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema". Scope (20). ISSN 1465-9166. Retrieved 2013-06-04. 
  19. ^ Dwight Garner (2009-12-29). "Dissertations on His Dudeness". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-08-06. 
  25. ^ Mathijs, Ernest; Sexton, Jamie (2011). Cult Cinema. John Wiley & Sons. p. 234. ISBN 9781405173742. 
  32. ^ Klinger, Barbara. "Becoming Cult: The Big Lebowski, Replay Culture and Male Fans". University of Oregon. Retrieved 2013-05-11. 
  34. ^ Mathijs, Ernest; Sexton, Jamie (2012). Cult Cinema. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 62–63. ISBN 9781444396423. 
  43. ^ Mathijs, Ernest (2010-03-29). "Time Wasted". Flow 11 (10). Retrieved 2013-06-19. 
  44. ^ Mathijs, Ernest (2010-01-08). "Television and the Yuletide Cult". Flow 11 (5). Retrieved 2013-06-19. 
  45. ^ Mathijs, Ernest (2009-10-30). "Threat or Treat: Film, Television, and the Ritual of Halloween". Flow 11 (1). Retrieved 2013-06-19. 
  54. ^ Hill, Mary Frances (2008-07-20). "Darkness rules for Batman fans in Vancouver". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 2013-07-08. 
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