Cult Classics

What Is It?

The term “cult film” specifically refers to movies that despite being much less successful financially nonetheless have passionate fans. Unlike famous movies such as “The Avengers” or “Titanic” which were considered to be masterpieces by the audience the moment the film premiered.

Cult film otherwise better known as “Cult Classic” is a film that has a smaller following when compared to these commercial movies but that small following is filled with passionate fans. Sometimes these movies are way ahead of their times for the audience to truly appreciate and understand the meaning behind them.

But with time these movies find their place in the hearts of people all thanks to OTT platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime that allow the revival of these films.

In Mark Shiel's essay Why Call them "Cult Movies"? American Independent Filmmaking and the Counterculture in the 1960s he states that

"Cult" movies are different from the mainstream, they speak to different audiences, they are consumed differently, their mode of production is different, the values they espouse and the formal strategies through which they articulate those values are different. 

"Cult" movies challenge, satirize, interrogate, and expose, though always ironically. "Cult" movies are valued because they are different.

How Do You Define It?

This is where a tiny problem arises. The definition of cult films is very vague because it is defined by the audience's behavior or rather reception of the movie stated Egill Atlason. But there are a few things that are common in cult classics.

"A cult movie is a movie that earns a fanatical following by a small group of people. It’s also a movie that bears repeated viewing, and contains memorable, repeatable dialogue.  

Cult movies preferably consist of socially unacceptable ingredients, such as horror, sex, violence, or science fiction. It has a distinct, passionate following, and may consist of subject matter that is not considered mainstream, or is even socially unacceptable"

The cult movie phenomenon - part 1 by Alexander Van Der Poll

Manorama: Six Feet Under (2007)

The Indian neo-noir thriller directed by Navdeep Singh staring Abhay Deol was initially met with only with appreciation from critics and garnered very little audience for itself at that time. With its availability of the film on Netflix now it has now gained more appreciation from the audience.

The actor Abhay Deol even stated

"My film Manorama Six Feet Under released in 2007. They say it was ahead of its time for India. I say that I got tired of hearing, 'I saw it on DVD, I loved it, when was this film even released!?' If I had a rupee for every time someone said that I'd be a multi millionaire!

At the start of this century no one in power had the faith that experimentation would work with an Indian audience. Hence even if one managed to, the film would barely have any screens or marketing. I always believed that the audience is way smarter than we give them credit for. Had I not believed that, I wouldn't have made the films I've made."

Fight Club (2000)

When the film was released in 2000 it was a box office flop. The David Fincher directed psychological  thriller which was an adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk’s novel of the same name was lost within the waves of Y2K and claiming that movie was too bleak in nature. Thanks to DVDs it found a new audience at the time and was considered a "sleeper classic". 

Many claimed that it was ironic that a film that highlights the downside to commercialization and capitalism was a box office flop. 

Donnie Darko (2001)

The American sci-fi film staring Jake Gyllenhaal set in 1988 was also a box office flop. The film's depiction of teenage angst and its mind bending laws of time travel were not understood by the audience of that time. But with time the audience found the film and gave it the cult classic status it needed. 

Many claimed that the ending of the film was not conclusive or easy to understand but some would argue that the ending of the film is the best part. 

The Future Of Cult Classics

With easier access to films alongside more creative freedom to filmmakers to craft their stories and the shift away from box office as a meter of success what is the future of cult classics?

"The fact is that the rarity and sporadic availability of most of what we know today as cult classics is a major part of why they became known as such. Back then people would frantically ask their friends and coworkers if they didn’t perhaps have a copy of a certain film, or know of a theatre where it’s showing.  

Today you click a button, and within an hour to 14 days you have your very own copy to enjoy. This is why few of our latest films become cult movies, yet . . . but time will tell."

The cult movie phenomenon - part 1 by Alexander Van Der Poll