A cult film is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but relatively small group of fans. Fans in Little Italyjpg|thumb|right|Fans in Little Italy Manhattan celebrating the victory of the Italian association football team after the 2006 FIFA World Cup]][[Image Wm-oly-de-cr Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside of the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame amongst mainstream audiences, including 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), A Clockwork Orange (1971), The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), Taxi Driver (1976), The Warriors (1979), Blade Runner (1982), Blue Velvet (1986), and Pulp Fiction (1994). 2001 A Space Odyssey is a 1968 Science fiction film directed by Stanley Kubrick, written by Kubrick and Arthur C The year 1968 in film involved some significant events Events October 30 - The film The Lion in Winter A Clockwork Orange is a 1971 Satirical Science fiction Film adaptation of a 1962 novel of the same name, by Anthony The year 1971 in film involved some significant events Events February 8 - Bob Dylan 's hour long documentary The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a 1975 musical Comedy film that parodies Science fiction and Horror films. The year 1975 in film involved some significant events Events January 28 - George Lucas creates the second draft Taxi Driver is a film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Paul Schrader. The year 1976 in film involved some significant events Events March 22 - Filming begins on George Lucas ' The Warriors is a 1979 cult classic action / thriller film directed by Walter Hill and based on the 1965 novel The year 1979 in film involved some significant events Events March 5 - Production begins on Star Wars Episode Blade Runner is a 1982 American Science fiction Film, directed by Ridley Scott. Events June 10 = Steven Spielberg 's Science fiction PG-rating film E Blue Velvet is a 1986 American Mystery film, written and directed by David Lynch, that exhibits elements of both Film noir Events April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries The year 1994 in film involved some significant events Top grossing films (U ^[1] Many cult movies have gone on to transcend their original cult status and have become recognized as classics; others are of the "so bad it's good" variety, and are destined to remain in obscurity. Cult films often become the source of a thriving, obsessive, and elaborate subculture of fandom, hence the analogy to cults. For the term in biology see Subculture (biology. For the song by New Order see Sub-culture (song. Fandom (from the noun fan and the affix -dom, as in kingdom, dukedom, etc This article does not discuss "cult" in the original sense of "veneration" or "religious practice" for that usage see Cult (religious practice However, not every film with a rabid fanbase is necessarily a cult film.

The term cult film is used to describe a film that has had little to no success commercially and critically upon its initial release but has later spawned a small, but devoted and usually obsessive fanbase, however there are various exceptions. This has led to a misconception in Cult classic films that the definition is a film that 'you either love or hate'. The term was first coined in the early 1980s in the book Cult Movies, by Danny Peary and is continued to be used to describe the films to this day. Cult Movies is a 1981 Book by Danny Peary, consisting of a series of Essays regarding what Peary described as the 100 most representative examples Danny Peary (born 1949) is an American Film critic and Sports writer. Usually, cult films have limited but very special, noted appeal. Cult films are often known to be eccentric, and do not follow traditional standards of mainstream cinema and usually explore topics not considered in any way mainstream—yet there are examples that are relatively normal. Mainstream is generally the common current of Thought of the Majority. They are often considered controversial because they step outside standard narrative and technical conventions known. ^[2]

General overview

A cult film is a movie that attracts a devoted group of followers or obsessive fans, despite having failed on their initial releases. The term also describes films that have remained popular over a long period of time amongst a small group of followers. In many cases, cult films may have failed to achieve mainstream success on original release although this is definitely not always the case. Whilst they may only have a short cinema release cult films often enjoy ongoing popularity due to a myriad of VHS, LaserDisc and DVD releases. The Laserdisc (LD is an obsolete Home video disc format and was the first commercial Optical disc storage medium DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is In some cases, these films tend to enjoy long runs on video, thus being issued in video "runs" with more copies than other movies. Home video is a blanket term used for pre-recorded media that is either sold or hired for home entertainment The box office bomb Office Space (1999) managed to financially redeem itself when word-of-mouth made it a popular video rental. Office Space is an American Comedy film, released in 1999, that was written and directed by Mike Judge. Word of mouth, is a reference to the passing of Information by verbal means especially recommendations but also general information in an informal person-to-person Harold and Maude (1971) was not successful financially at the time of its original release in 1971, but has since nevertheless earned a huge cult following and has become successful following its video and DVD releases. Harold and Maude is a Cult classic movie directed by Hal Ashby in 1971. This has also happened with The Big Lebowski (1998), among others. The Big Lebowski is a 1998 American Comedy film / Film noir written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Many cult films were independently made and were not expected by their creators to have much mainstream success. An independent film, or indie film, is a film that is produced outside of the Hollywood Studio system, a series of oligopolistic practices by several Night of the Living Dead (1968), Pink Flamingos (1972), Basket Case (1982), The Evil Dead (1981) and its sequels, and Eraserhead (1977) have all been commonly acknowledged as having become cult films. Night of the Living Dead (1968 directed by George Romero, is an independent Black-and-white Horror film. ---- Pink Flamingos is a 1972 Comedy film directed by John Waters. Basket Case is a 1982 Horror comedy Film written and directed by Frank Henenlotter. The Evil Dead (also known as Evil Dead, The Book of the Dead, Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead and Evil Dead II (also known as Evil Dead 2 Dead by Dawn) is an American Comedy horror movie released in 1987 Army of Darkness (aso known as Evil Dead III: Army of darkness) is an American Comedy horror / adventure film released in 1993 Eraserhead is a 1977 Surrealist Horror film written and directed by David Lynch. Sometimes the audience response to a cult film is somewhat different from what was intended by the film makers. Many films that become cult contain unusual elements. Cult films usually offer something different or innovative in comparison to more mainstream films but cult films can also be popular across a wide audience.

A film can be both a major studio release and a cult film, particularly if despite its affiliation with a major studio, it failed to achieve broad success on either the theatrical or home video markets but was championed by a small number of dedicated film fanatics who seek out lesser-known gems, which can also be said about Freddy Got Fingered. Freddy Got Fingered ( 2001) is a Comedy Film directed by written by and starring Tom Green. It is also true that the content of certain films (such as dark subjects, alienation, transgressive content, or other controversial subject matter) can also decide whether or not a film is a "cult film", regardless of the film's budget or studio affiliations. The Cinema of Transgression is a term coined by Nick Zedd in 1985 to describe a New York City, United States based Underground film A controversy or dispute is a commencement of a conflict between statements of accepted fact and a new or unaccepted proposal that disagrees with argues against An example may be Paul Verhoeven's big budgeted, highly sexualized Showgirls (1995), initially intended to be a drama film about the rise of a Las Vegas stripper, that flopped both critically and commercially. Paul Verhoeven (ˈpʌul vɛrˈhuvən born July 18, 1938) is a Dutch BAFTA Award - nominated Film director, Screenwriter Showgirls is a 1995 film directed by Paul Verhoeven, starring former teen actress Elizabeth Berkley as a drifter who Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally Today, it is a favorite of homosexual audiences and audiences in general have considered it to be a comedy thanks to frequent midnight madness. Poliamory pride in San Francisco 2004jpg|thumb|Representatives of the Polyamory community at a San Francisco parade Comedy (from the Greek κωμωδίαkomodia has a popular meaning (any discourse generally intended to amuse especially in Television, Film, and The term midnight movie is rooted in the practice that emerged in the 1950s of local television stations around the United States airing low-budget genre films as late-night programming According to activist writer Naomi Klein, ironic enjoyment of the film initially arose among those with the video before MGM, the films chief marketer, capitalized on the idea. Naomi Klein (b 8 May 1970, Montreal Quebec) is a Canadian Journalist, Author and activist well known for her Irony is a literary or Rhetorical device, in which there is an incongruity or Discordance between what one says or does and what one means or MGM noticed the video was performing all right, since "trendy twenty-somethings were throwing Showgirls irony parties, laughing sardonically at the implausibly poor screenplay and shrieking with horror at the aerobic sexual encounters. "^[3]

Some cult films garner overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics and perform well at the box office, but nevertheless are still considered 'cult'. One example of this is Stanley Kubrick's vision of a grim and disturbing, ultra-violent future in A Clockwork Orange (1971), which won several major film awards and was nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Picture. "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. Another example maybe Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1943), which was popular on home video while being widely regarded as a flop upon its initial release. Frank Russell Capra ( May 18, 1897 &ndash September 3, 1991) was an Academy Award winning Italian-American Film It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Film produced and directed by Frank Capra and based on the short story " The Greatest Sometimes cult films can be revolutionary for their era, thus becoming far more successful later on, namely Walt Disney's Fantasia (1940). Walter Elias Disney (December 5 1901 – December 15 1966 was a multiple Academy Award -winning American Film producer, director, Screenwriter Fantasia is a 1940 Animated film produced by Walt Disney, and is the third film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics. ^[4]

History

Early period: 1959-1970s

Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry) self proclaimed "Sweet Transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania" in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). Timothy James Curry (born 19 April 1946 is an English Actor, Singer, Voice actor, and Composer, as well as having a career as a The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a 1975 musical Comedy film that parodies Science fiction and Horror films.

The term itself came into usage during the late 1970s and was popularized in a series of three books by Danny Peary, beginning in 1981 with Cult Movies. Danny Peary (born 1949) is an American Film critic and Sports writer. Cult Movies is a 1981 Book by Danny Peary, consisting of a series of Essays regarding what Peary described as the 100 most representative examples Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959) and other films by Edward D. Wood, Jr. were among the earliest to be considered cult classics, attracting devotees who reveled in his incompetence. Plan 9 from Outer Space is a 1959 Science fiction / Horror film written produced and directed by Edward D Ed Wood redirects here For the film see Ed Wood (film, and for the former British Foreign Secretary see E Other low-budget science fiction and horror films of the 1950s (for example Robot Monster), along with exploitation films of the 1930s, which resurfaced in the home video market of the 1980s (including the infamous Reefer Madness), were accorded that status. Robot Monster is a 1953 Science fiction B-movie made in 3-D by Phil Tucker. Exploitation film is a type of film that eschews the expense of quality productions in favor of making films inexpensively attracting viewers by exciting their more prurient interests Home video is a blanket term used for pre-recorded media that is either sold or hired for home entertainment Reefer Madness (aka Tell Your Children) is a 1936 Exploitation film revolving around the tragic events that ensue when High school

The low budget horror film Night of the Living Dead (1968) directed by George A. Romero earned moderate box office takings but was critically polarized at the time. Night of the Living Dead (1968 directed by George Romero, is an independent Black-and-white Horror film. George Andrew Romero (born February 4, 1940) is an American director writer editor and actor However, the culture of Vietnam-era America had a tremendous impact on the film and the film was given a cult status after playing frequently at midnight movie circuits. The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia The term midnight movie is rooted in the practice that emerged in the 1950s of local television stations around the United States airing low-budget genre films as late-night programming It is so thoroughly laden with critiques of late-1960s American society that one historian described the film as "subversive on many levels. Subversion refers to an attempt to overthrow structures of Authority, including the State. "^[5] While not the first zombie film made, Night of the Living Dead influenced countless films and is perhaps the defining influence on the modern pop-culture zombie archetype. ^[6] The film is the first of five Dead films (completed or pending) directed by Romero. Living Dead is a blanket term for various films and series that all originated with the seminal 1968 Zombie movie Night of the Living Dead created Stanley Kubrick's war thriller Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) has been recognized outside of its cult fanbase, while still maintaining its status as a cult film. Around this time, the black comedy Harold and Maude (1971) became the first major Hollywood studio movie of the era to develop a substantial cult audience of repeat viewers; though apparently it was not picked up by much of the midnight movie circuit during the 1970s, it subsequently became a late show staple as the phenomenon turned more to camp revivals. Harold and Maude is a Cult classic movie directed by Hal Ashby in 1971. ^[7] Mel Stuart's musical Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) has widely been regarded as one of the most favored, well known children's films of all-time, with Gene Wilder as the eccentric head of the factory of sweet confections, yet has developed a cult fanbase among adults for its campy production design. Mel Stuart (born 2 September 1928) is an American Film director and producer. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is a 1971 motion picture based on the 1964 Roald Dahl novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Gene Wilder (born Jerome Silberman; June 11 1933 Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange (1971), a film about violence in a Dystopian future world was a major commercial success, receiving an Academy Award for Best Picture nomination, yet the subject matter explored in the film is considered controversial and therefore had limited appeal to audiences thus giving it a cult classic status. A dystopia (from the Greek δυσ- and τόπος alternatively cacotopia, kakotopia, cackotopia, or anti-utopia) is the vision of a society The Academy Award for Best Motion Picture is one of the Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS to artists working John Waters notorious Pink Flamingos (1972), was wildly controversial (being an exercise in "poor taste") featuring incest and coprophagia, became the best known of a group of campy midnight films focusing on sexual perversions and fetishism. John Samuel Waters Jr (born April 22, 1946) is an American filmmaker, Actor, Writer, Celebrity, ---- Pink Flamingos is a 1972 Comedy film directed by John Waters. Incest refers to any sexual activity between closely related persons (often within the immediate family that is illegal or socially Taboo. Coprophagia is the consumption of Feces, from the Greek copros (feces and phagein (eat This article concerns the concept of fetishism in Anthropology. ^[8] Filmed on weekends in Waters's hometown of Baltimore, with a mile-long extension cord as a power conduit, it was also crucial in inspiring the growth of the independent film movement. An independent film, or indie film, is a film that is produced outside of the Hollywood Studio system, a series of oligopolistic practices by several ^[9] In 1973, the Elgin Theater started midnight screenings of both Pink Flamingos and a crime drama from Jamaica with a remarkable soundtrack. In its mainstream release, The Harder They Come (1972) had been a flop, panned by critics after its U. The Harder They Come is a 1972 Jamaican Crime film directed by Perry Henzell. S. distributor, Roger Corman's New World Pictures, marketed it as a blaxploitation picture. Roger William Corman (born April 5 1926) sometimes nicknamed "King of the Bs" for his output of B-movies (though he himself rejects this as inaccurate New World Communications was an independent motion picture and television production company and later Television station owner in the United States from the Blaxploitation is a Film genre that emerged in the United States in the early 1970s when many Exploitation films were made that targeted the urban Rereleased as a midnight film, it screened around the country for six years, helping spur the popularity of reggae in the United States. Reggae is a Music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s While the midnight-movie potential of certain films was recognized only some time after they opened, a number during this period were distributed to take advantage of the market from the beginning—in 1973, for instance, Broken Goddess, Dragula, The White Whore and the Bit Player, and Elevator Girls in Bondage (as well as Pink Flamingos) had their New York premieres at midnight screenings. ^[10] In 1974, midnight opener Flesh Gordon evidenced how the phenomenon lent itself to flirtations with pornography. Flesh Gordon is a 1974 science fiction and comedy adventure film Pornography or porn is the explicit depiction of Sexual subject matter with the sole intention of sexually exciting the viewer

The transgender spoof film The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) is possibly the best-known and longest-running cult film in the U. The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a 1975 musical Comedy film that parodies Science fiction and Horror films. S. The movie satirizes conventions of science fiction and horror films of its time, and includes elements of transvestism, incest and homosexuality — all within the context of a musical film. Horror films are Movies that strive to elicit Fear, Horror and terror responses from viewers This article deals with the history of the word 'transvestite' Incest refers to any sexual activity between closely related persons (often within the immediate family that is illegal or socially Taboo. Homosexuality refers to sexual behavior with or attraction to people of the same sex or to a Homosexual orientation. The musical film is a Film genre in which several Songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative The film received little critical attention or mainstream cinema exhibition when first released in 1975, but built up a base of fans who repeatedly showed up at midnight screenings at inexpensive neighborhood cinemas, dressed in costume and "participating" in the film by doing such things as throwing rice during its wedding scene. ^[11] In this case, the film intentionally ridiculed its own subject matter, thereby entering into the spirit of sarcastic fun often surrounding the attainment of cult status and gained a new life on VHS. The Rocky Horror Picture Show can be seen as a standard to help determine if a movie is indeed a cult film, as it is likely the most famous cult film. Much of the attention has steamed from the fanbase, rather than the film itself. ^[12] If a movie is more widely known than The Rocky Horror Picture Show, it is not likely to be considered a cult film. Network television, cable television and pay-per-view stations have also changed the nature of cult films. A television network is a distribution network for Television content whereby a central operation provides programming for many Television stations Pay-per-view (often abbreviated PPV) is the system in which Television viewers can purchase events to be seen on TV and pay for the private telecast of that event David Lynch's experimental Eraserhead (1977), an example of shoe-string surrealism was a flop both critically and commercially, yet was saved from obscurity thanks to home video in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Eraserhead is a 1977 Surrealist Horror film written and directed by David Lynch.

Other cult films from this period are those of director and actor Tom Laughlin, including the Billy Jack series. Tom Laughlin can refer to Tom Laughlin (actor Tom Laughlin (wrestler, aka Tommy Dreamer See also This article is about the 1971 film For the wrestler of a similar name see Billy Jack Haynes.

Later period: 1980s to present

The commercial viability of the sort of big-city arthouses that launched outsider pictures for the midnight movie circuit began to decline in the late 1970s as broad social and economic shifts weakened their countercultural base. Leading midnight movie venues were beginning to fold as early as 1977 — that year, New York's Bijou switched back permanently to the live entertainment for which it had been built, and the Elgin, after a brief run with gay porn, shut down completely. ^[13] In succeeding years, the popularization of the VCR and the expansion of movie-viewing possibilities on cable television meant the death of many additional independent theaters, which as a result, developed a stream of newer cult films. PLEASE BEAR IN MIND THAT THIS IS A GENERAL ARTICLE ABOUT VCRs/VIDEOCASSETTE RECORDERS The first, possibly, was the biographical Mommie Dearest (1981), which details the life of Joan Crawford and her alleged abusive relationship with her adopted daughter. Mommie Dearest is a 1981 Paramount Drama film about Joan Crawford, starring Faye Dunaway. Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; ( March 23, 1905 - May 10, 1977) Crawford was signed to a motion picture The over-acting by Faye Dunaway as Crawford gave the film a campy tone, and critics were very negative of the film. Dorothy Faye Dunaway (born January 14, 1941) known as Faye Dunaway, is an American actress. While Dunaway garnered some critical acclaim for her astonishing physical metamorphosis and her portrayal of Crawford (finishing a narrow second in the voting for the New York Film Critics Circle Awards for Best Actress of the Year), she also received a Razzie Award for Worst Actress and caused considerable damage to her career. The 2nd Golden Raspberry Awards were held on March 29, 1982. They were presented at an Oscar night potluck party and recognized the worst the film industry had to It did manage to develop a cult classic status, especially with gay audiences and became famous for Crawford's emphasis on the line "No wire hangers, ever!", when urging her daughter not to use them in her closet.

While Rocky Horror soldiered on, by then a phenomenon unto itself, and new films like The Warriors (1979), The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980), The Evil Dead (1981), Heavy Metal (1981), and Pink Floyd The Wall (1982)—all from mainstream distributors—were picked up by the midnight movie circuit, the core of exhibitors that energized the movement was disappearing. The Warriors is a 1979 cult classic action / thriller film directed by Walter Hill and based on the 1965 novel The Gods Must Be Crazy is a Film released in 1980 written and directed by Jamie Uys. The Evil Dead (also known as Evil Dead, The Book of the Dead, Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead and Heavy Metal is a 1981 Canadian Animated film from executive producer Leonard Mogel who was also the publisher of Heavy Metal Pink Floyd The Wall is a 1982 Musical film by British director Alan Parker based on the 1979 Pink Floyd album By the time the fabled Orson Welles Cinema in Cambridge, Massachusetts, shut its doors after a fire in 1986, the days of the theatrical midnight movie as a significant countercultural phenomenon were already past. The Orson Welles Cinema was a Movie theater at 1001 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge Massachusetts that operated from 1969 to 1986 Ridley Scott's influential science fiction film Blade Runner (1982) film set in an overpopulated neon-lit Los Angeles, 2019, and centred around a police-cop or 'blade runner', played by Harrison Ford, seeking four genetically made human beings, one of whom he falls in love with which forces him to question his own place as a human. Sir Ridley Scott (born November 30 1937 in South Shields, Tyne and Wear) is a British Academy Award Nominated and Golden Globe Emmy Award and BAFTA Award winning Blade Runner is a 1982 American Science fiction Film, directed by Ridley Scott. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an Academy Award - and BAFTA -nominated as well as Golden Globe -winning American The film was largely unpopular with both audiences and critics 1982 but became popular with HBO and various VHS releases in the early 1990s and has since developed status as a cult classic.

In 1985, Terry Gilliam's Brazil (1985), an Orwellian inspired science fiction film about a man and his dreams of a better life and relationship with the woman of his dreams became a huge failure (largely because of the difficulties involved in marketing the film), yet was critically acclaimed and subsequently revitalized by video releases. Terrence Vance Gilliam (born 22 November 1940) is an American -born British Writer, Filmmaker, Animator and member Brazil is a 1985 Dystopian Black comedy film directed by Terry Gilliam. The adjective Orwellian describes the situation idea or societal condition that George Orwell identified as being destructive to the welfare of a free-society A year later, David Lynch's landmark, highly influential neo-noir thriller Blue Velvet (1986) became a cult classic, having initially failed at the box office in 1986 (because of its limited release in theatres) but was revitalized with video releases in the late 1980s and early 1990s. David Keith Lynch (born January 20 1946 is an American director, Screenwriter, producer, painter, Cartoonist, Composer Neo-noir (from the Greek Neo, new and the French noir black is a type of Motion picture that prominently utilizes elements of Film Blue Velvet is a 1986 American Mystery film, written and directed by David Lynch, that exhibits elements of both Film noir The film became hugley controversial and well-known because of its bizarre, often graphic depiction of small town America and male-female relationships featuring a psychotic Dennis Hopper and his drug-fueled sexual relationship with Dorothy Vallens, played by Isabella Rossellini. Dennis Lee Hopper (born May 17, 1936) is an Academy Award -nominated American Actor and Film -maker Isabella Fiorella Elettra Giovanna Rossellini (born June 18, 1952) is an Italian actress, Filmmaker, Author, Philanthropist Lynch continued his career with various other cult films: Wild at Heart (1990), Lost Highway (1997) and the critically acclaimed Mulholland Dr. (2001) as well as his short lived cult phenomenon television series Twin Peaks (90-91), and its subsequent movie adaptation: Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992). Wild at Heart is a 1990 American film written and directed by David Lynch, and based on Barry Gifford 's pulp novel Lost Highway is a 1997 Psychological thriller directed by David Lynch. Mulholland Drive is a 2001 Mystery film written and directed by David Lynch that exhibits elements of Film noir and Surrealism Twin Peaks is a Television Serial drama that follows the investigation of the brutal murder of popular respected Teenager and homecoming queen Twin Peaks Fire Walk with Me (sometimes referred to as Fire Walk with Me, or internationally Twin Peaks The Movie) is a 1992 movie Another cult item is the Jim Jarmuch film from 1989 Mystery Train, which includes Joe Strummer and Tom Waits. Mystery Train is a 1989 Anthology film written and directed by Independent film director Jim Jarmusch and set in Memphis

Alan Parker's mystery horror hybrid movie, Angel Heart (1987), starring Mickey Rourke and Robert De Niro, fared poorly at the box office, only just breaking even. Sir Alan William Parker, CBE (born 14th February, 1944) is a British Film director, producer, Writer, and Horror films are Movies that strive to elicit Fear, Horror and terror responses from viewers Angel Heart is a 1987 Film written and directed by Alan Parker, and starring Mickey Rourke, Robert De Niro and Lisa Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke Jr (born September 16, 1952 in Schenectady New York) is an American Actor, who has appeared Robert Mario De Niro Jr (born August 17 1943 is a two-time Academy Award -winning American Film Actor, director and producer ^[14] Despite this, the film became a hit once released on VHS, and has become something of a cult classic ever since, known for its spooky tone, excellent cinematography (by Michael Seresin), a sad and spooky score (by Trevor Jones), and an unusual but effective blend of genres, all encompassing a highly atmospheric movie. Michael Seresin (born July 17, 1942) is a New Zealand Cinematographer, best known for several collaborations with the British director Alan Trevor Alfred Charles Jones (born March 23, 1949 in Cape Town, South Africa) is a South African Orchestral Film score Also notable, some of the producers of the movie, Andrew G. Vajna and Mario Kassar were also the producers of the movie Jacob's Ladder which had a very similar narrative structure to it, as well as a twist ending. Andrew George Vajna (born Vajna András György on August 1, 1944 in Budapest, Hungary) is a film Producer who has done Mario Kassar (ماريو كسار (born October 10, 1951 in Beirut, Lebanon) is a film Producer and industry executive whose projects Jacob's Ladder is a 1990 Psychological horror Film directed by Adrian Lyne, based on a Screenplay by Bruce Joel Rubin

Michael Lehmann's satirical teenage comedy Heathers (1989), starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, was intended to take on the John Hughes teenage films (The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles) and give them a much darker, realistic and comedic approach. Michael Stephen Lehmann (born March 30, 1957 in San Francisco, California) is an American film and Television director Heathers is a 1989 Black comedy film starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, and Shannen Doherty. Winona Laura Horowitz (born October 29 1971 better known under her professional name Winona Ryder, is an American actress Christian Slater (born August 18, 1969) is an American Actor who has starred in films such as Heathers, The Breakfast Club is a 1985 American Teen film widely considered as the definitive work in the genre Sixteen Candles is a 1984 Coming-of-age film starring Molly Ringwald, Michael Schoeffling and Anthony Michael Hall However, the film was a failure at the box office (mainly because of its limited release). Despite this, it was hugely popular on VHS in the early 1990s and launched cutting-edge dialogue spoken by its characters ('What's your damage?', 'I love my dead, gay son!') into mainstream popular culture. In 1993, the comedy horror Army of Darkness, a sequel to the Evil Dead series, was released. Army of Darkness (aso known as Evil Dead III: Army of darkness) is an American Comedy horror / adventure film released in 1993 The Evil Dead is a series of media that originated from a trilogy of horror films created by Sam Raimi. The movie had a considerably higher budget than the prior two Evil Dead films. The budget was estimated to be around $11 million; while Evil Dead II had a budget of $3. Evil Dead II (also known as Evil Dead 2 Dead by Dawn) is an American Comedy horror movie released in 1987 5 million and The Evil Dead a budget of $350,000. At the box office, Army of Darkness was not a big success as hoped, only grossing $11,501,093 domestically. After its video release, however, it has obtained an ever-growing cult following, along with the other two films in the trilogy. One of the most successful of the 1990s generation of cult films was the Australian drag queen road saga The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994). The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert is a 1994 Academy Award -winning Australian Film about three Drag queens One of the theaters to show it regularly at midnight was New York's Waverly (also now closed), where Rocky Horror had played for a house record ninety-five weeks. A celebrated episode of television's The Drew Carey Show features a song-and-dance battle between Rocky Horror fans (led by Drew Carey) and Priscilla fans (led by Mimi Bobeck). The Drew Carey Show is an American Sitcom (set in Cleveland Ohio) that aired on ABC from 1995 to 2004 Drew Allison Carey (born May 23 1958 is an American Comedian, Actor and Game show host. Kathy Kinney (born November 3, 1953) is an American actress She is a versatile character actress who gained considerable popularity in the late '90s for playing Writer/director Todd Solondz, a favorite cult director, had his first major success with the black comedy Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995), a brutally-honest look at the persecution of a young junior high student by her classmates. Todd Solondz (born October 15 1959 in Newark New Jersey) is an American Screenwriter and Independent film director Welcome to the Dollhouse is a 1995 Coming of age Black comedy. His next film was the challenging, controversial dark comedy of sex and perversion in American suburbia—titled Happiness (1998). Happiness is a 1998 Black comedy film written and directed by Todd Solondz, that portrays the lives of three sisters and their families Paul Verhoven's big budget production of Showgirls (1995), given an NC-17 rating by the MPAA in the United States, was strongly criticised for its graphic sexuality. Paul Verhoeven (ˈpʌul vɛrˈhuvən born July 18, 1938) is a Dutch BAFTA Award - nominated Film director, Screenwriter Showgirls is a 1995 film directed by Paul Verhoeven, starring former teen actress Elizabeth Berkley as a drifter who It managed to develop a cult status among audiences who embraced it as a comedic satire and became one of MGM's best-selling DVDs. Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction (1994), despite its huge commercial mainstream success, is often considered to be a cult title. Quentin Jerome Tarantino (born March 27, 1963) is an Academy Award - BAFTA Award - and Palme d'Or -winning Emmy - and The Big Lebowski (1998) was a flop on its initial release, yet became a cult classic and has been called "the first cult film of the Internet era. The Big Lebowski is a 1998 American Comedy film / Film noir written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. "^[15]

Canadian actor and comedian Tom Green's 2001 film Freddy Got Fingered, was lambasted by many critics, and flopped at the box office. Population of Canada: 31612895 (2006 Census Provinces and territories Metropolitan areas Cities Michael Thomas "Tom" Green (born July 30, 1971) is a Canadian Actor, Rapper, Writer, Comedian Freddy Got Fingered ( 2001) is a Comedy Film directed by written by and starring Tom Green. ^[16] The film quickly gained a cult following amongst fans of the film's genre due to its gross-out humour. Gross-out is a sub- Genre of Comedy movies in which the makers employ humour that is willfully "tasteless" or even downright disgusting although the latter DVD rentals and sales managed to help the film become financially successful. The 2001 comic book adaptation Ghost World became popular on home video and quickly affirmed a cult status with audiences. Ghost World is a 2001 Film by Terry Zwigoff, based on a Graphic novel by Daniel Clowes.

In the world of animation, the 2007 animated film Flatland has garnered modest cult status from critics and fans alike, being likened by film review magazines such as Film Threat to older animation cult films like Yellow Submarine and Fritz The Cat ^[17]. Film Threat is a Magazine and a Webzine about Independent film, published and edited by Chris Gore. Fritz the Cat is a 1972 Animated film written and directed by Ralph Bakshi as his feature film debut

Since the turn of the millennium, the most notable success among newly minted cult and midnight movies has been Donnie Darko (2001). Donnie Darko is a 2001 cult classic Psychological thriller Film written and directed by Richard Kelly, and starring Older films are also popular on the circuit, appreciated largely in an imposed camp fashion—a midnight movie tradition that goes back to the 1972 revival of the hectoring anti-drug movie Reefer Madness (1938). Reefer Madness (aka Tell Your Children) is a 1936 Exploitation film revolving around the tragic events that ensue when High school ^[18] (Tod Browning's 1932 horror classic Freaks, the original midnight movie revival, is both too dark and too sociologically acute to readily consume as camp. Tod Browning ( July 12, 1880 &ndash October 6, 1962) was an American motion picture Actor, director Freaks is a 1932 Horror film about Sideshow performers directed and produced by Tod Browning with a cast mostly composed of ) Where the irony with which Reefer Madness was adopted as a midnight favorite had its roots in a countercultural sensibility, in the latter's place there is now the paradoxical element of nostalgia: the leading revivals on the circuit currently include the crème de la crème of the John Hughes oeuvre—The Breakfast Club (1985), Pretty in Pink (1986), and Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)—and the preteen adventure film The Goonies (1985). The term nostalgia describes a longing for the past often in idealized form The Breakfast Club is a 1985 American Teen film widely considered as the definitive work in the genre Pretty in Pink is an 1986 Film about teenage love and social cliques in 1980s American high schools Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a 1986 Comedy film written and directed by John Hughes. "Goonies" redirects here For other uses see Goonies (disambiguation. ^[19]

Cult films within a particular culture

Occasionally, a film can become the object of a cult following within a particular region or culture if it has some unusual significance to that region or culture. An example is the cult status of British comedic actor Norman Wisdom's films in Albania. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Comedy (from the Greek κωμωδίαkomodia has a popular meaning (any discourse generally intended to amuse especially in Television, Film, and An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works Sir Norman Wisdom, OBE (born 4 February 1915) is an English Comedian, Singer and Actor. This article is about the country in southern Europe For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Albania topics. Wisdom's films, in which he usually played a family man worker who outsmarts his boss, were some of the few Western films considered acceptable by the country's communist rulers, thus Albanians grew familiar and attached to Wisdom. Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based Curiously, he and his films are now acquiring nostalgic cult status in Britain. Another example is the place of The Wizard of Oz (1939) in white American homosexual culture, although a widely viewed and historically important film in greater American culture. The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical - Fantasy film mainly directed by Victor Fleming and based on the 1900 children’s Poliamory pride in San Francisco 2004jpg|thumb|Representatives of the Polyamory community at a San Francisco parade Male homosexuals sometimes refer to themselves as "friends of Dorothy". In Gay slang, a "friend of Dorothy" (occasionally abbreviated FOD) is a term for a Gay man Singin' in the Rain is another film adopted by the American homosexual subculture which used to regularly be shown during the 1980s and early 1990s for extended runs. Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 Comedy Musical film starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds Slaves of New York, released in 1989, has also found a cult audience in the homosexual community. Slaves of New York is a 1989 Comedy-drama Merchant Ivory Productions film

The 1936 anti-marijuana propaganda film Reefer Madness has become a cult film within the stoner subculture due to its humorously sensationalized, outdated and inaccurate descriptions of the effects of marijuana. Cannabis, also known as marijuana or marihuana, or ganja (from Hindi / Sanskrit: गांजा gānjā hemp) is a Propaganda is a concerted set of messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behaviors of large numbers of people Reefer Madness (aka Tell Your Children) is a 1936 Exploitation film revolving around the tragic events that ensue when High school 20th Century Fox and Legend Films released a colorized version of the film on DVD on April 20, 2004, an obvious reference to its ironic appeal (see 420 (cannabis culture)). Legend Films, a San Diego -based company was founded in August 2001. Film colorization is any process that involves adding Color to Black and white, sepia or monochrome moving-picture images DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is Events 1303 - The University of Rome La Sapienza is instituted by Pope Boniface VIII. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The World War II-era Department of Agriculture film Hemp for Victory, encouraging the growing of hemp for war uses, has achieved a similar cult status. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including This article is about the cultivation and uses of industrial hemp not its psychoactive cousin Cannabis (drug. Lower IT workers and white-collar American workers alike have given Mike Judge's 1999 comedy film Office Space a cult following because of its heroic portrayal of ordinary office employees who become fed up with their jobs, make a stand, and try to overthrow the very corporation they work for. Michael Craig Judge (born October 17 1962) is an American Animator, Actor, Voice actor, Writer, director Belgian cult movie Man Bites Dog with Benoit Poelvoorde and the surrealist movie Camping Cosmos starring cult figures like Lolo Ferrari, Noël Godin and Arno Hintjens, are an element of the Belgian visual landscape with reminiscences to Belgian Surrealism. The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Man Bites Dog is a satirical Belgian, Black comedy Mockumentary starring Benoît Poelvoorde. Benoît Poelvoorde (born September 22, 1964, in Namur, Belgium) is a Belgian Actor. Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early-1920s and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members Camping Cosmos is the second comedy in the film Trilogy The Sexual Life of the Belgians (of which La vie sexuelle des Lolo Ferrari ( – March 5, 2000) was the Stage name of a French Dancer, Porn star, Actress, and Singer Noël Godin (born September 13, 1945) is a Belgian writer Critic, Actor and notorious Cream pie flinger or ‘ Arno Hintjens (usually referred to as Arno) ( Ostend, May 21, 1949) is a Belgian artist from Ostend. Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early-1920s and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members British comedies have enjoyed a cult status in America. These films include the Monty Python series, most notably Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Monty Python (sometimes known as The Pythons) is the collective name of the six creators of Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British Television Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a 1975 film written and performed by the comedy group Monty Python ( Graham Chapman, John Cleese

Lolo Ferrari being read Tintin in the typical Belgian cult movie Camping Cosmos (1996). Lolo Ferrari ( – March 5, 2000) was the Stage name of a French Dancer, Porn star, Actress, and Singer Camping Cosmos is the second comedy in the film Trilogy The Sexual Life of the Belgians (of which La vie sexuelle des

International cult cinema

Asian cinema, particularly Hong Kong martial arts films, such as wuxia, and Japanese tokusatsu, primarily from the Daikaiju Eiga, and anime, also has a cult following in the Western hemisphere. Wuxia or Wǔxiá ( Mandarin ùɕiɑ̌ Hanyu Pinyin: Wǔxiá, Cantonese Pinyin: mou5 hap6 Taiwanese/Hokkien bu hiap is a Japanese word that literally means " Special effects " It is primarily used to refer to Live-action Japanese Film and (anime in Japanese, The Kaiju genre of films, most famously the Godzilla films, while enjoying much mainstream popularity in Japan, has a large following in the U. is a Japanese word that means "strange beast" but often translated in English as " Monster. Etymology Name "Godzilla" is a combination of two Japanese words and. S. . Battle Royale has gained cult status in Britain due to the resonance the film has with the disaffected youth of that country. is a 2000 Japanese film based on the novel of the same name and directed by Kinji Fukasaku. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located In India, Bollywood productions like Company, Satya, Andaz Apna Apna, Moksha, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, Darna Mana Hai, Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part II, Gunda, Dil Dosti Etc. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Bollywood (बॉलीवूड بالی وڈ is the informal term popularly used for the Mumbai -based Hindi-language Film industry in India Generally a company is a form of Business organization. The precise definition varies Satya ( Hindi: सत्या is a 1998 Indian Crime film directed by Ram Gopal Varma with a screenplay by Anurag Kashyap Andaz Apna Apna (अंदाज़ अपना अपना One's Own Style is a 1994 Bollywood movie directed by Rajkumar Santoshi In Indian religions, Moksha ( Sanskrit: sa मोक्ष mokṣa) or Mukti ( Sanskrit: sa मुक्ति literally "release" This article is about the 1983 film For the 2007 film with a similar title see Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron (2007 film Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro Darna Mana Hai ( Hindi: डरना मना है Urdu: ڈرنا منع ہے English: Getting Scared is Forbidden) is a Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part II ( Hindi: वैसा भी होता है English: It Happens That Way Too) a 2003 Indian Gunda is a 1998 movie directed by the Kanti Shah, starring Mithun Chakraborty, Mukesh Rishi and Shakti Kapoor. and No Smoking...! achieved cult-status. No Smoking is a 2007 Indian film directed by Anurag Kashyap and produced by Vishal Bharadwaj and Kumar Mangat. The action film Red Heat (1988) has found a cult audience amongst fluent Russian speakers because of the movie's weak portrayal of the Russian language and stereotypes. Red Heat is a 1988 Buddy cop film directed by Walter Hill. The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, as Moscow narc The Belgian The Afterman (1985) has also become a cult movie.

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) has become a popular cult film. Timothy "Tim" William Burton (born August 25 1958 is an American Film director, Screenwriter and Set designer, notable for the quirky The Nightmare Before Christmas (also known as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas) is a 1993 stop-motion Fantasy Originally released by Disney in 1993, the film failed to generate much attention in theaters due to its dark nature not found in most Disney films. By the late 1990s, the film had gained a cult following particularly among youth. The film expanded into a more mainstream film in the 2000s, with merchandise sold at stores such at Hot Topic. Hot Topic ( is an American Chain store. It has over 690 locations across the United States and Puerto Rico the majority of which are located in Shopping

So-bad-they're-good cult films and camp classics

Many films enjoy cult status because they are seen as ridiculously awful, for example Plan 9 from Outer Space (1958). Plan 9 from Outer Space is a 1959 Science fiction / Horror film written produced and directed by Edward D 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. Michael Medved (born October 3 1948) is an American radio host, conservative political commentator, Film critic The Golden Turkey Awards is a 1980 book by film critic Michael Medved and his brother Harry Medved. These films include such financially fruitless and critically scorned films as The Lonely Lady, Mommie Dearest, Cool as Ice, Boxing Helena, Manos: The Hands of Fate, Fatal Deviation and Showgirls, which have become inadvertent comedies to film buffs. The Lonely Lady is a 1983 film directed by Peter Sasdy and adapted to screen by Ellen Shepard from the novel written by Harold Robbins. Mommie Dearest is a 1981 Paramount Drama film about Joan Crawford, starring Faye Dunaway. Cool as Ice is a 1991 film loosely based on Rebel Without a Cause, and often referred to as the Vanilla Ice Movie. Boxing Helena is the 1993 debut feature film by Jennifer Lynch, daughter of David Lynch. Manos The Hands of Fate is a 1966 American Horror film written directed and produced by Harold P Fatal Deviation is a low-budget Cult film produced and set in Trim County Meath, Ireland Showgirls is a 1995 film directed by Paul Verhoeven, starring former teen actress Elizabeth Berkley as a drifter who Movies have even achieved cult status by successfully imitating the awfulnesses of so-bad-it's-good movies (The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra and Amazon Women on the Moon being just two examples. The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra is an Independent film spoofing 1950s era B-movies. Amazon Women on the Moon is a 1987 Film written by Comedy duo Michael Barrie and Jim Mulholland. )

In other cases, little-known or forgotten films from the past are revived as cult films, largely because they are considered goofy and senseless by modern standards, with laughable special effects and corny plotlines. These include Breakin', The Beastmaster, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, The Creeping Terror, Robot Monster, The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies, Attack of the 50 Foot Woman and the works of Edward D. Wood, Jr. This article is about the 1984 movie; for other breakin' or breaking references see Breaking. The Beastmaster is a 1982 Fantasy film directed by Don Coscarelli that starred Marc Singer, Tanya Roberts, John Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (also titled Santa Claus Defeats the Aliens) is a 1964 science fiction film that regularly appears on The Creeping Terror is a 1964 horror / sci-fi film, which appeared in the 2004 documentary The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made, and was lampooned Robot Monster is a 1953 Science fiction B-movie made in 3-D by Phil Tucker. The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies (sometimes "!!?" is appended to the title is a 1964 Monster movie Attack of the 50 Foot Woman is a 1958 Science fiction Feature film produced by Bernard Woolner for Allied Artists Pictures Ed Wood redirects here For the film see Ed Wood (film, and for the former British Foreign Secretary see E See also: Mystery Science Theater 3000. Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American Cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced The Beastmaster is an example of the strange vectors which can lead to cult filmdom, as its reputation stems as much from ubiquitous cable-TV overplay as anything in the film itself. Clifford, a 1994 film starring Martin Short (during his thirties) as a ten year old boy has recently become extremely popular among high school age teens and is a source of laughter because of how badly crafted and irritating it is. Clifford is a 1994 Comedy film starring Martin Short, Charles Grodin, and Mary Steenburgen.

These films should not be confused with comedic cult movies like The Toxic Avenger, Bad Taste, Army of Darkness, and the films of John Waters, which purposely utilize elements from films "so bad they're good" for comedic effect. The Toxic Avenger is an American Cult classic Comedy horror Film first released in late 1985 by Troma Entertainment Bad Taste, released in 1987, is a cult Action comedy / Sci-fi Splatter film. Army of Darkness (aso known as Evil Dead III: Army of darkness) is an American Comedy horror / adventure film released in 1993 John Samuel Waters Jr (born April 22, 1946) is an American filmmaker, Actor, Writer, Celebrity, This can be seen as related to the artistic style known as "camp". The most recent film to gain widespread acclaim under this jurisdiction is Samuel L. Jackson's Snakes on a Plane (2006), because this movie has been cited as trying for "so-bad-it's-good" status. Samuel Leroy Jackson (born December 21 1948 is an American Academy Award -nominated and BAFTA -winning actor Snakes on a Plane is a cult High concept, horror - thriller Feature film starring Samuel L

See also

External links

• World's Greatest Critic A movie site that lists, reviews and promotes cult films
• The Worldwide Celluloid Massacre
• Razor Reel A Belgian cult film website
• Cinema Suicide A blog dedicated to cult and b-movies
• The Cult Film Archive
• Nanarland.com A French site about "So-bad-they're-good cult films"
• The Spinning Image A UK site featuring the internet's Cult Movie Database
• Cult film Actor/Actress Interview Site
• The Film Fiend A website devoted to cult films and B-movie gems. A B movie is a motion picture made on a low or modest budget Originally the term was used for films intended for distribution as the less-publicized second half of a Double A cult following is a group of fans devoted to a specific area of Pop culture. A cult following is a group of fans devoted to a specific area of Pop culture. A cult following is a group of fans devoted to a specific area of Pop culture. The term midnight movie is rooted in the practice that emerged in the 1950s of local television stations around the United States airing low-budget genre films as late-night programming An underground film is a film that is out of the mainstream either in its style genre or financing Exploitation film is a type of film that eschews the expense of quality productions in favor of making films inexpensively attracting viewers by exciting their more prurient interests
• Cultuurschok A Dutch website dedicated to Cult, Horror and Exploitation Cinema

References