What is Cult Film?

Welcome to my blog on cult film - an excursion through the weird, eccentric, grotesque, and anything else that distinguishes these films from the more mainstream garbage that is screening in theaters currently.

You may not be familiar with what exactly a "cult" film may be. And this is the objective of this post (and the overall function of the blog), to introduce readers to films that straddle the line between traditional cinematic storytelling with a blend of psychotic off-the-cuff filmmaking, resulting in some of the most interesting and strange films to come out of the Hollywood and independent film industries.

I put "cult" in quotes because these films aren't a genre unto themselves, nor do they necessarily belong to any genre of film. Rather they encompass films from every genre produced since the early days of making movies, but from the 1960's through the 1980's, cult films were usually categorized as horror and science fiction films.

But what exactly makes a film part of a "cult?"

The term "cult" is usually associated with bad connotations, such as some deranged leader taking a group of people under his/her control as some supposed religious movement. But being part of a film's "cult" doesn't require you to drink the Kool-Aid or worship some demigod loser. What cult films do require from the viewer is for them to express a deep affection for a specific film and have those feelings shared by people around the world. That's why these films are called "cult," because there are followings or groups of people that absolutely love a certain movie to death.

But what makes cult films so appealing?

Cult films aren't for the casual filmgoer, instead film cultists are serious about watching movies and discovering films of a weird and rare nature. Cultists find films that have been discarded and labeled as trash and largely forgotten, finding hidden value within the work that elicits an undiscovered emotion dwelling inside. There's that old saying that one man's junk is another man's treasure, well this isn't any more true than with cult films. Viewers are astonished that films with such subject matter even received funding or the green light for production, and it's no surprise that these films perform terribly at the box-office - and that's if they even make it that far. But once the viewer gets past the surprising aspects of cult films, they find a rewarding experience waiting for them with each viewing.



Original Theatrical Poster

The most important aspect to define about a cult film is the experience between the viewer and the film, because if there is no experience, than there is no cult, at least a large one. One of the more famous cult films is The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), which is renowned for its theater experience of people dressing up as characters from the film and interacting with the characters on screen, including screaming lines in the theater or making up new ones (also known as Call Backs); audience initiations (for someone who's never seen the film in a theater); and using props from the film, like spraying water guns to resemble rain, throwing slices of toast at the screen when a character offers a champagne toast and other odd tributes. It's experiences like these that define what a cult film is and the potential impact a movie can have on its audience.

The origins of cult films and audience's appreciation for these types of films goes back to the 1950's with the airing of late-night low-budget television programming. The 1960's saw a growing youth countercultural movement, and low-budget independently financed film's subject matter were beginning to resemble the beliefs of 60's youth culture. Since these films did poorly at theaters, certain films received revivals at art house cinemas, usually on a double bill with a film of similar weirdness, and usually screened at midnight, with helped launch the midnight movie phenomenon.



People waiting in line to see "El Top," circa 1970

Midnight movies became the term to describe odd, off-the-wall films shown in and around seedy urban areas in small dilapidated theaters of a bygone era; the conditions of the theater only enhanced the overall experience of watching these films. Four films are labeled as starting the midnight movie craze: Night of the Living Dead (1968), El Topo (1970), The Harder They Come (1972), and The Rocky Picture Show. Three of the films, excluding Rocky Horror, did poorly during their initial theatrical run, and it wasn't until the films were screened in a midnight movie setting that the movies became successful. The showings resulted in small gatherings every night and screening after screening saw audiences turning into a larger rabid fan base.

Cult films cover a range of genres from the aforementioned horror and science fiction of the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's, to westerns, comedies, dramas, and just about any other genre or subgenre out there. The only difference is that cult films are innovative, bending and pushing the limitations of the genre, using the basic framework of the genre and stretching out from there. The only link between cult films is their subversive content, whether it be gross out gore, homosexual allusions, countercultural themes, such as drugs and racial issues; and religious allegory. But cult films always challenge the social constraints of the time they're made.

It very common for cult films to do poorly at the box office, but there is that rare occasion where a film exceeds expectations and becomes part of the mainstream, including The Rocky Horror Picture Show. But some films become successful hits and cross over into the cult realm, including Star Wars (1977), and other films are part of the so good they're bad group, which are considered by savage cult fans as the cultist's "elite."

By the 1980's the invention of the VCR (anyone remember that archaic contraption?) offered a completely different viewing experience for audiences looking for strange films. Instead of going to the theater, risking life and limb to see sleazy movies, the home video market allowed people to watch these films in the comfort of their own home. Selling movies on VHS allowed companies to market these films directly to their target audience and make up for lost profits during initial theater runs. What this ultimately did was begin the decline of attendance at art house theaters, eventually leading to their closings, and brought about the conclusion of the midnight movie craze. With an abundance of cult films appearing in the 60's, 70's, and 80's, a large drop off of new cult films was seen after this run , with occasional entries from the 90's and 00's making the list, such as Pulp Fiction (1994), The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Office Space (1999), and Donnie Darko (2001).

But owning the videos allowed viewers unlimited access to films they never knew existed (even more so now with DVD, Blu-ray, and the Internet). Filmgoers around the world discovered new films, rediscovered old flings, and joined in with groups of people who enjoyed the nastiest, most wildly entertaining films ever produced. And so begins this new phase of cult cinema - where viewers can discuss and interact with each other, look up trivia about certain films, and visit special filming locations from their favorite cult film, helping to create new film cultists that will ensure the survival of these movies.

But what is this blog about?

 Unless you specifically love cult films and find yourself part of a "cult", you may be wondering what this blog is trying to demonstrate. Just like the new cult films coming out in the 1960's and 1970's that mirrored their times they were produced, these old films are still relevant to today's news - whether it be new DVD releases, remakes of certain cult films, or any other news that ties into these films, they still fit into current times. This is why the title of the blog is Cult Current. I would also like to use this blog to occasionally cover topics related to music in the same way I would write about film, finding the "cult" within certain bands, concert films and even album reviews.
So join me on this journey to the bizarre because you may just find something strange and interesting, which is what cult films set out to do.

So, which cult will you be a part of?