Cult Classics

**uNz[i]** · 10-01-2003, 02:46 PM

Well.. what a can of worms we opened with this topic!

Theres nothing like several shades of grey to make for a good healthy discussion, huh?

So now, as we've (hopefully) reached a (sort of) consensus, here is my somewhat lengthy definition of the word "cult"

For this, I am going to tell the stories of 2 girls I used to know.

The first girl was a massive fan of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

It used to screen every tuesday at a local art house cinema, and she, with a group of like minded companions would go and see it every chance she got.

By the time they finally stopped showing the film, she had seen it 450+ times over a 5 year period.
The group she went with (usually 15-20 people) used to go all out and get dressed up in Rocky Horror type drag.. fishnets, suspenders, over the top make-up...the whole deal.
They sang and danced along with every song... and pissed off a lot of people by squirting them with perfume filled water pistols and chucking popcorn everywhere

Okay. So what?

Well, thats obviously a cult movie, agreed?
It screened for a incredible length of time due to the overwhelming demand from it's fans - in an art house cinema.
It was offbeat.
It was not mainstream.

So lets see what other films this applies to - with the singing and dancing, at least.

The second girl lived in a whistle stop town...population: 30 people.
There wasn't much to do in this town, so she used to watch videos like Footloose, Dirty Dancing and Grease.
She would watch the films over and over, and then she would get all the local girls and mums together in the little town hall, show the films and teach them all the dances afterwards

It got to the point where, if a song from Grease came on the radio, all the girls would get up and sing and dance along at the drop of a hat.
Pretty scary stuff to watch, to be honest

Farmers daughter doing a duet with the old barmaid from the pub to the song Your the one that I want or dirty dancing together to I had the time of my life Yikes!

Now whats my point here?

Well, would you say that Footloose or Dirty Dancing are cult movies?

No? Well, what about Grease?

Now don't get me wrong here.. maybe they are, maybe they aren't.
I'm not going to say, but by the definitions put forth on this topic, no, they are not.

They are mainstream.
Neither ran for an over extended period in an art house cinema.
They couldn't really be called offbeat.

But in that small town with it's tiny populace, they did achieve cult status.
The similarities in the behaviour of the people in these 2 stories demonstrate that.

This is why I've taken the position I have in this topic, and why I have no problem with some of the slightly dodgy (at times) suggested films.

Thats it, I'm done.
Hope I didn't bore you too much with my ramblings.

**thacowboy3** · 10-01-2003, 03:00 PM

lol...that made nice reading, dude

well, you inspired me. next time i watch pulp fiction, i m gonna be dressed in a dorky t-shirt and shorts, like jules and vincent are in the diner

**MediaSlayer** · 10-01-2003, 03:13 PM

@justsomeguy-i see you spent alot of time on this, so i'll be respectful as possible so the thread can get back on track and start naming movies again(still no peep about donnie darko from a single person) ok here goes:do you agree that a movie can change status over time? I've already stated my position about rocky horror so you know it. Just some input, if it's not too much trouble. As for me, I think a movie *can* lose status over time, after all lord of the rings is cool now, but will it be cool 80 years from now?

**puk:))** · 10-01-2003, 03:33 PM

I think a movie *can* lose status over time, after all lord of the rings is cool now, but will it be cool 80 years from now?

the answer to that one is no it wont.

i personally think any film based on visual effects can not stand up to the test of time... but i dont think that means it would lose cult status.. (not that i think lotr has cult anything)

**MediaSlayer** · 10-01-2003, 03:38 PM

@puk

)-Just for the record,I said cool, not cult. But maybe it was ambigieoueuoeuus hehe anyway good input so when people gonna name some more movies??

**uNz[i]** · 10-01-2003, 03:52 PM

Originally posted by MediaSlayer@2 October 2003 - 00:43
do you agree that a movie can change status over time?  ... I think a movie *can* lose status over time, after all lord of the rings is cool now, but will it be cool 80 years from now?

In most cases, yes, I suppose that it's most likely an at first "great" film will lose it's lustre after repeat viewings... I guess it depends on how much of a fan you were of a film in the first place, and how strong the film's elements are.

Let's see... I enjoy watching The Wizard of Oz now as much as I did when I was a kid... It certainly hasn't "faded" for me.

On the flip-side, I really got into Gilliam's Brazil for quite a few years, but if I try watching it now... well, it's just gotten old.
Too much of a good thing, perhaps?

Doesn't mean that the film is lacking in any way though. People change, but a film doesn't once it's in the can.. with the exception of add-ons like DVD editions and Director's cuts...

As for Lord of the Rings, I have no idea. Who can say how any film will perform over several generations of viewing?
So all I can say to that question is ask me again 80 years from now.

**3RA1N1AC** · 10-01-2003, 07:10 PM

Originally posted by MediaSlayer@1 October 2003 - 07:13
ok here goes:do you agree that a movie can change status over time?

absolutely. "Citizen Kane" was a cult movie at one time. it was a financial & critical failure upon release, and essentially forgotten until a small following of fans & critics rediscovered it and started singing its praises. at that point, it would've fit the description of cult.

now Citizen Kane is generally considered to be one of the greatest films ever, by critics, fans, and the industry. it's no longer cult.

i don't imagine that any filmmaker makes a movie while thinking "gee, i hope this gets ignored by the mainstream and it's only praised by a rabid, cult following. i hope it doesn't make any money, so the studios will lock me out & never give me a chance to do something with a large budget." nobody sets out to make a cult movie.