Talk:Cult film

What?

"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."

Anybody have a source? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 190.152.32.92 (talk) 22:30, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

other media?

"Cult classic" redirects to this page. Do you think it should be expanded to include other media, like cult classic literature or videogames?

Examples? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 190.152.32.92 (talk) 22:18, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

older entries

I mentioned "Slaves of New York" in cult movies that found an audience in the gay community. It's article mentioned that it is considered a cult classic in the gay communtiy. Demoman87 16:21, 8 May 2007 (UTC)

I removed the first link titled "cult movie reviews" because it was a dead link. I will add more quality cult film-related links in the coming days. Mondo68 08:57, 28 March 2007 (UTC)

Concerning Alice in Wonderland being a cult film, here's an excerpt from the Alice wikipedia article: Release: Reactions & criticisms

Upon its release, the film was panned by critics and failed miserably at the box office. Disney later said he despised the film, claiming that, unlike Cinderella, Alice had a lack of "heart" and that compared to the sympathetic Cinderella (whom most people felt for), most people did not care about Alice. (It seems that Disney proposed the movie to be 75 minutes, mainly because he did not want the movie to be too long for people to watch.) As a result, it was not re-issued theatrically like most of the other Disney films until 23 years later. It was, however, the first Disney animated feature to be shown on television, as an episode of Disneyland, where it was edited severely to run within a running time of an hour.

[edit] Re-release schedule, home video, & beyond

The surreal elements in the film sparked a revival of the film in the psychedelic generation, which led to theatrical reissues on March 15, 1974 and April 3, 1981 and reruns on network television. The psychedelic association was furthered by synchronization enthusiasts who found similarities in run time and themes between the film and the Pink Floyd album The Wall and the Tool (band) album Lateralus. The film was released on video in 1981 and 1986 (though it was mastered for tape in 1985), staying in general release ever since, with a 40th Anniversary video release in 1991 (this and the 1986 video release were in Disney's Classics Collection), and again in 1994 and 1999 (these two were in Disney's Masterpiece Collection.) It was released on DVD in Region 2 in 1999 and in Region 1 in 2000 (under the Gold Classic Collection DVD series), and on a fully restored two disc edition in 2004. A video game version of the film was released on Game Boy Color by Nintendo of America on October 4, 2000 in North America. Additionally, Disney's take on Wonderland also appeared as one of the first worlds in Disney and Square Enix's Kingdom Hearts. Alice is also one of the fabled "Princesses of Heart" needed to open the Keyhole to Hollow Bastion.

Today, the film has a devout cult following and is considered to be one of Disney's classic animation movies.

I'd say that qualifies. DASA2 6:29, 26 December 2006

---

Can someone help with citations on the list of cult films? I know a back issue of entertainment weekly had a list of the top 100 cult films of all time, there is also a large book called "Cult FLicks and Trash Pics" that I've read but do not have. This book is an encyclopedia of hundreds of cult films. If someone could track these down and use them for citation that would be great. DASA2 3:33, 19 December 2006

--- Unfortunately, part of the problem with the growing misconception of what a cult film is has come about because of ill-informed texts like the Entertainment Weekly article you're refering to and the Cult Flicks and Trash Picks book. There are many films listed in both of those sources which do not meet the traditional definition of cult film. An even more dubious reference is "The Rough Guide to Cult Movies", which features many big hit movies and incorrectly identifies them as cult films. As I noted below, I have a large collection of cult movie related books and magazines and would like to help straighten this mess out a bit.Mondo68 07:29, 28 March 2007 (UTC)

---

Casablanca always seemed to be more of a classic film than a cult film. I don't see how it is cult film at all. DASA2 7:23, 27 November 2006

Casablanca sometimes gets listed as a cult film because for many years, before cable television and home video, it was not recognized as a real classic. Humphrey Bogart in general was a major cult figure for decades. At this point, it has been recognized as a classic for so long that it has transcended it's former cult status completelyMondo68 07:29, 28 March 2007 (UTC)

"Casablanca" may have a specific "cult following" but I agree with the two comments above - it could never be considered a cult film. It has always been recognized as a classic - it won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Bogart and Claude Rains were nominated for Oscars for their parts in the film as well. Also, Humphrey Bogart was more than a "cult figure"; he was one of the most popular leading men in Hollywood throughout the 1940's and 50's. Proclivities

---

Does Anyone think Chuck Norris should be added to cult actors? He Is famous for mostly second rate movies that don't do well. yet they have diehard fans. then again his mainstream success with Walker Texas Ranger might take him out of the cult category. I'm not sure. Your input please?Technobabble1 02:02, 4 November 2006 (UTC)

---

Snakes on a Plane? Really? OTOH, if it is, then there should probably be a note about how it's the only film to have gained cult status before being released.AtomSmith 03:00, 26 August 2006 (UTC)

---

Anime (most of it at least, Miyazaki movies and Pokemon, etc. are not included) and Chinese martial arts movies are still very much cult cinema. Citation (for anime): http://www.animenation.net/news/askjohn.php?id=1237. Also, Chinese martial arts movies being cult... that's just common sense. And anyway, I'll be damned if there are more anime fans than Monty Python fans. =/--Samurai Drifter 22:03, 19 April 2006 (UTC)

---

Can we really say that the internet film "Life of A Tennis Ball" has gained cult status?

---

I recently got into a debate with somebody over whether or not Shaun of the Dead is considered a cult film. As discussed below, the definition of a cult film is something that attempts to appeal to a smaller audience than the mainstream. I brought this up, but he says that the sardonic nature of the film does prove popular among the general public. So, opinions abound-cult film or not?

• "Cult film" can also refer to a film that has a devoted smaller group of fans within mainstream success. (Ibaranoff24 00:07, 23 April 2006 (UTC))

• Ask again in six years. It's in "potential cult film limbo" for a while. But remember that it sold an awful lot of tickets.24.33.28.52 20:15, 20 May 2006 (UTC)

I believe that Shaun of the Dead seems like a cult movie because it parodies many cult movies. -Scruffy1

---

quote The attraction of cult films is often totally different to the original intentions of the director unquote

I would like to see the often changed into sometimes. When it would be often it would refer to B-Movies or camp movies or movies that are so bad that they are good (like E Wood) user:jahsonic

---

Hmmm. I think to be regarded as a cult film, you can't have massive mainstream success on first-run cinema release. Hence I doubt that the James Bond films, nor Pulp Fiction, should be on this list. Robert Merkel

I agree, I believe that cult films should meet some set guidelines. The list below is good, but we should add low-budget. Also, movies that attempt to gain a cult following, (eg. some of Hollywood's High-Definition video attempts at arthouse) should not be included.

Maybe we should make 2 different lists: one for cult films that have had mainstream success, and one for those that are only cult films. -- LGagnon 02:07, Oct 30, 2004 (UTC)

"Cult films that have had mainstream success" is an oxymoronMondo68 07:29, 28 March 2007 (UTC)

---

The non-definition of "cult film" is a cop-out and is likely to annoy anybody looking for a definition, IMHO.

Some key points (not every film that has "cult" status has all of these):

• Cult film is in the eye of the beholder.
• Cult films attract obsessive fans
• Cult films generally don't gain that status until some time after their release.
• A film that attracts too large a number of fans cannot be regarded as a cult film.
• Films of certain genres (horror, science fiction) are more likely to be regarded as "cult" films.
• The attraction of cult films is often totally different to the original intentions of the director,

and often contains "subversive" elements like references to homosexuality.

What do others think RM

The non-definition was put up in an attempt to drive out exactly these sorts of ideas... Why don't you ramp up the definition accordingly? sjc

I must have misinterpreted your original article - I thought that you meant that saying *anything* about what makes a film a "cult film" is pointless. I apologise. In any case, if nobody else comes to the party I'll write some more on the topic in a bit-- RM

No, I can see how you took it that way. I maybe didn't phrase it too well: I wasn't saying it was pointless, more that as soon as one position becomes apparent, another contradictory one will tend to refute it. I think you have some well thought out ideas about it, though, and I'm interested to see what you come up with. sjc

---

I think that a series films like the Bond flicks might qualify differently that one-offs like Pulp Fiction, no matter the audience. The category seems to me like a different FLAVOR of cultishness from, say, Rocky Horror, but not a totally different phenomenon. --MichaelTinkler

Hi. Do you think that the Elvis films are considered cult ex.Viva Las Vegas and in what terms?I'm writing an essay on paracinema in relation with Elvis musicals and I'm quite stuck because I can't find an example of Elvis films as cult. basil

Yes, WRT some of the criteria I put up earlier (that haven't been transferred to the main article yet, unfortunately), I think Elvis films might well qualify. You might consider Elvis films as cult in the context of the Elvis (as a whole) cult. However, as criteria number one said, cult is in the eye of the beholder. My parents probably consider Star Wars a cult film. --Robert Merkel

---

Apocalypse Now and particularly The Graduate don't strike me as particularly cultish, by the way - certainly not in the way that Withnail and I is. --Robert Merkel

---

The article at present reads very much like someone's essay about what cult films are. If this is studied academically, as the article says, then can we explicitly represent the bulleted list of "cult film characteristics" as the mainstream view in academia of what cult films are?

Let me put it a different way. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to evaluate the contents of this article. What makes the various claims in the article true? I'm not asking anyone to justify them, I'm asking: what phenomenon in reality are we trying to describe? Common usage of the term "cult film"? Perhaps some academic usage of the term? Or one of these and some general description of cult films generally, given that usage? --LMS

I plead guilty, here. Frankly, in terms of its common use, I doubt it has meaning any longer when it's applied to everything from James Bond movies to Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. As for an academic term, ask a cinema studies student and hope the reply uses words of less than seven syllables occasionally and doesn't quote Derrida and Satre :)

Seriously, in the absence of anything better to hand, I tried looking at the list of films here and deducing some common characteristics. If somebody has more or better information on it, by all means provide it. I suspect you'd need to be up on your cinema studies journals for a better definition, something which I am most definitely not. --Robert Merkel

As a thought & an aside :: If "cult" is in the EOTB, then who cares what a cinema studies "expert" or "journal" says about it? A cult film sticks its head out not. "The Graduate" has ascended to many a top 100 list o' cinema. Classic, not cult. James Bond defines a particular genre, enjoys mainstream success AND detailed academic criticism, and paints it on thick very un-self-consciously. Kitsch, not cult. Something like Roger Nygard's "High Strung" remains obscure but somehow isn't a cult movie (is it...?) while "Rocky Horror..." retains cult status despite being (now) well-known. The question we then return to is that of the audience & the spectator. Perhaps this question is why a film like "Rocky Horror..." will continue to retain cult status while Nygard's "High Strung" will pass into obscurity. Put "Rocky Horror..." in theater and "they" (you know who I'm talking about) will still come. And they'll still come in full regalia. "Rocky Horror..." doesn't create spectators but participants. ~~latexture

That's your opinion, and it might be yours alone. What prominent academics say about "cult film" is interesting. What the general public considers cult films, if it diverges significantly from the academic opinions, is interesting. A personal opinion (for instance, mine, which got this whole discussion started) is probably not all that interesting - no offense, but . . . --Robert Merkel

None taken, however it seems you glossed over my most salient point : The elevation(?) of a film to cult status occurs independently of both the director's intention and the academics' evaluations. I would like to place particular emphasis on the latter portion there because they become little more than inconequential observors (akin to pop-cinema's spectatorial public) -- reacting rather than interacting. ~~latexture

I can't wholly agree that "cult" is in TEOTB. We can set out some basic guidelines to determine if something is a cult film. Mondo68 08:40, 28 March 2007 (UTC)

---

Larry, you'll be happy to know I've dug up the title of a book called "The Cult Film Experience" edited by a cinema studies academic, J.P. Telotte. I'll see if I can locate the book. --Robert Merkel

---

Sounds good! Looking at the listed films and deducing common characteristics would constitute original research, I think. --LMS

A decent book - there's an excellent article on Midnight Movies in it that lists years and years worth of a specific theater's midnight movie bookings. This is a book that I do not own, but is available at my local public library, I may be taking it out again soon.Mondo68 07:29, 28 March 2007 (UTC)

I agree in this case, but this brings me to a point. There are some areas that are sufficiently new and obscure that there either isn't much credible research out there (video games, for instance). What do we do then? Not include them in the Wikipedia--Robert Merkel

---

Alternate definition of a cult film: a film which is pointless, humorless, and dumb while the viewer is alone, but totally hilarious and mind-altering when the viewer is either drunk or with a roomful of giggling idiots. --User:firepink

Useful links:

• http://www.mala.bc.ca/~soules/media112/zine2001/ta/cultfilm.htm (one person's essay on cult film defintion)
• www.oddpla.net (sites on The Labyrinth and Rocky Horror, complete with bibliography on analyses of these films as cult films.
• http://www.unimelb.edu.au/HB/1996/Arts/111/111-465.html (reading list for a subject dealing with "cult films" - note that "The Cult Film Experience" is on there.)

---

A link to "Big Trouble in Little China" is needed on that list, methinks.

So add it to the list already. --Paul A 03:01, 16 Mar 2004 (UTC)

---

Batman? Give me a break. ike9898.

Oh, I just looked and apparenently this is some old batman movie from 1966. I withdraw my objection.ike9898

It's actually the film based on the 1960s TV series starring Adam West and Burt Ward. The show's so bizarre, you just have to laugh at it. Ward also recorded a single called "Boy Wonder I Love You" (which, surprisingly enough, was written by Frank Zappa!) (Ibaranoff24 02:50, 22 September 2005 (UTC))

---

Napoleon Dynamite

Does Napoleon Dynamite actually belong on this list? It hasn't really been around long, and it seems to have more hype than an actual following from what I've seen. Could someone confirm if it belongs here? -- [[User:LGagnon|LGagnon]] 21:06, Sep 4, 2004 (UTC)

It certainly has cult potential. I would think it's a little early to decide. --Feitclub 20:28, Sep 15, 2004 (UTC)

I agree -- it may be too new, but since it's already on the list and definitely has a high school cult following, at least in this area, it ought to remain. CsikosLo (talk) 15:17, 10 March 2008 (UTC)

I definitely don't know about that. It's far too popular to become one I think. Mostly everyone in my highschool knows of the movie, and most of Those people can quote from it. - Sheila (Jan.13, 2005)

The problem is the Napolean Dynamite has the feeling of a cult movie and the following feels that way to (minus the numbers of people who like it). Its wildly popular, so I don't know if that excludes it from the possibility of being on here, but it certainly feels like its a giant cult-that almost everyone is involved in. I think part of it is that thanks to better communication, strange ideas like this can become wildly popular quickly, (flash comics like Homestar Runner, for example) so even though they spread in a cult movie-like manner, they are not cult movies in the traditional sense. - Ian Burnet (December 7, 2005)

Not cult. Too popular. --Samurai Drifter 22:55, 11 June 2006 (UTC)

Comments by 67.93.241.162 moved here from article

I am interested in making some trades with some people. If anybody else is interested in trading let me know.

I have:

Eraserhead direct from David Lynch's website.

David Lynch Short films from his website

badi - the turkish ET.

I also have a bunch of Miike Films. Including his vampire television epic. I will also soon have zebraman.

Crimewave

Electric Dragon 80,000 volts

big time - starring Tom waits.

I also have “Sympathy For Mr. Vengance”

I also have a lot more. Just email me at craigandjess@gmail.com if you are interested in making any trades.

The tommy page links to the tommy album by the who.... if there is a movie you should link to that else... it's not a film? -[user:Grenavitar|gren]

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory - So bad it's good

While Willy Wonka may not have been a finacial success on it's release, I have never heard it refered to as a "so bad it's good" type of film and thus I've removed it as an example from the "so bad it's good" section. If anyone insists it should be put back please provide references supporting it as a "so bad it's good" film. --Cab88 12:27, 3 September 2005 (UTC)

How about this? [1] It's not an "official" review, per say. But it does prove that at least some people view it as an (unintentional) "camp" film. (Ibaranoff24 02:42, 22 September 2005 (UTC))

I'd like to second the notion that Willy Wonka does not belong in this category, or at the very least its status is arguable enough that it should not serve as an example of 'so bad it's good'. The cult appeal appears to be in its status as an object of childhood nostalgia, in its supposed drug references (or at least its psychedelic esthetic) and in the comedic performances of its actors. While its special effects may seem humorously dated now, the main appeal of this film seems to be in these performances. Compare it, for example, to an Ed Wood or Sam Arkoff film, in which the script and acting and preposterous in an of themselves, and likely were seen as such even when new. 141.155.136.90 18:32, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

I third this. I did a double-take apon seeing it listed here. Whether or not is is good is NOT the issue. The issue is that it has not become successful as a cult movie because it is bad. It has become successful because many see the movie as artistic and creative. The provided article is hardly edivence for this sort of categorization. Unless more evidence is to be added that most people consider this movie with the lowest of the low (which will definitely not be the case), this should be removed from this section, which I am doing. Readding it without reason will result in it being removed further. And no, I don't mean to start a flame war, I just think that that is highly miscategorized for Wikipedia's standard of quality.-Ian Burnet (December 7,2005)

Delisted from GA

I delisted this from the Good Article list because it:

• has no statement of references, which is a requirement (also no inline citations)
• poorly written:

weak lead

needs expansion; many parts jump around from topic to topic. For example

The Dorothy section has to be explained

• No rationale for list of Directors

AndyZ 23:26, 5 January 2006 (UTC)

Deleted Actors and Directors

I’ve decide to restrict the lists of cult actors and directors due to overcrowding, especially with people who are extremely successful and mostly known for very widely acclaimed and/or viewed films. I also re-alphabetized the lists. I’ve eliminated the following for the following reasons. I’m open to any objection or arguments

Actors

• Crispin Glover - although possibly a cult figure for his bizarre behavior, he’s best known for his roles in the very successful Back from the Future and James Bond series
• John Cameron Mitchell - only starred in one cult film, worked mostly on Broadway

He belongs in the latter list, for directing Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Jonathan F 19:08, 14 April 2006 (UTC)

• Keanu Reeves - a mega-celebrity who is starred in many blockbusters
• Pam Grier - a major star in her day
• Sarah Douglas - best know for very successful Superman and Conan series
• Ted Raimi - he’s probably best known for his work in cult films and TV series but is he well-known enough at all to make this “select”ive list?

Directors

• Herman Cohen - A producer, not a director
• Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski - known almost exclusively for the Matrix series, which were high-budget, widely successful films. Yes, there was a cult audience for those films within the larger audience but by that standard George Lucas and Steven Speilberg would be on this list.
• Paul Thomas Anderson, Wes Anderson, Danny Boyle, David Fincher and Alexander Payne - each of these directors has a unique style and has experienced more critical acclaim than commercial success but does that really make them cult directors? Most of their films were either not categorized or questionably as cult films on Wikipedia and/or opened to wide availability and critical acclaim which defies the definition of cult film stated in the article.

Wes Anderson and Payne are cult directors because of their cult films (Bottle Rocket and Election, respectively). Rushmore, also by Anderson, had an estimated $10 million budget and went on to win awards and accolades, but not a wide audience. Instead, it won a small, devoted following, i.e. a cult. With Boyle's Trainspotting and Fincher's Fight Club continuing to play to midnight audiences, it wouldn't be hard to argue that these films too have cult appeal. Should we perhaps give it another decade before adding these names into the pantheon? Jonathan F 19:08, 14 April 2006 (UTC)

• Agnès Varda, Takeshi Kitano, Jean-Luc Godard and Stephen Chow - these are all foreign directors who have been widely successful in their homelands. It’s short-sighted to call them “cult directors” because their work doesn’t receive the same due in the US; dozens of foreign directors would meet that criteria.
• Maya Deren, Luis Buñuel, Kenneth Anger and Jan Svankmajer - avant-garde filmmakers are more known to film and modern art students than the average person. I think they occupy a more scholarly place than the typical cult film.

Ed Wood

I have updated the so-bad-its-good section to feature Ed Wood more because he is so well knwn for this. Please let me know how you feel. Oogie13oogie 11:50, 22 February 2006 (UTC)

---

I've purged M. Night Shyamalan as there is no cult for Praying With Anger or Wide Awake and his other films are hits on any scale. Jonathan F 01:12, 11 April 2006 (UTC)

Wannabes

Should there maybe be a small mention of movies which attempt to -deliberately- become cult films? Here I'm thinking specifically of BUCKAROO BANZAI. It plastered "cult movie" all over itself from the word go, but has only marginally become one in real life. I'm not sure that there are enough examples to justify mentioning it as a phenomenon, though. 24.33.28.52 20:14, 20 May 2006 (UTC)

Another set of examples might be "Planet Terror" and "Death Proof" from Grindhouse. Both were made, essentially, to be deliberately "so-bad-they're good" movies, "Planet Terror" especially mimicking a lot of the tropes one might associate with cult horror films. Basically, they're faux-cult films - although considering Grindhouse's awful box office performance, it's quite possible that the films could grow in popularity and be able to be considered actual cult films - lord knows I've seen enough "Death Proof" t-shirts around my college campus. Festford (talk) 22:12, 5 December 2007 (UTC)

Genex

Is this a neologism for Generation X, or what? --Emurphy42 21:10, 9 July 2006 (UTC)

Terrence Malick

Does anyone else think that Terrence Malick is becoming a cult director, especially with his recent films "The New World" and "The Thin Red Line", which have large fan followings? Casey14 19:00, 9 September 2006 (UTC)

oh you are confusing terms there then. Malick is seriously far from being a cult director, every movie he releases becomes a huge critical and box office success. His only "weird" trait is that he directs a movie like every decade. I dont understand why George Lucas is on that list either, thats another big example of confussion there.

Cult film vs. cult classic

Are these the same things? Reviewers often say or write stuff like "This film is destined to become an instant cult classic". Do they mean it will attract only a very small number of followers (ie. a cult film), or are they predicting it will be extremely popular (ie. a classic)? I think it's often the latter sense that's intended, and they're just engaging in journo-waffle when they mix the two up. But given that the term "cult classic" has become widespread, the sense of "cult" seems to becoming distorted from its original meaning. JackofOz 03:30, 25 September 2006 (UTC)

I also don't think a cult classic has to be a film. I came to this article from use of the term in a computer game article[2]. I question the validity of the "Cult Classic" redirect. --Irrevenant [ talk ] 04:04, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

The terms are contradictory, or at least they used to be. Many movie reviewers, like sports commentators and writers, not only misuse terms, but often fall back on the use of hackneyed phrases and meaningless cliches; adding the word "classic" to another term is a perfect example of their shoddiness. It is part of an attempt to demonstrate that they have some ability to predict the outcomes of cultural events. To claim that a film "will become a cult classic" reminds me of when sports broadcasters say, before a game even takes place, that it will be "pivotal" (ie. "pivotal Game 3"). One cannot really know these things until after they have occurred. It is not some sort of professional sin to make such speculations, but they are only speculations; it has become so commonplace that these comments are essentially meaningless. Proclivities (talk) 16:38, 9 January 2008 (UTC)

Updated List of Cult Actors, Directors and Films

Like with "Deleted Actors and Director", I decided to restrict the list due to overcrowding and especially with people who have since been hugely successful and bext known for their widely acclaimed and/or widely viewed films. The following has been removed for the following reasons. Feel free to comment.

Actors

• Johnny Depp, Ewan McGregor Jack Nicholson, Keanu Reeves and Bruce Willis - All of them now mega-celebrities who all starred in many blockbusters
• Arnold Schwarzenegger - a major star in his day
• Pam Grier - See previous comment on Pam Grier.
• Bruce Lee and Toshiro Mifune - Successful actors in their homelands. As with previous comments on ommitting a number of actors and director, it would be short-sighted to call them “cult actors” on the basis that they would not receive the same due in the US; dozens of foreign directors would meet that criteria.

Directors

• Takeshi Kitano, Akira Kurosawa, Takashi Miike and John Woo - For the above reasons, they have been hugely successful directors in their homelands. Again, it would be short-sighted to call them "cult directors" on the basis that they did not recieve the same recognition abroad. By this logic, dozens of foreign directors would fit in this category.

Films

• The Departed - Only just been released. At this point, it would be unclear whether the film will be quite successful and have a cult following or it becomes a huge blockbuster.
• The Seven Samurai - A universally loved film, infact, the wiki article of this film did say it's "one of a select few Japanese films to become widely known in the West".

Now i see

Cult status, Cult director and Cult films are confussed with popular, fanbase or counterculture. There is no way that George Lucas, Ridley Scott or Sam Raimi could be called Cult Directors at this stage of their careers, Star Wars is known worldwide, it has a huge fanbase, but its not a cult film per se just because there is a cult-like group that follows their movies, on the contrary that is usually regarded with the more proper term "fanbase". Films like Fight Club are not cult films either, mainly because its a counter-culture film that is widely known and acclaimed (and not by just a small group). The main problem of this article is that it doesnt have its lines defined, thus movies are being confused here.

--- I have made some edits to differentiate between these two catagories of film. There has been a distortion of the term "cult film" in recent years to include widely popular, mainstream films which happen to have an obsessive fanbase. Fight Club, Pulp Fiction, The Matrix, The Big Lebowski, and of course, Star Wars, are all examples of this.Mondo68 07:15, 28 March 2007 (UTC)

zea I think that due to the success of the Big Lebowski and Fight Club on video as opposed to in theatres as well as the zealous fanbases, I think they can both be considered cult films. I think a film's mainstream success at the time of release can have alot to do with it. DASA2 12:13, 28 March 2007

that's kind of an outdated way to look at it - it is very common now for movies to do better on video than theatrically - the spirit behind the idea of the cult film is to find and celebrate movies that not many people know about. Before home video, if a movie failed at the box office, it would virtually disapear, so focusing on success at the time of release was a way of gauging if a movie was widely known or not - now, many movies are expected to do better on dvd than theatrically - the way movies are being delivered to audiences is changing, but a famous movie is a famous movie is a famous movie, and it's not a cult movie Mondo68 06:37, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

TCM Underground

I've recently made the article pertaining unto that very programming block for cult films. It would really appreciated if anybody along this end would help out in improving its stublike being. DrWho42 18:51, 9 December 2006 (UTC)

References and POV concern

I flagged the film list on this article as unreferenced because there are currently no citations in that section verifying that the specific films in that list meet a consensus definition of having cult status. At best these films might appear in a list of cult films on one of the external links at the end of the article. Note though that even if a citation to a specific source is provided indicating that something is a cult film, that still leaves open point of view concerns on whether or not a specific film is "cult". It is certainly possible that a film is listed as "cult" on one critic's list, for example, but other critics do not consider it a "cult" film.

The bottom line, though, is that the list included in this article has no footnotes or citations indicating it is drawn from external, verifiable published sources. Dugwiki 20:15, 19 December 2006 (UTC)

FYI, I reinserted this tag as it was removed without comment or correction. Please do not remove the unref tag until references are provided to verify that the listed films are generally considered "cult films" by the film industry. Dugwiki 22:25, 27 December 2006 (UTC)

I once again had to reinsert the unreferenced tag that was removed without comment and without additional references being added to the article to very the list of films has consensus in the industry as being "cult films". Since the situation hasn't improved, and I don't like the idea of having to keep reinserting this tag, I posted asking for feedback on this section of the article at WP:Films. Eventually what needs to happen is either a) references are added to verify the films have consensus in the industry as having cult status, or b) the section should be deleted as something that is subjective and unreferenced (ie cult status is in the eye of the beholder adding it to the list). I'd recommend giving feedback and comments at that talk page so the discussion remains in one place. Thanks! Dugwiki 16:47, 11 January 2007 (UTC)

Can someone help with citations on the list of cult films? I know a back issue of entertainment weekly had a list of the top 100 cult films of all time, there is also a large book called "Cult FLicks and Trash Pics" that I've read but do not have. This book is an encyclopedia of hundreds of cult films. If someone could track these down and use them for citation that would be great. Most of the films, actors, and directors that were on the lists removed from the article are in there DASA2 2:08, 13 February 2007

That's certainly a step in the right direction. However, keep in mind that in addition to the reference problem there was the issue of subjectivity. "Cult FLicks and Trash Pics" could simply be one particular author's subjective opinion on what films he feels should be considered cult films. In addition, as a more minor technical note, you have to be a little careful posting published lists because they might be copyrighted.

My best current suggestion for the moment is, if you want, to maintain the previously deleted lists on your user page instead of in the article space. That way you can add or remove films as desired without having to worry as much about objectivity. Then put a link to your user page here on the talk page so other interested editors can add to it as well. Later, down the road, if the POV and reference issues can be addressed, then you can maybe try and recreate the material in article space. Dugwiki 17:34, 14 February 2007 (UTC)

Actually, my two cents - the lists should just be removed completely. Maybe eventually one simple list of commonly recognized cult films that fit the more specific definition this article needs could be added. Mondo68 06:32, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Removed lists of cult films, cult actors and cult directors per afd consensus

Per the afd discussions at Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/List of cult films and Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/List of cult film actors, I have removed the recently recreated lists for cult films, cult actors and cult directors. Those lists are unverifiable original research and have inherent subjectivity issues (they are basically lists based almost solely on individual editors' opinions on what and who has "cult" status). Please do not recreate or revert those lists without discussing here, and the consensus appeared strong on afd that the lists were inappropriate for Wikipedia inclusion. Thanks. Dugwiki 16:36, 12 February 2007 (UTC)

By cleaning up this article and making more straightforward, fact-based, with verifiable sources, creating good cult film, cult actor, and cult director lists will be easier. But first things first, this whole thing needs to be revised Mondo68 06:27, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Citations and defining cult film

I have a large collection of books and magazines on the subject of cult movies and would be glad to help provide a more well-defined definition of "cult film" for this article. Mondo68 07:18, 28 March 2007 (UTC)

The Problem of the Rocky Horror Precedent

I think a lot of the misconceptions about what "cult film" is derives from the precedent set by the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Because it has long beeen held up as a kind of prototypical example of cult, many have assumed that what made it cult was the fact that it attracted an obsessed, participatory audience. Based on that precedent, people have concluded that Star Wars is a cult film. Another aspect of RHPS that a lot of people have latched on to is the repeated viewings. Of course, in the days when RHPS was building its reputation as a cult film, repeated viewings took a lot more effort and dedication than they do today. Tarantino fanboys watch Pulp Fiction over and over, sometimes in groups, and quote lines of dialogue to each other. Because of the similarity of that behavoir to the RHPS precedent, Pulp Fiction is often mis-labeled a cult movie. I would contend that RHPS was an entirely unique phenomenon in the cult movie culture. It made its own rules, and is not especially representative of cult movies as a whole.

To me, a cult movie fan was someone who was first and foremost an avid film fanatic who searched for new and unique cinematic experiences and in the process would champion little known and underapreciated films, not watch the same handful of popular (or even semi-popular) movies over and over again.

Any thoughts?

Mondo68 08:53, 28 March 2007 (UTC)

I agree with your assessment of how Rocky Horror Picture Show has often led to the misuse of the term cult film, leading people to believe that it merely means a fanatical devotion and involvement. Pulp Fiction, Star Wars, etc. shouldn't be classified as cult films. The OED defines "cult" as "fringe, non-mainstream" and having "appeal to a relatively small audience". (I have pasted the full definition at the bottom of this discussion page.) Ironically, (IMHO) RHPS long ago lost its status as a cult film once its following became so large. Proclivities (talk) 20:51, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

In Need of a TOTAL Re-Do

I would like to start REALLY cleaning up this article. Straightforward, fact-based, with references and verifiable sources.

Mondo68 06:38, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Most of the article appears to be pretty well written, although I have had to occasionally redelete the "lists of cult actors/directors/films" that were previously removed as being too subjective (the lists are unreferenced and very much a matter of editorial opinion). Most recently they appear to have been readded by an unregistered editor. Dugwiki 20:43, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

I agree that the lists should be removed.

I think the article could be much better. It kind of rambles from point to point and doesn't feel cohesive. Also there are many subjective comments and little (no?) attribution.

Mondo68 03:30, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

I could not concur more completely. This article should be dismantled and rebuilt from the ground up. It is a personal, subjective, idiosyncratic, and largely ill-informed POV of what "cult" means as applied to film. Check out the OED definition below - "fringe, non-mainstream." That dictionary is the best and most general arbiter of definition in English, and by its dicta nearly none of this article is relevant to the proper use of "cult" by real film devotees, critics, and historians. Night of the Living Dead and Reefer Madness? Most certainly. But major studio releases by directors like Kubrick, Ridley Scott, Speilberg and others mentioned as cult???? 2001, Blade Runner, A Clockwork Orange - these were major studio productions, major releases, much discussed at the times of their releases and ever since, and seen by tens of millions over the years. You just can't stretch the word "cult" in ANY definition to fit about 70% of what is in this article. Add to that the wretched writing noted below and you have a perfect example of why no one past high school age (unfortunately) can take Wikipedia seriously. It is just distressing to read this.Sensei48 (talk) 05:15, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

And where did the editor author get the idea that the term was invented (or anything other than simply employed) by Danny Peary around 1980? The term was in common usage when I was coming of age as a student of film in the 1960s, and I have books on film from the 1940s that use it extensively. Further, a quick look at Peary's nominations for films with cult status reaffirms what I said above - there are virtually no A level major studio releases among his initial examples.Sensei48 (talk) 13:22, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

'Pretty well written'? This is possibly the worst article I've read on Wikipedia, on writing quality alone. It not just rambles - all over - but repeats itself (in the introduction, in various other parts), sometimes contradicts itself ("A cult film can often been widely regarded and had been successful upon its early release") and is full of vague generalizations/hand-waving. It needs to be redone for sure, at least the intro and the general overview. -76.172.41.63 21:52, 3 November 2007 (UTC)

Fair use rationale for Image:Rocky Horror Picture Show Cover.jpg

Image:Rocky Horror Picture Show Cover.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.BetacommandBot 04:35, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

Replaced now deleted image with Image:The Rocky Horror Picture Show.jpg. No big deal; took seconds to find replacement. HairyWombat 23:48, 8 August 2007 (UTC)

Era of Kung-fu films

I belive someone should mention Bruce Lee and his films "Fist's of Fury" and so on... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 88.196.229.31 (talk) 22:44, 16 December 2007 (UTC)

Repetitive

This article is a bit too repetitive. It mentions obsessive followings and initial movie failure a bout 3 times in the first 15 lines. ArdClose (talk) 00:00, 17 December 2007 (UTC)

Depending on Definition

The main aspect which defines a cult film, to me, is its relative obscurity, as if it were some sort of secret which only a small group of devotees knew about. It is not always that the films failed financially or were just poorly made, sometimes it is issues of distribution. And Soon the Darkness or the original version of The Wicker Man are examples of cult films, or even midnight movies, that were just never widely distributed, but developed followings after videos and DVD's became available.
I have pasted one definition of cult from the Oxford English Dictionary below:

Designating cultural phenomena with a strong, often enduring appeal to a relatively small audience; (also) designating this appeal or audience, or any resultant success; fringe, non-mainstream. Hence: possessing a fashionable or exclusive cachet; spec. (of artistic figures or works) having a reputation or influence disproportionate to their limited public exposure or commercial success. Freq. in cult figure, cult status.

I think that this definition can help clear up what determines whether a particular film a cult film or not. However, as this heading suggests, it still depends on what one's definition is. "The Nightmare Before Christmas" or "Dr. Strangelove" may have cult followings, but IMHO, I do not consider them "cult films", mainly because there appeal is not limited "to a relatively small audience". Proclivities (talk) 21:02, 31 December 2007 (UTC)

Fair use rationale for Image:Nowirehangers.jpg

Image:Nowirehangers.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to ensure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images lacking such an explanation can be deleted one week after being tagged, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

BetacommandBot (talk) 16:12, 8 March 2008 (UTC)

picture Camping Cosmos - belgian cult movie

Why was this image removed, without warning and without mention in "history"?Karel leermans (talk) 17:24, 20 March 2008 (UTC)

Image copyright problem with Image:DonnieDarkoStill.jpg

The image Image:DonnieDarkoStill.jpg is used in this article under a claim of fair use, but it does not have an adequate explanation for why it meets the requirements for such images when used here. In particular, for each page the image is used on, it must have an explanation linking to that page which explains why it needs to be used on that page. Please check

• That there is a non-free use rationale on the image's description page for the use in this article.
• That this article is linked to from the image description page.

The following images also have this problem:

• Image:Rocky Horror 2.JPG

This is an automated notice by FairuseBot. For assistance on the image use policy, see Wikipedia:Media copyright questions. --02:43, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

are links forbidden to be added?

I'm trying to add www.cultreviews.com to the external links section, but apparantly it gets undone every time. Is there anything I'm missing about links? A site that covers Cult Movies is pretty relevant I thought. 81.83.108.30 (talk) 19:02, 2 July 2008 (UTC)