Cult Films

When Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey came out in 1968, reaction to it was very mixed. Some people loved the unique film, but many people hated it. Even the people who loved it didn't necessarily understand it. Nevertheless, it had people talking. Which, in turn, had people going to see it. Which eventually turned it into one of the top cult films of all time.

There really is no definitive definition of what makes a film into a "cult" classic, but I'm going to take a stab at it anyway. What turns an ordinary, and possibly even a very successful, film into a cult film is that there is a large group of people who are obsessed with the film. These films are watched as often as possible by the fans, talked about as often as possible with other fans -- and the more outside the mainstream, the better, but it's not absolutely necessary.

In honor of the anniversary of the release of 2001: A Space Odyssey on April 3, 1968, I'm going to take a look at some of my favorite "cult" films.



-- Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

"Bring out yer dead!" 

This was the first film from Monty Python that was not made up of sketches from their show Flying Circus. It was co-directed by Python members Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam, who have very different styles. I'm not sure of the first time I saw this film, but whenever that was, I've loved it ever since. Their very irreverent and British sense of humor makes me laugh every time I watch it. This is definitely a film that needs to be watched with other Monty Python fans on a big screen. Hopefully I will be able to do that one day.


-- The Princess Bride (1987)

"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

When The Princess Bride was released in 1987, it was only a modest hit at the box office. After it was released on video, the popularity of the film increased and it quietly became a cult classic. It has had midnight showings around the country over the last 20-plus years, where fans speak many of the famous lines right along with the film. This is one film that almost my entire family loves and can quote without much effort.

-- Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959)

"My friend, can your heart stand the shocking facts about grave robbers from outer space?"

This is one of those films that is so bad, it's great! What makes this film so much fun to watch is knowing that Edward D. Wood, the director, believed he was making a fantastic film. Ed Wood was an interesting and unusual man who made several "B" movies in the 1950s. He surrounded himself with people who were just a bit outside of the mainstream but who were loyal to him -- most of whom were in Plan 9, including Bela Legosi. Legosi made his final film "appearance" in Plan 9. (Wood had shot several, unrelated scenes with Legosi that he would eventually incorporate into Plan 9.)

-- The Sound of Music (1965)

"Somewhere out there is a lady who I think will never be a nun."

The Sound of Music is one of the most popular and beloved films of all time, so you wouldn't think that it would be considered a cult film, but you'd be mistaken. People gather all the time to watch this film, discuss this film, and even dress as their favorite characters -- or even as Maria's favorite things! I love this film so much that I have attended two Sing-along presentations of the movie. They were so much fun! 

-- Casablanca (1943)

"We'll always have Paris."

This is another example of an immensely popular film also being a cult favorite. It definitely meets all of my criteria. There are not too many people who cannot quote at least one line from this film (even if it isn't exactly correct). It's always showing up in movie theaters that specialize in independent and art house films. And people love to talk about and obsess about the story and the characters. On one fan fiction website, there were 30 stories, most of them recently written. The fascination with this film will always last.



For more about cult films, check out these books.

And for a list of all-time cult film favorites, check out this list from Entertainment Weekly and this list from NPR.

-- Post by Tracy