John Alex Nunnery
Entertainment Editor
For decades a movie’s success was determined by how much money or critical acclaim it received theatrical release. If it was panned by critics, or if the box office receipts were poor, your art would promptly fade from the public eye and into the realm of obscurity. However, underneath the shiny exterior of every Hollywood blockbuster and critical darling, there laid a secret world of cinema that has since become a booming industry in its own way: The world of cult movies.
The term ‘Cult Movie’ was first used in the 1970s about the increasing popularity of underground films. Cult movies are oddball films that often amass an extraordinarily loyal following despite their grimy and often anti-mainstream viewpoint. They are usually made by no-name filmmakers and often are considered ‘low’ quality. Thousands of movies could be considered cult classics, but few have the right ingredients to surpass obscurity and make it to the public eye.
“It’s really hard to define a cult movie,” said Dr. Van Roberts, a professor of Communication at Mississippi University for Women. “You had to be a part of a select group of people to see them. The films lean way to the left, not mainstream at all.”
Movie enthusiast Jennie Chaney, a sophomore music education major, agreed.
“Cult movies are very odd, and they show a different mindset of the world,” she said. “When people go to midnight screenings of movies, it’s almost like a kind of religion! Groups of fans show up at a certain place, at certain times, to view the films together like a cult!”
Movies that are certified as cult classics are often identified by the distinct style they have in comparison to other films of the time. An insignia of a cult movie is their token “So bad it’s good!” quality. Often, it is the genuine effort put in by the filmmaker that attracts the viewers. There is a difference between a bad movie and a passion project. People feel and react to that passion in a positive light even when the finished product is poor.
“I think cult movies just give people a feeling that other movies don’t, and we prefer to see this in a theatre setting,” said Thomas Kennedy, a senior graphic design and marketing major. “Some of my favorite cult movies are animated like ‘Grave of the Fireflies’ and ‘Spirited Away.’ I would definitely want to go see movies like that in theatres.”
Over time, cult classics have moved out of this niche audience bubble and have become staples in youth cultures with films such as “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “The Room” filling local theatres with odd rituals and loud commentary. This sudden popularity of these films comes from them being endlessly quotable, bizarrely filmed, and how easy it is to share them with friends. They have gone from something looked down upon to something beautiful by a community of film fanatics that is just looking to have a good time.