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Cult Classics


Keel M.

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Why are terrible films always considered cult classics? What is so appealing about a film that bombed at the cinema decades ago?

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there are many answers!

it might not be a terrible film! financial success or failure is not indicative of quality. there are many classic movies that performed poorly at the box office.

audience tastes change! a film that was poorly received in one period may gain a new, appreciative audience in another!

people are impressed by the passion behind the film, rather than the artistry! see: ed wood.

and: sometimes bad things are just plain fun to watch.

probably more answers i just cannot think of them. but yes, you should give examples of what you mean as well.

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41 minutes ago, LV-426 said:

Have you got any examples?

An old film from the 30s called Sylvia Scarlet. Katharine Hepburn was in it and she thought it was terrible as did others. 

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Poor production values, miniscule budgets and casts whose repertoire consists of screaming and, er, that's about it, are now deeply "ironic" and probably "postmodern",  and as such appeal to millennials, and before them Generations, X, Y, Z and whatever came before that. 

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it's easy and entertaining to make fun of them while watching them with your friends. I haven't seen Sylvia Scarlet, but that applies to several other "Cult" or "Camp" classics. I have fond memories of sitting with freinds, watching a terrible movie and making fun of it the entire time.
Though i have to admit I have a lower tolerance for "so bad it's good" than many others. For example I consider stuff like  'the Room" so bad and boring that it's not even possible to make fun of anymore, while many others do consider it a "Cult Classic"

For amny people right now Nostalgia might also be a factor, as they might have seen those terrible movies on TV while growing up or on video/dvd and so the movies might have some appeal to them that way.

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I'd need more examples, to be honest.

If you take a film such as Donnie Darko as an example though, it grossed less than $1.5 million at the box office on a budget of $6 million.

It's a great film though. I guess that came down to marketing? *shrugs*

Sometimes the more offbeat films aren't hits at the box office either *shrugs some more*

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  • 2 weeks later...

OK, some examples of 'cult classics':

Rocky Horror Picture Show

Clue

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension

Big Trouble in Little China

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark

These films, and others, are categorized as 'Cult Classics' BECAUSE they were not well received by the general public, but appeal ( for a wide variety of reasons) to a much smaller demographic.

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A lot of times it is the reviewers like Leonard Maltin or Robert Ebert who poorly review movies and people don't give them a chance until way later and realize what they missed.  There are some movies that get stalled on release and pick up after.  One of my favourites is Tucker and Dale VS Evil.  The movie was made and not released for quite a bit.  It was leaked onto the net and there was an almost underground following with it.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Good question.

Look at David Lynch's first film: "Eraserhead".

Cinima is subjective.

As a first film, with no point of reference, embraced only by the artistic community, mainstream moviegoers couldn't relate.

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10 hours ago, HDesiato said:

Good question.

Look at David Lynch's first film: "Eraserhead".

Cinima is subjective.

As a first film, with no point of reference, embraced only by the artistic community, mainstream moviegoers couldn't relate.

We could all agree on one thing, though.

It was extremely disturbing.

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8 hours ago, ChaosRose said:

We could all agree on one thing, though.

It was extremely disturbing.

Extremely!

 

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'Plan 9 From Outer Space',

'Rocky Horror Picture Show',

'Night Of The Living Dead',

'The Evil Dead',

'The Toxic Avenger':

can all be considered cult classics but I find they are are fun to watch in a theater with people who know that they're in for memes.

 

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Maybe some cult classics are too hip for the general audience or just not what the mainstream audience wants to see.

'Freaks' is an interesting movie to watch. Not to everyone's taste.

 

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On 17/03/2018 at 11:40 PM, HDesiato said:

'The Toxic Avenger'

A classic B-movie from Troma!

Melvin the mop boy approves :tu:

toxicavenger03.jpg

Troma also produced other gems such as Class of Nuke 'Em High and Tromeo and Juliet... so bad they were gooood!! B)

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