Chewers' 100 Best Cult Classic Films!

2. The Big Lebowski

1997, dir. Joel & Ethan Coen

In the winter of '97, audiences were awaiting the next film from the guys who'd made the previous year's surprise masterpiece Fargo. Within a week of it's release though, it became clear that Lebowski was indeed no Fargo. It was weird, aimless, & not funny. Word of mouth was fast & rank & people stayed away in droves. It was a couple years later when I'd first heard the inklings that this dud was actually kinda funny. With repeated viewings, some via heavily censored 2am Comedy Central showings, it gradually began to click. Lebowski wasn't just kind of funny, it was "holy shit" funny. Soon thereafter, it became apparent that the slow & steady appreciation of this oft-quoted "movie-as-meme" had ingrained it's far-reaching roots wide & deep into the minds of the masses, revealing itself to be nothing less than THE "cult classic" of our time.

3. Office Space dir. Mike Judge

Despite bombing on the big screen, Office Space went on to become a hit on DVD... That might be because, like all of Judge's films, it plays better on the small screen and only gets funnier the more you watch it.

4.  The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Too obvious?   No matter.   This film created the blueprint for midnight movies and audience participation.   Without Rocky Horror, there is no "The Room".

Are we only considering movies that have built a cult following or can we list movies that should find a second life as a cult classic or one that has hopped over to the mainstream?   There's alot of movies I can think of that haven't hit cult movie status but seem destined to.

I am not sure how these threads work, so I've stayed away till now... Are we supposed to pick the film that fits in the spot of the next in line? Since I'm posting fifth, am I supposed to post the movie I think is the fifth best cult classic of all time?

I'm just going to post up a favorite of mine, that I feel is a true cult classic, rather than a quirky but well known movie with a large following

5) THE AMERICAN ASTRONAUT

Like nothing else you've seen, it's a difficult film to describe but one you'll never forget. The fascinating universe and dank black and white photography make it  a cinematic journey unrivaled in the Aughts for weirdness or the unique ambition of it's vision

6. The Saddest Music in the World (d. Guy Maddin - 2003)

7.

The funniest movie ever made that isn't about a troubled airplane flight.

The evidence:

Need a ruling on this one...

It was a box office flop and its status as one of the best American films ever was really only established in the 50's.   However, it was nominated for 9 academy awards and was critically praised.   Thoughts?

I'd argue that this is a list of films that are cult classics, not were. The Wizard Of Oz would also count here but it strikes me as an awkward placing in a "cult movie" list. That's my take, anyway. It might be a hair myopic. Either way, it's all good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dynamotv 

Need a ruling on this one...

 

 

It was a box office flop and its status as one of the best American films ever was really only established in the 50's.   However, it was nominated for 9 academy awards and was critically praised.   Thoughts?

Seeing as it's the AFI's best film of all time... IMHO, no, this is as far from the definition of a "cult" classic as you can get. It's classic status is fully mainstream

Looking at this list culled from Danny Peary's GREAT Cult Movies series, it's kind of astonishing how so many of these "cult" films are now widely regarded as classics. However, from that list I'll pick:

8. Targets (1968)

Boris Karloff owed Roger Corman 2 days' work, so Corman enlisted a young man named Peter Bogdanovich, and told him that he could make any film he wanted, provided he used Karloff, stayed under budget and used clips from Corman's The Terror. The result is a fascinating film, with 2 storylines, one with Karloff as an aging horror star (imagine!), and another storyline based on the then-recent Charles Whitman shooting in Texas. The film culminates at a drive-in, with old-school tradition colliding with late 60s nihilism. An underseen gem.

No problem.   Although it would have been fun to have some choices that are mainstream today but just as off the wall as say "Office Space" when they were released.  For instance,  movies such as "Highlander", "A Christmas Story", and "Austin Powers" would have qualified.   Anyway, in keeping with the rules I submit....

9. Idiocracy (2006)

Unceremoniously dumped in a few theaters without so much as a trailer (or listing with the movie's title), it has gained an audience almost entirely through word of mouth.   What's most mind boggling is that this wasn't a cheap movie by any standard and looks like it was killed purely for political reasons or was too accurate.   Whatever the case, this could be considered Mike Judge's masterpiece and the definitive satire of our times.   So much of it is already true.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mangy 

Looking at this list culled from Danny Peary's GREAT Cult Movies series, it's kind of astonishing how so many of these "cult" films are now widely regarded as classics. However, from that list I'll pick:

 

8. Targets (1968)

 

Boris Karloff owed Roger Corman 2 days' work, so Corman enlisted a young man named Peter Bogdanovich, and told him that he could make any film he wanted, provided he used Karloff, stayed under budget and used clips from Corman's The Terror. The result is a fascinating film, with 2 storylines, one with Karloff as an aging horror star (imagine!), and another storyline based on the then-recent Charles Whitman shooting in Texas. The film culminates at a drive-in, with old-school tradition colliding with late 60s nihilism. An underseen gem.

From that list, "Fantasia" would probably be THE definitive cult classic turned mainstream classic.   I believe it took a loooooong time for that one to gain recognition.   Speaking of Disney, this one might seem strange for our international Chewers or even our over 50 Chewers....

10. Song of the South (1946)

A mainstream hit for Disney but because of the racial overtones of the film has been locked in a vault for 30 years in America.   Since then it's gained a cult following among fans of animation and those interested in it's technical brilliance. 

11. The Warriors (1979) dir. Walter Hill

"Warrrrrriors....come out and plaaaaaay!"  This movie is just wall-to-wall fun, with some underrated directing by Walter Hill.

12. Blade Runner (1982)

dir. Ridley Scott

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships burning off the shoulders of Orion. I watched C-Beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like...tears in rain. Time to die."

While it wasn't a critical success at the time Blade Runner is hands down the "modern" daddy of cyber punk and it's still a film I have to pressure some people to give a chance. Which is fucking ridiculous. The first time I saw this I was just getting into Lord of the Rings and had watched Conan the Barbarian the weekend before. I was down with swords and sorcery but this was pretty new to me and I remember feeling so down and sad when Batty died and not really understanding why. Years later I was at a local bookstore picking up "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" and the salesman that pointed it out for me struck up a conversation. Before I knew it I had a new group of older friends that all loved this and introduced me to other great stuff.

13. The Toxic Avenger (1984) dir. Lloyd Kaufman

Oh, Toxie. The Troma icon, and this is where it all began. Just pure, disgusting, unadulterated madness.

14.

2005

15.

2008

Both complete non-performers at the box office, these two brilliant crime comedies have been flourishing aloft a sea of "Holy shit! You have to see this!" word-of-mouth for the past few years. In 20 years, it'll be these films that'll stand as towering examples of great 00s cinema while films like Crash, A Beautiful Mind, & Slumdog Millionaire will live on as answers to trivia questions people always seem to get wrong.

16. Streets of Fire (1984) d. Walter Hill

A Rock & Roll Fable. You'd think the MTV generation would've been ready for it, but they weren't. However, for the fans it's pretty much the ultimate Walter Hill.

17.  Transformers: The Movie (1986)

Grossing only $5 million in its theatrical run, it has become a classic 80's movie due to repeats on TV and Home Video and is arguably still the best iteration of the franchise.

18. This Is Spinal Tap

1984, dir. Rob Reiner

Just...quiet for minute. The sustain, listen to it.

I'm not hearing anything.

Well, you would...if it were playing.

[*This has been moved from the #2 spot. There exists a more deserving film for that placement]

19. Reservoir Dogs (1992) d. Quentin Tarantino

A sensation in its limited theatrical run -a popular midnight movie, playing some markets for an exteded period- it didn't really find a large cult untill after TRUE ROMANCE and PULP FICTION.

20. Pink Flamingos (d. John Waters - 1972)

21. A Christmas Story, 1983. dir. Bob Clark

Moderate success, it made 19million dollars on a 4 million dollar budget. But it was poorly reviewed and out of theaters quickly. It now runs every holiday season for 24 hours straight.  Everyone and their brother tries to convince some kid to stick his tongue to a flagpole. Canadian Masterpiece or Lamp Lover's fetish film?

22. Flash Gordon (1980) dir. Mike Hodges

$35 million budget, lost $8 million.

Hot chicks, Queen's driving soundtrack, Hawkmen, a smarmy prince, and rocket cycles?

I love this film.

23.

1976, dir. Nicholas Roeg

My all-time favourite film. It's a dizzying & relentlessly creative amalgam of viscerally beautiful imagery & sound that serves as a meditation on alienation, loss & acceptance, consumerism, & morality. There's nothing quite like it & it's a fascinating & dynamically gorgeous encapsulation of 1975 style, music, fashion, & artistry.

For your consideration:

24: The Wicker Man (Robin Hardy - 1973)

and

25: Withnail & I (Bruce Robinson - 1987)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Art Decade 

2. The Big Lebowski

1997, dir. Joel & Ethan Coen

 

In the winter of '97, audiences were awaiting the next film from the guys who'd made the previous year's surprise masterpiece Fargo. Within a week of it's release though, it became clear that Lebowski was indeed no Fargo. It was weird, aimless, & not funny. Word of mouth was fast & rank & people stayed away in droves. It was a couple years later when I'd first heard the inklings that this dud was actually kinda funny. With repeated viewings, some via heavily censored 2am Comedy Central showings, it gradually began to click. Lebowski wasn't just kind of funny, it was "holy shit" funny. Soon thereafter, it became apparent that the slow & steady appreciation of this oft-quoted "movie-as-meme" had ingrained it's far-reaching roots wide & deep into the minds of the masses, revealing itself to be nothing less than THE "cult classic" of our time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evi 

3. Office Space dir. Mike Judge

 

Despite bombing on the big screen, Office Space went on to become a hit on DVD... That might be because, like all of Judge's films, it plays better on the small screen and only gets funnier the more you watch it.

Both of these are no longer cult.

26)

I don't watch horror movies, but this is such an affectionate love letter to the slasher genre and so funny that I love it.

Well that's just like, your opinion, man. Mine is that a movie with its own themed festival held yearly is the very definition of a "cult" movie. When people get together dressed up like characters from a movie and have an official party with many, many fans to share their passion for it...what could be more cult than that?

@Cameron Hughes

"Cult"? Neither is Blade Runner, Spinal Tap, Reservoir Dogs, A Christmas Story, or The Warriors (there was a Warriors Playstation 2 game fer chrissakes). Citizen Kane? Wizard Of Oz? Forbidden Planet? If those once "cult" films were included, you'd be right to exclude them. But I suggest that this list still include relatively new mainstream emergent cult classics like Lebowski & Office Space & just make the cutoff year 1980 for those old cult films that have since been accepted as classics. Make sense? 

27.

1983, dir. Clive A. Smith

A post-apocalyptic "kids" cartoon featuring sex, drug use, profanity, & a soundtrack by motherfucking Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, & Blondie? Yes, please.

Recent viewings back it up. It's a kick-ass classic.

27. Freaks 1932

Shocking back then and even today for the use of real circus sideshow people. From the director of the hit Dracula as well

29. Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959) d. Ed Wood

The original "Best Worst Movie".

30. "Eraserhead."

So...I take it that 'Vanishing Point' is out?

Naw, it should still be eligible. It's not like it shows up on TCM like WIZARD OF OZ or KANE.

I dunno, I like these lists because on almost all of them I've found at least a handful of movies I had no idea existed. I've seen Vanishing Point a million times but it should be in. There's someone reading this right now that's like, "Vanishing Point? WTF?"

Totally. Vanishing Point is hardly in the mainstream. I only knew it existed because of the Primal Scream song "Kowalski". Still haven't seen VP. It def fits this list.

31.  The Room (2003)

32. Land of the Lost (2009)

Not a cult classic yet but well on its way.   All it needs is heavy  rotation on basic cable and you have yourself a new cult classic.   The movie is too weird, too funny, and too special for it not to be.

33. Performance

1970, dir. Donald Cammell & Nicolas Roeg

Everything Darren Aronofsky's done in his career was done better more than 40 years ago in this one film.

34.  'Vanishing Point'

If you went to a drive in theater in the 70s, the last show of the evening was 'Vanishing Point'.  ALWAYS.  It found its audience there, among the stoners and teenagers who were trying to get to third base with their dates in the backseats of their cars.  It took on a life of its own and became THE movie to see every Saturday night.

And you know what?  It's an amazing film with an absolutely killer soundtrack.  

35.  'Highlander'.

But only the first one.

36. They Live (Carpenter, 1988)

You look like your head fell in the cheese dip back in 1957!

Not to shamelessly plug myself, but here's 2,000+ words on why They Live is so great.

37.  'Kick-Ass'

It didn't find its audience until it hit DVD/blu-ray.

Will someone explain to me the appeal of The Saddest Music in the World?  I tried, I reallllly tried to like it, but I... just... couldn't.

On a similar note- although many cult films are notable because they bring people together with a shared "secret" knowledge of something, I think I prefer the ones that divide audiences severely.  So my entry, coming in at #38 on the countdown, is Straw Dogs.

39. Popeye (1980) dir. Robert Altman

This one might require a ruling as it did make around triple it's $20 million budget.

Robin Williams and Shelly Duvall may have been born to play these roles.  As it was meant to be, a live action cartoon it is.

The songs are great as are the sets.

So, so good.  The rumored Director's Cut could be even greater.