"Favorite Cult Films?" Topic

With all the movie topics around here lately, I felt it was high time to start a discussion of cult films. I will begin by defining my terms, and illustrating my definition with a concrete example. After that, I might demonstrate how on Earth this is relevant to miniatures gaming, unless I forget to do so, or digress somehow from my chosen topic. Onward.

A cult film is defined* as a film that did not achieve widespread popular or critical success upon its initial release, but over time has found a small, dedicated following.

For an example, I have chosen Dune (dir. David Lynch, 1984). Lynch's film was in the wake of an abortive effort by Chilean director Alejandro Jodorowsky to bring Frank Herbert's 1965 novel to the screen.** In spite of the failure of Jodorowsky's efforts, hopes were high for Dune. It was the year after Return of the Jedi, and the 1980s science fiction boom was in full swing. At this time, Lynch had won accolades for The Elephant Man, and was considered a hot director (he had even been approached to direct Return of the Jedi). So, with a gifted director, a strong international cast, and a classic novel to draw upon, Dune looked poised to conquer. That didn't happen. Audiences and critics alike were baffled by the film; Herbert's dense novel wouldn't fit into the film's run time without major sacrifices, and Lynch's oblique and rather bizarre take on the story couldn't connect with a wide audience.

Over time, however, Dune found its audience. Once released on home video, the film could be approached at one's leisure; viewers could re-watch bits that didn't quite make sense.*** It would never go on to widespread commercial success or acceptance as a misunderstood classic, but many still find it compelling.

Speaking for myself, I didn't quite understand Dune at the time (I had already read the novel, finding it, well, dry). Over time, and with additional viewings, I have come to appreciate the film as a flawed, but very distinctive vision; if David Lynch was really mad, maybe he should have bitten Frank Herbert.****

Ron

* By people -- I don't know who. It's late, and I'm too lazy to fact-check.

** Which would have, by all accounts, made Mr. Lynch's movie look like a documentary in comparison -- but that's another story.

***At that point in David Lynch's career, this was still helpful. We love ya, Dave.

****Last one, I promise. The biting thing was once said of General Wolfe (which was clever, because wolves, you know, biting. It doesn't fit here, but I stole it anyway).

P.S. It's really late, I will explain that gaming connection some other time.

Cult movie "the Blues Brothers"
Wargames application – our heroes chased by Nazis

Regards Allan

Army of Darkness

The Fifth Element

Earth vs the flying saucers.

The Keep is one of my favourite cult movies, because: Nazis fight a vampire thing with Scott Glenn, and The Keep with its glowing crosses, and one even feels sorry for the bad guy when he gets taken out.

Krull. Ideal for skirmish level fantasy/sci fi game. Anyone do proxies for Slayers or those Royal bodyguard knight types near the start of the movie? Aside from that – its a not very good movie lifted by one of the best soundtracks by the late James Horner.

Big Trouble In Little China and Repo Man

The Fifth Element

Blade Runner

Evil Dead and Rocky hORROR

Lots of good ones above.

My favorite remains Buckaroo Banzai: Across the Eighth Dimension. Amazing cast tied to a wacky story and a film that just ran out of cash before production ended. You can see the dramatic drop in the quality of the aliens make up towards the end.

Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension!!

Tremors. I watch it every time it comes on.

Ooooh. That's a good one too Paul. My wife always says "again?", usually followed with "why?".

"Monty Python and the Holy Grail"

I second Monty Python and the Holy Grail
The Life of Brian
The Meaning of Life
The Road Warrior
Buckaroo Banzai
Rocky Horror
Blade Runner
Repo Man
Decline of the Western Civilization (Part One)
The Blues Brothers
Silent Running
Das Boot
The Princess Bride

"Spaceballs"

"Men in Tights"

"Galaxy Quest"

Six-String Samurai. YouTube link

Other people have mentioned Repo Man, so… Dark Star.

I've never seen it, but Six-String Samurai is perhaps my favorite movie ever.

Ed and his Dead Mother
Mom & Dad Save the World

A Boy and His Dog
Dark Star
Battle Beyond the Stars
Barbarella

The Blue Max. It got OK attention at the time, but has pretty much sunk into a very undeserved obscurity. It is one of the few movies which diverged from and greatly improved the story from the original book.

RoboCop.

Why not a poll?

Slapshot

Goon

Lots of the films mentioned are not cult movies, they did gangbusters on their release at the theaters.

I'll list the Flash Gordon movie, gaming applications are obvious…

Streets of fire. Great soundtrack do have a listen on a free music site to see what you are missing?

martin

A third for Repo Man.

The Gods Must be Crazy and Caveman. My favorites are Planet of the Vampires and The Final Countdown

Kaltiki the Immortal Monster

Brazil. Great Wargaming potential, resistance heating engineers Vs inept police state.

Some nice ones picked guys.
Here's what popped into my mind though.
1.In the Company of Wolves
2.Dark Crystal
3.(Golden oldie) Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari.
Which was the best original Vampire ever.
Cheers lots of these movies bring back fond memories.