Announcing The Cult Movie Bracket

Friday Night Runout at Blobfest.

Friday Night Runout at Blobfest.

By Hampus Eckerman: It is time for another bracket, this time for Cult Movies, to find the most interesting and worth watching Cult Movies.

A Cult Movie is kind of hard to define, but I have added a few criteria below. These aren’t fixed rules, only indications of what a cult movie is or can be.

  1. A Cult Movie is defined more by audience reaction than by the movie itself. Typically, there is a buzz about the movie that never quite reaches the mainstream. There is often a community aspect around the movies
  2. A Cult Movie isn’t about being good or bad. It is about being unique and memorable.
  3. There is often something that sets the movie apart from mainstream movies and makes them unique. Unusual acting, direction or script. There is a non-conformism in the movie and it is not of a type that is sent out by the barrel (i.e Troma). Sometimes, the uniqueness is not in the movie, but in the audience participation.
  4. Cult Movies are of the type where you are happily surprised that someone else has seen them (or been part of audience participation of) and you both feel you have to talk about them. They are of the type shown at special screenings.
  5. Types of Cult Movies might include:
  • Turkey Movies: Movies that are so bad they are good
  • Campy Movies: Movies that don’t take themselves seriously
  • Exploitation and Art Movies
  • Low Budget Movies
  • Mockumentaries, Failed documentaries and Mondo documentaries
  • Highly quotable movies
  • Movies shown around or after midnight on TV

RULES FOR NOMINATION

  1. Bracket is not restricted to Science Fiction or Fantasy.
  2. Animated movies are accepted.
  3. TV-movies are accepted.
  4. Minimum length of a movie to be accepted is one hour.
  5. Movies should have first been shown to a wider audience at least 2010.
  6. Do not let the fact that a list has already been created hinder you from naming a movie that is already on it.
  7. You are not restricted in the number of movies you may nominate.
  8. Think not only of what is good or fun. Think of what is interesting or unforgettable.

Nominations will go on for approximately 2 – 4 days, then I will create a new consolidated list consisting of a mix of your recommendations and mine. You will then have a few additional days to nominate what you might have missed. Then I will finalize the list that we will use for voting. I expect the bracket to become something like mainstream Cult Movies – whatever that is.

Plan_9_Alternative_poster

EXAMPLES OF CULT MOVIES

  • The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)
  • The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
  • Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972)
  • Amazon Women on the Moon (1987)
  • Evil Dead 2 (1987)
  • Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958)
  • Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (1978)
  • Bad Boy Bubby (1994)
  • Bad Taste (1987)
  • Barbarella (1968)
  • Battlefield Earth (2000)
  • Bedtime for Bonzo (1951)
  • Beetlejuice (1988)
  • Being John Malkovich (1999)
  • Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
  • Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
  • Blacula (1972)
  • The Blob (1958)
  • The Blues Brothers (1980)
  • A Boy and His Dog (1975)
  • Braindead (1992)
  • Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)
  • Caligula (1979)
  • Cannibal! The Musical (1993)
  • Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
  • A Clockwork Orange (1971)
  • Condorman (1981)
  • Crash (1996)
  • Crumb (1994)
  • Death Race 2000 (1975)
  • The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988)
  • Deep Throat (1972)
  • Django (1966)
  • Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965)
  • Dr. Strangelove or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
  • Drunken Master (1978)
  • Eat the Rich (1987)
  • Eraserhead (1977)
  • Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
  • The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967)
  • Flash Gordon (1980)
  • Flesh Gordon (1974)
  • Food of the Gods (1976)
  • Frankenhooker (1990)
  • Fritz The Cat (1972)
  • Gamera (1965)
  • Glen or Glenda (1953)
  • The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980)
  • Godzilla (1954)
  • La Grande Bouffe (1973)
  • The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle (1979)
  • Hairspray (1988)
  • Häxan (1922)
  • Heathers (1988)
  • Heavy Metal (1981)
  • Heavy Metal Parking Lot (1986)
  • Hell Comes to Frogtown (1988)
  • Highway to Hell (1992)
  • How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989)
  • Howard the Duck (1986)
  • Ilsa: She Wolf of the SS (1974)
  • The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living And Became Mixed-Up Zombies (1963)
  • Ishtar (1987)
  • Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)
  • The Killer Condom (1996)
  • Kung Pow! Enter the Fist (2002)
  • The Lair Of The White Worm (1988)
  • Liquid Sky (1982)
  • The Little Shop of Horrors (1960)
  • Logan’s Run (1976)
  • The Lost Boys (1987)
  • El Mariachi (1993)
  • Mars Attacks! (1996)
  • Matilda (1996)
  • Meet the Feebles (1989)
  • Memento (2000)
  • Metropolis (1927)
  • Mommie Dearest (1981)
  • Mondo Cane (1962)
  • Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
  • Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1982)
  • Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979)
  • Mr. Vampire (1985)
  • Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922)
  • Office Space (1999)
  • The Party (1968)
  • The People Under the Stairs (1991)
  • Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
  • Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
  • Polyester (1981)
  • The Princess Bride (1987)
  • Pulp Fiction (1994)
  • Rare Exports (2010)
  • Re-Animator (1985)
  • Rebel Without a Cause (1956)
  • Reefer Madness (1936)
  • Repo Man (1984)
  • Reptilicus (1961)
  • The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
  • Rope (1948)
  • Rumble Fish (1983)
  • Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)
  • Satyricon (1969)
  • Scanners (1981)
  • Sexmission (1984)
  • Shaun of the Dead (2004)
  • Shivers (1975)
  • Shogun Assassin (1980)
  • Sid & Nancy (1986)
  • Six-String Samurai (1998)
  • Some Like It Hot (1959)
  • Soylent Green (1973)
  • Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)
  • Streets of Fire (1984)
  • The Stuff (1985)
  • Swamp Thing (1982)
  • Tank Girl (1995)
  • Thelma & Louise (1991)
  • Them! (1954)
  • They Live (1998)
  • This is Spinal Tap (1984)
  • Toys (1992)
  • Troll 2 (1990)
  • Vampyros Lesbos (1971)
  • Videodrome (1983)
  • Village of the Damned (1960)
  • The Warriors (1979)
  • The Wicker Man (1973)
  • Withnail and I (1987)
  • Wizards (1977)

 

173 thoughts on “Announcing The Cult Movie Bracket

  1. +1 for

    Amelie (2002)
    But I’m A Cheerleader!
    Drop Dead Fred (1991) Snot Face wake up!
    Forbidden Planet
    Heathers (1988)
    Heavy Metal (1981)
    Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
    Tank Girl (1995)

  2. OK seconds for this lot (I don’t think I have nominated any or seconded any of them already)

    Bad Taste (1987)
    Barbarella (1968)
    Better off Dead
    Bring me the head of Alfred Garcia
    Crash (1996)
    Django (1966)+A3
    Eraserhead (1977)
    eXistenZ (1999)
    Glen or Glenda (1953)
    Pink Floyd: The Wall
    Primer
    Repo Man (1984)
    Rollerball (1975)
    Rumble Fish (1983)
    Scanners (1981)
    Shock Treatment
    Sid & Nancy (1986)
    The Mouse That Roared (1959)
    The Rutles
    Videodrome (1983)

  3. Adding my vote for:

    Amelie (2002) (I nomed before)
    Kiki’s Delivery Service
    The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984) (yes, I know it’s in but I’m noming again just BECAUSE)
    The Stunt Man (I nomed before)
    Wizards (1977) (I nomed before)

  4. Psst… Avenging Disco Godfather and The Avenging Disco Godfather are the same movie.

    For late nominations, I will third The Quiet Earth, and second Bride of the Monster.

    Movies from the list I will nth:
    Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958)
    Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (1978)
    Barbarella (1968)
    Basket Case 2
    Beetlejuice (1988)
    Being John Malkovich (1999)
    Blacula (1972)
    Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)
    Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death
    Destroy All Monsters
    Dr. Strangelove or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
    Elves (1989)
    Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965)
    Gamera (1965)
    Glen or Glenda (1953)
    Hairspray (original John Waters version)
    Hard Rock Zombies
    Hawk the Slayer
    Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
    Hell Comes to Frogtown (1988)
    Hercules in New York
    Ilsa: She Wolf of the SS (1974)
    Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)
    Knightriders
    Manos: The Hands of Fate
    Mothra
    The Naked Lunch
    Paprika
    Pink Floyd: The Wall
    Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
    Reptilicus (1961)
    Sid & Nancy (1986)
    Six-String Samurai (1998)
    Soylent Green (1973)
    The Pirate Movie (1982, dir. Ken Anakin)
    The Room (2003)
    The Rutles
    Them! (1954)
    Tremors
    Trollhunter (2010)
    Yellow Submarine

  5. I don’t think I’m double-dipping (so no Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, even though I think it’s awesome); here’s my vote for:

    7 Faces of Dr. Lao
    Blazing Saddles (1974)
    Conan the Barbarian
    Death Race 2000 (1975)
    Die Hard
    Excalibur
    Fight Club
    Hairspray (original John Waters version)
    His Girl Friday
    Kiki’s Delivery Service
    Rebel Without a Cause (1956)
    Swamp Thing (1982)
    The Little Shop of Horrors (1960)
    The Nightmare Before Christmas
    The Stunt Man
    Xanadu
    Young Frankenstein (1974)

  6. Supporting nominations, without double dipping:

    A Boy and His Dog (1975)
    Barbarella (1968)
    Being John Malkovich (1999)
    Crash (1996)
    Death Race 2000 (1975)
    Dr. Strangelove or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
    Eraserhead (1977)
    Flesh Gordon (1974)
    Heathers (1988)
    Re-Animator (1985)
    Reefer Madness (1936)
    Videodrome (1983)

  7. 7 Faces of Dr Lao
    They Might be Giants

    I could nominate so many of the others on that list but I guess that would be counterproductive 🙂
    So, avoiding double-dipping and being super tight on what I’d count as cult, these are the extras I’d really like to see in the bracket.

  8. I thought these could use a little help. A bunch of others on the list I enjoy watching, just don’t think of them as cult movies.

    A Boy and His Dog (1975)
    Allegro Non Troppo
    Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (1978)
    Damnation Alley
    Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965)
    Forbidden Planet
    Legend of Hell House
    Mars Attacks! (1996)
    Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
    Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
    Return to Oz
    Scanners (1981)
    Starship Troopers
    The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)
    The Little Shop of Horrors (1960)
    The Magic Christian
    The Mouse That Roared (1959)
    Xanadu

  9. I nominated a bunch my first time, so I only have a couple of additions this time. I’m also going to skip ones that don’t seem to me to meet any reasonable definition of “cult”.

    – 7 Faces of Dr. Lao
    – Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972)
    – BIG TROUBLE
    – Brother from another Planet
    – Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death
    – Drunken Master (1978)
    – Freaks (1932)
    – Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)
    – In Bruges
    – King of Hearts
    – Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
    – On the Beach
    – Polyester (1981)
    – Solaris (1971)
    – Soylent Green (1973)
    – The Lathe of Heaven
    – The Magic Christian
    – The Mouse That Roared (1959)

  10. Forbidden Zone
    J-Men Forever
    Movie Movie
    Lemonade Joe
    Pee-wee’s Big Adventure
    The Wizard of Oz

    Should I vote for all the ones I like? I’d also put Ice Pirates in my ballot. I’m just trying to keep it short, because moderation in most things.

  11. Ones I didn’t nominate the first time which need more votes
    Blazing Saddles (1974)
    Caddyshack
    Excalibur
    Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
    Serenity
    Spaceballs
    Terminator

  12. +1 for:

    D.E.B.S.
    Return to Oz
    Strictly Ballroom

    Also, “The Fifth Element” appears on the safe list while “Fifth Element” is on the needs more votes list. Mistake, or similarly titled movies?

  13. (Looks around, repurposes an earlier joke):

    That’s the Second Fifth Element!

    (Leaves, looking guilty.)

  14. There are a lot of these on my list to be watched. Here are some that I (have watched and) am seconding. Without double-dipping. But with some commentary.

    200 Motels
    A Boy and His Dog (1975)
    Akira (1988)
    Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (1978)
    Bad Taste (1987)
    Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
    Braindead (1992) [this is aka “Dead Alive,” right?]
    Brick
    Brother from another Planet
    Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)
    But I’m A Cheerleader!

    Condorman (1981)
    (“Disney’s Spy in the Sky” — I had the car from this movie when I was a kid. I may still.)

    Death Bed
    (there are multiple films under the title of “Death Bed” — this vote is for “Death Bed: The Bed That Eats” and not the “Death Bed” which plays like the “Goofus” couple on a “Goofus and Gallant do relationships” sketch. Yes, one night I rented a DVD and watched the wrong Death Bed)

    Death Race 2000 (1975)
    Drunken Master (1978)
    Eating Raoul (1982)

    Eraserhead (1977)
    (this belongs in the list, but I hated it so)

    Food of the Gods (1976)
    Fritz The Cat (1972)
    Glen or Glenda (1953)

    Hairspray (1988)
    Hairspray (original John Waters version)
    (these are the same – the movie of the musical of the movie is 2007)

    Hard Boiled (1992)
    Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)
    Hawk the Slayer
    Heathers (1988)
    Heavy Metal (1981)
    Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
    Hell Comes to Frogtown (1988)

    Hercules in New York
    (oh, the amusement over hearing Schwarzenegger dubbed — I think I own this movie)

    Hudson Hawk
    (novelization by “Geoffrey Marsh” [Charles L Grant]. I think I read and enjoyed everything he wrote under his swampy pen names (Geoffrey Marsh, Simon Lake, and Lionel Fenn), but didn’t care for his work under this own name. I am fickle.)

    Jabberwocky
    Knightriders
    Krull
    Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
    Kung Pow! Enter the Fist (2002)
    Let the Right One In (2008)
    Meet the Feebles (1989)
    Naked Lunch (1991)
    Near Dark
    O Brother Where Art Thou
    Paprika (2007)
    Pee Wee’s Big Adventure
    Pink Flamingos (1972)
    Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
    Polyester (1981)
    Project A (1983)
    Repo Man (1984)
    Reptilicus (1961)
    Return to Oz
    Road House (1989)
    Scott Pilgrim vs The World
    Six-String Samurai (1998)
    Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone
    Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)
    Strange Brew
    Tank Girl (1995)
    Team America: World Police
    The City of Lost Children (1995)

    The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980)
    (four sequels and one not-really-a-sequel, but the original is the best — although the plot of TGMBC #3 with a Jiangshi reprising the role of the Coke bottle has a special place in my heart)

    The Mouse That Roared (1959)
    The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik-Yak

    The Pirate Movie (1982, dir. Ken Anakin)
    (this “updating” of Pirates of Penzance to the early 80s (with at least one new song to “improve” on the Gilbert & Sullivan) is to me the epitome of the cult movie, and I’m sorry that I forgot to suggest it)

    The Return of Captain Invincible
    The Room (2003)
    The Rutles
    The Stuff (1985)

    They Might Be Giants (1971)
    (watched this with a friend the same day that we watched Bad Taste for the first time)

    Toys (1992)
    Tremors
    Videodrome (1983)
    Wizards (1977)
    Wristcutters: a love story
    Yellow Submarine (1968)

    Idiosyncratic and arbitrary. Everything a list should be. All it’s missing are the number fives.

  15. NOMINATION END!

    I’m ending nominations now, so we will get an exact 128 items in the bracket. Thank you everyone! My movie expenses will go way up this month.

  16. But it will be worth it.

    ETA: Any of these that you can’t find, I (among others) can probably unearth for you.

  17. Pingback: The Cult Movie Bracket - Amazing Stories

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