What exactly is a cult movie?

A cult film is a movie that is generally a box-office disaster that is beloved by a devote group of fans and critics. A good example would be the 2001 film Donnie Darko that was pretty much ignored while it was in theatres, but had phenomenal DVD sales.

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A cult film is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but relatively small group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside of the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame amongst mainstream audiences, including Carnival of Souls (1962), Easy Rider (1969), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), A Clockwork Orange (1971), The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), Taxi Driver (1976), The Warriors (1979), Evil Dead (1981), Blade Runner (1982), Blue Velvet (1986), and Pulp Fiction (1994).[1] Many cult movies have gone on to transcend their original cult status and have become recognized as classics; others are of the "so bad it's good" variety, and are destined to remain in obscurity. Cult films often become the source of a thriving, obsessive, and elaborate subculture of fandom, hence the analogy to cults. However, not every film with a rabid fanbase is necessarily a cult film.

The term cult film is used to describe a film that has had little to no success commercially and critically upon its initial release but has later spawned a small, but devoted and usually obsessive fanbase, however there are various exceptions. This has led to a misconception in Cult classic films that the definition is a film that 'you either love or hate'. The term was first coined in the early 1980s in the book Cult Movies, by Danny Peary and is continued to be used to describe the films to this day. Usually, cult films have limited but very special, noted appeal. Cult films are often known to be eccentric, and do not follow traditional standards of mainstream cinema and usually explore topics not considered in any way mainstream—yet there are examples that are relatively normal. They are often considered controversial because they step outside standard narrative and technical conventions known.

Because of it's fan base The Rocky Horror Picture show would have midnight showings and fans would dress up as their favorite characters and act out the scenes as they appeared on screen. Huge Audience participation and the theaters would allow it. Like when they would say " It looks like rain" everyone in the audience would put up their umbrellas. "I propose a toast" then everyone would throw toast around. The wedding scenes people would throw rice. It was AWESOME. I went for the experience of it. Back in the 80's that was one of the huge followings as well as Pink Floyd's - The Wall, Heavy Metal. Not sure what the actual term means. I always figured it meant a little decent movie that not many saw but later it took a life of it's own. hope this helped at least the Rocky Horror aspect of your ? take care.

A cult movie is something that didn't necessarily do well in the box office, however, has a very strong, and devout following. Another cult movie would be Pulp fiction, and basically any tarintino flick.

a cult movie is a rare gem of a movie that deals with a one of a kind subject that only this movie can provide. for instance, a horror movie can be just an ordinary horror movie but when you add comedy to it it can be a riot. kind of like ghostbusters or young frankenstein.

It's a movie that doesn't gain a lot of success in the theaters, but has a large fan base.

its a movie that theres a really tight group of crazed fans about that particular movie.

lyk star wars

harold and maude! oh yeah