First things first what is a cult film exactly?  A cult film also known as a ‘cult classic’ is a film with a highly devoted and sometimes obsessive fanbase. Often cult films don’t do well at the box office and fail to achieve popularity outside of small fanbases. Some of these films over time will grow to be considered true classics while others are simply doomed to be obscure.  Most cult classics are independent films that don’t really follow the ‘traditional’ movie making format and usually explore ideas not really mainstream. Here are some movies that have received cult status: Office Space (1999), The Big Lebowski (1998), The Evil Dead (1981), Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (1978), and Night of the Living Dead (1968).

Some movies are considered cult classics because they’re so bad, people really get a kick out of how bad it is.  Ed Wood’s ‘Plan 9 from Outer Space’ (1959) and Louis Gasnier’s ‘Reefer Madness’ (1936) are both cult films because they are simply terrible, terrible movies.  Some movies TRY to be bad out of comedy which is something else entirely.  The ‘So Bad its good’ type of cult film is bad, but they are being dead serious. Here is a short list of terrible movies that were trying to be good:  Super Mario Bros. (1993), Howard the Duck (1986), and The Beastmster (1982).

There is a special type of movie that WANTS to be bad because it’s funny. These movies use the cheesy plotlines and special effects out of pure comedy.  Movies like that are actually called ‘Camp’ Movies which are a little different. Some more famous camp classics are: Spaceballs (1987), The Toxic Avenger (1984), and Army of Darkness (1993).

What are your favorite cult or camp films?