Featured
Cult Films have limited but very special appeal. Cult films are usually strange, quirky, offbeat, eccentric, oddball, or surreal, with outrageous, weird, unique and cartoony characters or plots, and garish sets. They are often considered controversial, dangerous or challenging because they step outside standard narrative and technical conventions. They can be very stylized, and are often transgressive, flawed or unusual in some striking way. Cult films became increasingly popular in the 1970s. An important distinction to make is that true cult films are not just films that have a cult following. Although the Harry Potter films, the James Bond films, or other mainstream franchise films such as Back to the Future have developed strong cult followings, that doesn't automatically make them cult films. Most cult films are obscure, independent or marginal films to begin with, have low-budgets and/or poor marketing, and don't fare well during their original releases, but then they acquire notoriety or attention over time, due to re-releases (on home video) or re-evaluation. Cult films can be either of superior quality, or they can be exploitational, cheaply-made films that lack good taste and oppose societal norms. See more below. See > > Film Genres - History of Cult Films | Filmsite's Complete List | Cult Films - EW's Selection (2 parts) |
   |
|
About Filmsite.org
|
|
|
|
Roger Ebert: Endorsement
|
Filmsite.org (aka Filmsite)
is an award-winning website for classic film buffs, students,
moviegoers and anyone else interested in the great movies of the
last century. Detailed plot synopses, review commentary and
About Film Historian: Tim Dirks 
Tim Dirks created the popular
filmsite.org website, aka Filmsite or Greatest
Films,
in mid-1996, and the site celebrates its landmark 29th
anniversary in 2025. He has been writing about and reviewing
films on the site ever since its start. Tim originated
Filmsite and has remained its sole contributor,
manager, and editor - he adds significant content to the site
spanning all the years of cinematic history, often writes
blogs and other film-related articles, and has engaged in a
number of on-camera interviews about film.
Film critic and columnist Roger Ebert, author of
The Great Movies (2002), The Great Movies II (2005), and The Great Movies III (2010) made
many